CHAPTER EIGHTEEN   A TEST

Vernon Goodwin had a relapse that night, and for the next few days Nancy feared they had learned all from him they would ever know. In the meantime, however, glorious news was brought back from the fighting front. The great number of reinforcing troops had finished the job for which they had come. The last nest of “Yellow Jackets” had been cleaned from the island.

This news called for such a celebration as the nurses had not had since July Fourth, for their work had lightened somewhat. Planes had taken some of their serious cases back to hospitals in Australia. Even when the wounded were brought in after the final victory there were still some beds unoccupied, so the nurses found a few hours out of every twenty-four to give to personal needs once more, and a bit of recreation.

But Nancy had little heart for amusement during those trying days. She could think of nothing but Vernon Goodwin lying at the point of death, and that Tommy might be alive still, somewhere in that jungle a day’s boat ride to the north.

“Ah, snap out of it, Nancy,” wheedled Mabel, the afternoon before the party when she came upon her pal sitting on her cot, staring into space. “We’ve all decided to put on our whites for the shindig. It will be good for the morale of the patients to see us looking like real nurses for once.”

“We’ll only make ourselves targets for the Zeros that come over.”

“Can’t you realize yet they’ve cleared out those Yellow Jackets! We’ve got something to celebrate over.”

“I’m really tired, Mabel,” said Nancy, stretching out on her cot. “I honestly don’t feel like going up to the mess hall to the party.”

“Oh, but honey, you can’t miss it! I’ll tell you something as an inducement. We have a surprise. Some of the Fuzzy Wuzzies are going to put on a special ceremonial dance—the kind they use to celebrate their own victories.”

These island natives had been most valuable in bringing back the wounded from the fighting front. Ned Holbrook, one of Nancy’s patients, who had a broken back, had been brought out by them on a litter.

“They were as careful with me as any mother,” Ned told her. “They saved my life, Nancy, that’s sure! I never could have stood the jolting of our ambulance over those corduroy roads.”

Nancy had read many articles in the magazines and papers of Australia about the Fuzzy Wuzzies, and the help they had been to the Allies, but she had to see them in action to appreciate their amazing gentleness and value. It seemed incredible that these dark-skinned men, who looked so savage, with their bushy heads, and their bodies naked except for loin cloths, could make such good hospital aides. She had often wondered how they acted in their native villages, and she knew the ceremonial dance would be something to remember always.

“The last plane that came out from Australia,” explained Mabel, “brought some packages from the Red Cross for us to give the native helpers. We opened one just to see what they contained. Boy, will those Fuzzies be thrilled!”

“What’s in them?”

“Each one had a loin cloth and a new girdle, a string of beads, a bracelet, an ornamental hair pin and a package of cigarettes.” Mabel laughed. “I still can’t get used to those men wearing fancy hair pins.”

“I’m sure they’re meant more for service than ornamentation,” replied Nancy. “Yesterday a couple of Fuzzies came in with a litter. As soon as we had the wounded man on the bed they sat down on the ground nearby and began scratching their woolly heads with those pins.”

“When they start that I always give them a wide berth. I don’t relish the idea of any of the inhabitants of those bushy mops jumping on me.” Mabel scratched her head at the very idea, then added, “But it will be fun watching the dance and seeing them get the packages.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to miss it,” said Nancy ruefully, as she yawned and stretched on the cot.

Mabel pulled the mosquito net aside and wheedled, “Ah, come on, lazy bones!”

She caught Nancy’s hand to pull her off the cot, then stopped suddenly. “Your hand’s hot as fire!” she exclaimed. “Nancy, you’re sick.”

“Not so loud. Somebody will hear. I’m afraid I have malaria. I’ve already started taking quinine. Think I had a chill on the ward just now.”

“And you stuck it out—you numskull?”

“Please, Mabel, don’t talk so loud. Somebody will hear. They may even send me back if they find I have malaria. I’m going to doctor myself and knock it out.”

“When that bug gets a grip on you it’s not so easy as you think.”

“Please don’t tell anyone, Mabel. It would be awful to be sent away right now, just as I’m about to get on Tommy’s track.”

“Of course—if you don’t want me to. If you’re not better in a day or two, though, you’ve got to see one of the doctors.”

When the nurses, who shared their outdoor quarters, started off to the mess hall in white Nancy said wistfully, “It sure makes me think of home, seeing you all in regulations.”

Mabel placed a glass of fruit juice on a box under Nancy’s net before leaving, and ordered her to sleep. The girls had been gone only a few minutes when Nancy dropped into a feverish sleep. She was roused some time later by sounds of the Fuzzy Wuzzies’ ceremonial drums. She went to sleep again with them ringing in her ears, and didn’t rouse till dawn. She was wet with perspiration and realized her fever had burned itself out. Though she was weak and her head ringing from quinine, she got into her clothes and went on duty. She knew she would have forty-eight hours before a chill gripped her again, if her heavy doses of quinine were not sufficient yet to knock it out.

How glad she was afterward that she did force herself to go on duty. As she entered the ward to take Shorty’s place, her little friend said, “Vernon woke during the night and asked for you.”

“Why didn’t you send for me?”

“Mabel wouldn’t let me. She said you were all in. But he’s much better this morning—ate some breakfast.”

Nancy waited for no more, but hurried to the gunner’s bed. He was finishing some cereal, and gave her a wan smile as she drew near.

“That’s the way you must eat,” commented Nancy, taking his emptied mess kit. “You’ll get well now.”

