“I’d like aeroplane work,” said Jerry. “We’ve had experience in that.”
“I was thinking of submarines,” put in Ned.
“Why not the artillery?” asked Bob. “You know we had a little to do with explosives when we went out west to our mine.”
“I see you boys know a little something about all three branches of the service,” commented the lieutenant. “Well, perhaps it will be best for you to volunteer for the infantry at first, and, later, make application to be transferred. You can do this as long as you have volunteered.”
“That’s what we’ll do,” said Jerry. So, having formally enlisted, with the consent of their parents, the boys were told that word would be sent to them in a few days where to report for preliminary examinations and training.
“And now we’ll get back and see about that meeting!” exclaimed Jerry.
“I shall be interested in the outcome,” said the recruiting officer.
“I hope you won’t be _disappointed_,” remarked Jerry, with a smile.
Colonel Wentworth was at once interested and indignant.
“The idea!” he exclaimed. “What! allowing a pro-German meeting in Cresville? And especially when some of her sons are going to be in the new army! It’s infamous!”
“We’d better do something to teach these scoundrels a lesson!” declared the colonel, who was a good deal of a “fire-eater,” though no finer patriotic gentleman lived. “I’ll speak to some of my friends, and we’ll be at the meeting.”
“We expect to do the same,” said Bob. “We have some friends, too. We’ll all be there.”
“Of course,” went on the colonel, “every man is entitled to his own opinion, to a certain extent. But I don’t believe that when we are at war a set of men who, for their own advancement came over here to make money, can, when war is declared against the country they used to live in, side with that country and against the land that has given them everything they have, and has made them everything they are. There should be no more German-Americans! We should all be Americans. And any meeting or gathering that tends to foster this divided spirit, any gathering of misguided individuals which has for an object the weakening of our righteous war-like spirit, should be broken up.”
“And we’ll attend to the breaking-up!” exclaimed Jerry. “Come on, boys! We’ve got lots to do!”