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diff --git a/27679.txt b/27679.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ec0485 --- /dev/null +++ b/27679.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7921 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants, by H. Irving +Hancock + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants + or, Handling Their First Real Commands + + +Author: H. Irving Hancock + + + +Release Date: December 31, 2008 [eBook #27679] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 27679-h.htm or 27679-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/6/7/27679/27679-h/27679-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/6/7/27679/27679-h.zip) + + + + + +UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS + +Or + +Handling Their First Real Commands + +by + +H. IRVING HANCOCK + +Author of Uncle Sam's Boys in the Ranks, Uncle Sam's Boys on Field Duty, +Uncle Sam's Boys in the Philippines, The Motor Boat Club Series, The +High School Boys' Series, The West Point Series, The Annapolis Series, +The Young Engineers' Series, Etc. + +Illustrated + + + + + + + +[Illustration: "Hey, You Idiot!" Howled Hinkey. + +_Frontispiece._] + + + +Philadelphia +Henry Altemus Company + +Copyright, 1911, by +Howard E. Altemus + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER PAGE + I. "TIPPED OFF" BY WIG-WAG 7 + II. LIEUTENANT "ALGY" JOINS THE ARMY 23 + III. THE FIRST BREATH AGAINST A SOLDIER'S HONOR 42 + IV. LIEUTENANT ALGY'S INSPIRATION 54 + V. CORPORAL HAL'S ADMISSION 63 + VI. THE SQUAD ROOM TURNS COLD 77 + VII. RACKING THE NEW SERGEANT 85 + VIII. ASTONISHMENT JOLTS MR. FERRERS 93 + IX. PRIVATE HINKEY DELIVERS HIS ANSWER 103 + X. SERGEANT OVERTON AND DISCIPLINE 112 + XI. WHEN HINKEY WON GOOD OPINIONS 119 + XII. HAL RIDES INTO TREACHERY 127 + XIII. CHASING A SPEEDING DESERTER 142 + XIV. ALGY COMES TO A CONCLUSION 153 + XV. PLANNING FOR THE SOLDIER'S HUNT 162 + XVI. HAL'S GUN MAKES THE REST CURIOUS 172 + XVII. BIG GAME AND A NIGHT IN CAMP 182 +XVIII. HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD 194 + XIX. WHEN THE LAST CARTRIDGE WAS GONE 203 + XX. THE EIGHTH MOCCASIN APPEARS 212 + XXI. THE ENEMY HAS HIS INNINGS 219 + XXII. THE NAVY HEARD FROM 225 +XXIII. THE UNITED STATES SERVICES FIGHT TOGETHER 235 + XXIV. CONCLUSION 244 + + + + +Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants + + + + +CHAPTER I + +"TIPPED OFF" BY WIG-WAG + + +LIEUTENANT POPE, battalion adjutant of the first battalion of the +Thirty-fourth United States Infantry, looked up from his office desk as +the door swung open and a smart, trim-looking young corporal strode in. + +Pausing before the desk, the young corporal came to a precise, formal +salute. Then, dropping his right hand to his side, the soldier stood at +attention. + +"Good morning, Corporal Overton." + +"Good morning, sir." + +"What do you wish?" + +"I have been making inquiries, sir," continued Corporal Hal Overton, +"and I am informed that you have some signaling flags among the +quartermaster's stores." + +"I believe I have," nodded Lieutenant Pope. + +"I have come to ask, sir, if I may borrow a couple of the flags." + +"Borrow? Then, Corporal, I take it that you do not want the flags for +duty purposes?" + +"Not immediately for duty purposes, sir. Corporal Terry and myself would +like to practise at wig-wagging until we become reasonably expert. +Sergeant Hupner is an expert at wig-wagging, I understand." + +"Yes, indeed," agreed Lieutenant Pope heartily. "Even in the Signal +Corps of the Army there are few better signalmen than the sergeant." + +"So I understand, sir. Corporal Terry and I are delighted at the idea of +having the sergeant instruct us." + +"But what do you want to do, especially, with flag signaling?" inquired +the quartermaster. + +"It is simply, sir, that we want to make ourselves better soldiers." + +"It is rarely that we find better soldiers than Terry and yourself," +replied the quartermaster, with a friendly smile. "But you are quite +right, none the less. A soldier can never know too much of military +duties. I see no objection whatever to your having the flags, but as +they are not a matter of ordinary issue, I think it better for me to +seek Major Silsbee's authority for issuing them." + +"Would it have been better if I had gone to the battalion commander in +the first place, sir?" + +"No; whenever you wish anything in the Army it is usually better to go +direct to the officer who has that thing in charge in his department, +save when it is something that you are expected to draw through your +company officers." + +"It was Captain Cortland who sent me to you, sir, but he said he had no +authority to draw a requisition for signal flags." + +"You have taken the right course, Corporal. If Major Silsbee is in his +office it will take but a moment more." + +While the young corporal remained at attention Lieutenant Pope turned to +his telephone and called for the battalion commander. + +"It's all right, Corporal," nodded the lieutenant, hanging up the +receiver. Then he wrote on a slip of official paper. "Here is an order +on which the quartermaster sergeant will issue you two signal flags. You +are, of course, responsible for the flags, or for the value." + +"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." + +Five minutes later Corporal Hal Overton stepped briskly from the +building in which the quartermaster's stores were kept. Under his left +arm he carried two signal flags, rolled and attached to short staffs. + +"Noll hasn't shown up yet. I hope he won't be long," murmured Hal, +gazing across the parade grounds in the direction of the barracks of +enlisted men. "Bunkie and I have a lot to do to-day." + +Readers of the preceding volumes in this series will need no +introduction to Corporals Hal Overton and Noll Terry, of the +Thirty-fourth United States Infantry. + +The headquarters battalion to which these two earnest young soldiers +were attached was still stationed at Fort Clowdry. Readers of "UNCLE +SAM'S BOYS IN THE RANKS" are familiar with the circumstances under which +Overton and Terry first enlisted at a recruiting office in New York +City. These same readers also know how the two young soldiers put in +several weeks of steady drilling at a recruit rendezvous near New York, +where they learned the first steps in the soldier's strenuous calling. +Our readers are also familiar with all the many things that happened +during that period of recruit instruction, and how Hal and Noll, while +traveling through the Rockies on their way to join their regiment, aided +in resisting an attempt by robbers to hold up the United States mail +train. Our readers are well aware of all the exciting episodes of that +first garrison life, including the life and death fight that Hal Overton +had with thieves while he was on sentry duty in officers' row, and of +the efforts of one worthless character in the battalion to discredit +and disgrace the service of both splendid but new young soldiers. + +In the second volume, "UNCLE SAM'S BOYS ON FIELD DUTY," our readers were +admitted to equally exciting scenes of a wholly different nature. This +volume dealt largely with the troops while away in rough country, under +practical instruction in the actual duties of soldiers in the field in +war time. Just how soldiers learn the grim business of war was most +fully set forth in this volume. Among other hosts of entertaining +incidents our readers will recall how Hal, on scouting duty, robbed the +"enemy's" outpost of rifles, canteens and secured even the corporal's +shoes. Some of Hal's and Noll's other brilliant scouting successes are +therein told, and it is described how Hal and Noll finally gained the +information that resulted in their own side gaining the victory in the +mimic campaign. That volume also told how Lieutenant Prescott, aided by +Soldiers Hal and Noll, succeeded at very nearly the cost of their lives +in arresting a notorious and desperate criminal for the civil +authorities, and how all this was done in the most soldier-like manner. +It was such deeds as the scouting and the clever arrest that resulted in +the appointment of the two chums as corporals. Then there was the +affair, while the regulars were on duty in summer encampment with the +Colorado National Guard, in which Hal and Noll, acting under impulses of +the highest chivalry, got themselves into trouble that came very near to +driving them out of the service. + +Since the last rousing scenes in and near Denver, something more than a +year had passed. It was now the beginning of the fall of the year +following when Corporal Hal Overton, with the signal flags under his +arm, waited near the parade ground for that other fine young soldier, +Corporal Noll Terry. + +A year of busy life it had been, though in the main uneventful. Our two +young corporals had spent most of their time since in perfecting +themselves in the soldier's grim game. They were now looked upon as two +of the very finest and staunchest young soldiers in the service. + +"Oh, there comes Noll at last," muttered Corporal Overton some minutes +later. "And it's high time, too, if he has any regard for the sacredness +of a soldier's punctuality. But he's leaving the telegraph office. I +wonder if the dear old fellow has been getting any bad news from the +home town?" + +Corporal Terry, as he came briskly along the smooth, hard walk of a +well-kept military post, looked every inch as fine a soldier as his +chum. By this time Noll was just as thoroughly in love with all that +pertained to the soldier's spirited life as was Overton. + +"Think I was never coming?" hailed Noll gayly. + +"I began to wonder if you weren't losing sight of the sacredness that is +supposed to be attached to a soldier's appointment," said Hal dryly. + +"I am afraid I have been so carried away with a new chance that I've +treated you just a bit shabbily," Corporal Noll admitted. + +"Think no more of it," begged Hal. "I got the flags." + +"So my eyes tell me." + +"And what have you been up to, Noll?" + +"Oh, the greatest chance!" glowed Terry. "You know how hard I have been +plugging away at telegraphy in spare time during the last few months?" + +"Of course." + +"Well, Lieutenant Ray is through with his tour of duty as officer in +charge of our telegraph station, and Lieutenant Prescott has succeeded +him for the next tour." + +"Yes." + +"I've been over to the telegraph office to interview Lieutenant +Prescott, whom I saw going in there. Prescott is a grand young officer, +isn't he?" + +"Every man in the battalion knows that," Hal agreed heartily, for, +indeed, there were no two more popular young officers in the service +than Lieutenants Prescott and Holmes, of B and C Companies, +respectively. + +Readers of our "HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' SERIES" and of the "WEST POINT SERIES" +know all about Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes, once leaders among High +School athletes and afterwards among the brightest and finest of West +Point cadets. Prescott and Holmes were now fully launched in their +careers as Army officers. + +"Lieutenant Prescott has given me a really bully chance," Noll went on +happily. + +"Did you ask him for it?" suspected Corporal Hal shrewdly. + +"Well, I--er--er--hinted some, I guess," responded Noll, with a quiet +grin. "But if you want things in this world aren't you a heap more +likely to get them by asking than by keeping quiet?" + +"Surely. But go on and tell me what it is that you got." + +"I haven't exactly got it yet," Noll continued. "But Lieutenant Prescott +is going to recommend me for it, and ask Captain Cortland's permission." + +"I guess you'll get it, then," nodded Hal Overton. "Mr. Prescott's +superior officers think so highly of him that he usually doesn't have +to beg very hard to get what he wants. And--what is it?" + +"Why, old fellow, I'm to be relieved from most other duties and placed +in charge of the telegraph office. You know, there are two soldiers +stationed there as day operators, and one as night operator. And I'm to +be there in charge night and day." + +"Good business," nodded Hal, "if you don't have to keep up night and day +as well." + +"Oh, no; I'm to be merely responsible to the lieutenant for the proper +management of the office. I'm not to be tied down so very closely, after +all, and I'm to have the proper amount of leave for recreation and all +that sort of thing." + +"When do you begin?" + +"Day after to-morrow, at nine in the morning." + +"You won't be on guard duty while this other detail lasts?" + +"No." + +"Too bad," muttered Hal. "Of course I may be wrong, but to me the +thorough study of real guard duty is one of the most important things in +a soldier's profession." + +"Oh, I've mastered guard duty pretty well," broke in Corporal Noll. + +"Then I congratulate you," was Hal Overton's dry rejoinder. "I feel that +I'm only beginning to see the real niceties of the work of the guard." + +"We've an hour left before the next drill," resumed young Corporal +Terry, after glancing at his watch. "Shall we go over and see if +Sergeant Hupner is ready to start breaking us in at wig-wagging?" + +"That's what I've been waiting to do," Hal Overton rejoined. + +"You don't seem to be a bit glad over my success in getting into +telegraphy," complained Noll. + +"If it seemed that way, then it's because our tongues were too busy +otherwise," Hal answered. "Noll, I congratulate you from the bottom of +my heart, for you're plumb wild to know all about telegraphing." + +"Only because it's of use in the military world," explained Corporal +Terry. "I wouldn't care a straw about being a telegraph operator in +civil life." + +"You wouldn't care about being anything else in civil life, would you?" + +"No," Corporal Noll admitted promptly. "After a taste of real soldiering +in the regular Army I don't see how on earth a fellow can be satisfied +with any other kind of life. That is, if a fellow has life, spirit and +red blood in him." + +Sergeant Hupner proved not only to be disengaged, but ready to begin +the instruction of the aspiring young wig-waggers immediately. + +It is really no part of an infantry soldier's duty to learn telegraphy, +but he is trained at times in the use of the wig-wag signal flags. In +the Army both telegraphy and signaling are work usually performed by +members of the Signal Corps. In the case of telegraphy, however, at an +infantry post where there is no detachment of Signal Corps men, then the +work at the telegraph instruments must necessarily fall upon infantry +soldiers, since some of the messages sent and received at a military +post cannot be intrusted to men who have not taken the oath. + +"You take one of the flags, Corporal Overton," began Sergeant Hupner, +after stepping from barracks out into the open, "and I'll take the other +at the outset. Corporal Terry can look on at first. Now, a signalman, at +the beginning of his work, holds the flag straight up before him--so. +Each letter in the alphabet has its own series of numbers to stand for +it. These numbers are made by dropping the flag so many times to the +right or left of your body. Thus----" + +Sergeant Hupner described some rapid sweeps with the flag to right and +left. + +"A, B, C, D, E," he spelled along, as he signaled the letters. + +"We know that part of it already, Sergeant," replied Corporal Hal. +"We've been studying the alphabet and the punctuation points in the +book."[A] + +"Oh, I'll warrant that you've been studying the alphabet and everything +connected with it," replied Sergeant Hupner, with a smile. "And I don't +believe you'll need many points from me in order to become first-class +signalmen. Take this flag, Terry. Now, Overton, stand off there and +signal your full name to me. Spell out the letters slowly, so that I can +criticize you when necessary." + +Despite his knowledge of the alphabet Hal naturally made a few blunders +at first. + +"Your work lacks snap," remarked Sergeant Hupner. "Even when you spell +slowly you should bring the flag down smartly to either side. Like +this." + +Sergeant Hupner illustrated briskly with his arms. + +"Now send me the name of your regiment." + +Hal did better this time. + +"You'll soon have the hang of it," declared the sergeant encouragingly. +"Now, send me the same thing over again, but with more speed." + +"Fine!" added Hupner when Hal had obeyed. "Now, Terry, we'll try you for +a few moments. What is your full name?" + +Noll signaled it, making each letter carefully with the flag. + +"Now tell me--with the flag--what you think of to-day's weather." + +"Fine and cool," signaled back Noll. + +Thus the instruction continued. Each young soldier improved a good deal +during that hour. + +"Now, we'll call it off until to-morrow," remarked the sergeant at last, +and turned to re-enter barracks. + +"How do you like it, Noll?" asked Overton. + +"Oh, it's all right," admitted boyish Corporal Terry. "But I'd rather +have telegraphy. I don't see why you've been so wild over the wig-wag +flags." + +"For just one reason," responded Hal promptly. "Because it's all a part +of the soldier's life and duty. I mean to know every phase and detail of +the soldier's business that I can possibly pick up. And I hope you won't +back out, Noll." + +"Oh, no; I'll stick," agreed Corporal Terry, though it sounded as if he +promised almost reluctantly. + +Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta! The bugler was sounding the first call for drill. That +sent the two boyish young corporals quickly into barracks with their +signal flags, which they exchanged for their rifles. + +Their old friend Hyman--no longer Private Hyman, but now, for three +months, Corporal Hyman--regarded them with indulgent eyes. + +"You kids been out learning how to wave the shirt?" he queried. + +"Yes," nodded Hal. Then, with pretended severity, he demanded: "Do you +think, Corporal Hyman, you have chosen a respectful enough manner in +addressing other corporals who rank you by virtue of prior appointment +to the grade?" + +"Oh, nobody takes a corporal seriously except the corporal himself," +drawled Hyman. "A corporal in the Army is only a small-fry boss. He's +handy to lay the blame on for things, and he doesn't dare to 'sass' +back. Neither does the corporal dare to 'take it out of' the private +soldiers in his squad, for, if he did, the privates would report him and +have him court-martialed. Kids, I'm growing rather tired of being a +corporal. I think I'll go to the colonel and----" + +But whatever Hyman was going to do he did not explain, for the notes of +assembly rang out and all the men in the squad room hastened outside, +yet did it with that dignity and seeming deliberation that the soldier +soon acquires. + +Drill was over in something like an hour. Hal and Noll returned to squad +room, where they spent some little time going over their equipment. Then +they sauntered outside, for there was still some time before the noon +meal at company mess. + +"Look at Hyman, in that tree over yonder," said Hal, nodding in the +direction. + +Corporal Hyman was sitting on one of the lower limbs of a tree some four +hundred yards away. It was close to the wall that ran along the front of +the reservation, and overlooked the road that came up from the town of +Clowdry. + +"Yes," grinned Noll. "It's a favorite trick with old Hyman to get up in +a tree like that. Says he can think better that way than when he's +touching common earth. Hello, he has jumped down to the wall. There he +goes into the road outside." + +"There was a cloud of dust along the road. I guess he's talking to some +one in a carriage or an automobile," guessed Hal. + +"Well, it's of no interest to us," mused Noll. + +But in that Corporal Terry was wrong. + +"There's Hyman up on the wall again," reported Hal. + +"So I see, and he's making motions this way." + +"He's signaling," muttered Hal, watching the motions of Corporal Hyman's +right arm. He had started with that arm held up before his face. Now the +arm was falling rhythmically to left and right. "Why, Hyman is asking, +'Can you read this?'" + +Then, raising his own arm, Hal signaled back: + +"Yes." + +Again Hyman's right arm was moving. Hal watched closely, spelling out +the wig-wagged signal: + +"Pipe--off--what's--coming. Greatest--ever happened--in the--Army. +Don't--miss--it." + +"Now, what on earth can that be?" queried Noll. + +"It must be something unusual to rouse enthusiasm in a man like Hyman," +laughed Hal. + +And indeed it was something great that was coming. Corporal Hyman's +wig-wagging arm was moving again. + +"Hustle--over--to--main--road." + +Hal and Noll were instantly in motion. It must be confessed that they +were eager. + +Little did they guess that the coming event was of a nature destined +soon to have the whole post at Fort Clowdry by the ears! + +FOOTNOTE: + +[A] It would be an excellent idea to reproduce the wig-wag alphabet, +with full directions for its use, in this volume of Mr. Hancock's, were +it not for the fact that alphabet and directions have just been +published in "The Battleship Boys' First Step Upward," which is the +second volume in Frank Gee Patchin's Battleship Boys' Series. Readers, +therefore, who would like to pick up this fascinating art of signaling +messages from distant points will do well to consult Mr. Patchin's +volume for simple and explicit directions.--EDITOR. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +LIEUTENANT "ALGY" JOINS THE ARMY + + +IN at the gate down by post number one--in other words, at the guard +house--turned an extremely large and costly-looking seven-passenger +touring car. + +At the driver's post sat an undersized, shrewd-looking little Frenchman. + +Behind him, in one of the five seats of the tonneau sat a dapper-looking +young man of medium height, with a soft, curly little moustache and +dressed in the height of masculine fashion. + +At post number one the car was halted, apparently much to the surprise +of the solitary passenger, who leaned indolently forward and exchanged +some words with the sentry. + +"Gracious!" gasped Noll. "He must be a person of some importance, after +all. There's the sentry presenting arms." + +"And there comes the corporal of the guard, making a rifle salute," +added Hal. "It must be a new officer joining the regiment." + +"That--an officer?" gasped Noll, in unfeigned disgust. "Don't libel the +good old Army, Hal." + +Of a sudden the big car shot forward again, and came up the main road to +officers' row at a smashing clip. + +Then, just as suddenly, it halted beside the two young corporals. + +"Hello, boys!" greeted the dapper, smiling little fellow in the tonneau. +"Say, I'm afraid I'm all at sea. I've come to live with you fellows, but +I'm blessed if I haven't already forgotten what that fellow with the gun +told me down at the porter's lodge." + +"Porter's lodge? Do you mean the guard house, sir?" Hal asked +respectfully. + +"Why, yes--if that's what you call it--of course. Names don't matter +much to me. Never did. Some one over in Washington--the secretary of +something or other--sent me over here. I'm a new lieutenant, and I +believe I'm to stay at this beastly place." + +At the mention of the word "lieutenant" both Hal and Noll came to a very +formal salute. + +"Now, what do you mean by that?" smiled the new-comer affably. "Sign of +some lodge on the post? I haven't had time to get into any of your +secret societies yet, of course." + +"We offered you the officer's salute, sir," explained Corporal Hal. + +"Oh, then you're officers? I guessed as much," beamed the pleasant young +stranger. + +"No; we're corporals, sir," Hal informed him. + +"Oh, yes; seems to me I've heard about corporals. I'll know more about +them later, I dare say. How are you, anyway, boys?" + +The stranger leaned out over the side of the car, extending his hand to +Corporal Overton, who could not very well refuse it. Then Noll came in +for a handshake. + +"Of course you understand sir, that we're below the grade of officers," +Hal continued. + +"Oh, pshaw!" replied the still smiling stranger. "Such things as that +don't count. And I've been warned that the Army is one of the most +democratic places in the world. I haven't brought any of my 'lugs' here +with me--'pon my word I haven't. I'm Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers. I hope +all of you fellows will soon like me well enough to call me Algy." + +Though Mr. Ferrers was certainly the biggest joke in the way of an +officer that either of the young soldiers had ever seen, it was +impossible not to like this pleasant young man. + +"Jump in--won't you, boys?" invited Lieutenant Ferrers, throwing the +nearer door of the tonneau open. "I'll be tremendously obliged if you'll +pilot me to the right place. Where do I ring the bell? Of course I've +got to give some one here the glad hand before I can be shown to my +rooms." + +Though they did so with some misgivings Hal and Noll both stepped into +the tonneau. + +"Sit right down, boys," urged Lieutenant Ferrers amiably. + +"Pardon me, sir," explained Hal Overton. "It would be a bad breach of +discipline in this regiment for any enlisted man to sit in the company +of his officers." + +"Oh, you're enlisted men, eh?" queried the new lieutenant, showing no +signs whatever of feeling taken aback. "I'm glad to say I didn't have to +enlist. My guv'nor has some good friends at Washington, and I was +appointed from civil life." + +Hal and Noll had already guessed that much without difficulty. No +officer quite like Lieutenant Ferrers had ever been turned out at West +Point, and surely such a man had never risen from the ranks. Now, when +all the West Point graduates have been commissioned into the Army, and +all meritorious enlisted men have been promoted to second lieutenancies, +then, if there be any vacancies left, the President fills these +vacancies in the rank of second lieutenant, by appointing young men from +civil life. + +Generally these appointments from civil life go to the honor graduates +of colleges where military drill is conducted by an officer of the Army +detailed as instructor. But, occasionally, there are more vacancies +than these honor graduates can or will fill--and then political +influence very often plays a part in the appointment of some young men +as lieutenants in the Army. + +"Tell Francois where to drive, will you?" begged Lieutenant Ferrers. + +"I don't believe, sir, that Colonel North is at his office so late in +the forenoon," Corporal Hal replied. "But I think, sir, that Captain +Hale, the regimental adjutant, will be found there." + +"Does Hale assign a fellow's rooms to him?" queried Lieutenant Ferrers +innocently. + +"If you are under orders to join, sir, you will be expected to report to +Colonel North, or else to the regimental adjutant, who represents the +colonel." + +"I--see," nodded the new lieutenant slowly. "Will you do me the extreme +favor to tell Francois where to leave us?" + +Hal leaned forward, indicating the headquarters building. + +In another moment the big car stopped before headquarters. + +"Come right on in, fellows, and introduce me, won't you?" urged +Lieutenant Ferrers. + +"I--I am afraid we'd better not," replied Hal, flushing. + +"Oh, I see--you've a luncheon appointment, or something of the sort, eh? +Well, never mind; glad to have met you. Expect to have many a good time +with you later on. Good fellows, both of you, I'll wager." + +"Come away from here, Noll," begged Hal, as soon as Mr. Ferrers had run +up the steps and into the building. "I'm suffocating." + +"I'm green," grinned Noll chokingly, "but I'd hate to have as much ahead +of me to learn as that new officer has." + +"Oh, perhaps he was joshing us," suggested Hal. + +"Do you know what I think?" + +"What?" + +"I think," responded Noll, struggling hard to keep his gravity, "that +Mr. Ferrers is kidding himself worse than any one else." + +In the meantime Ferrers had bounded past an orderly and had broken into +the office of the regimental adjutant. + +"Hello, old chap!" was his joyous greeting of dignified Captain Hale. + +"Sir?" demanded the regimental adjutant. "Who the blazes are you, sir?" + +"Name's Ferrers, old chap," responded the newcomer, lightly, dropping a +card down on the adjutant's desk. + +Captain Hale glanced at the card. Then a light seemed to dawn on him. + +"Oh! I think it likely you are the Lieutenant Ferrers who has been +ordered to the Thirty-fourth," went on Captain Hale. + +"You're a wonderful guesser, old chap. Now, where do I go to see about +my rooms, housing my servants, storing my cars, etc.?" + +Captain Hale tried to hide his grim smile as he held out his hand. + +"Welcome to the Thirty-fourth, Mr. Ferrers. And now I think I had better +take you to Colonel North. He has been expecting you." + +Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers followed the broad-backed adjutant into an +inner office, where the very young man was presented to the +grizzled-gray Colonel North. Then, as quickly as he could, Captain Hale +escaped back to his desk in the outer office. + +Colonel North looked at Mr. Ferrers with a glance that did not convey +absolute approval. + +"Have you been in a train wreck, Mr. Ferrers?" inquired the colonel. + +"Oh, dear me, no. Do I look as bad as that?" inquired the new +lieutenant, with a downward glance at his faultless attire. + +"But you were due to arrive here at four o'clock yesterday afternoon, +Mr. Ferrers," continued the colonel. "I was here at my desk, waiting to +receive you." + +"I hope I didn't inconvenience you any," murmured Ferrers. "You see, +Colonel, when I got in at Pueblo I ran across some old friends at the +station. They insisted on my staying over with them for half a day. I +couldn't very well get out of it, you see." + +"Couldn't very well get out of it?" repeated Colonel North distinctly +and coldly. "Wouldn't it have been enough, Mr. Ferrers, to have told +your friends that you were under orders to be here at four o'clock +yesterday?" + +"Oh, I say, now," murmured Mr. Ferrers, "I hope you're not going to +raise any beastly row about it." + +"That is not language to use to your superior officer, Mr. Ferrers!" + +"Then you have my instant apology, Colonel," protested the young man. +"But, you see, these were very important people that I met--the +Porter-Stanleys, of New York. Very likely you have met them." + +Colonel North now found it hard to repress a tendency to laugh. But he +choked it back. + +"I am afraid, Mr. Ferrers, you do not realize the seriousness of failing +to obey a military order punctually. More than that, I fear it would +take more time than I have between now and luncheon to make it plain to +you. But I assure you that you have a great deal, a very great deal, to +learn about the strict requirements of Army life and conduct." + +"And you'll find me very keen to learn, sir, very keen, I assure you. +But, since you're good enough to postpone telling me more about such +little matters, may I ask you, Colonel, who will show me to my rooms? I +shall need quite a few, for, outside of two chauffeurs--I have five auto +cars you know--I have also four household servants and a valet." + +"You have--what!" gasped Colonel North. + +Mr. Ferrers patiently repeated the details concerning the number of his +automobiles and servants. + +"And where are they?" demanded the regimental commander. + +"I left them over in Clowdry until I send for them, sir." + +"Mr. Ferrers, have you any idea how many rooms an unmarried second +lieutenant has?" + +"A dozen or fifteen, I hope," suggested Mr. Ferrers hopefully. "A +gentleman, of course, can't live in fewer rooms." + +"Mr. Ferrers, an unmarried second lieutenant lives in bachelor officers' +quarters. He has a parlor, bed-room and bath." + +"Oh, I say now," protested poor Mr. Ferrers earnestly, "you can't expect +me to get along in any such dog-kennel of a place." + +"You'll have to, Mr. Ferrers." + +"But my servants--my chauffeurs?" + +"No room for them on this post." + +"But I can't keep five cars running without at least two chauffeurs. And +by the way, Colonel, what kind of a garage do you have here?" + +"None whatever, Mr. Ferrers. You can keep one small car down at the +quartermaster's stables, but that is the best you