Part 26 (1/2)

It was the first soldier's left hand, however, which attracted the boys'

particular attention. Resting in his lap, and partly concealed by a newspaper, the hand was so doubled that the thumb stood upright. And this latter member was bobbing and wagging up and down, now slowly, now quickly, in most curious fas.h.i.+on.

”Perhaps it's St. Vitus' dance,” ventured Jack.

”But that affects the whole body, or at least the whole limb, doesn't it?”

Jack, who sat next the window, leaned slightly forward. ”The other soldier is watching him,” he said. ”Maybe the fellow with the wiggling thumb is out of his mind, and this one is taking him somewhere. He is watching his hand.”

Silently the boys continued to regard the curious proceeding.

Suddenly the thumb became quiet, there was the rattle of a paper in the hands of the second soldier, and in turn his thumb became affected with the wagging. In a moment the boys understood.

The two soldiers were army signallers, and were carrying on a silent conversation, using their thumbs as they would a flag.

Jack and Alex looked at one another and laughed softly. ”We're bright, eh?” Alex remarked.

”Let us watch when the other starts again--we can't see this chap's hand well enough--and see if we can't read it,” suggested Jack. ”That one-flag signal system is based on the telegraph dot and dash code, you know. And it's not likely they are speaking of anything private--only amusing themselves.”

The paper opposite again covered the first soldier's hand, and observing closely, after a few minutes the boys were able to interpret the strokes of the wagging thumb with ease. They corresponded precisely to the strokes of a telegraph sounder, and of course were very much slower.

”... not much. I saw her first,” they read. ”You have three girls at K now.... Get out. I'll tell Maggie O'Rorke, and she'll pick your eyes out.... No, sir. You can have the two old maids just back of you, and the fat party with the red hair. That's your taste anyway.... If you spoke she'd freeze you so you'd never thaw out.”

The two boys exchanged glances, and chuckled in amus.e.m.e.nt.

”Say, look at the gaudy nose on that old chap across the aisle,” went on the wagging thumb. ”Talk about danger signals! They ought to hire him to sit on the cow-catcher foggy nights.... I wouldn't like to pay for all the paint it took to color it.... Plain whiskey, I guess. You can see what you are coming to if you don't look out.... What's the matter with that baby back there? Is the woman lynching it, or is it lynching the woman?... It's not, either. It's just like your high tenor, singing the Soldier's Farewell. Only better. More in tune.... Yes, if they knew what we'd been saying about them there'd be a riot. I wouldn't give much for your hair when the two old ladies behind got through with it.”

At this point, unable to resist the temptation, Alex nudged Jack, drew a pencil from his pocket, and slyly tapped on the metal of the seat-arm the two letters of the telegraph laugh, ”Hi!”

The soldier opposite started, looked quickly over, caught the two boys'

twinkling eyes, and coloring, laughed heartily. Promptly then he raised his thumb, and wagged, ”You young rascals! I'll have you in the guard-house for stealing military information. Who are you?”

Alex replied, using his thumb as he had seen the soldier do; and the animated exchange of signals which followed continued until a whistle from the engine announced a stop, and the soldier wagged, ”We get off here. Good-by.”

”Glad to have met you,” he said, smiling, as he and his companion pa.s.sed them.

”Glad to have met you,” responded the boys heartily. ”And to have got onto the signalling. It may come in useful some day,” Alex added. ”Good day.”

”That's just what I was thinking myself, Al,” declared Jack. ”We must practice it.”

Following the disappearance of the out-going pa.s.sengers, a group of newcomers appeared at the farther car door.

”Here comes someone I know,” Jack observed. ”The big man in front--Burke, a real estate agent.”

The tall, heavy-featured man pa.s.sed them and took the seat immediately behind.

”He didn't speak to you,” commented Alex.

”I'm glad he didn't. He's no friend; just knew him, I meant,” responded Jack. ”He is a proper shark, they say. I know he practically did a widow out of a bit of property just back of ours.