calls Beans. "Yes, indeed, it
would be a great pleasure, but I think we should defer it until the
lieutenant can be induced to leave off his uniform. You understand, I'm
sure. We--we should feel more at ease."

"Maybe that could be fixed up, too," says I.

"If it only could!" says Beans, rollin' his eyes at the bunch. "But
perhaps it would be better as sort of a surprise. Eh? So you needn't
mention us. We--we'll let him know in a day or so."

Well, they kept their word. Couldn't have been more 'n a couple of days
later when Hartley calls me one side confidential and shows me this note
askin' him if he wouldn't be kind enough to meet with a few of his old
comrades in arms and help form a permanent organization that would
perpetuate the fond ties formed at Camp Mills.

Hartley is beamin' all over his face. "There!" says he. "That's what I
call the true American spirit. And, speaking as a military man, I've
seen no better example of a morale that lasts through. It's the
discipline that does it, too. I suppose they want me to continue as
their commanding officer; to carry on, as it were."

"Listens that way, doesn't it?" says I. "But what do the initials at the
end stand for--the G. O. G.'s.?"

"Can't you guess?" says Hartley, almost blushin'. "Grue's Overseas
Graduates."

"Well, well!" says I. "Say, that's handin' you something, eh? Looked
like a fine bunch of young chaps. Some of 'em college hicks, I expect?"

"Oh, yes," says Hartley. "All kinds from plumbers to multi-millionaires.
Fact! I had young Ogden Twombley as company secretary at one time. Yes,
and I remember docking his leave twelve hours once for being late at
assembly. But see what it's done for those boys."

"And think what they did to the Huns," says I. "But where's this joint
they want to meet you at? What's the number again? Why, that's the
Plutoria."

"Is it?" says Hartley. "Oh, well, there were a lot of young swells among
'em. I must get them interested in my Veteran Reserve plan. I'll have to
make a little speech, I suppose, welcoming them back and all that sort
of thing. Perhaps you'd like to come along, Torchy?"

"Sure!" says I. "That is, so long as they don't call on me for any
remarks. How about this at the bottom, though? 'Civilian dress,
please'?"

"Oh, they'd feel a little easier, I suppose," says Hartley, "if I wasn't
in uniform. Maybe it would be best, the first time."

So that's how it happened that promptly at 4 p.m. next day