can do." + +Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers, who instantly realized that this +fine-looking old colonel was not making game of him, sat back staring, a +picture of hopeless dejection. + +"I had no idea the Army was anything like as beastly as this," he +murmured disconsolately. + +"If you're going to remain in the service, Mr. Ferrers," returned the +colonel, "I'm afraid you will have to recast many of your ideas. In the +first place, you won't need servants. You'll get your meals at the +officers' mess, and all the servants needed there are provided." + +"But I must have some one to take care of even my two poor little +rooms," fidgeted Mr. Ferrers. "I can't undertake to do that myself. +Besides, Colonel, I don't know how to do housework." + +"Some of the work in your rooms you should and must do yourself," +explained Colonel North. "Such, for example, as tidying up your +quarters. The rougher work you can have done by a striker." + +"Striker!" echoed Mr. Ferrers, a gleam of intelligence coming into his +eyes. "No, thank you, Colonel. Strikers never work. I've heard my +guv'nor talk about strikes in his business." + +"'Striker,'" explained Colonel North, "is Army slang. Your 'striker' is +a private soldier, whom you hire at so many a dollars a month to do the +rougher work in your quarters. You make whatever bargain you choose with +the soldier. At this post the bachelor officers usually pay a striker +eight dollars a month." + +"At that price I can afford a lot of 'em," responded Mr. Ferrers, +brightening considerably. + +"An unmarried officer is not allowed to have more than one striker in +this regiment," said the colonel, whereat Ferrer's face showed his +dismay. "Nor is any soldier obliged to become your striker. You cannot +engage him unless the soldier is wholly willing. However, a good many +men like the extra pay. You will be assigned to A company. Direct the +first sergeant of that company to send you a man who is willing to serve +as a striker. And now, Mr. Ferrers, as you appear to be wholly ignorant +of Army life I think I will give you a mentor." + +Turning to the telephone Colonel North called: + +"Connect me with Lieutenant Prescott. Hello, is that you, Mr. Prescott? +The regimental commander is speaking. My compliments, Mr. Prescott, and +can you come over to headquarters? Thank you." + +Ringing off the colonel turned to his very new young lieutenant, saying: + +"Mr. Prescott is a last year's graduate of the Military Academy at West +Point, and one of the most capable younger officers I have ever met. I +can think of no man so well qualified to coach you in the start of your +new life, Mr. Ferrers. You have some baggage with you?" + +"Oh, yes, sir. Two trunks on the car." + +"Then you have uniforms with you?" + +"Yes." + +"Say 'sir' when answering a superior officer." + +"Yes, sir." + +"You have your two regulation swords?" + +"Yes, sir. And say!" Ferrers beamed forth, with enthusiasm, while his +eyes lit up. "The regulation swords are not such a much, so, while I got +them, I also had four other swords made that are a whole lot handsomer. +Wait until you see me, sir, with the beauty that Tiffany made to my +order--my own design, sir." + +"Doubtless your extra swords will do very well as ornaments in your +quarters, Mr. Ferrers," replied the colonel, trying very hard to keep a +straight face. "But you will not appear with any other than the +regulation swords." + +"Oh, I say, now----" broke forth Ferrers anxiously, but the door opened, +and Lieutenant Dick Prescott strode in, looking the perfection of +handsome soldiery. + +"You sent for me, sir?" Prescott asked, coming to a very formal salute. + +"Yes, Mr. Prescott. This young gentleman is Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers, +lately appointed from civil life. As Mr. Ferrers will presently be glad +to admit that he knows less than nothing about Army life, I can think of +no one better qualified than you, Mr. Prescott, to explain to him the +nature of military life." + +"Thank you, Colonel," replied Prescott gravely. + +"Kindly take Mr. Ferrers over to the officers' mess and see that he is +made to feel at home among you youngsters. And advise him, in all +necessary respects, as to what is expected of him in this regiment." + +"But my rooms, sir? My little dog-kennel?" urged Ferrers. + +"Mr. Prescott will take you to Lieutenant Pope, the battalion +quartermaster, who will assign you to quarters. And, Mr. Prescott, make +it a point to introduce Mr. Ferrers to Major Silsbee and also Captain +Ruggles of A company, for Mr. Ferrers is assigned to that company." + +Prescott saluted smartly in leaving his colonel. Ferrers also +endeavored to salute, and imitated badly--with the wrong hand. + +As soon as the door had closed Colonel North rose, sighed and muttered: + +"With a seeming idiot like that on officers' row I can see our old and +happy life here passing." + +Lieutenant Ferrers, after an infinite amount of coaching by Mr. +Prescott, turned out at afternoon parade. Ferrers did not take his post +with his company, but stood at one side, out of the way, watching the +work with a rather bored look. + +By the time that the men were dismissed from parade every enlisted man +in barracks appeared to have heard a lot about Lieutenant Ferrers. Every +man was either telling or listening to some anecdote about the new young +officer, and roars of laughter rang on all sides, for Algy Ferrers, +during the brief afternoon, had managed, in spite of Prescott, to make a +whole lot of ridiculous breaks. + +"That young shave-tail won't last two weeks in the service," predicted +Corporal Hyman, who, though he now belonged in another squad room, was +just now visiting with Sergeant Hupner's men. + +"Oh, I don't know," Noll answered thoughtfully. "I've seen a lot of +worse enlisted men licked into shape and become good soldiers. I don't +know why the rule shouldn't work as well with a new officer." + +Corporal Hal, at this moment, was down at the further end of the squad +room, close to an open window. Here, where he had plenty of space for +manoeuvring, he was practising some moves with the signal flag, while +Sergeant Hupner stood by criticising. + +"Of all the dizzy young rookies with the waving shirt I consider you the +worst," jeered Corporal Hyman, stepping over. "Here, I'm going to take +that thing away from you. What you need, Overton, is rest." + +Hyman made a dive for the signal flag. Corporal Hal resisted the effort +to take it away from him, and a good-natured scuffle followed. While it +was going on Hal was forced into the open window. + +Hyman seized the staff, giving it a twist. Then Hal started to recover +it. + +Thus the staff dropped and fell below, just as young Corporal Overton +sprang inward. + +Instantly, however, the boy remembered that it might drop on some one's +head. He wheeled like a flash, bending out of the window, just as a howl +floated upward. + +"Hey, you idiot!" followed the howl, and the young corporal saw Hinkey, +a new recruit in the regiment and company, take off his hat and rub a +rising lump on the top of his head. + +"Look out below, there!" called Corporal Hal. + +"What else are you going to throw out at me?" glared Private Hinkey. + +For answer, Corporal Hal sprang over the window sill, landing lightly on +the ground below. + +"Hinkey, I'm mighty sorry," began Overton. "It was an accident, and----" + +"An accident?" flared Hinkey sulkily. "I suppose you expect me to +believe that you slammed that flagstaff down and hit me on the top of +the head, and that it was all an accident?" + +"I certainly do expect you to believe it," replied Corporal Hal, his +face flushing. + +"Well, I don't," came the ugly response, accompanied by another scowl. +"It's a lie, and----" + +"Be careful, Hinkey!" warned Corporal Overton, his fine young face +paling slightly. "Passing the lie, you know, don't go in the Army!" + +"I don't care a hang what goes in the Army," snarled the private, who +was a man some twenty-eight years of age, dark of complexion and +forbidding of feature. "You've had it in for me all along, Corporal +Overton. Only yesterday morning you scorched me at drill." + +"You needed it," was the quiet reply. "And I used no abusive language." + +"Good thing you didn't," flashed Hinkey. "And the day before----" + +"Stop your whining and let me look at your head," advised Corporal +Overton. "Whew, what a bump! Hinkey, I'm truly sor----" + +"Get away from me, and never mind my head," snapped the other. + +"But man, the flesh is cut, and the bump is already the size of a hen's +egg, and growing. You must have that attended to at hospital." + +"I'll do what I please about that," retorted Hinkey. + +"No; you'll do as you're told. You will report to First Sergeant Gray at +once, and ask his permission to report at hospital without delay." + +"Perhaps you think I will," came the disagreeable retort. + +"I know you will," said Corporal Overton more sternly, "for it's a +military order and you have no choice but to obey. And, if you think I +did that purposely----" + +"I don't think, Overton. I know you did." + +"Then I'll post you as to your rights in the matter, Private Hinkey. +When you report to Sergeant Gray for hospital permission, which you +will do at once, you can also state that you believe I assaulted you +purposely. Then Sergeant Gray will arrange for you to go to Captain +Cortland and make regular complaint against me." + +"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" jeered Hinkey. + +"On that point I decline to commit myself." + +"Fine to go and complain against an officers' pet and boot-lick," +laughed Hinkey sullenly. "No, sir! I'll go to no officer with a charge +against a favored boot-lick!" + +"That's the only way in which you can get redress." + +"Is it?" demanded Private Hinkey, with a sudden, intense scowl that made +his ill-featured face look satanic. "Well, you wait and see, my fine +young buck doughboy!" + +"Don't fail to report to Sergeant Gray for hospital permission," +Corporal Hal Overton called after the fellow. "If you do, you'll be up +against disobedience of orders." + +Private Hinkey, moving away, made a derisive gesture behind his back, +but the boyish young corporal turned on his heel, stepping off in +another direction. + +"If that kid thinks he can lord it over me," snarled Private Hinkey +under his breath, "he's due to wake up before long." + +Nevertheless Private Hinkey had already learned enough of Army life to +feel certain that he was obliged to go to Sergeant Gray. + +"Sure thing! Go over to hospital and have that head dressed at once," +ordered the first sergeant. "How did it happen?" + +"The fellow who did it said it was an accident," replied Hinkey, with an +ugly leer. + +"Then report him," urged the first sergeant of B Company. "I can take +care of the offender if it was done on purpose." + +"That's all right," snapped Private Hinkey. "So can I." + +"If Hinkey is telling the truth, then there's the start of a nice little +row in that sore head," thought Gray, glancing after the man headed for +hospital. + +And, indeed, Sergeant Gray was wholly right. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE FIRST BREATH AGAINST A SOLDIER'S HONOR + + +THE night was so quiet, the air so still, that the single, distant +stroke of the town clock bell over in the town of Clowdry was distinctly +audible. + +Dong! boomed the bell, the vibration reaching the ears of two or three +of the lighter sleepers, and causing them to stir lightly in their sleep +in Sergeant Hupner's squad room. + +Out on the post, not far away, a dog chose to bark at that town-clock +bell. + +Some one gliding swiftly through the squad room upset a stool with a +loud crash. Yet few of the soundly sleeping soldiers bothered their +heads about such a series of trivial noises. + +Now, a series of hails began, starting down at the guard house and +running rapidly around the sentry posts until the sentry pacing near +barracks caught it up and called lustily: + +"Post number six. One o'clock, and all's well!" + +One man in especial had been stirring on his cot as though trying to +throw off some phantom of dread. Now instantly after the sentry's hail +this stirring sleeper emitted an excited yell. + +"Wow! Turn out the guard--post number six!" + +Instantly Sergeant Hupner awoke, sitting up on his cot. + +"What's the matter with you, you idiot?" growled the disturbed sergeant. + +"I've been touched!" wailed the excited voice. + +It was the voice of Private William Green, the joke of the squad room, +the man who hoarded his money and carried much of it about with him. + +"Go to sleep, William," ordered the sergeant in a more soothing voice. +"I've often told you that one so young shouldn't drink coffee at +supper." + +"I've been touched, I tell you!" insisted William Green, now out of his +bed and feeling with frantic hands under the head of the mattress. +"Don't I know? I tell you, my buckskin pouch is gone. Some one was in +this room and got it!" + +In a jiffy Sergeant Hupner was out of bed. His groping right hand found +the switch and turned on the electric lights. Then Hupner jumped for his +uniform trousers and drew them on. + +"What's wrong, squad room?" called the voice of the alert sentry +outside. + +But Hupner first went to the door of the squad room, locked it and +dropped the key in his trousers' pocket. Then the sergeant ran to an +open window. + +"I don't believe it's anything worse than a nightmare of one of the men, +sentry. Don't call the guard until I look about a bit." + +"Very good, Sergeant." + +Then Hupner turned to the cot of Corporal Hal Overton, which was close +to the window. + +"Why, Corporal, what ails you?" demanded the sergeant. "You're shaking +and your face has a frightened look." + +"I--I have just awakened from a pretty bad dream," Corporal Hal replied +sheepishly. "I'll be over it at once." + +"Turn out, Corporal, and you also, Corporal Terry. We've got to +investigate in this room." + +Hal instantly thrust a leg out. Something dropped to the floor. + +Bang! + +"Ow!" wailed Private Green. "It wasn't a dream, after all. I knew it +would go off." + +Sergeant Hupner, bending low like a flash, now picked up a revolver from +the floor beside Hal's cot, while Hal himself sat up, staring rather +dazedly at the weapon. + +"How did this come to be in your bed, Corporal Overton?" demanded the +sergeant. + +"I don't know, Sergeant." + +"But it was in your bed. You shook it out when you went to get up just +now." + +"That's the gun," insisted Private William Green. "I saw it poked into +my face by some one prowling before my cot." + +"Were you so scared that you didn't dare jump up or say anything?" +demanded Hupner, turning upon Private Green, who had now reached the +vicinity of Hal's cot. + +"Scared, nothing!" grunted Private William. "I thought I must be +dreaming, for there was no danger in this room. Then I heard something +go smash down the room, like a stool being tipped over, and then I came +altogether out of my doze, and time I did, too! For I put my hand under +the mattress and my pouch and money were gone. Whoever poked that gun +toward my head got my money!" + +By this time more than half the men in the room were sitting up on the +edges of their cots. A few more lay still, though wide awake, while a +few of the hardest sleepers were still in the Land of Nod. + +"Green, are you sure your money's gone?" insisted Hupner sternly. It was +no light thing to the reliable old sergeant to find that he had a thief +in his squad room. + +"Come and look for yourself, Sergeant." + +"Corporals Overton and Terry, dress yourselves," ordered the sergeant, +as he started after Private William Green. "The rest of you men needn't +dress unless I direct it." + +"Now, look here, Sergeant," insisted Green, after pulling the mattress +bodily from his cot. "Do you see anything that looks like my buckskin +pouch?" + +There was no pouch to be found on or near Soldier William's cot. + +"How much money did you have in the pouch?" demanded Hupner almost +angrily. + +"Seven hundred and ten dollars," declared Green promptly. + +"Whew!" + +To most of the soldiers present that much money represented a fortune. + +Yet no one in the room thought of doubting William's assertion. As +readers of the preceding volume know, Green had had considerable money +when he joined the regiment something more than a year earlier. And +William was known to be one who was constantly adding to his money by +saving his pay. + +Moreover, Private Green had made not a little by lending money to +comrades in the battalion. He loaned on the time-honored system of +lending among enlisted men in the Army--the system of "five now but six +on pay day." + +There are soldiers in every company--in every squad room--who always +spend their pay within a few days after receiving it from the paymaster. +As soon as his money is gone, and he needs or wants more, the +improvident soldier turns to some comrade who saves and lends his money. +The loan is five dollars, but by all the traditions the borrower must +return six on pay day. + +William Green had been making money on this plan. Some of his wealth +Green now had on deposit at a Denver bank, but much of his "pile" he +always insisted on carrying with him. + +And usually this is a safe enough plan. In no body of men in the world +does honesty average higher than among the soldiers of the American +regular Army. + +Once in a while, of course, an exceptional "black sheep" may get in even +among soldiers, and William had often been warned not to keep so much +convertible wealth about his person. But William trusted his comrades +and carried large sums of cash. + +"Corporal Overton, you take one side of the room, and Corporal Terry the +other. Scan the floor for any sign of a buckskin pouch." + +"Let me help," begged William. + +"All right," nodded Sergeant Hupner. "And look, also, for any stool that +may be overturned." + +The search was unavailing. No sight was gained of the buckskin pouch, +while every stool in the room was upright and in place. + +"Does any man here know anything about Green's buckskin?" demanded +Hupner. + +There was no answer. + +Crossing to the window, Sergeant Hupner called: + +"Sentry, call the corporal of the guard." + +Almost immediately the corporal of the guard was at hand. Sergeant +Hupner informed him that there had probably been a robbery in the squad +room and stated the known circumstances briefly. + +Corporal Jason immediately sent a member of the guard to arouse the +officer of the day and ask him to come to the squad room. + +Soon after Lieutenant Greg Holmes strode into the room, his sword +clanking at his side. + +Lieutenant Holmes heard Sergeant Hupner's report, which was but a short +one. + +Then the young officer of the day turned to Corporal Hal, eyeing him +keenly. + +"Corporal Overton, isn't there something you can tell me about this? You +were found awake, shaking somewhat and with an alarmed look on your +face." + +"That is true, sir," Hal Overton admitted. + +"When Sergeant Hupner directed you to rise you did so, and at the same +time kicked out of your bed this revolver, which was discharged." + +"Yes, sir." + +"Corporal," continued Lieutenant Holmes, "it would look as though you +must have some knowledge of the affair. Bear in mind that I am not +making any charge against you." + +"I--I should hope not, sir," stammered Hal Overton, his face growing +very pallid. + +"What do you know about this matter, Corporal Overton?" pressed the +young officer. + +"Absolutely nothing, sir, more than Sergeant Hupner has already stated +to you, sir. My condition of apparent fright was due to a bad dream from +which I was at the moment waking." + +"And you know nothing whatever regarding the robbery from Private +Green?" + +"Absolutely nothing more than the rest, sir," insisted Hal, though his +color continued to rise. + +The young soldier felt that he was half suspected, and he felt all the +awkwardness of innocence--an awkwardness that real guilt seldom +displays. + +"Men," it was Sergeant Hupner's voice breaking the stillness now, "if +you each want to clear your own individual selves you will step forward +and volunteer to have your persons and your belongings searched." + +Instantly the men moved forward, and Lieutenant Holmes glanced away from +Hal Overton. The lieutenant's survey of the lad's face had not been in +the least accusing, but merely a keen look of inquiry. + +"All the men in the room have come forward and are willing to be +searched, sir," reported the sergeant. + +"Good enough, Sergeant, since they volunteer, but I would not have them +forced without an order from the post commander. Sergeant, will you +undertake the search?" + +"Yes, sir; shall I have the corporals assist me?" + +"Yes, Sergeant, and I will lend a general oversight at the same time." + +That search occupied some forty minutes. Not only were the persons of +the men searched, but their chests and all their belongings. Hupner and +his two boyish young corporals asked Lieutenant Holmes to search them +himself, which the officer of the day did. + +"There doesn't appear to be a chance that Private Green's money is in +this room, or in the possession of any man in the room," remarked +Lieutenant Holmes at last. "Green, you should have taken sensible advice +and deposited your money, either with the paymaster or at a bank." + +"I shall, sir, if I ever get it back," replied William Green mournfully. + +"Well, there appears to be nothing more that I can do," continued +Lieutenant Holmes. "However, I will return to the guard house and call +up the commanding officer over the telephone, reporting the matter. Let +your men go to bed, Sergeant, but you will remain up until either I +return or send you some word through the corporal of the guard." + +After the officer of the day had gone out, the men of the squad room +looked from one to another in bewilderment. + +"If any fellow took my money for a joke," announced Private William +Green, "I'll call it all off if he'll be kind enough to return it." + +No one accepted the offer. + +"It's gone, all right, Green, evidently, and serves you right," said +Sergeant Hupner gruffly. + +In the course of a few minutes the corporal of the guard came back to +inform Sergeant Hupner that a guard would be set, both in the corridor +and outside, to prevent any man from leaving this squad room during the +night. In the morning, immediately following first call to reveille, +Colonel North, his adjutant and the officer of the day would visit the +squad room together. + +"And that's all there is to it, for to-night, men," announced Sergeant +Hupner. "Every man in bed now, for I'm going to switch off the light." + +Ten minutes later some of the soldiers were asleep, but not all, for +presently Hupner's strong military voice boomed through the room: + +"Stop that whispering! Silence until first call goes in the morning." + +After first call to reveille did sound in the morning barely sixty +seconds passed when the door was opened to Colonel North and the two +officers accompanying him. + +Then, indeed, there was a thorough examination. Each man in the room was +questioned keenly by the colonel himself. + +"Corporal Overton, how do you account for that revolver being in your +bed?" + +Colonel North held up the weapon. It was an ordinary service revolver, +such as is worn by an orderly when on duty without rifle, and there were +many such revolvers in barracks. No soldier was supposed to have one of +these revolvers, except by orders, yet it would be easy enough for any +soldier to get one by stealth. + +"I can't account for it, sir," Hal answered. "I didn't have it myself, +or put it in the bed, and I can only guess that some one else did." + +"Why should any one else do that, Corporal?" + +"Possibly, sir, with a view to making me appear guilty." + +"Do you suspect any one in particular?" + +"No, sir; I can't imagine why any man in the room, or in the battalion, +should want to do it." + +"You understand, Corporal Overton, that you are not under any charge, or +even suspicion, of guilt in the matter," continued the commanding +officer, for Hal in truth was esteemed much too fine a young soldier to +be suspected by his officers in the present case. + +"Thank you, sir," Hal replied. + +The inquiry was soon over and proved as resultless as that made alone by +Lieutenant Greg Holmes in the middle of the night. The officers left and +the men prepared to hasten out for breakfast formation. + +"I never thought Overton would do a trick like that," remarked a low +voice behind the young corporal, but Hal heard it. + +"Oh, you can't tell. Sometimes these quiet fellows are the worst. Still +waters run deep, you know." + +"I suppose other fellows in the squad room are thinking the same," +thought Hal, his heart throbbing with pain. + +He more than half guessed the truth--that the seed of suspicion against +him was already sown--that henceforth he would be watched by nearly all +eyes. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +LIEUTENANT ALGY'S INSPIRATION + + +LIEUTENANT ALGY FERRERS, the picture of dejection, sat staring across +his rather tiny parlor in bachelor quarters at smiling Lieutenant +Prescott. + +"I thought the Army was a place for gentlemen," murmured Algy aghast. + +"At last accounts it was, and I believe still is," replied the West +Pointer, with a smile. + +"But consider that beastly schedule of the day's work that you've been +explaining to me!" + +"What's wrong with it?" asked Lieutenant Prescott patiently. + +"What's first--what did you call it?" + +"First call to reveille, at 5.50 in the morning?" + +"Yes; what an utterly impossible time for any gentleman to be out of +bed. Unless," added Algy with a sudden bright thought, "he stays up +until then, and goes to bed after the beastly row is over." + +"That would hardly do, I'm afraid," Lieutenant Prescott laughed softly. +"You see, the day is full of duties. Now, sharp at six the march----" + +"March? At six in the morning?" gasped Algy Ferrers, his despair +increasing by leaps and bounds. "Man alive, I wouldn't feel like +crawling--at that time!" + +"The term has confused you," replied Prescott. "It's the musician of the +guard--the bugler--who plays the march. It's a strain that is played, +the first note beginning just as the reveille gun is fired, at the +minute of six in the morning. Then, just five minutes later reveille +itself is blown." + +"All that racket will wake me up mornings," complained Algy sadly. + +"It ought to, for it's an officer's business to be up by that time." + +"Good heavens!" groaned Algy. "Say, 'pon my word, I'll hate to have any +soldiers see me when I'm looking as seedy as I'll look at that time of +the day." + +"You won't see them immediately," Prescott replied. + +"Don't I have to go to my men as soon as I'm up?" + +"No; officers don't go down to barracks to see their men rise. Now, +listen. Reveille sounds at 6.05, with assembly and roll-call right +afterward. There's a very brief athletic drill, followed by recall from +the drill at 6.15 o'clock. At 6.20 mess call for breakfast is sounded. +Right after breakfast comes police of quarters and premises. 'Police' is +the Army term for cleaning up and making everything tidy. Then, just at +7 o'clock the bugler of the guard sounds sick call. The first sergeant +of each company makes up the sick report, and a corporal marches the men +out who need the doctor--the 'rain-maker,' we call him in the Army. Now, +with all that happens up to this time the non-commissioned +officers--sergeants and corporals--have to do." + +"Then I can sleep a little later, can't I?" proposed Lieutenant Ferrers +hopefully. + +"If you do you'll be sure to get yourself in a scrape. You'll be coming +out of your quarters unshaven, or with your uniform put on too hastily. +Colonel North is a true Tartar with any officer who doesn't start the +day looking like bandbox goods. And, my dear fellow, it's no greater +hardship for you to be up early than it is for the enlisted man. Now, at +7.10 in the morning comes first call to drill. Drill assembly goes at +7.20." + +"Do I have to be there?" + +"You do, unless excused for some very grave reason. Recall from drill +sounds at 8.20." + +"That means that drill is over, then?" sighed Algy questioningly. + +"Yes. Then, at 8.30, is fatigue call." + +"I shall be properly fatigued by that time, no doubt," confessed Algy +wretchedly. + +"You'll soon understand what 'fatigue' is in the Army," smiled +Lieutenant Prescott. "It's more work, but work that is done without +arms." + +"Without arms? With the feet, then?" + +Lieutenant Prescott bit his lip, but answered: + +"By arms this time I mean weapons. First call to guard mounting comes at +8.50, and guard mounting assembly at 9. At 10 another drill begins; at +11 the recall sounds, with recall from fatigue at 11.30. Mess call for +enlisted men is at noon, and 1 p. m. fatigue call. Drill call goes again +at 1.50, with drill assembly at 2 o'clock. The time spent at these +drills varies according to the nature of the work and the orders. Recall +from fatigue sounds at 5 o'clock. Parade assembly is at 5.30 at this +time of the year, with retreat and evening gun-fire at 6.10. Then comes +mess call to supper. With that ends, usually, the working day of the +enlisted man. Tattoo sounds at 9 in the evening, with call to quarters +at 10.45, and taps, or lights out, at 11 p. m. Except when on guard or +special duty you're not likely to have to be with your men much after +retreat." + +"Oh, I should hope not," exclaimed Algy Ferrers fervently. "By supper +time I can see myself a nervous wreck." + +"Oh, you'll get used to it," laughed Prescott. "The rest of us all had +to." + +"And at all of those beastly things and jobs you enumerated, Prescott, +I've got to be present and actually do a lot of work?" + +"A big lot of work, you'll find." + +"And yet they call being an officer in the Army a gentleman's life." + +"Yes," replied Prescott, his eyes opening rather wide. "Don't you +consider that one may be a gentleman and yet be industrious?" + +"Oh, I reckon so," sighed Algy Ferrers. "But it all seems a beastly +grind." + +"Then how did your ever come to think of going into the Army?" + +"I didn't," almost flared up Algy. "It was the guv'nor. He forced me +into it. Said he'd cut my allowance off altogether, and leave me out of +his will if I didn't get to work. And he chose the Army for me, and put +the whole thing through. Wasn't it beastly of the guv'nor?" + +"I'm not so sure that it was," smiled Lieutenant Prescott. "Of course it +was different with me. My father worked, and had to, or starve. It was +the same with me, which may be why I can look upon the idea of a lot of +work without feeling insulted by fate. But I reckon, Ferrers, that no +man is worth his salt in the world unless he does work." + +This was the day after Algy's arrival. Colonel North and Major Silsbee +had not yet put the new young officer actually at work. They had allowed +him this time of grace to get settled in his new quarters, and to talk +over his new duties with young Prescott. + +"I can never remember all that long list of things you told me, dear +fellow," complained Algy. "Won't you do me a great, big favor?" + +"What?" + +"Write down for me that--er--time table you laid down for me." + +"No." Lieutenant Prescott's tone was almost abrupt. "I'll repeat it to +you, Ferrers, and you can write it down for yourself. Get a pencil and +paper." + +"Give me just time for a cigarette before I take up such exhausting +literary work," begged Algy, reaching for his gold cigarette case. "Have +one, dear fellow?" + +"Thank you, Ferrers. I don't smoke." + +"Then what do you do with your time?" + +"Work!" + +"What beastly old rot the Army is!" murmured Algy, lying back in his +easy chair and blowing a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling. + +Rap-tap! sounded at the door. + +"Come in," called Algy. It was Lieutenant Holmes who entered. + +"Howdy-do, Ferrers?" he hailed the new officer. "I heard Prescott was +here and came to find him. You'll pardon me, won't you?" + +"Nothing to pardon," murmured Algy. + +"Old ramrod," began Lieutenant Holmes, turning to his chum and +addressing him by the old West Point nickname, "I came to see you about +your pet. He seems to be in increasing trouble." + +"Who's my pet!" demanded Prescott in surprise. + +"Why, Corporal Overton, of your company." + +"Corporal Overton is not my pet, and you'll greatly oblige me by not +referring to him again in that fashion, Holmesy," returned the young +lieutenant almost stiffly. "Corporal Overton is a mighty fine young +soldier, and a good soldier never needs to be his officer's pet; he can +stand on his own merits. But what's the trouble with Overton? Is he +still absurdly suspected of relieving that simpleton Green of his +money?" + +"Yes; there's a strong drift of suspicion that way among the men of B +Company." + +"The idiots!" muttered Prescott impatiently. + +"One of my sergeants has just been telling me about Overton's present +standing in the company. B Company men have always liked Overton. In +fact, he has been well liked all through the battalion, but just now +many of the men don't feel sure about the young fellow," continued +Lieutenant Holmes. "Not a man will admit that the case is proved, but a +good many of them don't like the looks of things. Especially are the men +disturbed by the fact of that revolver being in Corporal Overton's bed, +and the fact of his being awake and appearing nervous when the alarm was +given." + +"Greg, you don't believe Overton stole that simpleton soldier's cash?" +cried Prescott. + +"I don't, and I won't," Lieutenant Holmes replied. "Overton isn't that +type of fellow. He's a soldier all the way through, going and coming, +and the first characteristic of a real soldier is honesty." + +"Yet you say so many of the men suspect him?" mused Prescott. + +"Not exactly that they suspect him, but that they'd like to have the +whole matter cleared up and see daylight through it." + +"From what I know of soldiers," remarked Lieutenant Prescott +thoughtfully, "it looks like a mean mess for Overton. Really, nothing +but long time, or complete vindication, will ever put Overton back where +he'd like to be in the esteem of all his comrades." + +"I know it," agreed Holmes. "That's why I'm telling you all this about +one of your own men." + +"And I ought to have known it myself," Prescott reproached himself. "I +ought not to have waited to get the first strong news from an officer of +another company." + +"Why, I suppose it was easier for me to get this word than it would have +been for you. B Company men are too 'sore' to talk much about it. But C +Company men, as it doesn't affect any of them, just treat the whole +matter as one of ordinary news." + +Lieutenant Dick Prescott rose and began to pace the floor. He was deeply +concerned--not so much for Hal Overton's sake as for the general good +name of B Company. Moreover, young Prescott knew that, if any man in his +company were unjustly suspected, it was his duty, as one of the company +officers, to find a way to set the whole matter straight. + +"What's all the beastly row about, any way?" queried Lieutenant Algernon +Ferrers. + +Holmes explained it briefly. + +"So it's all a row about some seven hundred dollars, it is?" asked Algy. + +"If you choose to put it that way," replied Lieutenant Holmes. + +"Then see here, Prescott, old chap," cried Algy eagerly, "why all this +rotten fuss? Why, I see the way through it as clear as daylight! I'll +set the matter straight in thirty seconds!