The Battleship Boys at Sea.

by Frank Gee Patchin.

CHAPTER I-THE LURE OF THE BATTLESHIP

"That must be the place over there, Sam."

"Where?"

"Just across the street on the next block. I see something in front of the building that looks like the picture we saw in the post office at home."

Dan Davis turned to a pa.s.sing policeman and, respectfully touching his hat, asked:

"Will you tell us, sir, where we may find the United States Navy recruiting station?"

The policeman pointed to the building in front of which Dan's eyes had caught sight of a highly colored lithograph.

"Thank you, sir. Come on, Sam; I was right. That is the place we are looking for. See that flag up there in the third story window? That's the flag you and I are going to serve under if we are lucky enough to be accepted."

Sam Hickey nodded and started after his companion across the street. A moment later the lads stood before the picture that had attracted their attention. In the foreground of the picture stood a sailor clad in the uniform of a seaman in Uncle Sam's Navy, while on beyond him, in the distant background, lay a white battleship, the Stars and Stripes floating from her after staff, a line of signal flags fluttering from the signal halyard just aft of the battleship's navigating bridge. Palm trees and similar foliage showed it to be a tropical scene.

For several moments the lads stood gazing on the picture with fascinated interest. Each seemed unable to withdraw his gaze from it. At last, with a deep sigh, Dan turned his shining eyes upon his young companion.

"Isn't it beautiful, Sam?" he breathed.

"What, the sailor?"

"I was not thinking of the sailor; I was thinking of the ship-the battleship-and that Flag floating there, the most beautiful Flag in the world. At least I guess it must be. I've never seen any of the other flags, except in pictures, but that one is handsome enough for me. Shall we go upstairs to the recruiting office now?"

"Don't be in a hurry," objected Sam. "I want to look at the picture some more."

"We can do that afterwards. The first thing is to see whether we shall be able to enlist. This letter that I got from the station says we have to be examined, though I don't know just what sort of examination they will give us."

Sam Hickey still lingered.

"Are you coming, Sam?"

"No."

"Not coming?"

"No; I've changed my mind."

"I don't understand," rejoined Dan, a puzzled expression in his eyes.

"I guess I do not want to enlist. I think I shall go back home to Piedmont."

"Look here, Sam Hickey, you will do nothing of the sort! We came down here to enlist in the Navy and that is exactly what we are going to do, providing they will have us. You say you are going back home. How do you expect to get there?"

"The way we came-on a train, of course."

Dan smiled grimly.

"I guess not. You forget that we have no money left-that is, not more than enough with which to buy one more meal."

"I can walk," grumbled Sam.

"No, you cannot. We are three hundred miles from Piedmont. Why do you wish to back out at this late hour? You were so anxious to enlist, and now you are talking the other way. Why?"

"I've changed my mind; that's all."

Dan grasped his companion firmly by the arm.

"You come along with me! You have changed your mind too late this time."

Sam hesitated, then reluctantly accompanied his companion up the stairs.

A few moments later, they were knocking at the door of the recruiting office.

Sam Hickey felt a strong inclination to bolt, and no doubt he would have done so had it not been for the firm grip on his arm. He ran one hand nervously through his shock of red hair, shifted his weight from one foot to the other and muttered something that was unintelligible to his companion.

But Dan's ears were keenly alert for the response to his summons, and he straightened up ever so little as he heard footsteps approaching the door.

It had been the dream of these two young American boys for many months to join the Navy. They had talked and talked of the day when they should have arrived at the age that permitted them to make application for admission to the service. A few weeks before reaching the legal age, which is seventeen, each had received a letter from a recruiting station in New York City pointing out the advantages that the service offers to young Americans.

Correspondence had been immediately opened with the recruiting office, with the result that the lads made their preparations to go directly to New York City and present themselves at the recruiting station.

Dan, who lived with his widowed mother, was a clerk in the general store in his home town; while Sam, an orphan, had been serving an apprenticeship in a small machine shop. It had been therefore no small effort for the boys to get together enough money for their expenses to the metropolis; and, as already stated, they were now practically at the end of their resources. But this did not discourage them.

"If we are rejected we shall be able to find something to do in New York that will let us earn enough money to take us back home," Dan had declared resolutely, his pale face lighting up, his eyes sparkling with purpose and determination.

"Yes; I had just as lief work in New York as in Piedmont," agreed Sam.

"I hope, Sam, we shall have to do neither."

The door was thrown open abruptly, and the boys found themselves confronted by a middle-aged man clad in a blue suit. On the right sleeve he wore three bright red chevrons enclosing a white pilot wheel, surmounted by a white eagle, showing that he was a quartermaster in the United States Navy.

"Well, what is it?" he demanded rather brusquely.

"We wish to join the Navy, sir," answered Dan firmly.

The quartermaster surveyed the lads keenly.

"Come inside," he said.

The boys entered the waiting room, where they were directed to seat themselves at a table. A printed blank form was placed before each.