Captain Mack Read Online Free PDF Page A

inspect ye.”
    â€œInspect me for what?” Danny asked.
    â€œTermites, what do ye think? It’s an inspection, Private, so stand tall, will ye.”
    Danny did as he was told. He felt a little silly, standing to attention in the middle of a garden while an old man in an eye-patch and a dressing gown looked him over, but finally he was done, and he patted Danny on the shoulder. “Very well, Private. But ye’d best tidy up a wee bit before the next inspection, or we’ll have to arrange a month of latrine duty for ye. They might treat us like savages here, lad, but there’s no need to behave as if we agree. I making myself clear?”
    â€œYes sir,” Danny replied, tucking his shirt in tightly.
    â€œSo what’s ye name, lad?” the old man asked, looking sternly down his nose at Danny.
    â€œDanny Snell, sir.”
    â€œI’ve not seen ye here before, Snell. Are ye new?”
    â€œNo, I’m just waiting for Ellie, then we’re going home.”
    â€œHome, ye say? But ye’ve only just arrived.” He sounded amazed.
    â€œYeah, I know. She said it’d only take a minute,” Danny explained.
    â€œSo ye can come and go as ye please, then?”
    â€œSure, I guess,” said Danny.
    â€œAnd no one saw ye?”
    Danny shook his head. “I don’t think so. I just came over here and sat down.”
    The old man nodded and raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know how ye did it, Snell, but that’s good news nonetheless. We can use a man like ye around here.”
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œAnyone who can come and go without being seen is valuable, lad. Morale gets low, ye see.”
    â€œOh,” said Danny. Then, wondering about the old man’s accent, he asked, “Um … excuse me, are you English?”
    â€œEnglish?” The old man furrowed his forehead and scowled. “I’m Scottish, and ye’d best not forget it, lad.”
    â€œOK, I’ll try to remember.”
    â€œAnd what are ye staring at now, lad? Have ye never seen an eye-patch before?”
    â€œOh,” stammered Danny, caught off guard. “Yes, I have. Sorry.”
    â€œIt’s not polite to stare. Didn’t ye mother ever teach ye that?”
    â€œSorry,” said Danny again. “I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just that I used to wear a patch. Only for a while. To straighten this.” He took off his glasses and pointed at his crooked eye. “It didn’t work,” he added.
    â€œIndeed not. Well, I’ll let it go this time. Just don’t be caught staring again.”
    â€œOK. Um, is your patch for … for a turned eye like mine?” Danny asked.
    â€œNo, lad, for this.” The old man poked a long finger under the edge of his patch and lifted it to reveal a pink star-shaped scar where his right eye should have been. “Are ye happy now, Private? Are ye happy now ye’ve seen me scar? Shouldn’t ye be running screaming in terror by now?”
    â€œSorry,” muttered Danny.
    â€œSorry who?”
    â€œPardon?”
    â€œSorry sir,” the old man prompted.
    â€œSorry sir,” Danny repeated.
    â€œBetter. Very well, as ye were, Snell. And I’d better see a salute before I turn my back, lad.”
    â€œYes sir,” said Danny, giving the crispest salute he could manage.
    â€œAnd lad,” said the old man in a much lower voice, “don’t forget about Tierney. He needs your assistance more than ye might realise, and there’s none of us here can do a thing to help him, so it’s down to you.”
    â€œI’m sorry?”
    The old man frowned impatiently. “Ye must know that I can’t say more, lad — not here. He’s relying on ye, so get moving now.” And turning slowly, he began shuffling away, muttering to himself and leaving Danny standing alone in the middle of the garden.
    â€œSorry I took so long,” said