CHAPTER EIGHT
PORT OF EMBARKATION
At breakfast the following morning Lieutenant Hauser rapped forattention with her knife. Expectant faces turned quickly toward her,for the feeling that important changes were just ahead had swept thecamp like a tidal wave.
"I have good news for you," said Lieutenant Hauser.
The nurses waited for no more. Their eager exclamations swelled intocheers that swept the mess tent.
An odd expression tightened their commanding officer's face a momentbefore she continued, "I see our enemies are not the only ones who geta foresight of our movements."
This brought an alarmed silence. But Miss Hauser quickly relieved theirtension by smiling as she said, "Naturally you've been looking forwardto, and preparing for this news. We have been ordered to a port ofembarkation."
This really brought cheers that rang through the pine woods.
"When? Where?" Two thoughtless ones asked eagerly.
"Those are sealed orders," replied Lieutenant Hauser. "We'll know whereonly when we get there. My immediate orders are to tell you to be readyto roll out of this camp in an hour."
Those who had not eaten all their breakfast forgot to finish, as theyhurried off to pack and roll up their tents.
"Just a minute," she called after the too-eager ones. "The orders Ihave already given about writing of our activities are more bindingthan ever. If you must write home merely say you're well and busy.There was one train wreck not so long ago when someone let it slipabout troop movements. You don't want to invite any such disasteragain."
For the first time Nancy felt a gulf widening between herself and thetwo loved ones back home. This was really her first great test.
Someone had asked Miss Hauser a question Nancy had not heard, but nowshe listened while their First Lieutenant said, "I think it might besafer just to send out cards. Then you'll be more careful not to say onthem anything that might betray our movements."
At noon that day their convoy drew up at the rear of a hotel in a cityso large it had taken them a half hour to reach its busy center. Theywere herded into a long room where a hotel clerk assigned them theirquarters. There were to be only two to a room once more, so Nancy andMabel managed to get together again.
When Nancy found there was a bath with shower she was exuberant. "Won'tit be wonderful to get really clean all over once more!"
She was peeling off her coveralls as she talked.
"We'd better enjoy the clean-up while we can get it," Mabel warned. "Ifigure we've got a long train journey ahead no matter whether we embarkon the Atlantic or the Pacific."
The changes were swift from then on. They had lunch and an elaboratedinner that evening in a private dining room. To Nancy's delight MajorReed had lunch with them. Before leaving the dining room Captain Lewis,who had arrived with him, gave them a talk, praising their diligenceand cooperation during the training period.
Just before she finished she said, "I would suggest that you stay inyour rooms and rest as you must be on your way again during the night."That was all. No one knew what would be their method of transportationor where their destination.
"Might as well be a prisoner," complained Tini, when she packed intothe elevator beside Nancy. "I wanted to get my hair set. I look afright."
Nancy nudged her and whispered, "Be quiet! Elevator boys have ears,too."
The nurses found the hall of the floor they had taken over jammed withbaggage brought over from their basic training camp. Nancy's andMabel's foot lockers had already been placed in their room.
"Everything seems to run smooth as magic," said Mabel. "Wish they'd letus go to the stores to get a few things."
"I imagine we'll be given time to get the last-minute necessities atthe port of embarkation," said Nancy. "I hear we have to take moreshots and physical exams after we get there. That takes time."
At eleven o'clock that night they marched aboard their Pullman, asNancy had seen those soldiers file into the fatal eight cars less thansix weeks earlier. It seemed incredible that she had learned so much insuch a short time.
Though Nancy was generally ready for sleep she felt wide awake thatnight. She had no patience to wait till morning to learn whether theywere traveling east or west.
Two nurses had been assigned to each lower berth and one to the upper.Nancy, Mabel and Tini had one section, so Nancy quickly volunteered tosleep in the lower with Mabel.
"You're larger than either of us," she said to Tini. "You'll need morestretching room."
"Thanks," said Tini, accepting the favor as if she were really moreentitled to it than the others. "I never slept with anyone--know Iwouldn't get a wink."
When the two friends packed into the lower Nancy whispered, "I canhardly wait till morning to see whether we're going east or west."
"Would seem too good to be true to be sent to the South Pacific," saidMabel.
"If training's any indication they've certainly been preparing us forthat."
They turned out the light and after a while Mabel raised the shade alittle. She lifted her head and peered out. After an interval shewhispered, "Nancy, we really are heading west!"
"How can you tell?"
"By the stars. See--yonder's the North Star, and the Big Dipper low onthe horizon."
Nancy remembered enough from her Girl Scout days to recognize thenorthern constellation at the left of the train. For several minutesshe kept lifting her head to peer out, and assure herself that theywere really keeping an even course into the west. Finally she settledback with a feeling of great satisfaction and tried to sleep.
The Pullman was silent now, except for the humming of the wheelsbeneath them. Nancy was almost asleep when she heard a peculiar soundoverhead. She opened her eyes and saw through a crack at the edge ofthe berth that Tini's light still burned. She concentrated herattention on the almost imperceptible sound. It was like the scratchingof a pen on paper. Instantly she knew Tini was at her letter writingagain.
"Do you hear something, Mabel?" she asked, nudging her friend.
Mabel lifted a sleepy head to listen. "Somebody writing with a scratchypen. Must be Tini. Never would have thought she'd be careful enough tokeep a diary."
"Maybe it's a letter."
"But Miss Hauser asked us only to send cards."
"I'm afraid Tini doesn't give much heed to what Miss Hauser asks."
