are you, Labe?" he asked, anxiously. Laban shook his
head.

"No," he said. "No, I ain't sick. Been doin' picket duty up and down the
room since half past three, that's all. Um-hm, that's all. Say, Al, if
General what's-his-name--er--von Hindenburg--is any harder scrapper
than old Field Marshal Barleycorn he's a pretty tough one. Say, Al, you
didn't say anything about--about my--er--enlistin' to Cap'n Lote, did
you? I meant to ask you not to."

"I didn't, Labe. I thought you might want it kept a secret."

"Um-hm. Better keep it in the ranks until we know how this
first--er--skirmish is comin' out. Yes, yes. Better keep it that way.
Um-hm."

All day he stuck manfully at his task and that evening, immediately
after supper, Albert went to the room over the shoe store, found him
there and insisted upon his coming over to call upon Rachel. He had not
intended doing so.

"You see, Al," he explained, "I'm--I'm kind of--er--shaky and Rachel
will be worried, I'm afraid. She knows me pretty well and she'll
cal'late I'm just gettin' ready to--to bust loose again."

Albert interrupted. "No, she won't, Laban," he said. "We'll show her
that you're not."

"You won't say anything to her about my--er--enlistin', Al? Don't.
No, no. I've promised her too many times--and broke the promises. If
anything should come of this fight of mine I'd rather she'd find it out
for herself. Better to surprise her than to disapp'int her. Yes, yes,
lots better."

Albert promised not to tell Rachel and so Laban made his call. When it
was over the young man walked home with him and the pair sat and talked
until after midnight, just as on the previous night. The following
evening it was much the same, except that, as Mr. Keeler pronounced
himself more than usually "shaky" and expressed a desire to "keep
movin'," they walked half way to Orham and back before parting. By the
end of the week Laban declared the fight won--for the time.

"You've pulled me through the fust tussle, Al," he said. "I shan't
desert now, not till the next break-out, anyhow. I cal'late it'll get me
harder than ever then. Harder than ever--yes, yes. And you won't be here
to help me, neither."

"Never mind; I shall be thinking of you, Labe. And I know you're going
to win. I feel it in my bones."

"Um-hm. . . . Yes, yes, yes. . . In your bones, eh? Well, MY bones don't
seem to feel much, except rheumatics once in a while. I hope yours
are better prophets, but I wouldn't want