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“Take a drink, Studs,” said Red, fighting his hiccoughs.

“I’ll be all right,” said Studs, not liking the tone of Red’s voice.

“Well, here goes for another,” said Red, reaching for the basket, and looking at Studs, so that Studs would notice him. Studs grimly took another also.

“Maybe you better let up for a while, Studs,” said Red as Studs nibbled.

“No, I just think we’ve all been eating too fast,” Studs answered.

“Jesus Christ. Say, why the hell do we have to eat bananas to go to war?” Kenny suddenly said.

“You got to. You won’t make the weight,” said Red, nibbling.

“You don’t get me, fellow! I just always think of Kilarney’s comfort,” Kenny said.

“You know what General Sherman said... War is Hell,” said Red.

“That was General Sheridan,” snapped Kenny.

They had an argument over which general it had been. “Say, is there a can here?” asked Studs.

Kenny pointed.

“I’ll bet Studs fell in,” Kenny said, after Studs had remained absent for about five minutes.

“It’s got him,” Red said.

Studs came out in about fifteen minutes, his face white. “Sick?” asked Red.

“I’m all right,” said Studs, taking a banana.

Red went to the can. He took a long time too. Then Kenny. Studs looked at the basket, over half full. They ate more and more slowly.

“I won’t eat any more of those goddamn things,” Kenny suddenly said.

“Come on. You want to get in. Well, you gotta have the weight.”

“I’ll stay home if it means eatin’ all that crap,” Kenny said.

“Come on, Kenny. We can’t go on without you,” Red pleaded.

“Jesus, Kenny, won’t you do that much for your country?” said Studs.

“My country can have me, but I don’t see why it makes me eat bananas till I bloat like a balloon,” said Kenny.

“Well, I told you. You have to be a certain weight, or you can’t be accepted. Listen, after it’s all over you’ll be glad. Think of it, going to France. Say, we’ll have a hell of a time. And you’ll come back a hero,” said Red.

“And we ain’t beefing,” persuaded Studs.

Red handed Kenny a banana. Kenny took it with a pout.

They nibbled their bananas, and sipped water, almost by drops.

“Say, it’s gettin’ late. We better be going,” said Studs.

“I was thinkin’ that too. Only there’s more bananas. And we don’t want to get rejected,” said Red.

“I’m going,” said Kenny.

“Come on, just a few more. We want to make sure,” said Red.

“But listen, Red, if we don’t get in, we can come back and try it again,” said Studs.

“Not this boy,” said Kenny.

They sat there, each taking another, gazing at it long. They finally agreed to go. They left the basket, still about half full, and the basement floor was a litter of banana peels.

“How you feel?” asked Red.

“Ask me another, wise guy,” said Kenny; they laughed.

“It wasn’t so bad,” said Studs.

He saw that Red was white. Red noticed that Kenny was pale. Kenny observed that Studs didn’t look so hot. They walked very slowly. It was a job, climbing up the back stairs of the elevated station, to gyp the elevated company. On the train, they did more hiccoughing than talking. People noticed them and suppressed smiles. Suddenly, Kenny lit for the rear platform. Studs and Red followed. They stood by themselves, looking at the tracks as if sightless, while the train sped downtown. They got off at State and Congress and found a Marine recruiting station, with a picture of Uncle Sam pleading, and pointing to a Hun in the background.

Over it were the words: “He Needs You.”

“I guess Uncle Sam needs us all right,” Red said.

Studs nodded.

“Kilarney only needs some Pluto Water,” Kenny said.

Their smiles were sickly.

“Well, here goes,” Red said.

He stepped up to a beefy-faced, hard-boiled sergeant. Studs and Kilarney stood by him.

“We came to join up.”

The tow-headed sergeant took one look at them, and laughed. They hiccoughed, almost trembled.

“Sure, we’re keepin’ a little date with the Kaiser,” Kenny said.

The sergeant let fly a gob of tobacco juice.

“G’wan home, children, and get your diapers pinned on!”

They trooped off.

“The bastard.” said Red.

“We should