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CORPORAL HAL'S ADMISSION + + +LIEUTENANT PRESCOTT paused, looking sharply at Algy. + +"Ferrers, if you can see a way through difficulties as easily as you +promise, then you're going to be a valuable man for the Army. What's +your plan?" + +"Why, as I understand it," beamed Ferrers placidly, "the whole trouble +is caused by the loss of some seven hundred dollars that the Overton +chap got from the simpleton Green?" + +"Seven hundred which some men almost suspect that Corporal Overton took +from Green," corrected Lieutenant Prescott. + +"All the same thing, as far as the really important details go," beamed +Algy. "I'll settle it out of hand. You know, dear chaps, the guv'nor +owns a few banks in his own name, and he ships me yellow-backs by the +case lots. Result is, I always have plenty of money, and am likely to +have more than ever now, for there doesn't seem to be much chance in the +Army to spend it. So----" + +"But what has all this to do with Corporal Overton's unhappy +situation?" + +"All leads up to the point, Prescott, dear chap," protested Algy. "See +how simple it all really is? I can spare seven hundred dollars as well +as I can a cigarette. I'll hand the amount to Overton. He'll hand it to +Green--and all the cause of the trouble is removed and everybody happy." + +"Just like that!" gasped Lieutenant Greg Holmes ironically, and he +appeared to need the support of the mantel at which he clutched. + +There was a savage look on Lieutenant Prescott's face as he demanded: + +"Ferrers, are you trying to make game of me?" + +"Make game of you?" echoed Lieutenant Algy, with a face so blank, so +full of wonderment and so lacking in guile. "Why, I----" + +He broke off abruptly, going to the top drawer of a dresser. + +"Money talks," announced Algy, holding out a long wallet. "There's a few +thousand dollars in this leather. Help yourself to whatever will square +Overton with the individual Green." + +"Put your pocketbook up," replied Prescott almost brusquely. "And accept +my apology at the same time, Ferrers, if you'll be so good. You weren't +trying to make fun of me; I know it now. This is simply another buttered +piece off your thick cake of stupidity." + +"I've never been noted for cleverness; even the guv'nor admits that to +me, in confidence," confessed Lieutenant Algy. "But why won't the money +do the trick?" + +"Because--oh, why--tell him, won't you, Holmesy? I'm off to see Captain +Cortland." + +Prescott strode away to his company commander for advice. + +"Perhaps you think, sir, I'm a good deal of a fool to take such a keen +interest in this matter of Overton," suggested the lieutenant. + +"On the contrary, an officer who isn't interested in the men serving +under him has done wrongly in choosing the Army for his profession," +replied Captain Cortland gravely. "I, too, am disturbed, for, like +yourself, Mr. Prescott, I find it impossible to believe that such a +clean, clear-cut young soldier as Corporal Overton has been guilty of +dishonesty." + +"Can you suggest anything that I can do, sir?" the young lieutenant +asked gravely. + +"I have been thinking over that same matter. It seems difficult to know +what to do. Of course you can let Corporal Overton see that he has your +confidence, Mr. Prescott. You may assure him, at any time, that he also +has mine, if you think that will do him any good. But the only thing +that will actually clear up the matter will be the discovery of the real +thief--and that's a matter, I fancy, that's going to be full of +difficulty." + +Leaving his captain's house, Lieutenant Prescott took a walk along one +side of the parade ground. He hoped to encounter Hal, but that young +corporal was half a mile away at the time, practising signaling under +Sergeant Hupner. + +Failing in encountering young Overton, Lieutenant Prescott remembered +that Corporal Noll Terry, now in charge at the post telegraph station, +was likely to know all about his chum. + +Stepping over to the station, where one operator was sending a long +military dispatch, while another leaned idly back in his chair, Prescott +found Noll at another table, absorbed in the study of an instrument that +he had taken to pieces. + +"I want to say a few words to you, Corporal Terry," announced the young +lieutenant, stepping into a box-like office at the rear of the larger +room. + +Prescott threw himself down at the desk, while Noll, after saluting, +remained standing at attention. + +"Close the door, Corporal. That's it. Now, I want to ask you a few +questions about your friend Corporal Overton, and the disappearance of +Private Green's money." + +Noll flushed painfully, though all he answered was: + +"Very good, sir." + +"Don't misunderstand me, Corporal Terry," went on the young lieutenant. +"I am not making an official investigation, and I am not looking for +evidence to implicate Corporal Overton in any crime. I don't mind +telling you that I haven't a particle of belief in Overton's guilt. The +very idea that he would rob any one is opposed to the common sense of +any one who really knows your friend and his record." + +"Thank you, sir." + +This time Noll's face was positively beaming with pleasure. + +"So, you see, you don't need to be in the least on your guard in what +you may say to me," continued the lieutenant, smiling in his most +friendly way. "I don't mind stating, further, that my whole interest in +this matter is the interest of an officer who is determined, if +possible, to see a good man cleared from suspicion." + +"What can I tell you, sir?" Noll asked eagerly. + +"Well, Corporal, the worst evidence pointing to any presumption of guilt +against your comrade and friend is the finding of the revolver hidden +under his bedclothes. What do you think of that incident?" + +"Why, I think, sir, that the revolver must have been slipped in under +the bedclothes by some one who wanted to throw all the suspicion on +Corporal Overton." + +"I agree with you. Now, was that man an actual enemy of Corporal +Overton's, or did he merely thrust the revolver into the first bed that +he could in passing?" + +"My own belief, sir, that an actual enemy of Overton's did it, sir." + +"Now, Corporal Terry, who are the men that have cots past Corporal +Overton's--that is, past his when traveling away from Green's cot?" + +"Hinkey, Clegg, Danes, Potter, Reed, Vreeland and myself, sir." + +"With which one of the men you have named has Corporal Overton had any +trouble, either recently or some time back?" + +"With Hinkey, for one, sir." + +"What was it over?" + +Noll retold the incident of the friendly scuffle between Corporals +Overton and Hyman, and the dropping of the signal flag, through a window +and upon Private Hinkey's head. + +"Had Overton had trouble with other men?" + +"Nothing more, sir, than that he had once or twice rebuked Vreeland and +Danes for carelessness in squad drill." + +"What kind of men are Vreeland and Danes, in your opinion, Corporal?" + +"Careless and happy-go-lucky, but good-hearted fellows, sir, and likely +to be good soldiers when they've been licked into shape." + +"But neither of them is inclined to be dishonest or sulky?" + +"From what I have seen of Vreeland and Danes, sir, I am inclined to +answer with a very positive 'no.'" + +Lieutenant Prescott looked thoughtful, remaining silent for some +moments, while Corporal Noll Terry stood looking straight ahead. + +"Corporal," said the young officer finally, "Mr. Holmes has told me what +a very thorough search was made after the alarm had been given. But no +sign of the missing money was found. Have you any idea on that head? Can +you make even a plausible suggestion as to how the money was taken care +of by the thief?" + +"I cannot, sir." + +"Have you heard any of the men make reasonable suggestions as to what +was done with the money?" + +"I think I must have heard all the men in the room talking about it at +one time or another, Lieutenant, but the men are puzzled. They cannot +account for the complete disappearance of the money." + +"Are you keeping your eyes and ears open all the time, for any clue in +the matter?" + +"Yes, sir!" Noll answered. "And I shan't cease doing so until the whole +mystery is cleaned up." + +"Good! May I depend upon you, Corporal, to come to me, at any time, with +any information that you think will help?" + +"Yes, sir; and I thank you for the invitation to do so." + +"If I believed Corporal Overton the guilty man, and could find evidence +that would prove his guilt and have him bounced out of the service, then +I'd do my whole duty," went on Lieutenant Prescott. "But I simply can't +believe him guilty, and so I'm prepared to help him at any time when +there's the slightest chance." + +"May I tell Corporal Overton that, sir?" asked Noll eagerly. + +"Yes; but caution him not to mention to others what I have said to you. +You are also at liberty to tell Overton that Captain Cortland is wholly +convinced of his innocence, and so, I know, is Lieutenant Hampton. But +some of the men in the company, and more especially in the squad room, +are holding aloof from Corporal Overton, are they not?" + +"I wouldn't exactly say that they are doing it in a mean way, sir; but +of course soldiers hate thieves, and so the merest taint of a suspicion +serves to make some of the men feel rather shy about having anything +unnecessary to do with Corporal Overton." + +"Too bad!" murmured Lieutenant Prescott. Then, in his usual official +tone: + +"That is all, Corporal Terry." + +Noll saluted and left the inner office. Almost immediately afterward +Lieutenant Prescott sauntered out. + +In the meantime, Hal, after some brisk practice at wig-wagging, was on +his way back to barracks with Sergeant Hupner. + +"You're going to make a real signalman, one of these days, lad," +remarked the sergeant, kindly. "You have the speed, and you don't lose +any of the clearness of your signaling when you go fast." + +"It's great work," smiled Corporal Hal. "Just for the moment it makes me +almost sorry that I didn't enlist in the signal corps." + +"The infantry is the real branch of the service--the real fighting arm," +returned Sergeant Hupner. + +"Yes; I know it, and that's the principal reason why I chose the +infantry before enlisting." + +Together the sergeant and his young corporal entered the barracks, +stepping into their own squad room. + +There the very first person they met was Private William Green, looking, +still, as though he wanted to burst into tears. Green hadn't smiled +once since meeting with his big loss. + +"Good afternoon, Sergeant," was Green's greeting. He didn't seem to see +Hal at all, a fact that the boyish soldier noted instantly. It cut like +a whip to know that Green really suspected his young corporal. + +Hal stepped down the length of the squad room. Some of the men greeted +him, though none very enthusiastically. + +Then Noll came in, drawing his chum aside and detailing the interview +with Lieutenant Prescott. + +That brightened Hal Overton a good deal. In the middle of the squad room +some of the men were having a jolly time, and laughing heartily. Down at +the further end of the room, near the door, mournful William Green kept +by himself and grieved. + +"It's certainly fine to know that one's officers trust him, anyway," Hal +declared. + +"Oh, this abominable business will all be cleared up before long," Noll +Terry predicted cheerily. + +"I'd like to believe you," Corporal Hal smiled wistfully. + +"Wait and see!" + +The merriment in the middle of the room was now going on at its height. +Private Clegg, who was an excellent storyteller, was relating one of +his very very best, and it bore on Army life. + +Hal and Noll took chairs at one of the writing tables. + +A few minutes later a wild whoop sounded from Private William Green. + +"I've got it! I've got it!" he yelled, dancing about like a crazy +Indian. + +"A bat in your belfry? Sure you've got it," yelled Private Clegg. + +Sergeant Hupner had run over to where Green was dancing. + +"I've got the money. It has come back to me," sang William Green +joyously. + +In an instant there was a curiosity-inspired rush that every man in the +room shared. + +Private Green now held high aloft over his head a long envelope whose +bulkiness everyone else could see. + +"It's the money!" he gasped, chokingly. + +"Every man in the room but Green fall in!" roared Sergeant Hupner's +voice. "Corporal Terry, take charge of the formation!" + +There was a queer, strained hush in the room for the next few moments. +Hardly anything was heard but the low breathing of the men, or the few +crisp, quiet words of Corporal Noll as he made the men dress their +alignment on Corporal Hal, who stood at the right of the line. + +"Hold your men so," nodded Sergeant Hupner tersely. "Now, Green, are you +sure you have all your money back?" + +"I--I hope so," faltered Green. "The envelope is bulky enough." + +"Put it on your cot and let me see it," ordered Hupner. + +Green had already broken the flap of the envelope, revealing the edges +of a considerable thickness of banknotes. + +"Why, there's a note here with the bills," proclaimed the excited +soldier. + +"What does the note say?" + +"It says 'Friend, you'll find all your money here except twenty dollars +that I spent. Meant to keep it all, but found stolen money brings no +pleasure. Hope you'll forgive me.'" + +"What does the writing look like?" demanded Sergeant Hupner. + +"It ain't written; it's printed," replied Private Green. "Here, take the +note and look at it." + +Sergeant Hupner did glance at the note briefly, but here he felt he +would find no clue. After all, a man's printing does not closely +resemble his writing. + +"Anything written on the envelope?" demanded the sergeant, holding out +his hand. Yes; the envelope contained the inscription, "Pvt. Wm. Green." +That was all; but it wasn't printed. The words were written in bold, +flowing handwriting. Sergeant Hupner felt a throb as he glanced at the +handwriting on that envelope. But he knew his duty. + +"Corporal Terry, go to the nearest window and have the sentry pass the +word for the corporal of the guard!" + +Then Hupner asked one more question: + +"Green, where and how did you find this envelope?" + +"Just the moment before I helloed. It was tucked inside my bedding, so +that just the end of the envelope showed." + +Quickly the corporal of the guard was on hand, accompanied by two +privates of the guard. Sergeant Hupner explained what had happened, +adding: + +"Corporal, I think you'd better send for the officer of the day." + +That officer of the day, who shortly arrived, was Lieutenant Ray of C +company. + +He listened gravely, while Sergeant Hupner told the story, then asked a +few questions of Private Green. + +"Sergeant," directed Lieutenant Ray, "start the envelope passing down +the line. Each man is to look at the handwriting, and state whether he +recognizes it." + +All this time the men had remained standing in line, though at ease. + +Sergeant Hupner, with a queer look, passed the envelope to Corporal Hal +Overton, who stood at the right of the line. + +The instant he glanced at the writing Hal started, then changed color. + +"Do you know the writing on that envelope, Corporal Overton?" demanded +the officer of the day, eyeing the young soldier. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Are you positive that you know whose writing it is, Corporal Overton?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Whose?" + +"Mine, sir," replied Corporal Hal. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE SQUAD ROOM TURNS COLD + + +ON the listening men the effect of this admission was that of a +bombshell. + +Yet, because they were soldiers, they took their bombshell quietly. + +Lieutenant Ray was astounded, yet his voice did not quiver as he asked, +briskly: + +"Then, Corporal Overton, you admit having addressed the envelope?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"When?" + +"I don't know, sir." + +"Don't trifle with me, Corporal!" + +"I am not, sir." + +"Yet you admit having addressed it?" + +"Yes, sir; I believe this to be my writing beyond a doubt. Yet, sir, I +have no recollection of having written this address. All I know is that +it is my handwriting." + +"Sergeant, dismiss your men," directed Lieutenant Ray, as he reached out +and took the envelope. "Corporal Overton, you will not leave the room." + +"Is the corporal under arrest, sir?" asked Sergeant Hupner, in a quiet +voice. + +"No, Sergeant. But I wish to have him immediately at hand, in case the +company, battalion or regimental commanders wish to see him. When the +men fall in for supper formation, if Corporal Overton has not been +summoned by an officer, then let him march to mess with the rest, but he +must return here immediately after the meal." + +"Very good, sir." + +Lieutenant Ray withdrew, followed by the corporal and privates of the +guard. + +"I am not forbidden to speak to other men, am I, Sergeant?" asked Hal +Overton, going directly up to him. + +"You are not in any sense in arrest, Corporal," replied Hupner, then +adding, in a lower voice: + +"And I hope you'll do some mighty hard thinking, lad, and be able to +give a very straight account about that envelope." + +"Sergeant, as I am in no way guilty of any part in the robbery, I do not +believe that there will be much trouble about being able to make an +explanation when I have had time to think." + +"I hope you're right, Overton, for I haven't an idea in the world that +you are, or could be, a thief." + +"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Sergeant." + +Private William Green sat on a stool near the head of his cot, counting +his recovered money for the third time. + +"Is it all there, Green?" asked Corporal Hal, going over to the soldier. + +"All but the twenty dollars that it is supposed to be shy," replied +Green rather gruffly and without looking up. + +"Green, I hope you haven't an idea that I'm the crook," Hal went on. + +"Of course not. But there's a stack of appearances against you, just the +same," replied William Green dryly. + +"See here!" Hal spoke sharply, the pain ringing in his voice. "Do you +really believe that I stole your money in the first place?" + +"I've got most of it back, and I'd rather not express any opinions, +Corporal," was Green's evasive reply. + +Just at this instant Corporal Noll Terry joined the pair. + +"William," chuckled Noll, "the men have got up a new name for you. +Instead of calling you William Green they're going to nickname you 'Long +Green' after this." + +"Let 'em," grunted Private Green briefly, and without a sign of +understanding the slangy joke. + +Hal turned away, a choking feeling in his throat, though his outward +demeanor was brave enough. + +"Clegg, and the rest of you," began Overton, stopping by a group of the +soldiers, "will you all do your best to try to remember some time when I +may have had occasion to address an envelope to Green?" + +Clegg stopped talking with his comrades, half-wheeled about, looked the +young corporal steadily in the eyes, then turned back once more to carry +on his talk with the other soldiers. + +Hal Overton's face went deathly pale. + +This was the direct cut, the snub, from his mates of the squad room. + +After that Hal would make no advances to any man in the room who did not +first signify that he believed in the hapless corporal. + +"Don't mind 'em, Hal," muttered Noll soothingly, coming up behind his +bunkie at the far end of the squad room. "They're only human, and you +will have to admit that, just for the moment, all things being taken +into consideration, that appearances do hit you a bit. But the whole +thing will all be straightened out before long." + +"Will it?" asked Hal almost listlessly. He had to speak thus, to prevent +the sob in his throat from getting into his voice. For, soldier though +he was, and a rarely good one, he was still only a boy in years, and +this air of suspicion in the squad room made all life look wholly dark +to him. + +"Surely all will come right," insisted Noll. "You've plenty of good +friends around here." + +"You and Sergeant Hupner," smiled Corporal Overton bitterly. "But at +least, old chap, you two make up in quality what you lack in numbers." + +The call for mess formation rang at last. Corporal Hal went to his place +in the company line as briskly as ever. + +Just as the men were passing Corporal Hyman hit Hal a clip on the +shoulder. + +"Buck up, old spinal trouble!" urged Hyman heartily, in a low voice. +"Don't disappoint every friend and true believer you've got." + +There were a few others who were openly friendly in the company mess, +but Hal could force only a few mouthfuls of food and a cup of tea down +his throat that night. + +At a little after eight o'clock an orderly of the guard came striding +into the squad room to inform Overton that Colonel North would see him +at the officers' club. + +Thither Hal went. When he reported he was directed to a little smoking +room that stood just off the dining room. When Hal knocked and entered +at command he found Colonel North there, flanked by Major Silsbee and B +company's officers. + +Colonel North had the accusing envelope and the note in the printed +scrawl in his hand. + +"Come in, Corporal," called the regimental commander. "I sent for you to +inquire whether you have yet thought of any way of accounting for this +envelope being in your handwriting." + +"I have not, sir," Hal answered. + +"Take the envelope and look at it." + +Hal Overton obeyed. + +"Do you think it likely, Corporal, that the writing on that envelope is +a forged imitation of your own handwriting?" + +"It is possible, sir, of course," Hal made frank, direct reply. "Yet, +sir, I am inclined to believe that the writing is really mine." + +"Hand me back the envelope. Now, go to the table over there, where you +will find an envelope. Take up the pen and direct another envelope in +just the words that this is addressed." + +"I've done so, sir," replied Hal, a moment later. + +"Now in the lower corner of the envelope write the words, 'My own +writing, Overton.'" + +"Yes, sir; I've done it." + +"Bring the envelope to me, Corporal Overton." + +Colonel North now compared the writing on the two envelopes, then passed +them to the other officers present, who carefully examined these +exhibits. + +"The writings look identical, sir," was Captain Cortland's comment. + +"Yes," agreed Major Silsbee. The other younger officers nodded. + +"Corporal," went on Colonel North--and now there was a world of real +sympathy in his voice as he looked at this fine young soldier--"this is +a very painful happening. Some slight, surface indications are against +you, but to me it looks as though some one else had hatched up the +circumstances so that they would seem bound to smite you. Of course, to +everyone but yourself, there is a possibility that you may be guilty. It +may please you, however, to know, Corporal, that you still possess the +confidence of all your officers." + +"Then, sir, I thank all my officers." + +"In this country, Corporal," continued Colonel North, "every man is +presumed innocent until he has been proven guilty. In your own case you +are not only not proven guilty, but you are not even accused. Nor, on +any such evidence as we yet have before us could any accusation be made +with any hope of being able to prove you guilty. I do not for a moment +believe you guilty. You have too fine a record as a soldier for any +such belief to find acceptance without the strongest, most positive +proof." + +"There is something that Captain Cortland and I have had in mind to do +for you. The present time, therefore, seems an especially suitable one +for showing the full measure of our confidence in you, Corporal. Of +course, if any evidence came up that would sustain a charge of crime +against you, then what we are thinking of doing could be very easily +undone at need. Corporal Overton, at parade, to-morrow afternoon, your +appointment as sergeant in B company will be announced." + +Hal started, colored, then turned pale. + +"I--I thank you, sir," he stammered. "But--but----" + +"Well, my man?" inquired the colonel kindly. + +"Pardon me, sir, but wouldn't the appointment be better made at some +later date?" + +"Why?" shot out Colonel North. + +"I fear I may not have as much force with a squad room as a sergeant +should have, sir." + +"Then you will have to develop that force," replied Colonel North dryly. +"It's in you, I know." + +Poor Hal! At any other time this much-wanted promotion would have been +hailed joyfully. Now it seemed almost like wormwood. