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Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 11. When Hinkey Won Good Opinions |
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_ CHAPTER XI. WHEN HINKEY WON GOOD OPINIONS GREAT news came to Fort Clowdry these days. All summer the War Department had been considering the advisability of holding a military tournament at Denver. An enormous religious organization of young people of both sexes was to hold its convention in that city. In the same week two great secret societies were also to hold annual meetings in Denver. Thus there would be an unusually large crowd in this handsome, hustling city of the Rockies. The War Department, in its efforts to conduct the Army like any other great business enterprise, occasionally "advertises" in the way of holding a military tournament. These tournaments, at which seats are provided for many thousands of spectators, show in graphic splendor the work of all the different branches of the military service. It is the experience of the War Department that each tournament, if held under conditions that will draw a huge crowd of spectators, always results in a rush of the most desirable recruits for the Army. Soldiers always take a keen interest in these tournaments. It means to them the excitement of travel and change, and the prospect of winning applause that is so dear to the average human heart. It also means, for men of known good conduct, a welcome amount of leave to wander about the big city on the outskirts of which the tournament is held. There are many other reasons why men of the Regular Army always welcome these affairs. All four of the companies at Fort Clowdry were to go to Denver, save for a detail of ten men from each company, who were to be left behind to guard government property at the fort. "Hinkey," announced Captain Cortland, meeting that sullen soldier, "I don't suppose you have figured on being allowed to go to Denver with your company." "I suppose, sir, that I'm slated for the post guard," replied Hinkey, saluting. "My man, you've recently been guilty of conduct grossly unbecoming a soldier. But you've served your guard house period, and you'll be busy, for many weeks yet to come, in working out the fines imposed against you. For breaches of discipline it is the intent of the authorities to provide sufficient punishment. It is not, however, the purpose to keep on punishing a man. You may be glad, therefore, to know that you are to be allowed to go to Denver with your company." "Thank you, sir; I am glad," replied Private Hinkey, saluting very respectfully. "Then look carefully to your conduct until the time comes to start," admonished Captain Cortland. "Thank you, sir. I most certainly shall." Then, as he watched the back of Captain Cortland, a peculiarly disagreeable smile came to Hinkey's lips. "Oh, yes, I'll be careful!" he muttered. "And I am glad of the chance--far more glad than you can guess, Cap. A trip like this will give me ten times the chance I'd have here at Clowdry to get even with that cheeky young kid sergeant, Overton!" Thereafter Hinkey fairly dreamed of the military journey that was so near at hand. All was bustle and activity on the military reservation. Soldiers taking part in a military tournament require almost as many "properties" and "stage settings" as are needed by a big theatrical company. For the tournament is, actually and purposely, a big theatrical display. It is intended to show all the excitement, snap and glamour of the soldier's life and his deeds of high skill and great daring. Then came the day when the battalion, with drum-major and band at its head, marched away with colors bravely flying, and boarded the train at the little, nearby station. The train left soon after nine in the morning. Private Hinkey was greatly disappointed at this. He had hoped that the command might travel by night. He had dreamed of catching Sergeant Hal on a platform, and of hurling him from the moving car without his crime being seen of other eyes. "But no matter!" muttered the brute to himself. "I know the programme at the tournament, and there'll be a lot of chances--more than I can use, as I need but one!" the sullen fellow finished grimly under his breath. It was late in the afternoon when the train was shunted upon a siding not far from the great ball grounds on which the tourney was to be held. There was no crowd here as yet, and no crashing of brass or flourish of trumpets. The battalion, at route step, moved into the grounds. Here ranks were broken and arms stacked. Then, by detachments, each under an officer, or non-commissioned officer, the men were hustled off to attend to an enormous amount of swift, skilful labor. At one far-end of the grounds the full-sized Army tents were erected, with cook tents, mess and hospital tents, and all, for the men were to live comfortably in the brief time that they were to be here. Engineer and cavalry troops were already on the field, the engineers having arrived first of all, in order to lay the grounds out for the work in hand. Artillery and Signal Corps men, and a small detachment of ordnance troops, were due to arrive before dark. By supper time the hard-worked soldiers had some right to feel tired. It was not until nine in the evening that the men were through for that day. Then a few of the men of best conduct were given passes to leave camp and visit Denver until midnight. Private Hinkey was not one of these men. He did not even want to go, for he had worked like a beaver, and was thoroughly tired out. It had seemed, since reaching the grounds, as though Hinkey had been determined to show how good and industrious a soldier he could be. "That man is working to reinstate himself in the good conduct grade," remarked Lieutenant Hampton, calling Hinkey's tireless industry to Captain Cortland's attention. "Then he'll have all the chance he wants," replied the captain. "We don't want to keep any man down, or to give him a dog's name--with apologies to the dog." As Hinkey had been in a service detachment under Overton's command Hal felt it but just to say to the fellow: "Hinkey, you've worked harder and more attentively than any man in this detachment." "Thank you, Sergeant; I've tried to," replied the fellow, with such well-pretended respect that Sergeant Hal almost fell over. "I almost think I've misjudged the man in thinking him one of our worst," Overton told himself. It had been well for the boyish young sergeant had he been but a trifle more suspicious of such sudden reform on his enemy's part! At five in the morning, or almost an hour earlier than usual, every officer and man in this temporary camp was routed out from under his blankets by the sharp, stirring notes of first call to reveille. Breakfast was hurriedly disposed of, and the simple duties of ordinary "camp police" performed by the time that it was fully light. And now more labor, for the stage settings must be arranged, that they might all be moved swiftly into place as the need came. It was noon when the men finished. Then mess call, or "come and get it," as the soldiers facetiously term it, was sounded over the camp, and officer and man alike hastened to the well-earned midday meal. "We ought to have a huge crowd," spoke Corporal Noll Terry, at camp table. "We ought to, but we won't," predicted Sergeant Hupner. "Why not, Sergeant?" "You didn't take a pass to go to town, last night?" "No." "I did." "Well, Sergeant?" "The town is billed from one end to another with posters of the show," continued Hupner. "Meaning our tournament?" "No, Terry. Of course, our show is billed, too, but the show I'm alluding to is Howe and Spangleton's Great Combined Circuses." "Are they showing in Denver to-day?" asked Sergeant Overton. "Yes, siree," replied Hupner, with emphasis. "And you know what these western towns are when a truly big circus works this far west. The circus will be selling standing-room at double prices, and this show of ours will be performed to two or three hundred small kids whose hearts are broken because they didn't have the price of a circus ticket." "We ought to have had some other date in the week, then," spoke up another man at table. "Oh," grimaced Hupner, "the War Department thinks a whole lot of its regulars, of course, so I don't suppose any one over at Washington could picture the troops being called upon to show their best work to empty benches that would hold twenty thousand spectators." That same news, and that same impression had reached the artillery, the cavalry, the ordnance detachment, the engineers and the men of the Signal Corps. The officers, likewise, shook their heads. All were greatly disappointed to think that the Army had to compete with the sawdust, the tinsel, the gay music and the dash and whoop-la of the circus. Yet one man in this Regular Army encampment felt wholly satisfied with himself. That man was Private Hinkey. He knew the programme of the tournament, and the secret of this sullen wretch's great industry was known at least to himself. "I've got it all fixed to rid the regiment of that kid sergeant," the brute in uniform exulted to himself. "Exit Kid Overton from the Thirty-fourth!" _ |
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