Cherry Ames 04 Chief Nurse (20 page)

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even a parrot which flew out of a tree had something happy to say.

“Let’s play ‘Going Home,’ ” Cherry suggested, rolling over on her other side. “When I go home I’m going to live on sodas and at the movies.”

“When I go home,” said Gwen, propping her red head on Cherry’s knee, “I’m going to sleep till noon every morning. Ann? Ann!” She poked Ann.

Ann yawned. “Yes, my love. When I go home, I’m going to read. Read and read and read, everything I can lay my hands on.”

“When I go home,” Vivian echoed, “I’m going to wear silk dresses and high-heeled shoes and silly hats. And perfume. And jewelry. And—and veils.” Round the circle, the girls made their wishes. Cherry pushed herself up on one elbow, tossed back her dark curls, and regarded them with sparkling black eyes.

“Who wants to go home? There’s a boat this afternoon. Speak up.” “Not me!” they chorused in reply.

“Uh-huh,” she said. “You couldn’t pry us out of the Nurse Corps with a billion dollars.” Cherry did not put it into words but, since that terrible night, the girls felt for each other—indeed, the whole camp felt—a closer and deeper affection than ever before. They had faced death together, nurses, doctors, corpsmen, soldiers, airmen, and now they were almost like one big family.

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“Oh, there he is!” Ann was suddenly galvanized into life. The whole circle went helter-skelter as Ann picked herself up and ran to a young man waving to her from a short distance. The girls grinned sympathetically.

They all had met Jack, Ann’s fiancé, and they could not blame him for not wanting to be dragged over to “all those females.”

“Cherry!” Ann called. “Could you come over here?” Cherry joined them. She liked Jack, a tall, quiet, brown-haired young man. Curiously enough, he looked very much like Ann herself. Jack had come back from the fighting island.

“I know,” Cherry said, anticipating their question.

All the girls knew of Ann’s long engagement to Jack.

“There’s a three-month waiting period for a nurse between the application to get married and the mar-riage itself.” Both Ann and Jack blushed to their ears.

Cherry grinned and continued relentlessly, “But the Chief Nurse can recommend to the Commanding Officer that such ban be waived. Well, what are we waiting for? What ho, to go see The Pill!” On the way, it occurred to Cherry that it would be a good idea to get Major Pierce’s permission as well. They found him in Medical Headquarters tent. He smiled broadly when they told him what they wanted.

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll even put it in writing. I have a grand wife and three youngsters of my own.” Jack’s
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blush was even deeper than before. Major Pierce grinned. “See my thinning hair, son? That’s what lies ahead for a married man.”

The three of them hurried off with Major Pierce’s recommendation. But when they reached the command hill, their spirits sank and they walked into the railed tent sedately.

“No,” Colonel Pillsbee said flatly to their request.

“The rules must not be broken.”

“But
please
—” Cherry begged, and gave him a dozen good reasons.

“No exceptions,” the Colonel said flatly. “And I see no reason to argue the point further. Never mind, Lieutenant Ames,” he stopped Cherry’s renewed attempt.

“Young people should know their place. Which reminds me that I have some unfinished business with you.” After this curt dismissal, Cherry marched out of the command tent and down the hill, too angry to talk. She tactfully left Ann and Jack to wander off alone. She felt really badly about them, and her temper raged in silence. The rules, the rules! Always the rules! Of all the exasperating people, The Pill was the worst! And yet, on the other hand, he could be utterly unselfish and self-forgetful, as he was the night of battle. Apparently he still intended to write that letter demoting her! Her troubles came back to her in a flood. “Well,” Cherry thought, torn between resignation and fury, “if 1 haven’t
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demonstrated my devotion and ability to him by
now
, there’s nothing I can do to change his mind!” Still not knowing what was to become of her, Cherry went on to the wards. She might be Chief Nurse only until Colonel Pillsbee wrote that letter, but in the meantime she had her job to do. This job was a happy one.

With the aid of ward nurses, wounded men who were improving were being sent on to the base hospital on Janeway. It cheered Cherry to see them joyfully climb aboard trucks for the beach, waving triumphant good-bys, with their hands full of other boys’ letters to mail.