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BACKING THE NEW SERGEANT + + +"CORPORAL OVERTON, B company, is hereby appointed a sergeant in the same +company, the appointment to take effect immediately. Sergeant Overton's +company commander will assign him to the charge of a squad room in B +company." + +That was published with the orders the very next afternoon, at parade. + +It came with startling suddenness to most of the men in B company. Noll +was the only one who had been warned in advance, and he had held his +peace. + +Only one other man in the battalion had known it, and that was Grimes, +the grimly silent private who sold goods in the quartermaster's store. +Of Grimes, Hal had already purchased the necessary sergeant chevrons +that he might have them ready. + +"On dismissal of the company Sergeant Overton will at once report to +me," announced Captain Cortland. + +Hal, therefore, on falling out of ranks, went directly to his company +commander, saluting. + +"You are to have charge of the squad room next to Sergeant Hupner's," +began the captain, pleasantly. + +"Very good, sir." + +"And now, my lad, don't feel at all down cast over some circumstances +that have come up in barracks," continued the captain, resting a +friendly hand on the new young sergeant's shoulder. "Take firm charge of +your squad room from the outset. Force your men to respect as well as +obey you. You will have all the necessary countenance of your officers. +Do your duty as a soldier, as you have always done, and do not allow +yourself to entertain fears of any kind." + +"Thank you, sir. I shall do as you direct." + +"I know it, Sergeant Overton. I have confidence in you. Now, I am going +to step down to your new squad room with you." + +If Hal Overton quaked just a bit as he rested his right hand on the door +of the room in which he was henceforth to rule, nothing in his bearing +betrayed the fact. + +He threw open the door for Captain Cortland to pass in ahead of him, at +the same time calling clearly: + +"Squad room, attention!" + +Captain Cortland strode in among his men, who, halting where they were, +faced toward him and stood at attention. + +"Men," called Captain Cortland, "this is your new sergeant. He will be +obeyed and respected accordingly." + +Then Captain Cortland turned and left the room. + +Corporal Hyman, who belonged in this room, came forward at once, holding +out his hand. + +"Aren't you the lucky one, Sergeant!" cried Hyman. "But I'm glad you got +the step up. You've won it. Well, we're all here. Fall to and reorganize +us, Sergeant." + +"There will have to be very little of that, I imagine, Corporal Hyman," +replied the boyish young sergeant, smiling. "The room has been running +all right, hasn't it?" + +"So-so," laughed Corporal Hyman. "But I believe that some of these buck +doughboys need a bit of jacking up." + +Corporal Hyman turned, with a grinning face, toward the men. But none of +them were looking that way at the moment. Every other man in the room +appeared interested in some other subject than the new sergeant. + +"Go for 'em," muttered Hyman grimly under his breath. "It's a shame for +you to have to stand for this sort of thing, kid! Pound 'em into shape. +Make 'em stand around for you." + +"I will, in matters of discipline and routine, whenever necessary," +Sergeant Hal answered, in an equally low voice. "But if the men don't +care for me personally that's another matter. I'll never persecute any +soldier just because he doesn't like me." + +"It's all that cursed misunderstanding over 'Long Green,'" muttered +Corporal Hyman. "Of course you can't very well make a yell about it, but +I see several fights on my hands from right now on, until I've gotten +these buck doughboys licked into a proper appreciation of the new boss +of their squad room." + +"Don't have any fights on my account, Hyman," urged Sergeant Hal. + +"Well, I won't, then," came the dry retort. "I'll have a few good fights +on my own account, then, for it's a personal grievance when the men turn +down a man that I like." + +The conversation was interrupted, at that moment, by the in-coming of +First Sergeant Gray. + +"I'm glad over your rise, Overton," beamed the first sergeant. "And it +has come quickly. I'm here to warn you for guard duty. You'll report at +guard mount to-morrow morning as sergeant of the guard." + +"That does come rather speedily, doesn't it?" laughed Hal. "Who is to be +officer of the day to-morrow?" + +"Lieutenant Ferrers," responded Sergeant Gray gravely. + +"What? The joke to be officer of the day?" exploded Corporal Hyman. + +"Corporal," came the first sergeant's swift, serious rebuke, "whenever +you allude to your superior officers you'll do so with the utmost +respect." + +"My flag's down," replied Corporal Hyman. "I surrender. But, Sergeant, +is there anything in the blue book of rules against my going away in a +corner for a quiet laugh." + +"No," rejoined Sergeant Gray stiffly, and Hyman left them. + +"Of course you understand, Sergeant Overton," went on Sergeant Gray, +"that a little more than the usual responsibility will devolve upon you +to-morrow. You know how new Lieutenant Ferrers is to the Army. You may +be able quietly to prevent him from doing something foolish--some little +hint that you can give him you know." + +"I'll have my eyes open," Sergeant Hal promised. + +Sergeant Gray warned two other men in the room to report for guard duty +in the morning, then went to Sergeant Hupner's room to warn others. Hal +turned out the squad at mess call. By this time the new young sergeant +had sewed on his new chevron, the outward sign of his promotion. + +Through most of the evening Hal and Hyman sat apart by one of the +writing tables, chatting by themselves. Since the men had shown open +dislike of the new sergeant Hal did not force himself upon them. +Finally, however, the fun started by some of the men becoming altogether +too rough and noisy. + +"Squad room attention!" shouted Sergeant Hal, leaping to his feet. +Corporal Hyman, too, jumped up. + +All of the men came instantly to attention. Some of them looked merely +curious, but a few glared back at their new sergeant. + +"Some of you men have been more noisy and rough than is warranted by a +proper sense of freedom in barracks," Hal said quietly but firmly. "Fun +may go on, but all real disorder will cease at once, and not be resumed. +That is all." + +Hal turned to resume his seat at the table. But from three or four men +in the center of the room, as they turned away, came a muffled groan. + +That sign of insubordination brought the young sergeant to his feet once +more in an instant. His under lip trembled slightly, but he strode in +among the men. + +"Men, I've something to say to you," announced the new sergeant coolly. +"I intend to preserve discipline in this squad room, though I don't +expect to do it like a martinet. Some of you groaned, just now, when my +back was turned. Soldiers of the regular Army are men of courage. No +real man fights behind another man's back. Has any man here anything +that he wishes to say to my face?" + +It was a tense moment. Three or four of the men looked as though tempted +to "say a lot." + +Sergeant Hal, his hands tightly gripped, stood facing them, waiting. + +Nearly a score of feet away Corporal Hyman stood negligently by. There +was nothing aggressive in his manner, but he was ready to go to the +support of his sergeant. + +"Has any man here anything that he wishes to say to me?" Hal repeated. + +Still silence was preserved. + +"Then let us have no more child's play by those who are old enough to be +men twenty-four hours in a day," warned Overton crisply. + +He hadn't said much, but his look, his tone and manner told the men that +he was in command in that room, and that he intended to keep the command +fully in his own hands. + +There was no further trouble that night, though the young sergeant could +not escape the knowledge that he was generally disliked here. + +When guard-mounting assembly sounded at nine the next morning Sergeant +Hal Overton marched the new guard on to the field. + +Battalion Adjutant Wright was on hand, but Lieutenant Algy Ferrers, the +new officer of the day, was absent. + +The adjutant turned, scanning the ground between there and officers' +row. There was no sign of Lieutenant Ferrers, and in the Army lack of +punctuality, even to the fraction of a minute, is a grave offense. + +"Orderly," directed Adjutant Wright, turning to a man, "go to Lieutenant +Ferrers' quarters and direct him, with my compliments, to come here as +quickly as he possibly can." + +The orderly departed on a run. But he soon came back, alone. + +"Sir, Lieutenant Ferrers is not in his quarters?" + +"Not in quarters? Did you look in at the officers' club, too?" + +"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Ferrers' bed was not slept in last night, so his +striker told me." + +Adjutant Wright fumed inwardly, though he turned to Hal to say: + +"Sergeant, inspect the guard." + +A little later Hal marched his new guard down to the guard house. +Lieutenant Ferrers had not yet been found, and there was a storm +brewing. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ASTONISHMENT JOLTS MR. FERRERS + + +IT was nearly four in the afternoon when the sentry on post number one +called briskly: + +"Sergeant of the guard, post number one!" + +"What is it, sentry?" asked Hal, stepping briskly out of the guard +house. + +"Lieutenant Ferrers is approaching, Sergeant," replied the sentry, +nodding his head down the road. + +An auto car bowled leisurely up the road toward the main entrance to the +post. In it, at the wheel, sat Lieutenant Algy Ferrers, who was supposed +to be officer of the day. He was driving the one car that he had been +allowed to store on post. + +Algy looked decidedly tired and bored as he drove along. + +"Halt the lieutenant, sentry." + +"Very good, Sergeant." + +Just as the lieutenant turned his car in at the gate, the sentry, +instead of coming to present arms, threw his gun over to port arms, +calling: + +"Halt, sir. Sergeant of the guard, post number one." + +Algy, with a look of astonishment on his face, slowed the car down and +stopped. Sergeant Hal approached, giving him the rifle salute. + +"Well, what's in the wind, Sergeant?" demanded Algy, reaching in a +pocket for his cigarette case. + +"I beg your pardon for stopping you, sir, but the adjutant directed me +to ask you to report to him immediately upon your return, sir." + +"All right; I'll drop around and see Wright as soon as I put my car up +and get a bath," replied Lieutenant Algy, striking a match. + +"Beg your pardon, sir; don't light that cigarette until you've driven +on." + +"Now how long since sergeants have taken to giving officers orders?" +inquired Mr. Ferrers in very great astonishment. + +"The guard always has power to enforce the rules, sir. And smoking is +forbidden when addressing the guard on official business." + +"Oh, I daresay you're right, Sergeant," assented Algy, dropping his +match out of the car. "Very good; I'll see Wright within an hour or so." + +"But the order was explicit, sir, that you are to report to the adjutant +at once. If you'll pardon the suggestion, Lieutenant, I think it will be +better, sir, if you drive straight to the adjutant's office." + +"Oh, all right," nodded Algy indifferently. "'Pon my word, it takes a +fellow quite a while to get hold of some of these peculiar Army customs. +Even an officer is likely to be ordered about a good deal as though he +were a dog. Eh, Sergeant?" + +"I have never felt like a dog, sir, since entering the Army." + +"Oh, I dare say Wright is quite proper in his order, you know. I'll go +up and drop in on him right now." + +Both sergeant and sentry saluted again as this very unusual officer +turned on the speed and went driving lazily up to headquarters' +building. + +Algy Ferrers had his cigarette going by the time that he stepped +leisurely into the adjutant's office. + +"Some one told me you wanted to see me, Wright," began Algy. + +Lieutenant Wright wheeled around briskly upon his subordinate. + +"I want to see you, Mr. Ferrers, only to pass you on to the colonel. +I'll tell him that you're here." + +Adjutant Wright stepped into the inner office, nodding his head at the +colonel, then wheeled about. + +"Colonel North will see you, sir." + +Algy took three quick whiffs of his cigarette, then tossed it away. He +had already gained an idea that a young officer does not go into his +colonel's presence smoking. + +"So you're here, sir?" demanded Colonel North, looking up from his desk +as Algy came to a halt before him. + +"Yes; I'm here, Colonel--or most of me is. My, how seedy I feel this +afternoon! Do you know, Colonel, I'm almost persuaded to cut out +social----" + +"Silence, Mr. Ferrers!" commanded Colonel North very coldly. "Concern +yourself only with answering my questions. Yesterday afternoon you were +warned that you would be officer of the day to-day." + +"Bless me, so I was," assented Algy mildly. + +"Yet this morning you failed to be present at guard-mount." + +"Yes, sir. I'll tell you how it happened." + +"Be good enough to tell me without delay." + +"Colonel, did you ever hear of the Douglas-Fraziers, of Detroit?" + +"Answer my question, Mr. Ferrers!" + +"Or the Porterby-Masons, of Chicago?" pursued Algy calmly. "Both +families are very old friends of our family. They and some others were +very much interested in my being a soldier, and----" + +"You being a soldier!" exploded the irate colonel under his breath. + +"And so they and some others who were on their way to the coast on a +special train had their train switched off at Clowdry last night. They +expected to get in at eight, but it was eleven when they arrived last +night. However, sir, they telephoned right up to me and tipped me off to +join them at once at the Clowdry Hotel. So what could I do?" + +"Eh?" quivered Colonel North, who seemed momentarily all but bereft of +speech. + +"What could I do, sir? Of course I couldn't turn down such old friends. +Besides, there were some fine girls with the party. And it was too late, +Colonel, to go waking you over the telephone, so I just went down to the +quartermaster's stable and got my car out and was mighty soon in +Clowdry." + +"There might have been nothing very serious in that, Mr. Ferrers, had +you returned in time for guard-mount this morning." + +"But I simply couldn't. Don't you understand?" pleaded Algy with +good-natured patience. + +"No, sir! I don't understand!" thundered Colonel North. "All I +understand, sir, is that you have disgraced yourself and your regiment +by failing to report as the officer of the day." + +"Let me explain, sir," went on Algy, with a slight wave of his hand. +"When I got to the hotel the Douglas-Fraziers had ordered dinner. They +were starved. I had a pretty good appetite myself. Dinner lasted until +half past one. Then we had a jolly time, some of the girls singing in +the hotel parlor. After they'd turned in, between three and four in the +morning, the men insisted on hearing how well I was coming along in the +Army." + +"They did?" inquired the colonel, with an irony that was wholly thrown +away on Algy. + +"Yes, sir. And then we sat down to play cards. First thing we knew it +was ten in the morning. Then we had breakfast, and the ladies got +downstairs before the meal was over. The Douglas-Frazier train couldn't +pull out until three thirty this afternoon. So, after they'd gone to so +much trouble to see me, and had put up such a ripping time for me, of +course I had to stay in town to see them off." + +"Naturally," assented Colonel North with fine sarcasm. + +"I am glad you understand it, Colonel, and so there's not a bit of harm +done, after all. I'm an ignoramus about guard duty, anyway, and I'll +wager the guard got on better without me, after all. And now, Colonel, +since I've given you a wholly satisfactory explanation as to why I +simply couldn't be here to-day, if you've nothing more to say to me, +sir, I'll go to my quarters, get into my bath and then tumble into bed, +for I'm just about dead for slee----" + +Colonel North rose fiercely, looking as though he were threatened with +an attack of apoplexy. + +"Stop all your idiotic chatter, Mr. Ferrers, and listen to me with +whatever little power of concentration you may possess. Your conduct, +sir, has been wholly unfitting an officer and a gentleman. If I did my +full duty I'd order you in arrest at once, and have you brought to trial +before a general court-martial. You have visited upon yourself a +disgrace that you can't wipe out in a year. You have--but what's the +use? You wouldn't understand!" + +"I'm a little dull just now, sir," agreed Algy. "But after a bath and a +long night's sleep I'll be as fresh as ever." + +"You'll have neither bath nor sleep!" retorted the colonel testily. +"You'll go to your quarters and get into your uniform without a moment's +delay. You'll be back here in fifteen minutes, or I'll order you in +arrest. And you'll finish out your tour of guard duty. You'll be on duty +and awake, sir, until the old guard goes off to-morrow morning. More, +you'll remain all that time at the guard house, so that the sergeant of +the guard can be sure that you are awake." + +"Good heavens!" murmured Algy. + +"Further, Mr. Ferrers, until further orders, you will not step off the +limits of the post without express permission from either myself or +Major Silsbee. Now, go to your quarters, sir--and don't dare to be gone +more than fifteen minutes." + +Lieutenant Prescott, hearing some one move in Mr. Ferrers' rooms, looked +in inquiringly. + +"Oh, but I'm in an awful hurry. I've got to get back to that beastly +colonel," explained Algy. + +"Beastly? Colonel North is a fine old brick!" retorted Prescott +indignantly. + +"Well, he has an--er--most peculiar temper at times," insisted Algy. +"Why, he seemed positively annoyed because I had obeyed the social +instinct and had gone away to meet old friends of our family." + +"Have you any idea what you did to-day?" demanded Lieutenant Prescott. +"Ferrers, you've been guilty of conduct that is sufficient to get an +officer kicked out of the service for good and all." + +"And just between ourselves," sputtered Algy, "I don't believe the +officer would lose much by the operation. Have you any idea of the +social importance of the Douglas-Fraziers and of the----" + +"Oh, hang the Douglas-Fraziers and all their works," uttered Prescott +disgustedly. "Algy, are you ever going to become a soldier?" + +"You're as bad as the colonel!" muttered Ferrers. "What the Army needs +is a little more exact understanding of social life and its +obligations." + +"Let me help you on with your sword," interrupted Prescott dryly. +"You're getting it tangled up between your legs." + +"I'm excited, that's why," returned Ferrers. "It all comes of having a +colonel who understands nothing of the social life. There; now I'm +ready, and I must get away on the bounce." + +"I'll walk along with you and explain the nature of your offense of +to-day, if you don't mind," proposed Prescott. + +Algy Ferrers reported at Colonel North's office and soon came out. + +"Now I'm off," cried Ferrers gayly, as he came out again. + +"I don't believe you've ever been anything else but 'off,'" murmured +Prescott, as he stood in front of headquarters and watched Algy, who was +actually walking briskly. + +As Lieutenant Prescott stood there Colonel North came out. The younger +officer wheeled, saluting respectfully. + +"Mr. Prescott, if you've nothing important on this evening, will you +drop down to the guard house for a little while? You may be able to +prevent Mr. Ferrers from doing something that will compel me to resort +to almost as strong measures as I would adopt with a really responsible +being." + +"Yes, sir; I'll pay Mr. Ferrers a visit soon after dinner." + +"Of course, the young man has to break in at guard duty some time," +continued the regiment's commander. "But I am very glad to know that +young Overton is sergeant of the guard to-night. He will prevent anyone +from stealing the guard house!" + +"I rather think Sergeant Overton would, sir. He's pretty young, but he's +an all-around soldier." + +"I wish," muttered the colonel, as he turned to stride toward his own +quarters, "that Overton were the lieutenant and Mr. Ferrers the +sergeant. Then I could reduce Ferrers and get the surgeon to order him +into hospital!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +PRIVATE HINKEY DELIVERS HIS ANSWER + + +THANKS to a most capable sergeant of the guard, Lieutenant Algy got +through his balance of the tour of guard duty without setting the post +on fire. + +There was no rest, however, for the irresponsible young lieutenant. + +For three successive mornings Ferrers had to grub hard at drill, with +Lieutenant Prescott standing by to coach him. + +Then, on the fourth morning, Lieutenant Algy was ordered out to take A +Company on a twenty-mile hike over rough country. + +"Sergeant Reed knows the whole route and will be a most capable guide, +Mr. Ferrers," explained Captain Ruggles. "We shall look for you to be +back by five o'clock this afternoon. Don't use your men too hard. Now, +I'll stand by to see you start the company." + +With a brave determination to show how worthy he was of trust, +Lieutenant Algy stepped briskly over to A Company, which rested in ranks +in platoon front. Drawing his sword, he commanded: + +"Attention!" + +Thereupon he put the company through half a dozen movements of the +manual of arms, next marching the company away in column of fours. The +regulars, of course, responded like clockwork. They made a fine +appearance as they started off under their freakish second lieutenant. +Ere they had gone far Ferrers swung them into column of twos at the +route step. + +"He's doing that almost well," muttered Captain Ruggles under his +breath. "I believe the young cub is trying to be a soldier, after all." + +It still lacked much of two in the afternoon when Captain Ruggles, +leaving his quarters, saw his company marching back. + +"Gracious! How did the youngster ever get the men over the ground in +this time?" wondered Captain Ruggles, glancing at his watch. "And he +hasn't used the company up, either. The men move as actively as though +they had just come from bed and a bath." + +Captain Ruggles walked rapidly over toward barracks. Lieutenant Ferrers +threw his company into column of platoons, faced them about and brought +the men to a halt. Then he wheeled about, saluting Captain Ruggles. + +"Any further orders, sir?" inquired Algy. + +"No, Lieutenant. Dismiss the company." + +As soon as the men had started barrackwards, Captain Ruggles asked the +lieutenant: + +"How did you manage it, Ferrers, to bring the men back in such fine +condition and so early in the day?" + +"Just a matter of good judgment, Captain," beamed Algy. + +"What do you mean?" + +"I changed the orders a bit, sir, to meet the conditions that I +discovered." + +"Conditions?" + +"Yes, Captain. The day proved to be extremely warm. I marched the men +for about six miles; it may have been nearer seven. Curiously enough, +Sergeant Reed and I disagreed on that point. He said we had gone about a +mile and a half." + +"Well? What next?" + +"Why, sir, I found it so warm that I couldn't march with any comfort at +all. Now, I don't believe an officer should expect his men to go where +he isn't willing to go himself, and as for myself I didn't want to go +any further. So I halted the company and----" + +"And----" + +"Why, Captain," smiled Lieutenant Ferrers, "I just let the men enjoy +themselves under the trees until it was time to have their dinner on the +field rations they'd taken along." + +"And then?" + +"Why, then, sir, I marched them back here. I'll take them out again +some day when the weather is cooler, and----" + +Captain Ruggles acted a good deal like a man who is about to lose his +temper. + +"Mr. Ferrers," came his rasping order, "go to your rooms! Remain there +until you hear from Colonel North, Major Silsbee or myself." + +"Why, what on earth have I done now?" gasped the astonished young man. + +"Go to your rooms, sir!" + +"Now, what ails good old Ruggles? Isn't the Army the queerest old place +on the map of the moon?" + +Within fifteen minutes Algy Ferrers, sitting back in an easy chair in +his quarters, glancing out of a window with a look of absolute boredom, +received a telephone call. + +"Colonel North's compliments, and will you come to his house at once?" +was the brief message. + +"Now, I shouldn't wonder if old Ruggles had forgotten to mind his own +business," muttered Algy disconsolately, as he reached for his fatigue +cap. + +"Mr. Ferrers," was the colonel's stern greeting, "every day your conduct +becomes more incomprehensible!" + +"And every day, sir, I might say," retorted the young man pleasantly, +"the Army becomes harder to understand. I don't wish to be guilty of +any impertinence, sir, but wouldn't it be well to have a law enacted +that officers from civil life should be appointed wholly from clerks, +who have learned how to keep office hours and never do any thinking for +themselves?" + +"There might be some advantage in that plan, Mr. Ferrers," replied the +colonel grimly. "And I can't help feeling that you would give infinitely +more satisfaction here if you had first been trained a bit in one of +your father's many offices. I don't suppose you have the least idea, +sir, of what a grave offense you have committed to-day?" + +"I expected to be praised, sir," replied Algy almost testily, "for +having been highly humane to the men under my command." + +"Humane!" exploded Colonel North. "Bah! Mr. Ferrers, do you imagine that +our regulars are so many weaklings, that they have to come in when it +rains, or stay in when the sun shines? Bah! You have been guilty of +gross disobedience of orders, and you are an officer, sir--supposed to +be engaged in teaching obedience to enlisted men. That is all, sir--you +may go to your quarters!" + +By the time that young Mr. Ferrers reached his own quarters he found +Lieutenant Prescott there, though the latter did not say a word about +Colonel North having ordered him to make the call. + +Algy immediately started in upon what was, for him, a furious tirade. + +"Do you know, dear chap," he wound up, "I can't always understand a man +like old Papa North. Sometimes I think he's just a beast!" + +But Prescott's laughing advice was: + +"Hold yourself in, Ferrers; your hoops are cracked." + +"Bah!" stormed Lieutenant Algy. "An Army post is a crazy place for a +fellow to go when looking for sympathy or reason." + +In the meantime A Company's men had spread the joke through enlisted +men's barracks. + +"What's the use!" growled Private Hinkey to a group of private soldiers. +"Ferrers is just a plumb fool, and all the colonels in the world can't +ever make anything else of him. Ferrers is a born idiot!" + +Sergeant Hal Overton paused just at the edge of the group. + +"Hinkey," the boyish non-com. observed dryly, "if that's your opinion, +you'll show a lot of wisdom and good sense in keeping it to yourself." + +"Oh, you shut up!" sneered Hinkey. "No one spoke to you. Move on. Your +opinions are not wanted here." + +Words cannot convey the intent in Hickey's words, though it was plain +enough to all who stood near by. + +Hinkey plainly sought to convey that no man in barracks had any use for +Sergeant Overton, a man as good as convicted of having robbed Private +William Green. + +Nor did Hal, by any means, miss the intended slur. Yet he was above +taking up any quarrel on personal grounds. + +"Hinkey," rebuked the young sergeant, "you're not answering a +non-commissioned officer with the proper amount of respect." + +"What's the use?" jeered the ugly soldier. "I don't feel any." + +"Silence, my man!" + +"Then since you're putting on airs just because of your chevrons, you'd +better set an example of silence yourself. Then your lesson will wash +down all the better." + +The other soldiers in the group took no part in the conversation. They +did not attempt to "show sides," but Sergeant Hal knew that they were +looking on and listening with keen interest. + +It would never do for this boy who was a sergeant to "back down" before +such an affront, both to himself and to good discipline. + +"He's trying to make me mad, so that I'll make it seem like a personal +affair," thought Hal Overton swiftly. "I'll keep cool and fool the +fellow!" + +Hinkey, after glaring defiantly and contemptuously at the young +sergeant, turned on his heel and started away. + +"Halt, there, my man!" ordered Sergeant Hal coolly, yet at the same time +sternly. + +Hinkey kept on as though he had not heard. + +Without an instant's hesitation, his manner still cool but his face +white and set, Sergeant Overton leaped after his man, laying a hand +heavily on the private's shoulder. + +"I halted you, my man!" + +"Did you?" said Hinkey. "I didn't hear it." + +With that, he slipped out from under Hal Overton's detaining grasp, +turned his back and once more started onward. + +"Careful there, Hinkey!" called one of the soldiers warningly. + +But the sullen soldier was now beyond any sense of caution. + +As Hal again grabbed him, this time with both hands, and swinging him +about, Hinkey thrust his face menacingly close to Overton's. + +"What do you want, Overton? Maybe I've got it." + +"Attention!" + +"I'm listening," growled Hinkey, his whole carriage slouching. + +"Stand at attention!" + +"Hinkey, you're wholly disrespectful and insubordinate!" + +Out of the corner of his eye the soldier saw his late companions +silently drawing nearer. + +"If I'm disrespectful, I'm disrespectful to nothing!" he retorted +derisively. + +Then he added with more insulting directness: + +"Or to less than nothing!" + +"Hinkey, are you going to stand at attention and be silent until I'm +through with you?" + +"No!" + +Again he tried to free himself from the boyish sergeant's grasp, but +this time he found it harder than he had expected. + +"Stand at attention, man!" + +"I'll see you in Tophet first! And take your hands off of me, unless you +want to start trouble at once!" + +"Hinkey, you are making a fearful mistake in forgetting yourself! I'll +give you this one chance to come to your senses." + +"And if you don't take your hands off of me you'll lose your senses--if +you ever had any!" + +Hal's answer was to tighten his grip until the other winced. Then +Private Hinkey delivered his answer. Suddenly wrenching himself free, by +the exercise of his full strength, he let his fist fly at Sergeant +Overton's face. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SERGEANT OVERTON AND DISCIPLINE + + +JUST how it all happened Private Hinkey was never afterwards able to +figure out to his own satisfaction. + +Instead of his blow landing, the soldier found himself on his own back +on the grass--and he fell with a bump that jarred him. + +"You chevroned cur! I'll make you eat that blow!" yelled Hinkey, beside +himself with rage. + +Then he leaped to his feet, fairly quivering with the great passion that +had seized him. + +"Slosson! Kelly! Take hold of Hinkey! He's under arrest," announced the +boyish sergeant. + +Hinkey made a dive at Hal, but the two soldiers, hearing themselves +summoned, and knowing the penalties of disobedience, threw themselves +between the sulky brute and the sergeant. + +"Let me at him!" screamed Hinkey, struggling with the two comrades who +now held him. + +"Be silent, you fool!" warned Slosson. "You'll get yourself in stiff +before you know what you're about." + +"What do I care?" panted Hinkey. "The cur coward! He doesn't dare face +me." + +"If the sergeant came at ye once wid his fists, ye'd know better--as +soon as ye knew anything," jeered Private Kelly. + +"The sarge is a scrapper--few like him in 'ours' when he turns himself +loose," supplemented Slosson. + +"Then let go of me, and let the cur turn himself loose," pleaded Hinkey, +fighting furiously with his captors. "Let him show me if he dares." + +Into such a passion was he working himself that Hinkey seemed likely to +tear himself away from the two soldiers who sought to restrain him. + +But Hal had sense enough to keep his own hands out of the affair. + +"Meade, get in there and help," he directed. + +Then, with Hinkey growing rapidly angrier and putting forth more +strength, there was battle royal. + +When it was over Hinkey had a bleeding nose, a cut lip, one eye closed +and his uniform all but torn from him. + +But he panted and surrendered, at last--a prisoner. + +"What's this all about, Sergeant Overton?" demanded First Sergeant Gray, +hastening to the spot. + +"I've placed Hinkey under arrest, Sergeant, for disrespectful speech +against an officer, for disrespectful answers to myself and for +insubordination." + +"You wouldn't act without strong cause, I know, Sergeant Overton," +replied First Sergeant Gray. "Hustle Private Hinkey down to the guard +house, then." + +"Forward with him, men," ordered Hal. + +Hinkey would have started the fight all over again, but he realized the +weight of discipline and numbers, and felt that it would give his enemy +too much satisfaction. + +So, with much growling and many oaths, Hinkey submitted to being marched +down to the guard house. + +To the sergeant of the guard Hal explained the charge. The sergeant of +the guard promptly sent for Lieutenant Hayes, of C Company, who was +officer of the day. + +Mr. Hayes listened attentively to the charge preferred by Sergeant +Overton. Hinkey, too, who was behind a barred door in one of the cells, +listened with darkening brow. + +"It's all rot!" raged the arrested soldier. "It's all a personal matter, +and Overton has vented his spite on me." + +"Silence, my man!" ordered Lieutenant Hayes sternly. "And when you refer +to Sergeant Overton, call him by his title." + +"I won't shut up until I've had my say!" raged Private Hinkey, gripping +with both hands the bars of the cell door. "Lieutenant----" + +"Silence, or you'll have disrespectful language to the officer of the +day added to the other charges against you," warned Lieutenant Hayes, +stepping over to the cell door. "Not another word out of you, Hinkey." + +In the old days the prisoner would have been locked up until the next +general court-martial convened. But in these newer days the plan is to +have as many offenses as possible tried before summary court. + +A summary court consists of one officer, who must, when practicable, be +of field officer's rank. + +So, at nine the next morning, Private Hinkey was arraigned before Major +Silsbee. All the necessary witnesses were there, too. + +Hinkey, of course, claimed that it had all been an affair of personal +spite on the part of Sergeant Overton. + +This claim Hinkey was given a fair opportunity to prove, but he failed +to do so. + +"I commend Sergeant Overton for his soldierly attitude in the matter," +declared Major Silsbee when summing up. "Sergeant Overton behaved with +an amount of decision and of moderation that is remarkable in so young a +non-commissioned officer. Sergeant Overton thereby demonstrated his +fitness to command men. Private Hinkey's conduct, from start to finish, +as testified to by the witnesses, was gross and indefensible. Such +conduct in a soldier of the regular Army is nothing short of +disgraceful." + +Then followed the sentence. + +For disrespectful allusions to Lieutenant Ferrers, uttered in the +presence of other enlisted men, Private Hinkey was sentenced to forfeit +fifteen dollars of his pay. For disrespect and insubordination, as +evinced toward Sergeant Overton, and for resisting arrest, he was fined +twenty-five dollars more of his pay. + +Thus Private Hinkey would be obliged to work for the United States for +nothing during nearly the next three months of his service. + +Further, he was sentenced to one week's confinement at the guard house, +and to perform fatigue labor on the post. + +Then, still under guard, Hinkey was marched back to the guard house. + +His sentence, which, of course, the fellow regarded as tyranny pure and +simple, filled his heart with black hatred against the boyish sergeant. +At first sight it may seem strange, but the outcome of the whole affair +was to raise Hal Overton considerably in the esteem of his comrades at +Fort Clowdry. + +As his service in the Army lengthens the soldier acquires a trained +sense of justice. + +A non-commissioned officer is never allowed to lay hands in anger on any +man beneath him in rank, save to restrain a drunken or crazy man, or in +defense of himself or of another non-com. or officer. + +But Hinkey had struck at Hal, and the latter, had he been so inclined, +would have been justified in leaping upon the private and beating him +into submission. Instead, he had ordered disinterested soldiers to bring +about the submission and the arrest. + +More, Major Silsbee's comments on the case had been repeated by the +witnesses to other comrades in barracks. + +A soldier soon comes to realize, if he is a reasonable man, that his +officers always endeavor to work out impartial justice. Therefore, Major +Silsbee's comments had greatly strengthened Hal's reputation among his +soldier comrades. + +This does not mean that all suspicion against Sergeant Overton was +forgotten, but the men now remembered that Hinkey had been the most +active and bitter poisoner of minds against Hal. So, now, reaction had +its natural effect--somewhat in Hal Overton's favor. + +The fourth day of Hinkey's imprisonment Sergeant Hal had charge of the +guard that controlled the seven prisoners, in all, who were now working +out guard house terms. + +Hinkey now managed to come close to the young sergeant in command of the +fatigue party. + +"You may think you've won out," growled Private Hinkey. + +"My man," spoke Hal almost kindly, "I've no desire to see you get into +more trouble. Attend to your fatigue duty!" + +"You may think you've won out," repeated Hinkey. "But wait!