“I believe I will, Miss Nancy. I may yet be able to point out that island where we left Tom.”

“Oh, if you only could, Vernon!”

“I believe I could. Though a gunner doesn’t bother his head with where he’s going—got enough to think about to hit the targets, but I do remember something about how that island looked from the air, and I sure had to pay attention to directions when we were leaving in that rubber boat.”

“Is it due north from here?” she asked.

“No, I’d say to the northeast.”

“Entirely surrounded by coral reefs?”

“As much as we saw. Passages here and there, large enough for small boats.”

Though Vernon’s voice was still cracked and weak Nancy could see he was able to coordinate his thoughts more easily than during their earlier conversations.

“Major Reed said a searching plane would be sent,” Nancy told him. “But of course we could do nothing while you were so ill.”

“Has it been very long?”

“Almost a week—a sort of reaction I suppose from our too vigorous efforts to bring you back. But you’re going to make it this time,” she assured him.

“Sorry I delayed things,” he apologized. “Poor Tom—if he’s still hanging on I guess he’s given up hope. How long has it been? I’ve lost track of time.”

“The government notified us that Tommy was missing in action on March second. This is September.”

Slowly Vernon Goodwin Gained Strength

“Lord!” Vernon groaned. “Miss Nancy, I don’t see how he could have made it till now. There wasn’t enough food.”

“But there would probably be fruits, coconuts, fish like we have on this island. Tommy would find some way to catch fish,” Nancy said, stubbornly clinging to her little shreds of hope.

It took all the will power she had to keep on her job that day, for she hadn’t realized how fever could sap one’s vitality. When she started back to her quarters in the late afternoon she stopped off to tell Major Reed what Vernon had said. As she talked an odd expression came into his face. She feared he had lost interest and would not push the searching expedition.

“I’m afraid Vernon Goodwin won’t be well enough to go with any searching party before we have to leave here.” Major Reed finally revealed what was on his mind.

Nancy’s pale face grew more wan. “Oh, Major Reed!”

“Our job here is almost finished. Planes can clear out the patients faster and faster now that Koshu has been taken. We can expect orders for a change at any time.”

Tired and ill as she was the news upset Nancy more than anything had since she first heard Tommy was missing. She took a grip on the tent pole to steady her wobbly knees.

Major Reed was aware of her condition and said, “You look actually ill, Nancy. Don’t drive yourself so hard—ease up a bit.” He turned away a minute and rummaged in a box of medicines. He found a bottle of golden pills and handed them to her. “Take these vitamins, two a day, till you get your pep back.”

Nancy thanked him and hesitated a moment, wondering if she ought to confess about the chill yesterday. She decided against it, however, feeling confident she could take care of herself. She was to wonder later if things might have been different had she spoken then.

Nancy’s second chill struck her the next morning before she was out of bed, and at the hour she should have reported for duty she was burning with fever. Mabel was scheduled to have the day off, so offered to take Nancy’s place. She would report Nancy in need of a day’s rest and otherwise keep silent. Their other dormitory companions were also asked not to betray her.

Nancy kept up her medicine and by dinner time that evening was feeling somewhat better. Hoping to evade too many inquiries she decided to appear at the mess hall with Mabel, Shorty and Ida. Shorty and Mabel were in high spirits and kept them laughing with funny stories about the Fuzzy Wuzzies throughout the meal, and Nancy’s morale mounted several degrees.

The four friends, who had grown so companionable during these months of service, little dreamed that was the last meal they would have together on the other side of the world. But their routine came to an unexpected end just as they were leaving the mess hall.

Lieutenant Hauser rapped on the table and called out in her clear tone, “All nurses report for instructions just outside the mess hall.”

“Somethin’ cookin’!” Mabel said with conviction. “I’ve felt it all day.”

The nurses found Major Reed outside, standing beside Lieutenant Hauser under the palms.

“Orders have come through,” began the major, when he lifted his hand for attention.

Instantly the ripple of light talk ceased, and every ear became alert for the coming change.

“Half of us are to move up to open a new hospital. The rest will follow when this camp has been cleared of patients. The situation is now so well in hand that any on Koshu Island needing special treatment may be quickly flown out to larger bases.”

Nancy caught Mabel’s hand at this dreaded news. It threatened to shatter all her high hopes of an expedition to search for Tommy.

Mabel, fully aware of the cause of Nancy’s concern, whispered consolingly, “Maybe you’ll be allowed to stay behind and see it through.”

“I’m afraid no one will push the expedition unless I’m here,” she replied. “Especially if Vernon’s sent back to a base hospital.”

“The moving unit will be prepared to leave at once. The transport will stand by to pick us up at any hour now,” explained Major Reed. “The following nurses will leave for the new base.” He then proceeded to read a list of about twenty-five names.

When he called Mabel’s name Nancy clutched at her friend’s hand desperately. She had scarcely recovered from that shock before her own name was called. Weakened as she was with illness and fatigue she had to take a grip on herself to keep back the tears.

“You’re too sick now to make a change,” Mabel said, knowing how very much Nancy wanted to stay here. “I’m going to tell them you’ve been having chills.”

This was a real temptation to Nancy. A week or two longer on Koshu might make all the difference in the world where Tommy was concerned. But had she any right to put her own personal considerations ahead of this call to more dangerous service? They might even think she was using her illness or Tommy’s rescue as an excuse to cling to the safer work here on Koshu Island.

Her thoughts moved swiftly, but her decision was unshakable when she replied, “No, Mabel. I agreed to give myself to this work. I’ll go wherever they send me.”