tched out comfortable
on the leather seats, and was enjoyin' a perfectly good smoke, until I
shows up. The minute I appears, though, they chucks their cigars and
jumps up, heels together, right hand to the hat-brim. That's what I get
by havin' this dinky bar on my shoulders.

"Can it, boys," says I. "This is unofficial."

"At ease, sir?" suggests one.

"As easy as you know how," says I.

Yes, they says they're ambulancers; on their way back to Allentown,
too. But they didn't happen to know of any Wilfred Stanton Bliss there.

"You see, sir," says one, "there are about five thousand of us, so he
might----"

"Sure!" says I. "But mother'll want an affidavit. Would you mind
droppin' in and bein' cross-examined? There's sister Marion, too."

Obligin' chaps, they were; let me tow 'em into the drawin'-room,
listened patient while Mrs. Bliss described just how Wilfred looked, and
tried their best to remember havin' seen such a party. Also they gave
her their expert opinion on how long the war was goin' to last, when
Wilfred would be sent over, and what chances he stood of comin' back
without a scratch.

Once more it was Marion who threw the switch.

"Tell me," says she, "will he be wearing a uniform just like yours?"

They said he would.

"Oh!" gurgles Marion, "I think it is perfectly spiffy. Don't you,
mother? I'm just crazy to see Wilfred in one."

Mother catches the enthusiasm. "My noble boy!" says she, rollin' her
eyes up.

From then on she's quite chipper. The idea of findin' sonny made over
into a smart, dashin' soldier seemed to crowd out all the panicky
thoughts she'd been havin'. From little hints she let drop, I judged
that she was already picturin' him as a gallant hero, struttin' around
haughty and givin' off stern commands. Maybe he'd been made a captain or
something. Surely they would soon see that her Wilfred ought to be an
officer of some kind.

"And we must have his portrait painted," she remarks, claspin' her hands
excited as the happy thought strikes her.

The boys looked steady out of the window and managed to smother the
smiles. I imagine they'd seen all sorts of mothers come to camp.

It's a lively little burg, Allentown, even if I didn't know it was on
the map before. At the station you take a trolley that runs straight
through the town and out to the fair grounds, where the camp is located.
Goin' up the hill, you pass through the square and by the Soldiers'
Monument. Say, it's some m