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WHEN HINKEY WON GOOD OPINIONS + + +GREAT news came to Fort Clowdry these days. + +All summer the War Department had been considering the advisability of +holding a military tournament at Denver. An enormous religious +organization of young people of both sexes was to hold its convention in +that city. + +In the same week two great secret societies were also to hold annual +meetings in Denver. + +Thus there would be an unusually large crowd in this handsome, hustling +city of the Rockies. + +The War Department, in its efforts to conduct the Army like any other +great business enterprise, occasionally "advertises" in the way of +holding a military tournament. + +These tournaments, at which seats are provided for many thousands of +spectators, show in graphic splendor the work of all the different +branches of the military service. + +It is the experience of the War Department that each tournament, if held +under conditions that will draw a huge crowd of spectators, always +results in a rush of the most desirable recruits for the Army. + +Soldiers always take a keen interest in these tournaments. It means to +them the excitement of travel and change, and the prospect of winning +applause that is so dear to the average human heart. + +It also means, for men of known good conduct, a welcome amount of leave +to wander about the big city on the outskirts of which the tournament is +held. There are many other reasons why men of the Regular Army always +welcome these affairs. + +All four of the companies at Fort Clowdry were to go to Denver, save for +a detail of ten men from each company, who were to be left behind to +guard government property at the fort. + +"Hinkey," announced Captain Cortland, meeting that sullen soldier, "I +don't suppose you have figured on being allowed to go to Denver with +your company." + +"I suppose, sir, that I'm slated for the post guard," replied Hinkey, +saluting. + +"My man, you've recently been guilty of conduct grossly unbecoming a +soldier. But you've served your guard house period, and you'll be busy, +for many weeks yet to come, in working out the fines imposed against +you. For breaches of discipline it is the intent of the authorities to +provide sufficient punishment. It is not, however, the purpose to keep +on punishing a man. You may be glad, therefore, to know that you are to +be allowed to go to Denver with your company." + +"Thank you, sir; I am glad," replied Private Hinkey, saluting very +respectfully. + +"Then look carefully to your conduct until the time comes to start," +admonished Captain Cortland. + +"Thank you, sir. I most certainly shall." + +Then, as he watched the back of Captain Cortland, a peculiarly +disagreeable smile came to Hinkey's lips. + +"Oh, yes, I'll be careful!" he muttered. "And I am glad of the +chance--far more glad than you can guess, Cap. A trip like this will +give me ten times the chance I'd have here at Clowdry to get even with +that cheeky young kid sergeant, Overton!" + +Thereafter Hinkey fairly dreamed of the military journey that was so +near at hand. + +All was bustle and activity on the military reservation. Soldiers taking +part in a military tournament require almost as many "properties" and +"stage settings" as are needed by a big theatrical company. + +For the tournament is, actually and purposely, a big theatrical display. +It is intended to show all the excitement, snap and glamour of the +soldier's life and his deeds of high skill and great daring. + +Then came the day when the battalion, with drum-major and band at its +head, marched away with colors bravely flying, and boarded the train at +the little, nearby station. + +The train left soon after nine in the morning. + +Private Hinkey was greatly disappointed at this. He had hoped that the +command might travel by night. He had dreamed of catching Sergeant Hal +on a platform, and of hurling him from the moving car without his crime +being seen of other eyes. + +"But no matter!" muttered the brute to himself. "I know the programme at +the tournament, and there'll be a lot of chances--more than I can use, +as I need but one!" the sullen fellow finished grimly under his breath. + +It was late in the afternoon when the train was shunted upon a siding +not far from the great ball grounds on which the tourney was to be held. +There was no crowd here as yet, and no crashing of brass or flourish of +trumpets. The battalion, at route step, moved into the grounds. Here +ranks were broken and arms stacked. Then, by detachments, each under an +officer, or non-commissioned officer, the men were hustled off to attend +to an enormous amount of swift, skilful labor. + +At one far-end of the grounds the full-sized Army tents were erected, +with cook tents, mess and hospital tents, and all, for the men were to +live comfortably in the brief time that they were to be here. + +Engineer and cavalry troops were already on the field, the engineers +having arrived first of all, in order to lay the grounds out for the +work in hand. Artillery and Signal Corps men, and a small detachment of +ordnance troops, were due to arrive before dark. + +By supper time the hard-worked soldiers had some right to feel tired. It +was not until nine in the evening that the men were through for that +day. Then a few of the men of best conduct were given passes to leave +camp and visit Denver until midnight. + +Private Hinkey was not one of these men. He did not even want to go, for +he had worked like a beaver, and was thoroughly tired out. It had +seemed, since reaching the grounds, as though Hinkey had been determined +to show how good and industrious a soldier he could be. + +"That man is working to reinstate himself in the good conduct grade," +remarked Lieutenant Hampton, calling Hinkey's tireless industry to +Captain Cortland's attention. + +"Then he'll have all the chance he wants," replied the captain. "We +don't want to keep any man down, or to give him a dog's name--with +apologies to the dog." + +As Hinkey had been in a service detachment under Overton's command Hal +felt it but just to say to the fellow: + +"Hinkey, you've worked harder and more attentively than any man in this +detachment." + +"Thank you, Sergeant; I've tried to," replied the fellow, with such +well-pretended respect that Sergeant Hal almost fell over. + +"I almost think I've misjudged the man in thinking him one of our +worst," Overton told himself. + +It had been well for the boyish young sergeant had he been but a trifle +more suspicious of such sudden reform on his enemy's part! + +At five in the morning, or almost an hour earlier than usual, every +officer and man in this temporary camp was routed out from under his +blankets by the sharp, stirring notes of first call to reveille. + +Breakfast was hurriedly disposed of, and the simple duties of ordinary +"camp police" performed by the time that it was fully light. + +And now more labor, for the stage settings must be arranged, that they +might all be moved swiftly into place as the need came. + +It was noon when the men finished. Then mess call, or "come and get it," +as the soldiers facetiously term it, was sounded over the camp, and +officer and man alike hastened to the well-earned midday meal. + +"We ought to have a huge crowd," spoke Corporal Noll Terry, at camp +table. + +"We ought to, but we won't," predicted Sergeant Hupner. + +"Why not, Sergeant?" + +"You didn't take a pass to go to town, last night?" + +"No." + +"I did." + +"Well, Sergeant?" + +"The town is billed from one end to another with posters of the show," +continued Hupner. + +"Meaning our tournament?" + +"No, Terry. Of course, our show is billed, too, but the show I'm +alluding to is Howe and Spangleton's Great Combined Circuses." + +"Are they showing in Denver to-day?" asked Sergeant Overton. + +"Yes, siree," replied Hupner, with emphasis. "And you know what these +western towns are when a truly big circus works this far west. The +circus will be selling standing-room at double prices, and this show of +ours will be performed to two or three hundred small kids whose hearts +are broken because they didn't have the price of a circus ticket." + +"We ought to have had some other date in the week, then," spoke up +another man at table. + +"Oh," grimaced Hupner, "the War Department thinks a whole lot of its +regulars, of course, so I don't suppose any one over at Washington could +picture the troops being called upon to show their best work to empty +benches that would hold twenty thousand spectators." + +That same news, and that same impression had reached the artillery, the +cavalry, the ordnance detachment, the engineers and the men of the +Signal Corps. The officers, likewise, shook their heads. All were +greatly disappointed to think that the Army had to compete with the +sawdust, the tinsel, the gay music and the dash and whoop-la of the +circus. + +Yet one man in this Regular Army encampment felt wholly satisfied with +himself. + +That man was Private Hinkey. + +He knew the programme of the tournament, and the secret of this sullen +wretch's great industry was known at least to himself. + +"I've got it all fixed to rid the regiment of that kid sergeant," the +brute in uniform exulted to himself. "Exit Kid Overton from the +Thirty-fourth!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HAL RIDES INTO TREACHERY + + +AT one-thirty the gates of the ball grounds were thrown open. + +A long programme lay before the assembled regulars, so the tournament +was to begin at two o'clock. + +The same performance was to be repeated in the evening, under brilliant +electric lighting. + +As they left the camp tables, however, the men moved about rather +dejectedly. + +The unexpected competition with the big circus had spoiled their hopes +of winning round after round of delighted applause from huge crowds. + +Yet barely were the gates to the grounds open when the soldiers began to +take notice. + +In an instant after opening there was a big rush at the gates. Men and +women, boys and girls, crowded and jostled to get into the grounds. + +"They'll stop coming in two minutes, at this rate," grumbled Sergeant +Hupner. + +Yet he proved a poor prophet. By quarter of two nearly every one of the +more than twenty thousand seats for spectators had been filled. Five +minutes after that not a seat could be had, even by squeezing. Just +before two o'clock ten thousand more spectators had crowded in, standing +wherever they could find the space. + +Outside the crowd still pressed. Thousands simply had to be turned away. + +Every officer present now wore a quiet smile that hid his delight under +an orderly appearance. + +"I wonder if the circus has a crowd like this?" gasped Sergeant Hupner, +his astonished gaze roving over the densely packed masses of humanity. + +An artillery band was playing at its loudest and gayest. + +"I wonder," repeated Sergeant Hupner, "if the circus is playing to a +crush like this." + +No; it wasn't. Over under the Howe and Spangleton big-top, with its +plain and reserved seats for eighteen thousand people, consternation +prevailed. + +The Army had proved the winning attraction for Denver's +amusement-seeking crowds! + +Only some eleven hundred and fifty people had paid to see the afternoon +performance at the circus. In chagrin, the management hurriedly passed +in free some two hundred more loungers on the lot. + +"I never even dreamed of a streak of luck like this!" grumbled +Proprietor Howe to his partner, Spangleton. + +"I hope we'll never meet it again. What has struck us this blow under +the belt?" + +"The confounded regular Army," growled Howe. "I've just telephoned over, +and I hear that folks are packed in so tightly at the Army show that the +people are able to breathe only half the usual number of times to the +minute." + +"Then they'll hit us just as bad to-night," growled Spangleton. "Howe, +with the Army to play against, we'd save money by pulling down our tents +now and striking the rails for the next stand." + +Just a minute or so before two o'clock the artillery band left the +bandstand and marched back to camp. + +Now, all in an instant, the military parade formed. + +At the head was the cavalry band, followed by a squadron (two troops or +companies) of splendidly mounted fighting men, their accoutrements +jingling. + +As the cavalry, its band blaring joyously, passed out before the people, +the Signal Corps men followed on foot. Now the artillery, preceded by a +mounted band that was just now silent, swung into line. Right behind the +artillery, with its men perched up on the seats, their arms folded, or +else driving the horses from saddles, came more men on foot, the +ordnance detachment. + +Now a third band, the Thirty-fourth's, marched on to the scene, silent, +like the artillery musicians. After the third band in the line came the +first battalion of the Thirty-fourth--at its head Colonel North and +Major Silsbee, with their respective staffs, all on horseback. And now +behind them marched, with the precise, easy rhythm of the foot soldier, +the four companies, A, B, C and D, all moving like so many fine, +automatic, easy-jointed machines. + +The mounted detachments had brought forth rounds of rousing applause as +they swept by, but when the infantrymen--the real, solid, fighting wall +of the Army came in view, its men moving with the perfectly gaited, +steady whump, whump! of superbly marching men, the spectators began to +yell in frantic earnest. + +The cavalry band ceased its stirring strain. Instantly the mounted drum +major of the artillery swung about on his horse, holding up his baton, +then bringing it down with the signal, "play." + +As the artillery band blazed forth in a glory of rousing melody the +noise of people's feet increased. + +By the time that the infantry marched past the central portion of the +great mass of civilians it was the turn of the Thirty-fourth's band. +Every spectator, nearly, was now standing, stamping, waving. Cheer after +cheer went up. + +It seemed as though human enthusiasm could not know greater bounds. +Faint echoes must have reached the distant, nearly empty circus big-top. +Yet the breathless thousands had caught, as yet, but the first tame +pageantry of this glimpse of the glory of armed men. + +Just before B company, as it swung along at the good old regular gait, +one excited onlooker hurled a well-filled wallet--the only sign left him +for showing his utter enthusiasm. + +File after file of foot soldiers stepped over this wallet, yet, if one +of the infantrymen knew it was there, not one of them let any sign +escape him. Discipline was absolutely perfect. These marching men of +rifle and bayonet swept on, heads up, eyes straight forward, every file +in flawless, absolute alignment. + +And so the wallet was passed over and left behind while the crowd, +staring at this unexpected scene of soldierly discipline, went wilder +than before, in a frantic acclaim that was granted from the soul. + +A policeman, standing at the edge of the crowd, picked up the wallet, +returning it to its somewhat disappointed owner. + +When the parade had swept around the field, each band playing in its +turn, the crowd settled back with a sigh, as though satisfied that the +greatest sight on the programme had been witnessed. + +Yet hardly was there a pause. A troop of cavalry came forward, now, at +the trot. All the evolutions of the school of the troop, mounted, were +now gone through with. All the swift, bewildering changes of the +cavalryman's manual of arms were exhibited. + +Single riders and squads exhibited some of the prettiest work of the +cowboy, for the American cavalryman has learned his riding and his +daring from the best work of generations of cowboys. + +Men rode two, and then three horses, at once, standing on bareback and +leaping their animals over gates, ditches and hedges. + +Down at the far end of the wheel a squad of cavalrymen halted, +dismounted, unlimbered their carbines, and began firing at a squad of +cavalrymen who galloped toward them from the other extremity of the +field. Three of the men fired upon toppled and fell from their saddles +to the dust with wonderful realism, while startled "ohs!" came from the +eager onlookers. + +Just behind this detachment rode more cavalrymen at the gallop. Three of +these men, without seeming effort, swung down from their saddles, while +their mounts still galloped, picked up the "dead or wounded," and then +these horses, guided by their riders, wheeled and made fast time with +the mock "casualties" to the rear. + +It was a wonderful sight. Now, the audience began to come somewhere near +its actual limits of enthusiasm. + +Other yet more wonderful feats of skill and precision by the cavalry +followed. Ere the "yellow-legs" had retired, momentarily, from the field +of display, every small boy in the crowd--and many a large one--had +decided that the life of the trooper must be his. + +Then the flying artillery came on to the field, amid clouds of dust, the +urgings of drivers, the sharp commands of officers and the pealing +commands of bugles. For the first time in their lives the spectators +realized how like lightning the American artillery moves, and how +speedily it gets into deadly action. It was a pity that none of the fine +marksmanship with the field cannon could be shown. The audience had to +be satisfied with salvo after salvo fired with blank cartridges at +imaginary enemies. + +Then next the scene swiftly changed to a well-simulated one of battle, +in which all arms engaged. "Under heavy fire" the engineers threw a +bridge swiftly across a wide ditch representing a stream. While this was +going on Signal Corps men laid wires and had telephone and telegraph +instruments in operation from the firing line to the rear. + +More of it came when the squadron of cavalry, at one end of the field, +and backed by the signal and ordnance detachments, now bearing rifles, +impersonated a hostile advance, firing volleys and "at will" at the +artillery and infantry, posted to repulse them. + +It took the breath of the spectators away. For now they gazed upon the +grim realities of war, save for the actual deaths and manglings which +all knew must follow such fierce firing when done in reality. + +It was some minutes afterward before the smoke cleared away from over +the field sufficiently to allow all to see the next spectacles. But all +onlookers now felt the need of a brief rest from such sensations. + +There were a host of features to the rousing programme, and not a +spectator but thrilled and throbbed, and thanked his lucky stars that he +was here, at the show, the spectacle of a lifetime! + +Feature after feature followed, in a swiftly-moving, tightly-packed +programme lasting three hours. The riot drill, showing with vivid +effect how a battalion of regular infantry can move through a densely +packed mob, brought forth tumultuous cheers. When the cheering had +subsided such shouts as these were offered by excited spectators: + +"Bring your anarchists here to-night, and show them this!" + +"Never get into a riot unless you go with the regulars!" + +It was truly an Army afternoon. All such afternoons are, for the average +American knows truly nothing about his own Army. When he sees it +actually at work he becomes, for the time at least, an "Army crank." + +There were many features in which only one, or a few men, figured +importantly. One of these was now about to be offered. On the programme +it bore the title, "the bicycle dispatch rider." + +No name was set opposite this title, but the man who had been selected +for the work was Sergeant Hal Overton. + +At the far side of the field the scene had been arranged. It represented +a hill road, over which the dispatch bearer must ride at breakneck +speed. For picturesque purposes Hal wore a surgeon's field case, hanging +over one shoulder by a strap. In actual war time his real dispatches +would have been hidden somewhere in his clothing, his shoes, or +what-not place of concealment. + +Of a sudden the Thirty-fourth's band turned loose into a dashing gallop +played at faster time than usual. It was the signal for Sergeant Hal to +mount his wheel and ride as for life. + +Something in the speed, the dash, the evident purpose of the young +soldier caught the hearts of the spectators as soon as Hal started. He +had not gone fifty yards on his way before the cheering once more burst +forth. + +At the outset were some little gaps in the path, representing brooks and +rills. Over these Sergeant Hal sped as if they did not exist, while +little upward spurts of water helped out the illusion. + +Ahead of the young military bicyclist now appeared a plain fence, some +four feet high. Hal Overton rode at this with all the speed his flying +feet could impart to the pedals. He appeared bent on violent collision +with the fence. + +Indeed, he rode at the palings as though he could not stop. Yet, when +almost in the act of collision, Sergeant Hal made a flying leap from his +wheel, which he tossed over the fence. In two incredibly swift movements +he was over the fence. His wheel hardly seemed to have fallen at all, so +swiftly did the young sergeant have it going again. He made a flying +leap to the saddle, and was again pedaling desperately, while five or +six shots to the rear filled out the illusion of a dispatch bearer being +pursued by enemies. + +That trick at the fence instantly took hold of the younger male portion +of the audience. Denver boys saw wherein young soldiers were taught +things about bicycle riding that were not known among civilians. + +Hardly was Sergeant Hal going at full speed again when another obstacle +loomed up in his way. This was an intrenchment front, sloping as he +approached it, but with a sheer drop of some three feet on the other +side. + +Straight up the slope dashed Hal Overton. For a fraction of a second, as +he left the top of the barrier, his wheel looked more like an odd +airship, but now the forward wheel struck the ground beyond once more, +the rear wheel swiftly following, and the dispatch rider was going +onward faster than ever. + +The small boys now led in the noise that came from the spectators' +seats. + +Just ahead lay the greatest peril of the path for the military dispatch +rider. Here, in the hill scene, had been cut an actual gully, some +eighteen feet deep, and fully twelve feet across. + +Just a few minutes before a squad of soldiers had placed across this +gully the trunk of a tree, shorn of its limbs and trimmed down close. + +As Sergeant Hal now approached this tree trunk, which was not, at its +thickest part, more than a foot in diameter, his purpose dawned upon the +watching thousands. + +This tree trunk represented the only possible way of getting over the +gully. + +Surely, the young rider would slow down, dismount, take the wheel on his +shoulders and cross the slim bridge on foot. + +But the crackling out of more shots behind him told the onlookers that +the young dispatch rider in Uncle Sam's khaki uniform must make great +haste. + +Hal lay on harder than ever on his pedals. His speed carried to the +onlookers the reality of a desperate race of life and death. + +Close to the nearer edge of the gully stood a solitary figure, that of +Corporal Noll Terry, who had had charge of the men laying the tree trunk +across the gully. + +Noll still stood by, watching, ready to be at hand if anything happened. +One other man watched, though from a considerable distance. + +This man was Private Hinkey, who alone knew the secret of his willing +industry since reaching this camp. + +Hinkey, unseen by others, had managed treacherously to "fix" the log in +a manner that had defied detection. + +[Illustration: Sergeant Hal's Forward Wheel Struck the Log.] + +"There'll be an end to the sergeant kid, in two seconds more!" gloated +the rascal. + +Sergeant's Hal's forward wheel struck the log, throwing full weight upon +it. There was a snapping crackle, then a shriek from thousands. + +For the log had snapped in two, and Sergeant Hal Overton, thrown head +downward, was on his way to a broken neck at the bottom of the gully. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +CHASING A SPEEDING DESERTER + + +INSTEAD of one, there were two flying bodies headed toward the gully's +bottom. Corporal Noll Terry, standing there, had heard the ominous +crackle of snapping wood. + +If there is one thing that a soldier is taught above another, it is to +think and move swiftly at a critical moment. + +Noll saw the tree trunk sag downward, in just the fraction of a second +ere it broke. + +Nor did Corporal Terry wait to see more. + +With his eyes on his bunkie, Terry made a prompt leap downward. + +He had the advantage of landing on his feet. He was jarred, but there +was no time to stop to think of that. + +At a bound he was far enough forward, his arms outstretched, to swing +hold of head-downward Hal Overton. + +The impact might have been too much. Sergeant Hal might even yet have +landed on his head. But, as he threw him arms around Hal, Corporal Terry +threw himself over backward. + +He fell with a thump, but was shaken up--no bones broken. + +Sergeant Hal landed on top of his bunkie unhurt. + +In an instant they separated, each leaping to his feet. + +The falling halves of the tree trunk had fallen perilously close to the +boyish non-coms., yet by a stroke of good fortune neither of the +comrades had been struck. + +"Thank you, old bunkie! The best ever!" glowed Hal, as without a +backward look he raced to pick up his wheel. "Hurt?" + +"Not a bit," gasped Noll, his wind jarred out of him for the moment. + +"Then I'll finish the ride!" + +To the thrilled, throbbing spectators there did not come a thought of +"accident." + +Clearly this whole splendid scene had been only a glimpse of practical +military training. + +It had all been planned, of course, so the audience supposed, that the +tree trunk should snap and that the other young sergeant should be there +to perform the swift work of rescue. + +Even at that it was a wonderful sight, and again the spectators were on +their feet, cheering more hoarsely than ever. + +Yet hardly had they started to cheer when, some how, in a way they did +not quite grasp, Sergeant Hal Overton had climbed up out of the gully, +carrying his wheel with him. + +Now he was mounted again! On the further side of the gully the young +Army dispatch rider was racing forward again. + +His wheel, somewhat damaged by the fall, was moving stiffly now, but +Overton put into his pedaling every ounce of energy left to him. + +In another moment he was out of sight, his dispatch-bearing ride ended, +and the band leader stopped his musicians. + +In this startling scene the onlookers felt that they had viewed the best +piece of individual daring of the afternoon. + +Little did they guess that they had seen the failure of a scoundrel's +dastardly attempt to end Sergeant Overton's life. + +But grizzled old Colonel North, of the Thirty-fourth United States +Infantry, knew better. + +"Cortland," he remarked, turning to B Company's captain, "just as soon +as the last number is over I want you to make an instant and red-hot +investigation of that accident to Sergeant Overton. Report to me as soon +as you have even the trace of a suggestion to make." + +"Yes, sir; and I have one suggestion to make now," replied Captain +Cortland. + +"What is it?" + +"I ask you, sir, to oblige me very greatly by promising a warrant at +once for Corporal Terry's promotion to sergeant." + +"By Jove, young Terry earned it!" agreed Colonel North. + +"Yes, sir; and, to my way of thinking, he did more. He proved that B +Company cannot afford to be without a sergeant of his proved calibre." + +"Go to Wright, the battalion adjutant, then, and tell him, with my +compliments, to prepare an order at once, for reading at the dress +parade which is to end up the afternoon's show." + +"Very good, sir." + +"And, Cortland, ask Wright, as a personal favor to me, to read the order +slowly and distinctly, so that the audience can grasp the fact that +they've witnessed a deed of heroism and its prompt reward in the Army." + +"A splendid idea, sir!" + +At the close of the afternoon's fast and furious work came a spectacle +such as doubtless no one in the audience had ever seen before. + +The three fighting arms of the service--artillery, cavalry and +infantry--combined at dress parade. + +The ceremony, as enacted that afternoon, possessed all the fervor and +solemnity of a religious rite. + +When it came to the publication of orders appointing Corporal Oliver +Terry a sergeant in recognition of unusual bravery and judgment in +saving a comrade's life, only a small percentage of the on-looking, +listening thousands grasped the importance or meaning of the promotion +of one young soldier. + +No matter! All would read about it in the Denver papers the next +morning. + +At the firing of retreat gun three military bands combined in the +playing of "The Star Spangled Banner." + +Then, as the troops marched off, all was over as far as the audience was +concerned. + +Captain Cortland, however, had no sooner dismissed his company than he +turned back to the field, to go to the gully to investigate the matter +of the broken log. Lieutenant Prescott went with him. + +Over back of one of the cook tents, however, a plain soldier man was +already arriving at the truth. + +"Hinkey, come over here!" called Private Slosson. + +There was something in this soldier's voice which made Private Hinkey +feel that perhaps it would not be altogether wise to disregard this +request that sounded so much to him like an order. + +"Hinkey," continued Private Slosson, "'twas a near escape from breaking +his neck that Sergeant Overton had this afternoon." + +"That's no concern of mine, I guess," murmured Hinkey. + +"Then it ought to be," retorted Private Slosson with considerable +warmth. "Hinkey, you had me guessing yesterday and this forenoon, you +were so full of industry. And that put me in mind. I saw you coming down +from near the gully this morning, and you had something hidden under +your coat." + +The fingers that held Hinkey's cigarette began to tremble. + +"What do you mean, Slosson?" + +"Well, first of all, the thing you had under your coat was a saw. I saw +you hide something under the woodpile here, but I'm so dumb that I +didn't think much of it at the time. Now, the log over the gully was a +spruce log, wasn't it?" + +"I don't know." + +"Well, I do," replied Slosson, "and we haven't been using much spruce +timber around here, either. So I looked over the saw. Hinkey, between +the teeth is quite a little bit of what looks mighty like spruce +sawdust. Queer, ain't it?" + +"I don't know," replied Private Hinkey, speaking bravely, though his +face now looked