AMERICA FIRST
"I wouldn't go when you dared me to," said the tenderfoot, "butthis is—different." And he added in his heart:"This is for my country." [Page 23.]
AMERICA FIRST
BY
FRANCES NIMMO GREENE
ILLUSTRATED BY
T. DE THULSTRUP
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON
Copyright, 1918, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
TO MY MOTHER'S NAMESAKE
AND MY OWN
VIRGINIA OWEN GREENE AND
FRANCES NIMMO GREENE
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| Called to the Colors | 1 |
| Under the Flag | 53 |
| America First | 89 |
ILLUSTRATIONS
| "I wouldn't go when you dared me to," said the tenderfoot, "but this is—different." And he added in his heart: "This is for my country" | Frontispiece |
| FACING PAGE | |
| A man was sitting over some sort of instrument | 36 |
| "You can't touch Rudolph!" she cried. "He's under the flag!" | 86 |
| "Riego Yañez," he said, "I am proud to shake hands with an American hero!" | 120 |
CALLED TO THE COLORS
This is the story of a "tenderfoot"—of apink-cheeked, petted lad, and of hisfirst service as a Boy Scout.
Danny Harding was what his mother'sfriends termed "wonderfully fortunate," butDanny himself took quite another view ofhis life's circumstances as he hurried homefrom school one afternoon, an hour beforethe regular time for dismissal.
The day was golden with sunshine, but theboy's spirit was dark. There was singing inthe air and singing in the tree tops, but inthe heart which pounded against his immaculatejacket were silent rage and despair.
The Whippoorwill Patrol had been calledto the colors, and he the untried, the untestedtenderfoot would have to remain athome in luxurious security, while the huskier,browner, less-sheltered lads answered theircountry's call. It was beyond the power of[Pg 2]a boy's heart to endure—the mortification—thewild despair of it! They would call hima slacker, a coward! But, worse still, h