Then, overcome by his emotions, Ted threw himself down on the grass and sobbed aloud. Hubert, who was near, put an arm over his cousin and sobbed with him. July, who had crawled nearer on the grass while Ted was speaking and now lay flat on his stomach close at hand, reached out a hand and touched the boy's shoulder, whispering:
"Nem-mind, Cap'n Ted. You done yo' part to-night. You been doin' yo' part ever since you come to dis camp. Don't you cry, Cap'n Ted, honey."
"Did you ever see the like o' that boy?" asked Al Peters softly. "He sure made the cold chills run up and down my back."
The remark was made to Buck Hardy, whose lips were twitching nervously and who did not answer.
"Too bad he ain't old enough," said Bud Jones. "He'd sure make a dandy cap'n in the army."
The other slackers stared into the fire in gloomy silence.
Suddenly Buck Hardy rose to his feet, clearing his throat as he too looked steadily into the fire.
"Well, fellows," he said, "I don't know how the rest o' you feel, but I'm ready to quit. I'm tired o' playin' the game of a sneakin' suck-egg dog and I want to try the game of bein' a man."
"Goin' to desert, air you?" asked Zack James in a harsh, unsteady voice.
"No—goin' to quit desertin'."