bloodless and his lips were quivering. + +"Spruce sawdust in the saw you handled," continued Slosson mercilessly. +"And say, the saw cut in the log over at the gully was pasted with +putty, and then bark bits stuck on, to hide the cut. Wasn't that the way +it was done?" + +"How should I know?" snarled Private Hinkey, trying to glare back into +the accusing eyes of Private Slosson. + +"Why I asked," continued the latter soldier, "was because I've just been +taking a look at the service clothes you wore this morning, and I find +putty marks in several places on the trousers." + +Hinkey realized that he had been unmasked. Moreover, only one look into +Slosson's eyes was needed for making sure that the accusing soldier was +not going to keep still about it. + +With a sudden snarl of rage, Hinkey sprang forward, driving his hard +right fist squarely into Slosson's left eye and knocking that soldier +down. + +Then, without loss of a second, Hinkey made a dive for the nearest gate +of the grounds. As he ran at top speed Private Hinkey then and there, so +far as he was personally concerned, ended his connection with the +regular Army of the United States. + +Private Slosson, holding his eye and feeling weak and dizzy, shouted: + +"Some one run after Hinkey, B Company, and catch him!" + +The call brought several men, among them Lieutenant Hampton, of B +Company. + +"What has Hinkey done?" demanded the lieutenant, running up. + +"He knocked me down, and then deserted, sir." + +"Why, my man?" + +"Because he fixed the tree trunk in the way that nearly cost Sergeant +Overton his life, and I just showed Hinkey that I had all the proof. +You'll not see the fellow again, sir, unless you're swift." + +Lieutenant Hampton bounded to the gateway. Down the street he saw +Private Hinkey, running like a deer and already near a street corner. + +Hal Overton was the only sergeant close enough for the lieutenant's +purpose. + +"Sergeant Overton, take four men, pursue Hinkey and bring him back +here," ordered Lieutenant Hampton. + +Hal reached the gateway just in time to see Hinkey running around the +street corner. + +In a twinkling Hal and four soldiers were hot-foot after the suspected +deserter. + +But Hinkey was out of sight now. As he reached the middle of the block +into which he had turned, a man in his shirt sleeves, standing idly in a +doorway called out softly: + +"Jump in behind me, comrade, if you're in trouble and being chased." + +Hinkey stopped pantingly, giving the man a swift look. That glance was +enough to show the deserting soldier that he had met a kindred spirit. + +"Thanks. I'll accept," muttered Hinkey, darting into the doorway. + +The man who had hailed him pulled the door shut just before Sergeant Hal +and four soldiers ran around the corner above. + +"What's that soldier been doing that ran by here so fast?" called the +citizen in shirt sleeves. + +"Which way did he go?" asked Hal swiftly, halting just an instant. + +"See the next corner?" + +"Yes." + +"Your man turned there--to the left. You fellows will have to double +your speed if you're ever going to catch that soldier." + +"Put on all the steam you can, men," Hal called back over his shoulder +as he once more started in what he believed to be pursuit. + +Chuckling softly, the citizen opened the door, closed it again and went +inside to tell Hinkey why he had saved him. + +It was a full hour before Sergeant Hal Overton again reported back at +camp on the grounds. + +He had come back at last, forced to admit himself baffled. + +"You did all you could, Sergeant," replied Captain Cortland, who had +just returned to the company street. "Hinkey will be caught, sooner or +later." + +Then, turning to First Sergeant Gray, who had just come up, Captain +Cortland smiled as he added: + +"Sergeant Gray, I wonder if Hinkey is still running. If he runs long +enough he'll probably fall in with some muck-raking magazine writer, +who'll get out of Hinkey a startling story of why some soldiers insist +on deserting the Army." + +"Captain," replied Sergeant Gray, "I could tell those magazine writers a +good deal about why men desert from the Army, sir. But the magazine +writers wouldn't want my story of why men desert." + +"What would your story be, Sergeant?" + +"Why, sir, I'd tell those writers--and prove it by the records--that the +men who desert from the Army are the same worthless, skulking vagabonds +who are always getting bounced out of jobs in civil life because they're +no good anywhere." + +"That's the whole story, Sergeant Gray," nodded Captain Cortland. + +"I know it, sir; I haven't been in the Army all these years not to have +found out that much." + +Just then Noll Terry appeared on the scene, wearing his newly won +sergeant's chevrons. + +Captain Cortland's inquiry into the cause of the accident to Sergeant +Overton was concluded by taking the sworn testimony of Private Slosson. +The papers were then filed away to be used in case the deserter Hinkey +should be apprehended. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +ALGY COMES TO A CONCLUSION + + +HINKEY, secure in his new retreat, with a new-found "friend" who wanted +the services of a man of Hinkey's stripe, was not found. + +The evening programme of the military tournament was carried out before +all the spectators who could wedge themselves into the grounds, and once +more the big circus played to a small crowd. + +In the morning the Thirty-fourth entrained and returned to Fort Clowdry. + +While in Denver, Lieutenant Ferrers, though he had accompanied the +battalion, had been employed in duties that kept him out of the public +eye. + +Once back at the post, however, Ferrers was warned by both battalion and +regimental commanders that he must buckle down at once to learn his +duties as an officer. + +"I had an idea that being an officer was a good deal more of a +gentleman's job," Algy sighed to Lieutenant Prescott. + +"An officer's position in the Army is a hard-working job," Prescott +rejoined. "However, there's nothing in that fact to make it difficult +for an officer to be a gentleman, too. In fact, he must be an all-around +gentleman, or get out of the service." + +"But gentlemen shouldn't be expected to work--at least, not hard," +argued Algy Ferrers. + +"Now, where on earth did you get that idea?" laughed Lieutenant +Prescott. + +"All the fellows I used to know were gentlemen," protested Algy, "and +none of them ever worked." + +"Then what were they good for?" demanded Lieutenant Prescott crisply. + +"Eh?" breathed Ferrers, looking puzzled. + +"If they didn't work, if they didn't do anything real in the world, what +were they good for? What was their excuse for wanting to live?" insisted +Prescott. + +"Prexy, old chap, I'm afraid you're an anarchist," gasped Algy, looking +almost humanly distressed. + +"No; you're the anarchist," laughed the other lieutenant, "for no +anarchist ever wants to work. Come, now, Ferrers, buck up! Go over the +drill manual with me." + +For two days Algy did seem inclined to buckle down to the hard work of +learning how to command other men efficiently. Then one night he fell. + +That is to say, he went off the reservation without notifying any of his +superior officers. + +At the sounding of drill assembly the next morning, every officer on +post was present with the one exception of young Mr. Ferrers. + +"Where's that hopeless idiot now?" muttered Colonel North peevishly, for +he had come down to see the battalion drill. + +"I haven't the least idea, sir," replied Major Silsbee. + +"Send an orderly up to his quarters, Major." + +"Very good, sir." + +But, as both major and colonel had suspected, Ferrers wasn't in his +quarters. Nor was he anywhere else on post apparently. + +It was five o'clock that afternoon when Lieutenant Ferrers, in civilian +dress, passed the guard house in returning on post. + +"Wanted--at the adjutant's office--am I?" queried Algy. "Oh, yes; I +imagine I am. Queer place, this Army." + +With a sigh of resignation, but appearing not in the least alarmed, +Ferrers went to the office of the regimental adjutant. + +"You've been away again without leave, and skipped battalion drill and +several other duties," said the adjutant dryly. + +"Yes," admitted Ferrers promptly. "But I've got a good excuse." + +"You'll find Colonel North in the next room ready to hear what your +excuse can be." + +"I suppose he'll scold me again," murmured Algy resignedly. + +"Yes; all of that," admitted the adjutant dryly. "Better go in at once, +and take your medicine, for the colonel is about ready to leave and go +over to his house." + +As Algy entered Colonel North's office the older man lifted his head and +looked rather coldly at Mr. Ferrers. + +Algy brought up his hand in a tardy salute, then stood there. + +But the colonel only continued to look at him. Ferrers fidgeted until he +could endure the silence no longer. + +"You--you wanted to speak to me, sir?" stammered Algy, the frigid +atmosphere disconcerting him. + +"I never wanted to speak to a man less in my life," rejoined Colonel +North icily. + +"Thank you, sir. Then I'll be going." + +"Stop, sir!" + +"Eh, sir?" + +"Mr. Ferrers, I'll listen to whatever you have to say." + +"It's all about my being away to-day, I suppose, sir," Algy went on +lamely. What he had considered a most excellent excuse on his part now +suddenly struck him as being exceedingly lame. + +Again Colonel North's lips were tightly compressed. He merely looked at +this young officer, but Algy found that look to be the same thing as +acute torment. + +"Y-yes, sir; I was away to-day sir." + +"Further than Clowdry, Mr. Ferrers?" + +"Oh, dear, yes, sir," admitted Algy promptly. "Took the train, in fact, +sir, and ran up to Ridgecrest. The Benson-Bodges have a new mountain +estate of their own up there. Just heard about it the other day, sir. +Wrote Benson-Bodge himself, and got a letter yesterday evening. Old +Bense invited me to come up and visit himself and family, and not to +stand on ceremony. So I didn't." + +"No; you didn't stand on any ceremony, Mr. Ferrers," was the colonel's +sarcastic response. "Not even the ceremony of formality of obtaining +leave." + +"But it was all right this time, sir. Quite all right, sir," went on +Algy Ferrers with more confidence. "I rather think you know who the +Benson-Bodges are, sir? Most important people. A man in the Army can't +afford to ignore them, sir--so I didn't." + +"I don't know anything about the people you name, Mr. Ferrers, and I +don't want to." + +"Pardon me, sir, won't you?" demanded Algy beamingly, "but for once I am +quite certain you are wrong, sir. Really an Army man can't afford not to +know the Benson-Bodges. Old Bense is a cousin of the President. Old +Bense has tremendous influence at Washington." + +"Then I wonder, Mr. Ferrers, if your friend has influence enough at +Washington to save your shoulder-straps for you?" + +"Eh, sir? What's that? What do you mean, sir?" asked Algy, again looking +puzzled and uneasy. + +"I am going to make my meaning very clear, Mr. Ferrers. To-day's conduct +is merely the winding up affair of many discreditable pieces of conduct +in your part. You have proved, conclusively, that you are not fit to be +an officer in the Army." + +"Not fit to----" repeated Algy slowly. Then broke into a laugh as he +added: "That's a good joke, sir." + +"Is it?" inquired Colonel North, raising his eyebrows. "Then I trust +that you will enjoy every chapter in the joke, Mr. Ferrers. I am going +to order you to your quarters, in arrest. And, as I'm afraid you don't +really know what arrest means, I'm going to place a sentry before your +door to see that you don't go out." + +"For how long, sir?" + +"For as long as may be necessary, Mr. Ferrers. Having placed you in +arrest I shall report your case through the usual military channels and +recommend that you be tried by a general court-martial. I am of the +opinion, Mr. Ferrers, that the court-martial will find you guilty and +recommend that you be dishonorably dismissed from the service." + +"Dishonorably dis----" gasped Algy, feeling so weak that he suddenly +dropped down into a chair, unbidden. "Gracious! But that will strike the +guv'nor hard! See here, sir," the impossible young officer went on, more +spiritedly, as he realized the impending disgrace, "if you're going to +do anything as beastly and rough as that, sir--pardon, sir--then I won't +stand for it!" + +"What will you do, then?" demanded North. + +"Sooner than stand for being tried, like an ordinary pickpocket, +Colonel, I'll resign!" + +"It is not usual, Mr. Ferrers, to allow an officer to resign when he's +facing serious charges." + +"But I'll resign just the same, sir. Pardon me, sir, but I don't care +what you say, now. Things have come to a pass where I've simply got to +strike back for myself, sooner than see my family troubled by the idea +of my being tried." + +"But if your resignation is not accepted, Mr. Ferrers?" + +"It will have to be, won't it, if I say that I simply won't bother to +stay in the beastly old Army any longer?" + +"No; a resignation doesn't have to be accepted, and the fact that you +are under charges will operate to prevent the consideration of your +resignation until after your trial." + +Algy Ferrers looked mightily disturbed over that information. + +"Are you serious about wanting to resign and getting out of the Army, +Mr. Ferrers?" + +"Yes, sir; very much in earnest." + +Colonel North thought for a few moments. Then he replied: + +"Very good, Mr. Ferrers. You are of no service whatever in the Army, I +am sorry to say, though I doubt if you could possibly understand why you +are of no use here. If you write your resignation before leaving this +room, I will see that the resignation is forwarded, and I will then drop +all idea of preferring charges against you." + +Colonel North made room at his own desk, after providing the stationery. +Algy wrote his resignation as an officer of the Army, signing it with a +triumphant flourish. + +"I am very glad to have this resignation, Mr. Ferrers," declared +Colonel North, speaking more gently at last. + +"You can't be any more glad than I am to write it, sir," Algy replied, +his face now beaming. "I am glad to cut loose from it all. From the very +first day I've been coming more and more to the conclusion, sir, that +the Army is no place for a gentleman!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +PLANNING FOR THE SOLDIERS' HUNT + + +"I'LL go away on the eleven o'clock train to-morrow, sir," stated Algy, +as he rose to go. "I won't bother about the few things in my room until +I go to Denver and engage a man. Then I'll send my man here to pack up +whatever of my belongings are worth having." + +"Do you really imagine you can leave the post to-morrow, Mr. Ferrers?" +demanded the colonel, a good deal astonished. + +"Yes; can't I?" + +"Mr. Ferrers, you are of the Army until your resignation has been +accepted in the usual way." + +"Haven't you accepted it, Colonel?" + +"I have no authority to do so. Your resignation will have to go to +Washington through the usual military channels, and can be accepted only +by the authority of the President." + +"Oh, that will be all right," declared Algy promptly. "I'll get my +friend, Benson-Bodge, to attend to that." + +"I'm afraid he can't do it for you, young man. Mr. Ferrers, you will +have to remain at this post, and perform all your duties, until the +acceptance of your resignation comes in due form, and through the usual +channels. And if you absent yourself from post again, without leave, +I'll use the telegraph to make sure that your resignation is refused and +that you are obliged to stand trial." + +It took Mr. Ferrers until the next morning to recover his good spirits. + +Then, immediately after the first drill--which he attended on time--Algy +went over to the post telegraph station, where he picked up a blank and +wrote this message to his father: + + "You'll be glad to know that I'll be with you + after a few days more. Have resigned from this + beastly Army." + +Sergeant Noll Terry was in charge of the office. He looked the message +over gravely, then said: + +"I am sorry, sir, but I am afraid that I cannot allow this message to go +without the written approval of the post commander." + +"What's the matter now?" asked Algy. + +"Pardon me, sir, but you have referred to the Army in slighting terms. I +am certain that Colonel North would censure me if I allowed this message +to go." + +"But I'm an officer--yet--so what right have you to refuse to send it, +Sergeant?" + +"It will have to be approved by Colonel North, or his adjutant, before I +can allow it to be sent, sir," replied Noll firmly. + +"Humph! But it's high time to get out of the Army when a chap can't even +write his own telegrams!" + +However, Ferrers thought it over for a few moments. Then he wrote this +new message: + +"Expect me home, soon. Have resigned from the Army." + +"Is a chap allowed to send a message like that?" Algy inquired +plaintively. + +"Certainly, Lieutenant," Noll replied, and handed the message over to a +soldier operator. + +A glance at the clock in the room told Lieutenant Ferrers that he had a +little time to spare before he was due at his next bit of duty. He put +in the time strolling about the post. When he saw the brisk, +trim-looking soldiers, and received their salutes in passing, Algy began +almost to regret the Army that he had given up. Then the remembrance of +gay times in the set where he had once been something of a favorite +consoled him, and he looked forward to being where he did not have to +answer to a colonel as a boy does to a schoolmaster. + +"'Pon my word, I think I could like the Army very well, if they weren't +so beastly strict about everything," murmured Algy to himself. + +Finally a bugle blew, and Lieutenant Ferrers hastened away to another +duty, which was not now so distasteful, since there was soon to be an +end of it all. + +"I used to think being a soldier was all parading," Algy muttered to +himself. "I didn't know that there was about six months of never-ending +drill behind each parade." + +Just before the noon mess call Captain Cortland, in passing, called out +to Hal. + +"Sergeant, it is getting so well on into the fall of the year, now, that +Major Silsbee has suggested to me that some of the men of B company +would do well to hit the trail into the mountains." + +"Another practice hike, sir?" asked Hal. + +"Not exactly, Sergeant. The enlisted men of this post, to say nothing of +the officers, would appreciate some supplies of game in place of the +regular issues of beef and mutton. Major Silsbee has suggested that I +allow some of the men of B company to form themselves into a hunting +party and go away on leave into the mountains." + +"That would be fine for the men who get away, sir," agreed Hal, his eyes +shining at the thought. + +"How would you like, Sergeant, to make up such a party and head it?" +continued Captain Cortland. + +"I head the hunting party? I would like it immensely, sir, but for one +objection. I am not an experienced hunter." + +"But you are a non-commissioned officer who would be sure to preserve +whatever discipline may be needed on a hunting trip, and that is the +matter of greatest importance. As to experience in hunting, there are +some highly experienced hunters in B company, and you could include them +in your party." + +"How much discipline is needed, sir, with a hunting party?" + +"Not too much," replied Captain Cortland. "A soldier's hunting party is +something of a picnic affair, and discipline is relaxed as much as +possible. You want just enough discipline to keep order and make the men +pull together. For, on one of these hunting parties, recollect that the +men are actually expected to bag enough game, and to bring it back with +them." + +"I thank you, Captain, and I shall be delighted if I can persuade enough +of the really useful men to go with me. But I suppose you know, sir, +that there is still a good deal of suspicion felt about me in barracks." + +As Hal said this he flushed a bit. + +"Oh, that old affair, Sergeant, of Private Green and his missing money?" +replied the captain. "Sergeant, no suspicion ever justly directed itself +against you, and you must deny, even to yourself, that any of the +suspicion still lingers in the minds of any of the men." + +"Thank you, sir." + +"But you haven't answered me as to whether you will head the hunting +party." + +"I shall do it gladly and eagerly, sir." + +"Very good; then pick out about fourteen men to go with you, and make +sure that they all wish to go, as no soldier is compelled to go on a +hunting trip against his own wishes. It will take you about two days to +reach the hunting grounds, Sergeant, and about two days more to get +back. So you shall have fourteen days' leave, which will give you about +ten days of actual hunting." + +"I thank you again, sir." + +"Go and find your men." + +"Very good, sir. May I include Sergeant Terry?" + +"If he can arrange for relief at the telegraph station." + +In his spare time during the rest of the day Sergeant Hal Overton was +extremely happy. He was busy interviewing soldiers, and in finding out +who were the most experienced hunters, for there was big game to be had +up in the mountains. + +Noll was invited first of all. Terry succeeded in arranging for relief +from telegraph duties, so that he could go. + +Corporal Hyman proved to be one of the skilled hunters, and he at once +agreed, besides suggesting others who should be invited. + +"It's a great picnic, Kid Sergeant; you don't know what bully fun it is +until you get there," Hyman assured Hal. + +Lieutenant Ferrers dropped in at the officers' club well ahead of the +dinner hour that evening. + +"Yes, fellows," he drawled, "I'm going back to life and civilization. No +more of this boarding school and chain-gang life for me." + +The other officers present laughed good-humoredly. + +"Yet, just as sure as you're alive, Ferrers, the day will come, and +before long, when you'll wish yourself back once more among the +regulars' uniforms." + +"Maybe," sniffed Algy doubtfully. + +An orderly appeared in the doorway, yellow envelope in hand. + +"Telegram for Lieutenant Ferrers," he announced. + +"Right here, my man. Thank you." + +Algy tore open the envelope, after apologizing, and glanced at the +bottom of the message. + +"It's from the guv'nor," he announced. "I expect he's getting ready to +kill the fatted calf against my arrival home." + +Then Algy fell to reading the message. As he started his brows puckered. +Once he gasped. Then, at the end, he burst forth: + +"My, but the guv'nor seems almost annoyed," cried Algy, his face +reddening. + +"Anything serious?" inquired Holmes politely. + +"Read it aloud to the rest, old chap," begged Algy, passing the telegram +to Lieutenant Holmes. This was the message that the latter thereupon +read aloud: + + "You blithering young idiot! I worked like blazes + to get you into the Army, in order to give you one + last chance to grab at a little manhood. I've set + the government machinery going at Washington, and + your resignation won't be accepted. Within a day + or two you'll receive orders to report at the + Infantry School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. There + you'll have to work sixteen hours out of every + twenty-four, but it will make a man of you if + anything can, and you'll learn all about becoming + a real infantry officer. Don't send me any more + news about resigning. If you quit the Army, or + are kicked out of it, I'll separate you forever + from every cent of my money. + + "(Signed) Donald Ferrers." + + +There was silence in the club parlor, until it was broken by Algy, who +wailed plaintively: + +"That's the guv'nor. That's the guv'nor every time. Says he'd separate +me from every cent of his money. And he'd do it, too! Fellows, I'm +afraid I've simply got to like the Army." + +"That's your trump card, now, Algy," observed Jerrold, of A company. + +"Some class about your father, Ferrers, isn't there?" asked Lieutenant +Prescott. + +"Oh, he's a fine old fellow," replied Algy loyally. "But he has a +confoundedly abrupt way about him sometimes. You see, he +didn't--er--start life exactly as a gentleman. He had to work hard most +of his life to get what money he has, and I suppose--well, I guess his +hard work has made him pig-headed to some extent." + +Now that he knew that he would have to stay in the Army, young Ferrers +found himself hating it worse than ever. + +Nor did the information that his comrades offered him console him any. +He was assured that there would be no doubt about his learning all of +his military duties at Fort Leavenworth--if he lived to get through the +ordeal. + +In the Army there is an officers' school for every branch of the +service. Officers attend as "student officers"; the course is severe, +but the officer seldom fails to learn whatever he goes to such a school +to learn. + +Two days later there were two officers leaving the post. + +Algy went down to the station to take up his journey to the new station +in Kansas. Despite his seeming inability to learn to be a soldier, +Ferrers had made himself well enough liked personally, so many of the +officers accompanied him as far as the Clowdry station. + +Lieutenant Prescott was going with the hunting party. He had succeeded +in procuring leave for hunting, and in getting himself invited to go +along with Sergeant Hal Overton's party. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +HAL'S GUN MAKES THE REST CURIOUS + + +"OH, my, but that smells good!" + +The words came in a sort of ecstasy from the lips of Sergeant Noll +Terry, as, gun in hand, he tramped into camp with Corporal Hyman and +three others. + +"Bear meat," said Slosson briefly. "Sergeant Overton and Lieutenant +Prescott brought it in just before noon with their compliments." + +"Where are they now?" + +"Somewhere out in the world," replied Private Kelly, nodding at the +mountain tops beyond. "They went out to see how much more they could +get." + +Slosson had mentioned the sergeant before the lieutenant, but that was +not an unpardonable breach of etiquette, out here in the wilds. + +More especially was it proper because Sergeant Hal, and not the +handsome, fine, young West Pointer, commanded this camp and detachment. + +"Where are your mates, Sarge?" inquired Slosson. + +"Oh, I left my crowd," smiled Noll. "They won't be in for an hour yet, +in all probability." + +"Get anything, any of you?" queried Kelly. + +"Not a thing, up to the time I quit," sighed Noll. + +"Humph! We've all got to get a brace on us," muttered Slosson. "This is +our third day in camp, and what have we killed so far? Just enough meat +to satisfy the appetites we've developed up here in the hills!" + +Sergeant Hal Overton's hunting detachment of the Thirty-fourth was now +encamped up in the highest points, almost, of all the Colorado Rockies. + +Entraining, the party had gone some sixty miles over the rails. At the +station where the men detrained two heavy Army wagons had been awaiting +them, these wagons having been sent on two days ahead. + +On the first day after leaving the railway the hunting detachment had +marched some eighteen miles; on the second day fifteen miles had been +covered, and now camp was pitched more than ninety miles from Fort +Clowdry. + +The little village of wall tents stood some fifty feet away from where +Privates Slosson and Kelly were now busy getting the evening meal. + +There was still about an hour of daylight left. It was not expected that +many of the hunters would be in much before the sun went down behind the +western tops. + +"It's chilly to-night," announced Sergeant Terry, standing back and +watching the two soldiers at work. + +"It's hot," grumbled Slosson, piling on more wood and stirring one of +the open cook fires. + +"All a matter of where you happen to be standing," laughed Noll, diving +into the tent that he and Hal occupied. When Sergeant Terry came out +again he had on his olive tan overcoat. + +Three days of incessant hunting had been indulged in. "Enjoyed" would +have been the word, only that so far the men of the detachment had not +struck very heavy luck with the game. + +It was not Hal's fault. He, confessedly, was not an experienced hunter +in the Rockies. Corporal Hyman was an old hand at the hunt, and there +were other soldiers in the detachment who could find the wild game when +there was any to be found. Up to date, however, the game had been +scarce. A few mountain antelope and some smaller animals--but these the +hungry hunters had eaten as fast as they bagged. + +The party consisted of Sergeants Overton and Terry, Corporals Hyman and +Cotter, twelve privates and Lieutenant Prescott. + +Mr. Prescott was not a detailed member of the detachment. He had secured +leave from the post and had asked to be accepted as a guest. For this +reason the young West Pointer did not attempt to command in camp. Each +morning the officer accompanied which ever party of hunters he chose. + +Every day two of the soldiers were left behind for the double duty of +watching the camp and of cooking the morning and evening meals. For the +noon meal, or in place thereof, the hunters carried such dry food as +they could stow away in their pockets. + +"How big was the bear before you cut him up?" asked Noll, standing about +and watching the cooks. + +"About a hundred and thirty pounds, I guess," replied Slosson. + +"How far away from here did they shoot him?" + +"Over a mile." + +"Hm! Hal must have had a long, heavy pack." + +"The lieutenant was carrying the carcass when they reached camp," +retorted Private Kelly. "The lieutenant did his full share in packing +the meat in. That lieutenant ain't a dude." + +"I know he isn't," Noll nodded quietly. "Still I didn't suppose Hal +would feel like letting an officer make a pack animal of himself." + +"Your bunkie ain't no dude, either, Sarge," continued Kelly. "Him and +the lieutenant are two men of pretty near the same color." + +"White isn't a color, anyway," laughed Noll. + +"Maybe it isn't," assented Private Kelly. + +Noll turned to look at the descending sun. + +"My, I don't believe I've ever been as hungry as I am now," complained +Noll. + +"Nothing doing, Sarge, until the rest of the crowd comes in," grinned +Slosson. + +"Oh, that's easy enough for you fellows to say," grunted Noll. "You two +have been in camp all day, and you had a big, filling, hot meal at noon. +All I had at noon was a hard tack and a half." + +"You could have carried more," insisted Slosson. + +"I had more, but I didn't find water anywhere and hard tack is +abominably dry stuff to get down without help." + +"Go over to the bucket and help yourself to water now, Sarge," suggested +Private Kelly teasingly. + +"I think I will," agreed Noll, turning. + +"Take a lot of it," urged Slosson. "Water, when you get enough of it, is +mighty filling." + +"I'll brain you, if you go on making fun of a hungry man," warned +Sergeant Noll Terry, as he reached for the dipper hanging on a nail +driven into a tree trunk. + +"That would look like losing your temper," retorted Kelly. "Now, what +are you mad with us for, Sarge? Haven't we been in camp all day, working +like Chinamen just so you fellows can have something to eat when you get +back from the day's stroll?" + +"Well, I'm back," argued Noll. + +"And you'll eat, Sarge, when the rest eat." + +"What's in that oven?" queried Noll, pausing before an Army cookstove. + +"Mince pie," remarked Kelly quietly. + +"Oh, you fiend!" growled Sergeant Noll. "To torment a hungry man with +lies like that!" + +"Lies, eh?" roared the soldier. "A Kelly to stand by and have a sergeant +boy tell him his mother raised a family of liars. Ye sassenach, take one +peep--and then may yer stomach cave in before the meal's laid!" + +Kelly cautiously opened the oven door for a brief moment, affording Noll +an instant's glimpse of three browning pies. + +"And there's six more of them hid here," added Kelly tantalizingly. + +"And you have the cruel nerve to tell that to a man dying of +starvation?" demanded Sergeant Noll with heat. "Kelly, it takes me four +seconds to get my overcoat off, and only two seconds to get off the +blouse underneath!" + +"At that rate, how long would it take you to undress altogether?" +demanded Kelly indifferently. "For the last five minutes I've had my +eyes on ye. I've been thinking how fine ye'd look in grave clothes." + +"I don't have to take off many clothes, Kelly, to be down to fighting +trim enough to thrash you!" + +"I wouldn't take advantage of ye," protested Kelly generously. "Sure it +would be no victory for a Kelly to whip a dying man." + +"What's the fight about, men?" inquired a jolly voice. + +Lieutenant Prescott had entered camp unnoticed. Instantly the soldiers +straightened up, raising their hands to their caps in salute. Mr. +Prescott returned their salutes. On first meeting the officer in the +morning the men saluted him, then again when he returned from the day's +hunt. For the rest of the time, at Lieutenant Prescott's own request, +they treated him like one of themselves. + +"This sassenach is threatening to murder me, Lieutenant," complained +Kelly, "just because I showed him a pie and wouldn't let him eat it on +the spot." + +"That would be enough to make me commit murder, too, if I weren't a +guest here," replied the lieutenant gravely, as he reached down the +dipper and helped himself to a drink from the water bucket. "How many +pies have you there?" + +"Nine, sir, when the three in the oven come out." + +"What kind?" + +"Mince." + +"Um-um-um!" quoth the officer. + +"The sun's going so low now, Kelly, that I'm minded to let you live +another day," broke in Sergeant Noll. + +"Aw, that's just because there's company present," growled Kelly, with a +side glance at the lieutenant. + +"Supper ready?" hailed a distant voice. + +"Will be, when you come in and fetch the wood to cook with," Slosson +hailed back through his hands. + +A growl of desperation came from the party headed by Corporal Hyman. +Then in they tramped, but they carried only their rifles. + +"What have ye been doing the long day?" demanded Kelly, with a keen look +at the party. + +"Getting up an appetite for supper," retorted Corporal Hyman. + +"But the game?" + +"'Twas so heavy we gave up carrying it," grinned Corporal Hyman. + +"The boys back in barracks have had their mouths watering for game for +days," grunted Slosson. "How'll we ever break the news to 'em?" + +The soldiers shook their heads blankly. + +"Want a suggestion as to the gentlest way of breaking the news back +home, Slosson?" inquired Lieutenant Prescott. + +"We'd surely be grateful for it, sir," answered Slosson. + +"Then we'll coax Sergeant Overton to wire back requesting full rations +for seventeen days for seventeen men." + +"It'd be a bad trick, sir." + +"How so?" + +"The post commissary sergeant would be that mad he'd poison the grub, +sir, before shipping it." + +"I believe he would," agreed Mr. Prescott thoughtfully. "For the men +back in barracks are looking for at least four tons of game food." + +Bang! Bang! + +"Hello! What's that?" cried Noll, starting up and listening. + +"Queer question for a soldier to be askin'," mocked Private Kelly. + +Bang-bang-bang! + +"Wirra, but that feller can't stop to take breath between his shooting," +remarked Private Kelly. + +"Those shots," declared Lieutenant Prescott, "sound out in the +direction where I left Sergeant Overton." + +"He's struck something," declared Noll gleefully. + +"Some of us had better go out there," hinted Lieutenant Prescott, rising +from the campstool that he had brought out from his tent. "Either the +sergeant is in trouble, or else he's bagging a wagonload of game." + +"Bang-bang!" sounded the distant rifle. + +"He's moving, anyway, whoever he is," declared Sergeant Noll. + +"Hello, there!" + +"'Lo yerselves!" yelled back Kelly. + +Another group of men came, and right after them the remainder of the +hunters save one. + +Bang-bang! + +"Now we know it's Sergeant Overton out there," announced Lieutenant +Prescott. Then he turned to Noll. + +"Sergeant Terry, you're in charge. What are you going to do about it?" