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o sleep there？〃
（Maureen my love； that's putting the ~at too close to the canary！ I won't sleep； I'll lie awake thinking about you upstairs…surrounded by kids and Gramp。） 〃Mrs。 Captain gen
erous hostess ma'am； I'll be utterly delighted to sleep in your sewing room。〃
〃That's better； Sergeant。 For a moment I thought Mama was going to have to spank。〃
Brian Junior was waiting at the Benton car stop； with George as footman； and with Carol and Marie in the back seat。 George grabbed the grip and took charge of it； Marie shrilled； 〃My； doesn't Uncle Ted look pretty！〃 and Carol corrected her：
〃Handsome； Marie。 Soldiers look handsome and smart； not 'pretty。' Isn't that right； Uncle Ted？〃
Lazarris picked the smaller girl up by her elbows and kissed her cheek； set her down。 〃Technically correct； Carol…but 'pretty' suits me just fine if Marie thinks I am。 Quite a weling mittee…do I run along behind？〃
〃You sit in the tonneau with the girls；〃 Brian Junior ruled。 〃But look at this first！〃 He pointed。 〃A foo？ throttle！ Isn't that bully？〃
Lazarus agreed； then took a few moments to inspect the car…in better shape than he had left it； shining and clean from spokes to top and with several new items besides the foot accelerator： a ditssy radiator cap； rubber nonskids for the pedals； a tire holder on the rear with a patent…leather cover for a spare tire； a robe rail in the？rear partment with a lap robe folded neatly； and…finishing touch…a cut…glass bud vase with a single rose。 〃Is the engine kept as beautifully as the rest？〃
George opened the hood。 Lazarus looked and nodded approvingly。 〃It could take a white…glove inspection。〃
〃That's exactly what Grandpa gives it；〃 Brian declared。 〃He says if we don't take care of it； we can't use it。〃
〃You do take care of it。〃
Lazarus arrived in royal splendor； one arm aroi~d~abig little girl； the other around a small little girl。 Graiisp was waiting on the front porch； came down the walk to meet him； and Lazarus suddenly revised his mental image： The old soldier was in uniform and seemed a foot taller and ramrod straight…ribbons on his chest； chevrdns on his sleeves； puttees most carefully rolled； campaign hat perched high and turned up slightly behind。
As Lazarus turned from handing Carol out； Marie having danced ahead； Oramp paused and threw Lazarus a sweeping tFhrockmartin salute。 〃Wele home； Sergeant！〃
Lazarus returned it as flamboyantly。 〃Thank you； Sergeant；
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I'm glad to be here。〃 He added； 〃Mr。 Johnson； you didn't tell me you were a supply sergeant。〃
〃Somebody has to count the socks。 I agreed to take…〃
The rest was lost to Woodie's explosive arrival。 〃Hey； Uncle Sergeant！ You're going to play chess with me！〃
〃Sure； Sport；〃 Lazarus agreed； his attention distracted by two other things： Mrs。 Smith at the open door； and a service flag in the parlor window。 Three stars… Three？
Then Gramp was urging him in with something about this being a drill night so supper would be early。 Nancy kissed
第75节
？him； openly and without glancing first for her mother's approval…then Dickie had to be picked up and kissed； and Baby Ethel （walking！）； and at last Maureen gave him her slender hand； drew him to her； and brushed his cheek with her lips。 〃Sergeant Theodore 。 。 it is so good to have you
？home。〃
Supper was a noisy； well…run circus； with Gramp presiding in lieu of his son…in…law； while his daughter ran things with serene dignity from the other end and did not get up once Lazarus placed her chair under her and took his seat of honor on her right。 Her three oldest daughters did all that was necessary。 Ethel sat in a highchair on her mother's left with George helping her…Lazarus learned that this duty rotated among the five eldest。
