When the big flag went up in the morning to
the top of the towering flag-staff, Sam's spirits went up with it, and
they floated there, vibrating, hovering, all day; but when the flag
came down at night, Sam did not come down. He was always up, living an
ecstatic dream-life in the seventh heaven.
One night as Sam lay in his tent dreaming that he had just won the
battle of Waterloo, he heard a voice close to his ears.
"Jinks!"
"Yes, sir."
"Here is an order for you to report at once up in the woods at old Fort
Hut. The password is 'Old Gory'; say that, and the sentinel will let
you out of camp. Go along and report to the colonel at once."
"What is it?" cried Sam. "Is it an attack?"
"Very likely," said the voice. "Now wake up your snoring friend there,
for he's got to go too. What's his name?"
"Cleary," answered Sam, and he proceeded gently to awaken his tent-mate
and break the news to him that the enemy was advancing. It was not easy
to rouse the young man, but finally they both succeeded in dressing in
the dark, and hastened away between the tents across the most remote
sentry beat. They were duly challenged, whispered the countersign, and
in a few moments were climbing the rough and thickly wooded hill to the
fort.
"I wonder who the enemy is," said Sam.
"Enemy? Nonsense," replied Cleary. "They're going to haze us."
"Haze us? Good heavens!" said Sam.
Pages:
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28