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BIG GAME AND A NIGHT IN CAMP + + +"IT'S a bad time to follow through the woods," remarked Corporal Cotter. +"There goes the sun behind the tops." + +"It'll be dark within five or six minutes more," said Noll. "If Hal +Overton is running about in the woods, I think the best thing to do will +be to run two lanterns up to the tree top, so that Overton can locate +the camp. Then, if he's in any further difficulty, he'll fire the rifle +signal. What do you think, lieutenant?" + +"Nothing," replied Mr. Prescott promptly. "You're in temporary command +here, Sergeant Terry." + +"Run up the camp lights, Johnson," Noll directed. + +These lights, a red and a green one, were quickly run up on halyards to +almost the top of a tall fir tree. + +It was quickly dark, but camp now waited to learn the meaning of so many +shots. + +"Hey, there's Dinkelspiel's Comet let loose in the sky!" announced +Private Johnson. + +"Wrong! It's Overton waving a torch from a tree top," returned Noll, +studying the flame sweeps of the distant torch that waved. "Johnson get +hold of the halyards and raise and lower the lanterns two or three times +to let Sergeant Overton know that we see his signal." + +The distant signalman now began waving his torch from right to left, +following the regular code. + +"Send--here--all--men--can--spare," read Sergeant Terry, +following the torch's movements with his eyes. +"Will--signal--time--to--time--till--men--arrive. Overton." + +"He must be in trouble," cried Hyman. + +"No; he's struck game," retorted Noll. "Johnson, raise and lower the +lanterns three times to show Sergeant Overton that his signal has been +read. Now, then, we'll all get out there on a hike--a fast hike. But +we'll have to leave some one here who can read further signals. +Lieutenant, do you mind, sir, watching further signals?" + +"Why, yes," agreed young Mr. Prescott, laughing, "if you feel that I'll +be of no use on the hike. But if you asked me what I'd like, I'd rather +go with you." + +"Very good, sir. Corporal Hyman, you will remain here and watch for +further signals. Kelly and Slosson, of course, will stay by the supper. +The rest--forward!" + +"Guns, Sergeant?" called one of the men. + +"Two of you bring rifles, in case of trouble. The rest had better be +unencumbered. Forward." + +Having located his bunkie's direction, Noll had little difficulty in +finding the way. Most of the time they were within sight of the torch +that moved from time to time. + +"Hel-lo, bun-kie!" hailed Noll when the party was within an eighth of a +mile of the tree. + +"Hello! Glad you're here." + +From the subsequent movements of the torch the approaching party knew +that Overton was going down the tree. Then they saw him coming over the +ground. + +"What's up?" hailed Noll. + +"Nothing. I've just come down," retorted Sergeant Hal. + +"What have you been doing?" + +"Killing game," replied Sergeant Overton, as he headed toward them. + +"What kind?" + +"How much?" + +"All you'll want to lug back," chuckled Sergeant Hal gleefully. "Come +on, now, and I'll show you. You see," Sergeant Hal continued, as the +party joined him, "I got a sight at a fine antelope buck to windward and +only four hundred yards away. I brought him down the first shot." + +"Oh, come now, Sarge!" teased Private Johnson. + +"I fired two shots, but the first toppled him," insisted Hal. "Come, +look here." + +Hal Overton halted under the trees, pointing with his torch. + +It was certainly a fine, sleek, heavy buck to which Hal pointed. + +"But you didn't need all of us to carry it in, did you?" demanded one of +the men. + +"Not exactly," laughed Hal happily. "Swing on to the buck, a couple of +you, and come along. I'll tell you the rest. Just after I fired the +second shot I heard a growl close to me. Less than a hundred yards away +I heard a sound of paws moving toward me. Then I saw him. There he is." + +Sergeant Overton's torch now lit up the carcass of a dead brown bear, +one of the biggest that any of them had ever seen. + +"And right behind him," went on Hal, "was Mrs. Bruin. I can tell you, my +nerve was beginning to ooze. But I fired--and here's the lady bear." + +Sergeant Hal led his soldier friends to the second bear carcass. + +"But it wasn't more than a second or two later," laughed Hal, though +some of the soldiers now noticed the quiver in his voice, "that I began +to think some one had locked me in with a menagerie and turned the key +loose. Just beyond were a he-bear and two more females, and they were +plainly some mad and headed toward me." + +"Whew!" whistled Lieutenant Prescott. "What did you do?" + +"Shook with the buck fever," admitted the boyish sergeant, with a laugh. +"I'm not joking, either. I didn't expect to get back to camp alive, for +it was growing dark in here under the trees, and I knew I couldn't +depend on my shooting. I'm almost afraid I closed my eyes as I fired and +kept firing. But, anyway----" + +Hal stopped, holding his torch so as to show the carcass of another male +bear. Not many yards away lay two females. + +"An antelope and five bears!" gasped Lieutenant Prescott. "Sergeant +Overton, you've qualified for the sharpshooter class in two minutes!" + +"I don't claim any credit for the last three bears," insisted Hal. "I +simply don't know how I hit 'em. It wasn't marksmanship, anyway." + +"Nonsense!" spoke Prescott almost sharply. "It was clever shooting and +uncommonly brave work." + +"Brave, sir?" retorted Hal, laughingly. "Lieutenant, do you note how my +teeth are still chattering? I'm shaking all over, still, for that +matter." + +"Talk until morning light comes, and you can't throw any discredit +either on your shooting or your nerve, Sergeant Overton. If you won't +take a young officer's word for it," answered Mr. Prescott, "then ask +any of the old, buck doughboys in this outfit." + +"It's a job an old hunter'd brag about," glowed one of the soldiers. + +Forgetting, for the time, their hunger, the men wandered from one +carcass to another, examining them to see where the hits had been made. + +"If you men are not going to get together soon, to pick up these +animals, I'll have to tote 'em all myself," Prescott reminded them. +"Terry, will you swing on under this bear with me?" + +The two managed to raise it. + +"Here, Lieutenant, that's not for you to do," remonstrated Sergeant +Overton. "Let me take hold of your end." + +"I'm not a weakling, thank you," retorted Mr. Prescott. "I'll do my +share, and I recommend you to proclaim that any man who doesn't do his +share doesn't eat to-night. But as for you, Sergeant Overton, I shall +have a bad opinion of this outfit if they let you carry anything more +than your rifle back to camp this night." + +And that motion was carried unanimously. Sergeant Hal was forced to go +ahead as guide, while the others, the lieutenant included, buckled +manfully to their burdens. + +Not infrequently they had to halt and rest, for the carcasses were +fearfully heavy, even for men as toughened as regulars. + +Yet, finally, they did manage to get Hal's prizes back to camp. + +"Another day or two like this, and we needn't be ashamed to face the men +back at Clowdry," observed Lieutenant Prescott complacently. "Six bears +and a buck antelope in one day is no fool work, even if one man did do +it all." + +"But you killed the bear this morning, sir," urged Sergeant Hal. + +"Yes, Sergeant; after you had fired the first shot and had crippled the +beast so that it couldn't get away from me." + +Not even to gloat over the big haul of game, however, could the men wait +any longer for their long-deferred evening meal. + +There was a general washup, after which the entire party went to table. + +Lieutenant Prescott permitted one concession to his rank. He sat at +table with the enlisted men, but he had one end of the board all to +himself. + +Two ruddy campfires now shed their glow over the table. It was a rough +scene, but one full of the sheer joy of outdoor, manly life. + +"I hope, Kelly, that the long wait hasn't encouraged to-night's bear +meat to dry up in the pans," remarked the lieutenant pleasantly. + +"No fear o' that, sir," replied the soldier cook. "Instead, the meat had +simmered so long in its own juices that a thin pewter fork would pick it +to pieces." + +"How much meat is there?" asked Private Johnson, whereat all the men +laughed as happily as schoolboys on a picnic. + +"Never ye fear, glutton," retorted Kelly. "There's more meat than any +seventeen giants in the fairy tales could ever eat at one sitting." + +And then on it came--great hunks of roast bear meat, flanked with +browned potatoes and gravy; flaky biscuits, huge pats of butter, bowls +heaped with canned vegetables. Pots of steaming coffee passed up and +down the table. + +Hunters in the wilds get back close to nature, and have the appetites of +savages. These men around the camp table ate, every man of them, twice +as much as he could have eaten back at company mess at Fort Clowdry. + +Then, to top it all, came more coffee and mince pie in abundance. Nor +did these hardy hunters, after climbing the mountain trails all day, +fear the nightmare. Their stomachs were fitted to digest anything +edible! + +It was over at last, and pipes came out here and there, though not all +of the soldiers smoked. + +Hal Overton was one of those who did not smoke. He had brought out his +rubber poncho and a blanket, and had placed these on the frosty ground +at some distance from one of the campfires. + +"You are looking rather thoughtful, Sergeant," observed Lieutenant +Prescott, strolling over to Overton. "I hope I am not interrupting any +train of thought." + +"No, sir." + +"May I sit down beside you?" + +"Certainly, sir." + +Sergeant Hal moved over, making plenty of room on his blanket. Officer +and non-com. stretched themselves out comfortably, each resting on one +elbow. + +"Nevertheless, Sergeant," continued Mr. Prescott, "you were thinking of +something very particular when I came along." + +"I was just thinking, sir, how jolly this life is, and for that matter, +how jolly everything connected with the Army is. I was wondering why so +many young fellows let their earlier manhood slip by without finding +out what an ideal place the Army is." + +"But what is especially jolly just now, Sergeant," replied the +lieutenant, "is the hunting. Now, men don't have to enter the Army in +order to have all the hunting they want." + +"But we're drawing our pay while here," returned Overton. "And we are +having our expenses paid, too. The man in civil life doesn't get that. +If he hunts, he must do it at his own expense. Then there's another +point, sir. In the case of the average hunting party of men from civil +life it must be hard to find a lot of really good fellows, who'll keep +their good nature all through the hardships of camping. For instance, +where, in civil life, could you get together seventeen fellows, all of +them as fine fellows and as agreeable as we have here? But I beg the +lieutenant's pardon. I didn't intend to include him as one of the crowd, +for the rest are all enlisted men." + +"I want to be considered one of the crowd," replied the young officer +simply. + +"But you're not an enlisted man, sir." + +"No; but I've cast my lot with the Army for life, and so, I trust, have +most of you enlisted men. Therefore we all belong together, though not +all can be officers. For that matter, I imagine there are a good many +men in the ranks of our battalion who wouldn't care to be officers. +Many soldiers are of a happy-go-lucky type, and wouldn't care to burden +themselves with an officer's responsibilities. Yet I certainly want to +be, as far as good discipline will permit, one of the crowd along with +all good, staunch and loyal soldiers, whatever their grades of rank may +be." + +This was seeing the commissioned officer of Uncle Sam's Army in a +somewhat different light, even to one as keen and observing as Hal +Overton. + +In garrison life it is very seldom that the enlisted man gets a real +glimpse of the "man side" of the officer. The requirements of military +discipline are such that officers and enlisted men do not often mingle +on any terms of equality. This fact, as far as the American Army goes, +is based on the military experience of ages that, when officers and men +mingle on terms of too much equality, discipline suffers sadly. It is +this intimacy of officers and men that keeps many National Guard +organizations from reaching greater efficiency. + +Men have served through a whole term of enlistment in the regular Army +without realizing how friendly a really good and capable officer always +feels toward the really good enlisted men under his command. The captain +of a company, is, in effect, the father of his company, and his time +must be spent largely in looking after the actual welfare and happiness +of his men. In this work the captain's lieutenants are his assistants. + +Soon the night grew much colder in this high altitude. Now the wood was +heaped on one fire, and around this blazing pile soldiers sat or +stretched themselves on blankets and ponchos. It is at such a time that +the soldier's yarns crop up. Story after story of the military life was +told. All in good time Lieutenant Prescott contributed his share, from +anecdotes of the old days at West Point. + +Then it became so late that Sergeant Hal announced that Johnson and +Dietz would have the camp detail for the day following. This meant, +also, that Johnson and Dietz would therefore divide between them the +duty of watching over the camp through the night. + +It was Johnson who took the first trick of the watch, while the others +turned in in their tents. + +Holding his rifle across his knees, mainly as a matter of form, Johnson +sat down by the campfire, while his drowsy comrades turned in in their +tents and slept the sleep of the strong in that clear, crisp Colorado +air. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HOLDING UP A CAMP GUARD + + +HALF an hour before daylight was due everyone in the camp was stirring. + +The two new cooks for the day had their work cut out for them. Other +soldiers busied themselves with hauling wood and water. + +Then, too, the four horses belonging to the transport wagons had to be +curried, watered and fed. + +By the time these first duties were out of the way broad daylight had +come and breakfast was ready. + +The meal over "police," or cleaning up, was performed as carefully as in +barracks. + +The hunters were now ready to set out, for, in the meantime, the +antelope and bears killed the afternoon before had been skinned and the +meat hung up in the dry, cool air. + +"Anybody in this outfit been wearing moccasins?" queried Corporal Hyman, +strolling back into camp. + +No one admitted it. + +"Then we've been having visitors in the night," continued Hyman. "No +less than four of them, either, for the prints are right under that +tree over there, and they lead down to the trail." + +"Moccasins? Indians, then?" thrilled Private William Green, who was one +of the hunting party. + +"Sorry to spoil your dream of glory in an Indian fight, Green," laughed +the lieutenant, "but the last Indian in these parts died years ago." + +"But what can the moccasins mean?" pondered Sergeant Hal aloud. "If +there have been visitors about, and honest ones, they would naturally +let themselves be announced. Dietz, you had the last trick of watch?" + +"Yes, Sergeant." + +"Did you see or hear any prowlers?" + +"Nary one, Sergeant." + +"Corporal Hyman, take me over to the moccasin prints. Lieutenant, do you +mind taking a look at them, too, sir?" + +Mr. Prescott stepped over in the wake of Hyman and Overton. + +"There are the prints," declared the corporal, pointing. "On account of +the hard ground they're not very distinct, but there were four of the +fellows." + +"More likely five," supplemented Lieutenant Prescott, pointing to still +another set of footmarks. + +"Here are other prints over here," called Sergeant Overton. "Aren't +these still a different set?" + +"Yes," agreed both the lieutenant and Corporal Hyman. + +"Then there were at least six men prowling about here while we slept in +the night," concluded Hal. + +"And here is one of the trails," called the lieutenant, "leading toward +camp." + +"Suppose we follow the trail?" suggested the young sergeant. + +They did so, halting at the end of the trail. + +"From here I can see where the stool of the guard rested near the fire," +continued Overton. "From that it would seem fair to conclude that one of +the prowlers got this far, found our guard awake, and then retired." + +"It would be interesting to know who our visitors were," nodded +Lieutenant Prescott. + +"I've changed my mind about going hunting to-day," went on Sergeant Hal. +"While the rest of you are out after game I am going to remain right +here." + +"The camp is guarded by two reliable men," remarked Mr. Prescott. + +"True enough, sir, but they're not real guards, for both will have their +hands full with camp housework," objected the boyish sergeant. "They +can't do real guard duty, or else we'd all have to turn to get the +evening meal in a rush. So I've decided to remain behind to-day." + +"And, on the whole, I think you're wise to do it, Sergeant," approved +the lieutenant. + +So, while the main party hied itself away soon after, Hal Overton +remained behind with the two camp duty men. + +Having a couple of good books in his tent, Sergeant Hal donned his olive +tan Army overcoat, spread a poncho and a pair of blankets on the ground +and lay down to read. + +But his rifle and ammunition belt rested beside him. + +The morning passed without any event, other than two or three times +Sergeant Overton paused long enough in his reading to do some brief +scouting past the camp. + +Nothing came of it, however. At noon Hal ate with Dietz and Johnson. + +"The chuck is better back in camp," laughed the young sergeant. "But +I've heard a gun half a dozen times this morning, and each time I've +been curious to know how the hunting luck is running." + +"Nobody will beat the haul you made yesterday, Sarge," offered Private +Dietz. + +"Oh, I'd like to see several of the fellows beat it," rejoined Overton. +"I certainly hope to see both wagons go back loaded to the top with +game. I don't want to have the only military command I ever enjoyed +being the head of go back stumped." + +"We're not stumped, with five bear carcasses," hinted Private Johnson. + +"Those carcasses might afford two meat meals to the garrison," +speculated Sergeant Overton. "But what we want to do is to take back so +much game flesh that no man in Fort Clowdry will want to hear game meat +mentioned again before next spring." + +"Huh! By that time the old Thirty-fourth will probably be in the +Philippines," retorted Dietz, forking eight ounces more of wood-broiled +bear steak to his tin plate. + +"I wonder!" cried Hal, his eyes blazing with eagerness. + +"Crazy to get out to the islands, Sarge?" + +"Humph! I put in three years there with the Thirty-fourth," grunted +Dietz. "I'll never kick at a transfer to another regiment whenever the +regiment I'm in gets the islands route." + +"What have you against the Philippines?" Hal wanted to know. + +"Well, Sarge, don't you enjoy this cool, crisp, bracing air up here in +the hills?" + +"Certainly. Who wouldn't? This air is bracing--life-giving." + +"Nothing like it in the Philippines," answered Dietz. "It's hot +there--hot, you understand." + +"Yet I've been told that a soldier always needs his blankets there at +night," objected Hal. + +"Yes; if you have to sleep outdoors, then you need your full uniform on, +including shoes and leggings, and you wrap yourself up tight in your +blanket. But that isn't to keep warm; it's to keep the mosquitoes from +eating you alive. So, after you get done up in your blanket, you put a +collapsible mosquito net over your head to protect your face and neck. +Then there's a trick you have to learn of wrapping your hands in under +your blanket in such a way that the skeeters can't follow inside. After +you've been in the islands a few weeks you learn how to do yourself up +so that the skeeters can't get at your flesh." + +"Then that ought to be all right," smiled Hal hopefully. + +"Yes; but you never heard a Filipino skeeter holler when he's mad. When +they find they can't get at you then about four thousand settle on your +net and blanket and sing all night. You've got to be fagged out before +you can sleep over the racket those little pests make." + +"I guess the whole trick can be learned," predicted Overton. + +"The night trick can be learned after a while," agreed Dietz. "But, in +the daytime, there's nothing that can be done to protect you. You simply +have to suffer. Then the hot days! Why, Sarge, I've marched north up the +tracks of the Manila & Dagupan railroad, carrying fifty pounds of +weight, on days when the sun sure beat down on us at the rate of a +hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit." + +"Yet you're alive, now," observed Overton. + +"Oh, yes; just as it happens." + +"But surely there's some marching in the shade, too?" + +"Oh, yes; sometimes you spend the whole day, everyday for a fortnight, +hiking through the dense jungles after a gang of bolomen or Moros or +ladrones. Shade enough there in the jungle, but it has a Turkish bath +beaten to a plum finish. You drip, drip, drip with perspiration, until +you'd give a week's pay to be out in the sun for ten minutes with a +chance to get dried off." + +"I'm going to like it, just the same," retorted Hal. "I know I am. And, +if the natives put up any real trouble for us, then we'll see some +actual service. That's what a very young soldier always aches for, you +know, Dietz." + +"Yes, and it's sure fun fighting those brown-skinned little Filipino +goo-goos," grunted the older soldier. "First they fire on you, and then +you and your comrades lie down and fire back. After you've had a few men +hit the order comes to charge. Then you all rise and rush forward, +cheering like the Fourth of July. You have to go through some tall grass +on the way, and, first thing you know, a parcel of hidden bolo men jump +up right in front of you. They use their bolos--heavy knives--to slit +you open at the belt line. Ugh! I'd sooner fight five men with guns than +step on one of those bolo men in the jungle!" + +"Just the same," voiced the young sergeant, "the sooner the +Thirty-fourth is ordered to the island the better I'll like it. I'm wild +to see some of the high foreign spots." + +"Wish I could give you all the chances that are coming to me in my +service in the Army," grunted Private Dietz, as he rose from the table. + +The afternoon was one of harder work for the two camp duty men. Hal +tried to read again, but found his thoughts too frequently wandering to +the Philippines. + +The afternoon waxed late, at last, though still there was no sign of the +hunters. Once in a while a gun had been heard at some distance, and that +was all. + +All the time Sergeant Hal had trailed his rifle about camp with him. +Now, tiring of reading, he went to his tent, standing his rifle against +the front tent pole. + +Hearing a swift step the young sergeant reached the tent flap in time to +see a roughly-dressed, moccasined white man running away with Hal's Army +rifle. + +Then, in the same instant, he heard a voice call: + +"Throw your hands up there, man!" + +"Holding me up with my own gun, are you?" raged Private Dietz. + +"Yes; and we've got the other chap's lead-piece, too. Up with your +hands, both of you." + +Hal dropped back behind the flap of his tent, peering out through a +little crack in the canvas. + +There were now seven men outside, all strangers, all rough-looking and +all moccasined. + +Between them they had the three rifles belonging in camp that day. + +"Bring out that other fellow, the kid sergeant," commanded the same +voice, after Dietz and Johnson, hopelessly surprised, had hoisted their +hands skyward. + +"Humph!" growled Sergeant Hal, his eyes snapping. "I don't like the idea +of surrendering the camp that I command!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +WHEN THE LAST CARTRIDGE WAS GONE + + +WHATEVER was to be done would have to be done in a very few seconds. + +For one of the rifle-armed strangers had started briskly for the tent +that concealed the boyish sergeant. + +"Whatever happens, he isn't going to get me alive, if I can help it!" +quivered young Overton. "I'd sooner be killed at once than disgrace my +chevrons." + +Two swift steps backward, and Sergeant Hal caught up his revolver. + +With this in his right hand, and stepping panther-like, he returned to +the fallen tent flap. + +The approaching man with the rifle bent forward, sweeping the tent flap +aside. + +"Come out, Sarge!" he ordered. + +"If I have to," retorted Hal, setting his teeth. + +Grasping the revolver by the barrel end, he sprang through, before the +other fellow could comprehend what was happening. + +"Look out, there!" yelled one of the invaders, coming up behind the man +with the rifle. + +It was too late. + +Crack! It was a fearful blow, the butt of the heavy Army revolver +landing on the fellow's jaw and fracturing it. + +"O-o-o-h!" + +It was a wail of fearful agony, but under the circumstances Sergeant +Overton could not afford to regret it. + +The stricken man staggered back. + +Hal poised for a bound, intending to snatch the rifle from him. + +As the fellow dropped back, however, his companion coming up behind him +was in time to snatch the rifle, turning the muzzle on Overton. + +There being not a second to lose, and the fight unequal, Hal darted, +instead, back to his tent pole. + +There hung a mirror that he had used in shaving. + +It took but an instant to get this. Then Hal raced for a tree thirty +feet away. + +Dropping the small mirror into a pocket, Overton started to climb the +tree. + +"Come down out of that tree, or we'll bring you down!" roared an ugly +voice. + +"You'll have to drop me, then, if you want me," taunted Hal coolly. + +He was a dozen feet up the trunk by the time that the man who now held +that rifle gained the base of the tree. + +"Coming down, you----?" called the ruffian with an oath. + +"No," responded Hal. "Coming up?" + +"Come down, I tell you!" + +"Some mistake," sneered Hal, still climbing. "I'm headed for the roof." + +Below him he heard a threatening click as the bolt of the rifle was +thrown back. + +"Hey! Don't shoot the kid--yet," ordered another voice. "He'll come down +when he sees what we can do to him. He hasn't any show." + +So the fellow under the tree went back to join his six companions. + +Dietz and Johnson were still holding up their hands. This fact was no +reflection on their courage. They were trained fighting men, and had +sense enough to realize when the enemy had "the drop" on them. + +"You two soldiers," ordered the leader of the ruffians, "lie down on +your faces and hold your hands behind your backs for tying." + +Neither soldier, however, stirred as yet. + +"You heard that, Sergeant?" called Dietz dryly. + +"Yes," admitted Hal. + +"What shall we do?" + +"You fellows get down on your faces--flop!" broke in the leader of the +ruffians. "That's what you'll do!" + +"Will you be kind enough to shut up?" retorted Private Dietz coolly. +"We're taking our orders from the sergeant." + +"Let him come down here and give the orders, then," jeered the leader of +the invaders. + +"You'd better give in, Dietz and Johnson," order Sergeant Hal. "You +can't do anything and I don't want to see you killed." + +"That's your order, then, is it, sergeant?" inquired Private Johnson. + +"Yes; it can't be helped." + +Dietz and Johnson, therefore, lay down as directed. Some of the +scoundrels who were not armed busied themselves with tying the soldiers, +and this work the miscreants did with a thoroughness that spoke +eloquently of practice. + +But the diversion gave Hal a chance to do something that had popped into +his head at the instant when he had stepped back for the mirror. + +The sun was still sufficiently high for him to catch the rays strongly +on his small mirror. + +Now, in the Army signaling work, one branch has to do with +heliographing; that is, flashing a message by means of reflected rays of +the sun's light. + +Swiftly enough the young sergeant caught the flash, and found to his +delight that he was able to throw a fairly long flash. + +"Camp in hands of ruffians. Help quick!" + +[Illustration: The Mirror Was Shot From Hal's Hand.] + +Despite his tremendous excitement, Sergeant Overton endeavored to steady +his right hand enough to enable him to send the message quite clearly. + +Again and again he flashed the message, until one of the invaders, +glancing up at the tree top, caught sight of the work that was going on. + +"That kid's trying to send word to some one," guessed the leader. "Here, +cub, hand me that rifle." + +Crack! + +Smash! + +It was a true shot, though how much of it was due to luck Sergeant Hal +could not surmise. + +But the glass was shot from his hand, the splintered bits falling to the +ground. + +"Next shot for you, kid!" warned the marksman below. + +"Yes?" mocked Overton. + +"Surest thing in the world? Coming down, or shall I bring you down?" + +Crack! + +Hal drew his own weapon up, firing as the sight passed the human target. + +It was a close shot, the revolver bullet carrying away the fellow's +cloth cap. + +"I'm firing too high," spoke Hal as composedly as though he did not feel +any excitement. "I'll fire for your belt line after this." + +That was too much for the ruffian's composure. He turned, running in a +zig-zag line. + +So Hal held his fire, awaiting results for a moment. As he waited he +felt for his revolver ammunition. + +Then he made a sickening discovery. He had no revolver ammunition beyond +the five cartridges remaining in the cylinder of his weapon. + +As for the invaders, they had more than three hundred rounds of rifle +ammunition now at their disposal. + +And they had fled to cover, too, but now Sergeant Overton had the +uncomfortable conviction that three rifles were trained on him. + +"Now, come down out of that tree on the double quick!" commanded the +leader of the invaders. + +"My coming will suit myself only," boasted Hal in a tone conveying ten +times the confidence that he felt. + +"That shot of yours may start help this way," continued the leader +threateningly. "We ain't going to take any chances. Start on the second, +or we'll begin shooting, and keep it up until we tumble you out of that +tree." + +"You may fire whenever ready," mocked Hal. "Every shot you fire will be +a signal that will make my friends come faster." + +Bang! It was the leader himself who fired. The bullet clipped off a +leaf within an inch of Sergeant Overton's ear. + +Crack! The boyish young sergeant was all there with the grit. He fired +straight back at the leader, the bullet striking the rock before the +other's face. + +Now two more shots clipped close to the young soldier. Hal answered with +one. + +But he tried to steady himself. He realized that he had but three +fighting shots left, and that he must make them count. + +"But maybe three are enough to last me as long as I'm going to live, +anyway," reflected Sergeant Overton grimly. + +There was not much comfort in that thought, but Hal drew himself around +more behind the tree trunk in order to shield himself as much as +possible, although the tree trunk would be no real protection from +bullets. + +The Army bullet, at an ordinary range, will pierce three solid feet of +standing oak. