CHAPTER 3

"Hi, Schultz!" said LeBeau, enthusiastically. "If you told me you were coming, I would have made more strudel!"

"No!" Schultz replied. "The komandant made me walk for hours out there, in the cold, because he caught me eating it earlier." Schultz only needed a second to see the card game. "Oh! You're playing cards! Deal me in!"

"All right, Schultzy, have a seat!" Schultz sat down next to Carter, and Newkirk dealt him five cards. After about a minute, Schultz put five D-Marks in the pot.

"Call!" said Newkirk. "That's two for the dealer. Anybody else?"

"Three for me," said Kinchlow.

"I'll have three, too," said Carter.

"Make up your mind, Carter," said LeBeau.

"I'll have," Schultz began, with some hesitation, "Two."

Newkirk dealt everyone their cards, and looked at his hand.

"Ah, phooey," said Carter. "A pair of 4s, a 9, a Jack, and a King." He reached across the table and picked up a feather and inserted it into his headband.

"Full house," said Kinchlow. "Two 3s and three 7s."

"Two pair," said Newkirk, with an odd grin on his face.

"Two Kings and three Queens," said Hogan. "Looks like I win, gentlemen."

"Hold on there, Colonel," said Newkirk. "Let's see what Schultz has."

Schultz leaned over to Newkirk and whispered, "Does this count for anything?" Schultz was holding the Jack of Clubs, the 2 of Clubs, the 9 of Clubs, the 8 of Clubs, and the 10 of Clubs: a Flush with a Baby Straight!

"Holy moly!" said Newkirk. "Schultz is feeling lucky tonight!" Schultz's hand was already on the pot when Newkirk said, "Sorry Schultz, but my hand is better."

"But you said you only have a two pair!" Schultz protested.

"I have a two pair." Newkirk could only just contain his excitement as he revealed his hand: "A pair of red Aces and a pair of black Aces!"

Schultz looked like he was about to throw a temper tantrum. "No! NoNoNoNoNo!"

"Sorry, Schultzy," said Newkirk. "Take a feather."

"But- But I-" Schultz started. "Wait a minute. Did you just say 'take a feather'?"

"That's right, Schultz," said Hogan. "Thanksgiving is coming soon, so we're playing Indian Poker."

"'Indian Poker?'" asked Schultz. "What nonsense is this? Where did you get the feathers?" Schultz stood up from the table and looked at the prisoners. "You are up to something! I can smell it!"

"Sorry about that smell, Schultz," said Carter, in his uniquely innocent way. "It's really cold outside, so we sort of decided to skip taking showers tonight."

"Jolly jokers," Schultz said, raising his voice. "Where did you get the feathers?"

"We found them in a sack," LeBeau replied evenly.

"Oh," said Schultz, calming down. "The Komandant is very upset right now. You see, his new feather pillow that he just got today was stolen."

"No!" said Hogan. "His new feather pillow?"

"That's right!" said Schultz. "Now, I have to search the barracks and find it or else he doesn't sleep. And when he doesn't sleep, I can't sleep."

"That's all right, Schultz," said Hogan. "We'll help you find it. LeBeau, take Schultz around to the other Barracks and see if you can find the pillow."

As soon as Schultz left with LeBeau, Hogan pulled out the pillowcase, which had been refilled with straw and sewed shut, and placed it on Carter's bunk. And just as quickly, LeBeau came back in, with Schultz in tow. "See Schultz! There it is! I told you we'd find it!"

"Hey! That's my bunk!" Carter protested.

"Carter! You crook!" Schultz gasped. "Colonel Klink will hear all about this!" Schultz harrumphed and wagged his finger at Carter.

FIVE MINUTES LATER...

"Herr Komandant! I... eh..." Schultz wasn't sure how to make his report without making a fatal mistake.

"Well!" The door to Klink's room opened, and the glowering face of Colonel Klink appeared in the doorway. "Where is my pillow?"

"It's right here, Herr Komandant," said Schultz, standing at attention and holding the straw-filled pillow. "Carter stole it."

"Thank you, Schultz." Colonel Klink marched up to Schultz and snatched the pillow. "Good night."

"Good night, Herr Komandant," said Schultz, hoping to make a quick exit.

"Wait a minute!" called Klink as Schultz began to take his leave, "I had a feather pillow. This is not a feather pillow. WHERE IS MY PILLOW!?"

"I don't know, Herr Komandant," Schultz stammered, "But I suspect the prisoners stole it! Colonel Hogan and the prisoners were using feathers to play a new kind of card game."

"Dumkauf! Who plays cards with feathers!" Klink shouted, and then paused for a thoughtful moment. "And why are the prisoners playing cards? It is long past lights-out!"

"Colonel Hogan said they were playing 'Indian Poker'," Schultz tried to explain. "That's all I know."

"What nonsense is this!" Klink snarled. "I will put ALL OF THEM in the koola for a month for this!"

"Jawohl, Herr Komandant! That is an excellent idea!" Schultz agreed. "I will round them up in the morning, after I get some sleep."

"And I will put YOU in the koola with them!" Klink finished.

"But Herr Komandant, I have been marching around all day, in the cold," Schultz said wearily. "I found your pillow, and I am too tired to even shout at Private Fritz."

"Oh, very well," Klink grumbled, slinking back into his bedroom and slamming the door.