Read Online Fires in the Wilderness by Jeffery L Schatzer - Free Book Online

approval as we shoveled load after load into the endless line of gravel trucks. Our muscles screamed and our backs ached with strain. At the end of the day, we shuffled to camp, drained and bone-tired.
    After a cold shower and a change to my dress clothes for supper, I walked over to Captain Mason’s tent. I was scared, but there was no turning back. Stosh needed me, and my other buddies were counting on me.

Chapter 16
Camp Commander
    A s I approached his tent, I could see that the captain’s head was down and he was focused on the paperwork in front of him. “Excuse me, Captain Mason,” I said nervously as I stood at attention and saluted. “May I have a word with you?”
    The captain returned my salute. “Stand at ease. What’s your name, enrollee?
    â€œJarek Sokolowski, sir.”
    â€œWhat brings you here this afternoon, Sokolowski?” the captain asked as he straightened himself. He squared all the edges of his papers and files, placing them neatly on his desk. Then he lifted his gaze and looked me in the eye.
    â€œMy friend is Stoshu Campeau.”
    â€œAh, the young man who went AWOL last night,” the captain said as he turned and opened the top drawer of a file cabinet behind his desk. “Campeau . . . Campeau,” the captain muttered. “Here we go, let’s see what we have.”
    Stosh’s name was neatly lettered on the tab of the folder that Captain Mason retrieved. He opened it and examined the contents. His lips moved in silent speech as he read.
    â€œHmmm,” the camp commander muttered as he stroked his chin. “It appears as though your friend has been placed on report several times by Assistant Leader O’Shea. The paperwork indicates that Campeau is a bit of a goldbrick. Now it seems he’s deserted.”
    â€œS-s-sir,” I explained nervously. “Stosh is only a little homesick. He’s really a good worker. I’m sure he’ll be back in camp in no time at all.”
    â€œStosh . . . is that what you call your buddy?”
    I nodded.
    â€œHave you talked to Assistant Leader O’Shea about this matter?
    â€œNo, sir.”
    â€œWell, Sokolowski, I have to be straight with you. I don’t like people who go AWOL. What’s more, I made it perfectly clear that if enrollees have questions or problems, they’re to talk with their assistant leaders, not me. Do you recall those instructions?”
    â€œYes, sir,” I said weakly.
    The captain picked up a pencil from his desktop and rolled it between his fingers. “President Roosevelt has given us jobs at a time when there aren’t jobs to be had. When someone goes AWOL, like your friend Mr. Campeau, the CCC looks bad and I look bad. Worse yet, it makes the president look bad. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
    â€œYes, sir, I do. All of us know how important these jobs are. Our families are depending on us. It’s just that Stosh has never been away before. He’s just a little homesick, that’s all. I am sure he’ll be back tomorrow. The next day at the latest.”
    â€œWell, Sokolowski,” the captain said as he closed Stosh’s file and put it aside, “with Campeau’s work record, I am not inclined to take him back. My first thought would be to discharge him and send him home.”
    My heart sank. I knew that Stosh needed this job. His family needed the money that the CCC sent each month. Stosh’s father was sick. His mother had no job. And his brother and sister were hungry and suffering. I swallowed hard before continuing.
    â€œSir, I’ll be responsible for Stosh when he returns. I’ll make sure that his record is clean from this point forward. The guys in my work crew have agreed to pick up Stosh’s share of the load until he gets back. When he comes back to camp, all I ask is that you give him another chance.”
    Captain Mason bounced the eraser end of the pencil on