"Well, it's not my little red wagon," said Mabel, and settled back onher pillow. Her regular breathing soon indicated that she slept.
Nancy stayed awake long after the pen scratching stopped, wonderinguneasily about Tini. It seemed uncanny how the girl was always stuckright under her nose. Did her superior officers do it by deliberateintent? Before she finally slept she made up her mind to be more alertthan ever where Tini was concerned.
The following two days, however, were so filled with the wonders oftravel that Nancy temporarily forgot that Tini could be such a thorn inthe flesh. She had never been west of the Mississippi. For the firsttime she saw the great western plains and thrilled when the mountainranges beyond loomed on the horizon. She had never dreamed mere colorcould be so intoxicating until their long train crossed the firstcanyon. It was like a fantastic dream, yet a sight never to beforgotten.
The nurses had the best food the diner afforded. On their swayingjourneys to and from the diner they discovered that the train containedmany soldiers. None of the nurses lacked for diverting companionshipthen. But Tini couldn't be satisfied with one, she must keep two orthree buzzing around her all the time.
On the second day at noon Nancy and Mabel were in the diner when thetrain stopped longer than usual at a small-town station. Nancy, sittingnext the window, glanced out to see Tini hurrying across the tracks,and into the waiting room. Nancy could have sworn her right pocket wasbulky with something, letters no doubt. Tini was gone only a fewminutes before she returned carrying a magazine, but Nancy was sure herpocket looked less bulky.
&n
bsp; "Stubborn as a mule," said Nancy to herself in disgust. "She wasdetermined to send a letter to Carl Benton."
In spite of the number of men available many of the nurses spent theirtime playing cards, or catching up on their magazine and book reading,for which there had been little chance during their weeks of training.
On the third day they de-trained at the city of embarkation. Armytrucks were waiting to take them to another temporary abode. Again itwas a large hotel, where an entire floor was assigned to them. Cots hadbeen put in the double bedrooms, and again Nancy was packed in with theroom-mates she had had in the tents. They had only an hour before theywere to report in room three for instructions. Everyone was eager tohear about the next step, and the room was full before the hour was up.
"First and most important," said Lieutenant Hauser, when she stoodbefore them once more, "you are to hint to no one that we are preparingto embark. No nurse is to leave the hotel without signing the registerwhen she goes out and when she returns. I prefer that you go shoppingor to the theater in groups. There are plenty of Red Cross volunteersready to show you around. You may want to buy many last minute itemsnot included in government issues. Each of you may take one of thesetyped lists of suggestions, so you won't forget something important youmay need out there. Do all you want to do promptly, for when we arealerted no girl can leave the quarters."
Lieutenant Hauser glanced at her notes and added, "Nor are you to haveany guests in your rooms. And everyone must check in by eleven o'clock."
Nancy was relieved that they would be allowed to go out and do somelast-minute shopping.
"I understand the Red Cross has planned several social functions foryou, which you must attend as a unit. There will be one dance here atthe hotel at which you may wear evening clothes." She smiled knowingly."You may not have a chance to dress up again for a long time. I wantyou to enjoy yourselves as much as you can here--go to the movies, seesome good shows, but always be careful to observe strictly the rules Ihave laid down."
The nurses found, however, that the evenings were about the only timethey had for recreation, for there were numberless things to be done inpreparation for departure. When Mabel read her list of instructions shefell back on her bed.
"I'll never get my last-minute shopping done," she groaned. "I'llfeel like a bug-house by the time we finish with all theseinoculations--bubonic plague, cholera, typhus, yellow fever."
Nancy scoffed. "You're such a wind-bag, Mabel. You know we've alreadyhad lots of them. This final checkup won't be so bad."
"At least I'm already immunized to smallpox and have had my typhoidshots."
"But say, doesn't that list really spell the tropics to you?" Nancyasked happily. "Wouldn't Dad and Mom be thrilled to know I'm headed inTommy's direction?"
"With present restrictions on mail it'll be a long time before theyhear that," Mabel reminded her.
"Anybody heard when we're sailing?" asked Tini.
"If you ask me I don't want to know," Ida Hall told her. "Too muchresponsibility to have such knowledge."
"I figure it'll take at least a week to unwind all this red tape," saidMabel. "They even want us to make our wills. Golly Moses, I haven'tanything to will anybody! Just a few pieces of cheap jewelry. Money'snever stuck to my fingers long enough for me to accumulate anything."
"You'll be getting more pay overseas," Nancy reminded her. "And therewon't be any place to spend it, if we really get near the front lines."
However, Mabel did make out a will of sorts. The two friends wenttogether to attend to this bit of business. Nancy's will was only asimple statement leaving all she had to her parents. As they left theoffice where their signatures had been witnessed Mabel said with rareseriousness, "I haven't any near kin, Nancy, so I'm leaving all I haveto you."
"Oh, Mabel!" she exclaimed, her eyes suddenly blinded with tears.
"Not that I have anything much, but--but I'd just like you to know howyou rate with me."
Nancy squeezed her friend's arm and said softly, "I've never had afriend like you, Mabel--so close I mean. You surely find out aboutpeople when you live as close to them as we have these last weeks."
"Makes us seem we've already known each other a lifetime."
Mabel, always afraid of seriousness and sentiments said with a laugh asthey approached their room, "I wouldn't have told you about it, if I'dhad enough to make it worth your while to put a spider in my dumpling."
------------------------------------------------------------------------