The last thing these soldiers said to the nurses was, “It sure did us good to know your hospital was near and standing by!” And several boys said, “There’s nothing like a pat on the shoulder from an American nurse to help you get well. Thanks.” Everyone in camp stopped work to watch the big launch, full of convalescing soldiers, putter off in the glittering blue water. That was a symbol of hope.

Cherry was at noon mess when someone hailed her from the door. It was Charlie. She excused herself and ran out to him. Her brother frowned and looked at her sharply.

“Are you all right?” he demanded.

‘‘Just fine! What’s the matter?”

“Are you
sure
you’re all right, Sis?” It took several minutes to convince him. “Boy, when I heard in Australia
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what was going on up here—and I wasn’t even here to keep an eye on you—–!”

“Nurses are practically indestructible,” Cherry assured him. She was bursting to tell him that Chief Nurses were destructible, however, by demotion. But she was not going to burden Charlie with her troubles. Anyway, Charlie was very happy with some news of his own.

“The whole camp will know it pretty soon, but wouldn’t you like an advance bulletin?” her brother asked her, as they walked arm in arm along the coral-bordered road.

“Flash! Ames News Service! It was just disclosed here by high authorities that with our taking Islands 20 and 21, the next move is still farther to the northwest and closer to the bombing of Tokyo. Flash! Flash! Infantry troops are at this moment packing up to leave Island 14 to move north for further action. They will be replaced by fresh troops to hold Island 14. Last-minute bulletin! The Army Air Forces combat group, in part, and the Air Transport Command group will also move northwest to establish another air base, and to—–”

“You’re going away!” Cherry cried. “Oh, Charlie, you’re going!”

“Yes.”

“So that’s what you were leading up to.”

“Well, honey, you knew one or the other of us had to go sooner or later. We were lucky to have as much time together as we did. Hey, are you sniffling?”
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“Slight cold,” Cherry fibbed. “Where—no, I won’t ask that. Let’s change the subject. Did you hear anything more about the mystery?”

“I will
show
you about the mystery,” Charlie said gleefully. “In fact, Major Pierce sent me to get you.” He led her, of all places, into Colonel Pillsbee’s command tent. The Colonel was there, stiffly pacing up and down, his yellow knob of hair bobbing. With him were Major Pierce, the Intelligence Officer, Gene, and the Infantry Captain. They were bending over, examining two guns: one looked like a large machine gun, the other resembled a small cannon.

“Harumph!” Colonel Pillsbee said when he saw Cherry. He introduced her to the Infantry Captain, then said, “We are about to hear a report on these captured enemy guns. Major Pierce insisted that the two Lieutenants Ames be present.” With icy politeness the Colonel offered everyone a folding chair. All but the Infantry Captain sat down. He stood beside the two guns and started to explain, addressing his remarks to Colonel Pillsbee and the Intelligence Officer. These three officers quite evidently had just been discussing and studying the guns.

“First I want to say,” the Infantry Captain began, “that Lieutenant Cherry Ames’s report to Captain May was of inestimable value.” Cherry sat up, surprised, “The
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deduction of Lieutenant Ames and her patient pointed to the presence of Jap troops on Islands 20 and 21. That was correct. When the Japs sprang their surprise attack on us, it was not such a surprise after all. For thanks to the fact that Lieutenant Ames reported her suspicions to Captain May, and Captain May immediately reported it to Colonel Pillsbee, and the Colonel to me, I had my troops in instant readiness.” Cherry’s mind was in a whirl. “Therefore, Lieutenant Ames’s report not only lessened the surprise, but also told us where the enemy was located and thus saved us invaluable time in meeting the attack! It is quite possible that we might not have won this engagement if Lieutenant Ames had not reported what she knew.”

Colonel Pillsbee cleared his throat. “Not knew.

Surmised.”

The Infantry Captain said calmly, “Lieutenant Cherry Ames has rendered a great service—both Lieutenants Ames. They uncovered the existence of a deadly new enemy weapon. To continue, sir.

