[Gutenberg 36322] • The Battleship Boys at Sea; Or, Two Apprentices in Uncle Sam's Navy

"That must be the place over there, Sam." "Where?" "Just across the street on the next block. I see something in front of the building that looks like the picture we saw in the post office at home." Dan Davis turned to a passing policeman and, respectfully touching his hat, asked: "Will you tell us, sir, where we may find the United States Navy recruiting station?" The policeman pointed to the building in front of which Dan's eyes had caught sight of a highly colored lithograph. "Thank you, sir. Come on, Sam; I was right. That is the place we are looking for. See that flag up there in the third story window? That's the flag you and I are going to serve under if we are lucky enough to be accepted." Sam Hickey nodded and started after his companion across the street. A moment later the lads stood before the picture that had attracted their attention. In the foreground of the picture stood a sailor clad in the uniform of a seaman in Uncle Sam's Navy, while on beyond him, in the distant background, lay a white battleship, the Stars and Stripes floating from her after staff, a line of signal flags fluttering from the signal halyard just aft of the battleship's navigating bridge. Palm trees and similar foliage showed it to be a tropical scene.