The other two officers talked in an undertone.
"Sign here," said the Captain. Tom signed. The Major picked up the paper
and glanced through it.
"Hold up your right hand," said the Major. Then Tom heard the oath which
bound him to serve the United States of America honorably as a soldier.
"I do," he replied, and let his hand drop to his side again.
The two officers signed the papers, shook hands with him, nodded to Captain
Moffat and left the tent. It all happened so quickly that Tom could
scarcely realize that he was now a soldier. When he had entered the tent he
was a civilian, bound merely by promises of service; now he was a soldier,
without a uniform, to be sure, but none the less a soldier. His eyes dimmed
and he looked away from the Captain.
Captain Moffat folded the paper, returned it to the box, and faced Tom. He
looked at him thoughtfully for a few seconds; then placed his hands upon
his shoulders.
"Private Tom Burns," he said softly. "Good luck to you. It will be Second
Lieutenant Tom Burns if this expedition is a success. Good luck, my boy,
and may God be with you." He took Tom's hand and shook it.
And then Tom found himself walking down the street of Company B--a soldier
of Company B--and he scarcely knew that his feet were treading ground.
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