By Hamlin Garland
ReadOasis Step 2
(Part 2)

Smith turned and walked away quickly. After a few minutes, he turned again. He waved his cap. His two friends did the same. Then they marched away with their long steady soldiers’ walk. Smith walked for a while thinking of his friends. He remembered the many days they had been together during the war.

He thought of his friend Billy Tripp, too. Poor Billy! A bullet came out of the sky one day and tore a great hole in Billy's chest.

It was a sad story...