There were two men in the tent, talking with Bert, and Tom waited
impatiently for them to leave.
"Tonight," he said shortly, as the tent flap dropped behind them.
"Tonight?"
"Yes."
They sat silently until Bert exclaimed, "I envy you! You're the luckiest
boy in the world, walking right into such a chance as this."
"I wish you were going."
"So do I."
Silence overcame them again.
"I'd better write a letter home," Tom said presently. "I'll say that I've
enlisted and let it go at that."
It was shortly before six o' clock when Tom left camp. He went to the store
in Shelbyville, claimed the suit he purchased two days before, and induced
the proprietor to let him make the change in the back room of the store. He
made a bundle of the clothes he had discarded, left them at the store
saying that he would call for them in a few days, then went out on the one
street of the village. It was deserted; the good citizens of Shelbyville
were at dinner, and a few soldiers who had come to the village to make
purchases were hurrying back to camp to be there when mess call sounded. In
the excitement of his departure Tom had forgotten that he must eat, but,
with a half-hour to spare before starting for the meeting place, he
returned to the store and stuffed his pockets with food.
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