“Captain May had some partial information for which he was seeking the missing facts. When Lieutenant Ames made her report, she filled in those blanks. Therefore, in the recent battle, we knew we had to deal with this new enemy gun. We knew how best to combat it, for its surprise element was now lost. We knew,
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too, where to look for it on land and how to identify the new enemy plane which carries this gun.

“Now to examine the weapon itself.” The Infantry Captain rested either hand on the two captured guns.

“A laboratory analysis of the fragments which were removed from the plane and from Lieutenant Grant’s shoulder showed that a new chemical and a new metal alloy were used to create an extraordinary shell. As Lieutenant Charles Ames surmised, the shell is hollow and filled with shrapnel balls. The shell itself explodes and almost disappears on entering the plane. A further search of the plane revealed, as Lieutenant Charles Ames thought, that there were more fragments embedded in various places that had been overlooked. No one would have expected them to be so minute.

“The shrapnel balls inside the shell are very tiny.

They are intended to travel on until they penetrate a solid body or strike some hard surface. Then they, too, explode almost without residue. This explains the flier’s strange wounds—the tiny points made on entering and the big gash at the back. Fortunately he was far enough to one side to escape all except a few of the balls. The rest apparently struck a heavy piece of machinery in the cargo and spent themselves harmlessly.” The Captain paused and looked around as if to wait for any questions. Then he went on, “Further, such a shell is fired at tremendous speed, going faster and
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farther than an ordinary shell. Also it can be shot from a great distance, lessening the enemy’s risk to himself.

That fact, plus the extraordinary speed of the shell, and the specially fast plane shooting it, must be why Lieutenant Grant was confused in his impressions, and why the crew did not see the plane. Since the explosions are smokeless, no one could quite believe a shell had even been fired.

“I might explain,” the captain added, “that the Japs make up this new chemical and alloy shell in
two
forms.

One fits a gun somewhat larger than our machine guns.

The other fits a small cannon. Both are of the same com-position, but they do not resemble any other shells known to us in construction, size and character. They are lighter and of a new form. This is really a major discovery!

“Now, the new enemy cannon, here, is located on land. But a new type enemy plane carries the gun, here.

This plane is very fast, has an unusually powerful engine, and has its gun placed at an unexpected and therefore unusually dangerous angle. We captured such a plane—that is, Lieutenant Ames,” the Infantry Captain smiled at Cherry, “it was shot down by Lieutenant Grant here, whom you helped to recover.” Cherry’s head was spinning in earnest now! Then the Infantry Captain, Major Pierce, Captain May and Lieutenant Grant were all shaking her and Charlie’s
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hands, and the Intelligence Officer was saying, “You will receive a citation from Washington for your alertness, both of you!”

Colonel Pillsbee once more cleared his throat. “As to Lieutenant Cherry Ames,” he said dryly. “I am aware that you were—er—useful.”

Cherry held her breath as he continued.

“In view of the service which Lieutenant Cherry Ames has rendered, I herewith wish to say that I am sorry for my having doubted her seriousness of character and purpose. I feel that she has amply proven herself, if by nothing else than by her performance of duty as a nurse during the night of battle.” The Colonel was apologizing handsomely. The Pill was sorry! The Pill was fair, and pretty nice at that!

“Therefore, Lieutenant Cherry Ames, you are no longer acting Chief Nurse, but Chief Nurse in full status and permanent post.” He held out his hand. “Let me be the first to congratulate you on your winning this post and on your forthcoming citation.” Cherry shook his hand, and everyone else’s hand, thinking wildly, “I’m vindicated! I’m cleared! I’m going to continue as Chief Nurse! And I—I’m going to receive an honor! All my idealism about nursing—I’ve actually managed to live up to it, I guess!” She went out of that tent in a complete daze. The others, including Charlie, remained behind for further
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discussion, and she wandered around alone trying to digest these wonderful developments. As Cherry was walking down the road, someone called to her. It was Gene.

She hurried over to him and warmly congratulated him on shooting down the Jap plane.