It was a lavish meal for wartime； with hot； golden cornbread replacing white bread； this being a wheatless day…and irmest discipline （administered by Nancy and Brian Junior） re~1uired that every morsel accepted must be eaten； with admonitions about hungry Belgians。 Lazarus did not care what he ate but remembered to pliment the cooks （three）； and tried to answer all that was said to him…nearly impossible as Brian and George wanted to tell about their troop's drive to colle。…t walnut shells and peach pits and how many it took for eah gas mask； and Marie had to be allowed to boast that she could knit just as well as George could and she did not either drop stit~hes！…and hoake a blanket； while Gramp wanted to talk shop with Lazarus and had to be stern to get a word in edgewise。
Maureen Smith seemed to find it unnecessary to talk~ She smiled and looked happy； but it seemed to Lazarus that there was tension under her self…control…tl）？ages…old strain of Penelope。 （For me； darling？ No； of course not。 I wish I could tell you that Pop will e back； unharmed。 But how could
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533I make you believe that I know？ You're going to have to sweat it out the way Penelope did。 I'm sorry； my love。） 〃Excuse me； Carol… I missed that。〃
〃I said it's perfectly horrid that you have to go back so soon！ When you're just about to go 'Over There。'〃
〃But it's quite a lot； Carol； in wartime。 It's just that getting here and getting back eats up so much time。 I'm not entitled to special privileges； I don't know that I am about to ship out。〃
There was silence around the table； and the older boys exchanged glances。
Ira Thhnson broke it by saying gently； 〃Sergeant； the children know what a pass in the middle of the week means。 But they don't talk； they are disciplined。 My son…in…law decided…wisely； I think…not to keep things from them us'necessarily。〃
〃But； Grandpa； when Papa has leave； he doesn't go back next day。 It's not fair。〃
〃That's because；〃 Brian Junior said wisely； 〃Papa usually rides with Captain Bozell in that big ol' Marmon Six and they burn up the road。 Staff Sergeant Uncle Ted； I could drive you back to camp Then you wouldn't have to leave till late ~。 morrow night
Thank you Brian…but I don t think we d better If I cajcfr〃 the train we call the 'Reveille Special' tomorrow evening~ P~ safe even if the train is a bit late； and this is one time ~ in not going to risk being over leave。〃
I agree with Sergeant Bronson ' Gramp added and that settles it Brian Ted can t risk being late~ ~ ~鏴 that I had better move along too Daughter if Lmay~~cused？'
Certainly Father
Sergeant Johnson may I drive you to ~~arade ground？ Or wherever it is？〃
〃To the Armory。 No； no； Ted； my captain picks me up and brings me home； he and I go early and stay late。 Mrrph。 Why don't you take Maureen for a spin？ She hasn't been out of the house for a week； she's getting pale。〃
〃Mrs。 Smith？ I'd be honored。〃
〃We'll all go！〃
〃George；〃 his grandfather said firmly； 〃the idea is to give your mother an hour free of the pressure and noise of children。〃
〃Sergeant Ted promised to …play chess with me！〃
…〃WoOdie； I beard what he said。He did not set a time 。 an4 he'll be here tomorrow。〃
〃And he promised to take me to Electric Park a long； long； long time ago； and he never did！〃
〃Woodie；。I'm sorry about that；〃 Lazarus answered； 〃but the war came along before the park opened。 We may have to wait until the war is over。〃
〃But you said…〃…
〃Woodrow；〃 his mother said firmly； 〃stop that。 This is Sergeant Theodore's leave； not yours。〃
？〃And get …that sulky look off your face；〃 added his grandfather； 〃before we form a regimental square and have you flogged around the flagpole。 Nancy？ Charge…of…quarters； dear。〃
〃But…〃 'Fhe oldest girl shut up。
〃Father； Nancy's young man is about to reach his birthday and is not going to wait to be drafted； I think I told you。 So some of the young people are giving him a surprise party tonight。〃 …
〃Oh； yes…slipped my mind。 Fine young man； Ted； you would approve of him。 Correction； Nancy； you