Summer of My German Soldier [antikvár]

Chapter OneWhen I saw the crowd gathering at the train station, I worried what President Roosevelt would think. I just hope he doesn't get the idea that Jenkinsville, Arkansas, can't be trusted with a military secret because, truth of the 5 matter is, we're as patriotic as anybody.In front of the station house five or six Boy Scouts in full uniform circled their leader, Jimmy Wells, who was wearing the same expression Dane Clark wore as the Marine sergeant in Infamy at Pearl Harbor. "This is the situation, guys," 10 Jimmy said. "The sheriff told me it's the Army's job to get the Nazis off the train and into the prison camp, but I figger they'll be mighty glad to have us Scouts on hand. And if any of those rats try to make a getaway" - he slapped the leather-encased Scout ax strapped to his waist - "we know what to 15 do."I looked around for a friendly group to join. Mary Wren was holding on to the arm of Reverend Benn's wife as though that was going to provide her with the Lord's own protection. There are plenty of jokes going around about our town's 20 telephone operator. People say Mary is so generous that she'll give you the gossip right off her tongue.Then I saw old Chester, the colored porter from my father's store, closing his eyes against the brilliant June sun.I walked over. "Hey, Chester, don't you think this is the 25 most exciting thing that has ever happened to our town?"His eyes jerked open. "I'm going back to the stock room right now, Miss Patty. Ain't been gone more'n two, maybe three minutes.""Don't go on account of me, Chester, I won't tell my father, so Honest." Chester smiled wide enough to show his gold tooth. "I've never in my whole life seen a German, I mean, in person. Have you?"7