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE EIGHTH MOCCASIN APPEARS + + +"GIVE it up?" queried the leader. + +"I answered you before on that head," retorted Sergeant Overton. + +"Don't be a fool, kid. We don't want to hurt you. All we want is that +revolver." + +"I don't want to give it up," rejoined Hal. + +"You'd better!" + +"It isn't mine to give, anyway. It belongs to the United States +Government." + +"Uncle Sam will never see that revolver again," declared the leader of +the invaders, with profane emphasis. "And you'll never see your friends +again if you don't hit it fast for the ground." + +"I'm here until further orders." + +"You've got your orders!" + +"I don't take any orders from you," retorted Hal with fine scorn. + +"Open up on the fool, boys--all together!" + +Three spurts of flame jetted out from the cover that the ruffians had +taken. + +Hal steadied his arm by resting it across a branch before him, and fired +back, his aim, as before, at the leader. + +He had the satisfaction of seeing that rascal's head duck below cover. + +Though he could not know it then, Overton had clipped a lock of hair +from the fellow's hatless head. + +Another volley, which Hal answered with another shot. + +"What do you fellows want with guns if you can't shoot better!" hailed +Overton derisively. + +He didn't want them to shoot any better, but he was trying to anger them +and thus make their shooting wilder. + +"It won't take us more than half a minute more to get you," flung back +the leader. + +Now that fellow raised himself, exposing himself more, but getting a +solid left-hand rest for his rifle. + +Hal could see and feel that the rifle was pointed fairly at him. + +On the instinct of the moment the young sergeant fired. And he would +have scored, had he not seen the other two riflemen leaving their cover +also to get a better aim. That realization spoiled his shot. + +"Gracious! That was my last cartridge, too!" groaned the young sergeant +inwardly. + +The realization made him feel creepy. It is one thing to fight bravely, +when one has the fighting tools and a knowledge of their use. But it is +quite another thing to face the certainty of being helpless with so many +armed foes bent on one's destruction. + +None the less, summoning up all his courage, Hal broke the revolver at +the breech, allowing the ejector to shed the empty shells on the ground +underneath. + +With lightning motions Hal went through the sham of filling his cylinder +with fresh cartridges. + +"No use, little man! No use at all. If you had any more cartridges you'd +get me now--but you can't. Come on, boys! We'll go under the tree and +smoke him out!" + +As he spoke, the leader moved boldly from cover, exposing the whole +length of his body. + +It would have made a splendid mark for as expert a shot as Sergeant Hal +Overton. The soldier boy did raise his revolver, as though to shoot, but +the leader, coolly confident, continued to come forward. + +Of course Hal could not shoot, and the rest seeing that, also came out +from cover. + +Chuckling, all but the one whose jaw Hal had injured, the wretches moved +forward, halting just under the tree. + +"Coming down now?" demanded the leader, directing the muzzle of his +stolen rifle up the tree. + +"I don't know," mimicked Hal. + +"Ever hear what the treed 'coon said to Davy Crockett?" inquired the +scoundrel facetiously. + +"If it's a chestnut I'll stand hearing it again," proposed the young +sergeant. + +"Well, friend, when the raccoon saw Davy pointing his gun upward, he +called down: 'Don't shoot, Davy! I'll come down.'" + +"Great!" mocked young Overton. + +"Are you going to do like the 'coon?" + +Hal's answer was to raise his right hand suddenly and hurling his now +useless revolver. + +There was no time to dodge. One of the riflemen below received the +impact of the descending weapon squarely on top of his head and he +keeled over, falling into a bush. + +"You said all you wanted was my revolver," announced Sergeant Hal. +"Well, you have it. Now on your way with it." + +The dropped revolver had been picked up by another of the crowd, and now +two men raised their guns to shoot Hal Overton out of the tree. + +But their leader struck down their guns. + +"None of that, unless we have to," he commanded. "The sergeant's a game +one, and he's not to blame for trying to defend his camp. He can't do +any more harm now, and I won't have him hurt unless he forces us to do +it. Now, then, young man, are you coming down out of that tree?" + +"Why?" challenged Hal. "You said that all you wanted was my revolver. +You have that now, and all the rifles in camp. What do you need of me?" + +"We've got to slip away from here quick," retorted the leader with a +deceptive show of good-nature and fair-mindedness. "But do you think, +Sergeant, we're going to be fools enough to dust out of here and leave +you to come down out of the tree and trail us along, then come back here +for help and bag us all. No, no, young man! We know the regulars, and +we're not going to leave any cards in the hands of the fighting line of +the Army." + +"But it's so comfortable up here," objected Hal. + +"I'm going to give you, Sergeant, until I count three. Then, if you +haven't started, we'll simply have to bring you down like a cantankerous +grizzly. Or, if you start and then stop again, we'll shoot just the +same. We can't afford to waste any more time talking." + +Where had Hal seen this man before? Where and when had he heard that +voice? + +Face and voice both seemed strangely familiar, yet, to save him, Overton +could not place the fellow at that moment. + +"One!" counted the leader, and Hal saw three rifle muzzles pointed at +him. + +"Two!" + +"All right! I'm the 'coon. Be with you in a minute, Davy Crockett," +laughed Sergeant Hal Overton. + +It was hard luck, but the soldier boy felt that he had made all the +fight that could be expected of any one. There seemed no sense in being +killed for sheer stubbornness, now that he had not a ghost of a chance +of fighting back. + +Having once started groundward, Overton continued to descend rapidly. + +As he reached the last limb on his descent he took a swift slide and +landed among his captors. + +"Good boy," mimicked the leader of the invaders. "Now continue to be +sensible. Just lie down on your face and put your hands behind your back +the way your two men did. Nothing happened to them and nothing worse +will happen to you." + +The wretch's words were smooth and oily. To Hal it really looked as +though this fellow respected gameness enough not to take it out on a +defenseless enemy. + +So Hal lay face downward and gave up his hands for binding. + +Wrap! wrap! He felt the cord passing swiftly around his wrists, and then +an extra turn was taken around his ankles. + +"Your name's Overton, isn't it?" asked the leader with a wicked grin on +his face. + +"Yes." + +"Then you're the man we want." + +"From the way you acted I judged that you wanted me," mocked Hal dryly. + +"Yes; but we wanted you for more than general reasons. In fact, we want +you, most of all, for purely personal reasons. Or, at least, one of our +fellows does. Here he comes." + +An eighth man of the wretched crew now came swiftly forward from the +hiding that he had kept from the first. + +As he came he chuckled maliciously, and Hal Overton knew that sinister +laugh. + +Then the fellow halted, bending over the prostrate, tied young sergeant. + +The face was the face of that evil deserter from the Army--ex-Private +Hinkey! + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE ENEMY HAS HIS INNINGS + + +"I'D much better have stayed up the tree and been shot out of it!" +flashed through Sergeant Hal's startled brain. + +"Howdy!" jeered Hinkey, leering wickedly. "Didn't expect to see me, did +you?" + +"No," Hal admitted frankly. + +"It's my inning now, Overton." + +"It looks like it." + +"And I'm to have my own way with you--you officers' boot-lick!" + +"That's a lie, Hinkey, and you know it!" broke in the deep, indignant +voice of Private Dietz. "Overton's a man, first, last and always. He's +worth a million of your kind." + +"Good!" added Private Johnson valiantly. "And true, too! I never +realized it until to-day, either." + +"Oh, you both hold your tongues," ordered Hinkey, glaring over at the +pair of bound soldiers who lay beyond. "You fellows are no good, either. +No man that'll stay in the Army is any good." + +"I'm glad to know why you left, Hinkey," jeered Dietz. "I've wondered a +lot about that." + +"Oh, have you?" snarled Hinkey. "Nobody but a boot-lick would stay in +the Army, and I don't lick any man's boots, not for the whole Army." + +"Come, hurry up, Hink, and have your grudge satisfied, and come along. +We don't want to be caught by a lot of soldiers. All the shooting we've +done here will be sure to attract the hunters." + +"No it won't," rejoined Hinkey. "We trailed the hunting parties, and +they went out in three squads, in three different directions. Now, any +of the hunters that hear a lot of firing will only think that one of the +other parties has run into a lot of game." + +This was true. Hal Overton hadn't thought of it before in that light. +And, in addition, it was rather unlikely that any of the hunters had +chanced to see his mirror-thrown signals in the short time that had +passed before the glass had been shot from his hands. + +The rascal floored by the revolver which the sergeant had thrown was now +coming to, for one of the crew had been dashing water in his face. + +Not far away sat the man whose jaw Hal had damaged. He was groaning a +bit, despite his efforts to make no fuss. + +"Look at our two mates this sergeant boy has put out of action," +growled Hinkey, trying to inflame his comrades. + +"They were hit in fair fight," replied the leader. "The sergeant kid +doesn't belong to our side, but I don't hold his fighting grit against +him." + +"You'd hold anything and everything against him if you knew him as well +as I do," retorted Hinkey. + +He was still standing over his young victim, gazing down gloatingly at +him. + +"And now the time has come to square matters up with you, younker," went +on Hinkey tauntingly. "It's all my way now." + +Hal looked up at him steadily, but without speaking. The boy knew better +than to say anything foolish that would needlessly anger this brute, who +now held the situation all in his own hands. + +"Well, why don't you talk back, Overton?" demanded Hinkey sneeringly. + +Just the ghost of a smile flickered over Overton's face. + +"Laughing at me, are you?" yelled Hinkey, trying to work himself into a +more brutal rage. + +Hal spoke at last. + +"No," he answered. + +"If you ain't laughing," continued the brute, "what are you doing?" + +"Just thinking how sorry I am for you," Hal flashed back coolly. + +"Sorry?" echoed the fellow bitterly. "You'd better waste your sorrow on +yourself! What are you feeling badly about me for?" + +"I was thinking," went on Hal slowly, and with no trace of taunt in his +voice, "what a sad come-down you have had. You were in the Army, wearing +its uniform, and with every right to look upon yourself as a man. You +could have gone on being trusted. You could have raised yourself. +Instead, you have followed a naturally bad bent and made yourself a +thousand times worse than you ever needed to be. Hinkey, do you wonder +that I'm sorry for you, when I find that you have fallen outside of an +honest man's estate?" + +"Good! Tell him some more, Sarge," came from Dietz. + +"Do you hear that?" raged Hinkey, turning and catching his new leader's +eye. "Do you hear what the boot-lick insinuates about the new crowd I've +joined?" + +"It's your affair--your battle, Hinkey," replied the leader grimly. +"Don't try to drag us in." + +"You're making such a beast of yourself, Hinkey, that even your own gang +don't respect you," taunted Johnson. + +"A crowd of Colorado wild-cats couldn't respect such a fellow," supplied +Dietz. + +With a snarl Hinkey ran over to where Dietz and Johnson lay, giving each +a hard kick. The soldiers suffered the violence in silence. + +"You two mind your own affairs," warned Hinkey savagely. "Don't turn me +against you. I don't want to give either of you as bad a dose as I've +planned for this sergeant boy." + +"Hurry up, Hinkey," warned the leader impatiently. "You're wasting time +that's worth more to us than money. You said that if we'd capture this +boy for you, you'd cart him away on your back, to settle with him later. +Now do it!" + +"All in a minute," promised the deserter. "But, first of all, are you +going to take the other two soldiers with you?" + +"No. We don't need 'em." + +"Then I don't want this fellow Overton to go along with us with his eyes +open. He'd know our whole route if he managed to get away from us, and +then he'd bring the regulars down on us. You don't want that?" + +"Of course not." + +"Then I'll stun this sergeant boy, and I'll do it so hard that he won't +open his eyes in ten miles of traveling," promised Hinkey. + +With that he turned to Hal. + +"Overton, I'm going to hit you, and I'm going to hit you so hard that +you won't even see stars. Close your eyes if you're afraid to see the +blow coming!" + +But Hal merely opened his eyes the wider, smiling back with a confidence +in himself that maddened the brute. + +With a snarl like a panther's Hinkey crouched over the young sergeant, +holding his hand high before striking. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE NAVY HEARD FROM + + +LOOKING up at that hand Hal Overton saw a spot of blood appear suddenly +in the middle of the palm. + +In the same moment there came the sharp crack of a rifle. + +The blow never descended on Overton's upturned face. + +Instead, Hinkey uttered a startled yell, tottered to his feet, then +threw himself over on his face. + +For, following that first shot, came a volley of them, accompanied by +the whistling of bullets through the camp. + +The leader of the invaders pitched and fell, shot through the hip. + +"Take to cover, boys!" roared the stricken leader. "Take my rifle, too. +Defend yourselves. The soldiers are down on us!" + +But Sergeant Hal, after that first moment of joyous surprise, felt a +thrill of astonishment. + +The bullets that were whistling through camp had not the sound of Army +missiles! + +Yet the young sergeant had no time to speculate on this discovery, for +now he heard a voice, and a wholly strange one, shout, as the volley +ceased: + +"You men surrender, if you don't want to be riddled. If you start to +make a move away from camp we'll drop every one of you before any man +can reach cover. We mean business!" + +"Hello! What's going on here? Halt! Deploy, there! Lie down! +Ready--load--aim!" + +That was Noll Terry's voice, and the young sergeant was right on his +word like a flash. + +While the first party was hidden behind cover to the northward, Sergeant +Noll and his men had come up from the westward. + +"We're friends," hailed that same voice from northward. "Who are you +over to the westward? Who commands there?" + +"Sergeant Oliver Terry, United States Army," Noll called back. + +"Good for you, Sergeant! Stay in command. We'll back up any move you +make," came from northward. + +"Do you rascally prowlers surrender?" called Noll. + +"It's about the only thing that seems left to do," sullenly admitted the +leader of the invaders. + +"Then hold up your hands and step away from those rifles," ordered Noll. + +That command was obeyed, except by the man whose head had been battered +by Hal's flying revolver. + +"Have they any other weapons, Hal?" called Sergeant Noll. + +"So far as I know they haven't," Sergeant Hal answered. + +"You to the north!" called Noll. + +"Ahoy, there!" came the good-natured answer. + +"Will you move in, covering the prisoners with your rifles?" + +"Gladly, Sergeant." + +"Thank you." + +Out of brushwood cover to the northward stepped three men. One was a +middle-aged man, a mountaineer if dress and manner went for anything. + +With him, supporting this guide on each side were two tall, very +straight young men who appeared to be about twenty-three years of age +each. These younger men were nattily though plainly attired in corduroy, +with leggings and caps. + +"Just stand right there, and hold the prisoners, please," directed +Sergeant Terry. + +Then Noll's next step was to move in with his own men, four in number. + +"Get the handcuffs," directed Noll. "I think we've enough to go +around." + +So saying Noll stepped over to his chum, quickly freeing him. + +"Get up, Sergeant Overton," cried Noll, as he cut the last cord at his +chum's ankles. "And now I turn the command over to you." + +Most of the prisoners took their capture in an ugly mood. Their leader, +however, affected, coolly, to regard it all as the fortunes of the game. + +"Here don't handcuff any of the disabled men," directed Sergeant Hal. +"Green, you stand as a guard over those wounded. It's bad enough to be +hurt, without having one's hands fixed so that he can't aid himself any +in his misery." + +"You want Hinkey ironed, don't you?" inquired Noll. + +"No." + +"But he's an Army deserter." + +"If he gets away from where he's sitting he'll be only the remains of +one," returned Sergeant Overton dryly. "But Hinkey is wounded, and he'll +need his hands free in order to look after himself." + +Hinkey, however, did not deign to notice this grace by so much as a look +or a word. + +"What are you going to do with these fellows?" asked Noll presently. + +"It doesn't rest with me," Hal replied. "This is a purely military +matter, and I shall wait to get Lieutenant Prescott's orders." + +"Then Prescott belongs with this camp?" queried the taller, +finer-looking of the pair of young strangers who had given Hal his first +aid. + +"Lieutenant Prescott is with this camp; yes, sir," Hal replied, laying +considerable emphasis on the title. + +"We're friends of his," explained the same stranger. "So, if you don't +mind, we'll just wait for him." + +"If you're friends of Lieutenant Prescott, then make yourselves very +much at home, sir," Hal answered cordially. "Any friend of Lieutenant +Prescott has B company for his friends also." + +Johnson and Dietz, who had been freed right after Sergeant Hal, were now +busy once more with preparations for the extra meal. + +"Had we better provide for three extra plates, Sarge?" inquired Johnson, +in a low voice. + +"It looks very much that way," smiled Hal. "And be sure to have a great +plenty of everything. Vreeland will help you, as you've lost some time." + +Ten minutes later the footsteps of others were heard approaching camp. +Then in came Lieutenant Prescott, with Corporal Cotter and five men. +They were carrying two antelope and a fine, big bear. + +But the instant that Lieutenant Prescott caught sight of the strangers +he dropped everything, rushing forward with outstretched hands. + +"By all that's wonderful! Dave Darrin! Dan Dalzell!" + +Then the soldiers were treated to the unexpected spectacle of their +lieutenant embracing the two young men in corduroy. + +Soon after, however, Mr. Prescott wheeled about, one friend on either +side of him. + +"Attention! Men, the gentleman on my right is Midshipman David Darrin, +United States Navy, and the gentleman on my left, Midshipman Daniel +Dalzell, also of the Navy. They are to be treated with all the respect +and courtesy due to their rank." + +Readers of the "HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' SERIES" and of the "ANNAPOLIS SERIES" +will recall these two splendid young Naval officers, first as High +School athletes, and later among the most famous of the midshipmen at +the United States Naval Academy. + +"But how on earth did a lucky wind come up to blow you out this way?" +asked Lieutenant Prescott. + +"Good fortune ruled it that we should be assigned to duty on the China +station," replied Midshipman Darrin. "So we're journeying across the +continent to San Francisco, on our way. But our orders allowed us time +enough to stop over a fortnight on the way. Dick, did you imagine we'd +go through Colorado without stopping to see you?" + +"Of course not," glowed Lieutenant Prescott. "When did you arrive at +Clowdry?" + +"Day before yesterday. Ever since then we've been on the way. As soon as +we reached the end of the rail part of the journey here we engaged Mr. +Sanderson as our guide. While coming along this afternoon we saw +something like helio signals flashing in the air. The message was one +for help, so we hustled along, our guide piloting. And, from some things +I've heard and observed since arrival, Dick, I imagine we got here just +about in time." + +"As you always did," laughed Lieutenant Prescott. "But, now that I've +got my breath back from my delight--Sergeant Overton, what is the +meaning of prisoners in camp? And where did you find Hinkey?" + +"Didn't you hear quite a lot of firing, sir?" asked Sergeant Hal. + +"Firing? Considerable, but I thought some party nearer in had struck +such a haul of game as you landed last night, Sergeant. Go on and tell +me about it." + +This Hal did, and it was all news to the lieutenant, for neither he nor +any member of his hunting party had seen the helio signals. + +Just as the brief spirited tale was finished the remainder of the +hunting party came in, one of them being a private of hospital corps. To +this man was entrusted the attending of the injured invaders. + +Hinkey fairly cowered before the scorn that was apparent in the eyes of +all his former comrades. + +The evening meal was now nearly ready. By Hal's direction another table +was set up for Lieutenant Prescott and his guests. + +Then came the early, cool night. Prescott and his Naval friends sat +apart for an hour, talking over the old times. Then, at last, they came +over and joined the soldiers. + +"May I ask a question, Lieutenant?" inquired Sergeant Hal, saluting. + +"Certainly, Sergeant." + +"What is to be done with the prisoners?" + +"You are in command here, Sergeant." + +"But isn't this a greater military matter, sir, than the mere command of +a hunting camp?" + +"I don't believe I need to take command, Sergeant. But I will offer you +a suggestion, if you wish." + +"If you will be so kind, sir." + +"Why, this general group of prisoners belong to the civil authorities. +You will find a jail and a sheriff very near the point where we left the +train." + +"Yes, sir. And Hinkey?" + +"He is a prisoner of the United States Army. You can put him in charge +of the same sheriff, asking him to hold Hinkey until a guard from Fort +Clowdry arrives to take him. A wire to the post can be sent from the +station." + +"Very good, sir. Then I think I will detail Sergeant Terry, a driver and +a guard of six men to escort the prisoners to the sheriff. The hospital +man had better go along, too, and the injured men can travel in the +wagon." + +"That disposition will do very well, Sergeant. But Sergeant Terry and +his men will very likely be away four days altogether." + +"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." + +Saluting, and including the young Naval officers in his salute, Sergeant +Overton went over to explain the plan to Noll. + +"What very boyish youngsters those two sergeants are," remarked +Midshipman Darrin. + +"Young, yes, but as seasoned and good men as we have in the company or +the regiment," replied Lieutenant Prescott. + +"They certainly look like fine soldiers," agreed Midshipman Dalzell. + +"They'll look very much like fine young officers, one of these days, or +I miss my guess by a mile," answered Prescott. "Colonel North is very +proud of these two boys, and so are Major Silsbee and Captain Cortland." + +In the morning the three wounded men were placed in one of the two +wagons belonging to camp. Though their hands were left free, all three +had their feet shackled to staples inside the wagon. + +The other five prisoners stood sulkily behind the wagon. Noll assembled +the guard at the side of the trail. + +"Climb up on the wagon, hospital man," called Noll. "Start ahead, +driver. Squad, by twos, right, forward march." + +Then the party started out. + +Two of the remaining soldiers were detailed for camp, as usual. The +other enlisted men went off in a hunting party by themselves. + +All except Sergeant Hal. He had been invited to go with Lieutenant +Prescott and the latter's friends, and had gladly accepted. + +Sanderson, the guide, having been paid by his Naval employers, had +already taken the trail. + +"I hope you bring us luck, Dave and Dan," announced Lieutenant Prescott, +as the party started. "We are still far shy of the amount of game we +want to take back to the post." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE UNITED STATES SERVICES FIGHT TOGETHER + + +FOR more than an hour Midshipman Darrin and Sergeant Overton had been +away from the rest of the party, seeking tracks or other signs of wild +game. + +"Sergeant," spoke Midshipman Darrin, at last, "I hope you won't be +offended by the opinion I have formed of you." + +"What is that, sir?" asked Hal Overton. + +"I've been watching you a bit, and I've come to the conclusion that +you're an uncommonly fine and keen soldier." + +"Not much chance in that for offense, sir," laughed the boyish sergeant. + +"But you're of the Army," said Mr. Darrin, "and I don't know whether you +believe that a sailor is a judge of a soldier." + +"Quite naturally, sir," laughed Hal, "I am wholly willing to believe in +the value of your judgment. And I have another reason." + +"What is that, Sergeant!" + +"Why, sir, you're a very particular friend of Lieutenant Prescott's, and +we men of B company are ready to believe in any one whom Lieutenant +Prescott likes." + +"You have another very fine fellow for an officer in your regiment," Mr. +Darrin went on. "And that is Greg Holmes--pardon me, Lieutenant Holmes. +He's as fine, in every way, as Mr. Prescott himself." + +"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Holmes is as popular with the men as any officer +in the regiment can be." + +"You see," smiled Mr. Darrin reminiscently, "when Dalzell, Prescott, +Holmes and myself were youngsters--or smaller youngsters than we are +now--we were all chums together in the same High School." + +Then, finding a ready and appreciative listener Midshipman Darrin +plunged into the recounting of many of the former adventures of that +famous group of schoolboys once known as Dick & Co., whose doings were +fully set forth in the "HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' SERIES." + +Sergeant Hal heard, also, of Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton, the two +remaining members of Dick & Co., whose adventures, after leaving school, +are now being set forth in the "YOUNG ENGINEERS' SERIES." + +But Overton did not hear about the sweethearts of these former High +School chums. Sweethearts were too sacred to be discussed with +comparative strangers. + +"Now, Prescott informs me that you two young sergeants intend to work +for commissions from the ranks," said Mr. Darrin, after a while. + +"Yes, sir; that was our idea in entering the service." + +"I hope, heartily, Sergeant Overton, that both you and your friend win +out with your ambitions." + +"Thank you, sir." + +"I have a very particular reason for wishing you that luck," smiled +Midshipman Darrin, "and you are at liberty, Sergeant, to ask me what it +is." + +"Very good, sir." + +"I want to see both yourself and Sergeant Terry succeed because I don't +believe the service can afford to be without two such unusually good +officers as you and Sergeant Terry would make." + +Hal flushed, tried to utter his thanks, and found himself confused, for +Midshipman Darrin, who was taller, was gazing down at him with a very +friendly look in his eyes. + +"My hand has been itching for something all day," the young Naval +officer went on. "Sergeant, I want to shake hands with you, if you don't +mind." + +Their hands met in hearty clasp. + +"I shall have Prescott keep me posted regarding you two young men," +went on Dave Darrin. "And, when you two are officers, if you are ever +near any craft on which I'm on duty I want you to promise me that you'll +come to visit me." + +"You know how much delight that would give both Sergeant Terry and +myself, sir." + +"Attention--to the job!" suddenly muttered Dave Darrin, in a low voice. + +Their long tramp had taken them alongside a low ledge. + +As Darrin spoke in that low voice he raised his hunting rifle quickly, +bringing the butt to his shoulder with a jerk. + +He fired--straight at a bear, not more than five feet over their heads +and at a total distance of only about ten feet. + +But in that same instant the big, brown brute moved, and the bullet +intended for his heart merely clipped away a bit of hair at the bottom +of the animal's belly. + +Bruin's first move had been to get away from danger, but now, at the +shot, he became very much angered. + +A second, swift leap, and the big animal jumped downward, landing on +Midshipman Darrin's chest and bearing him to the earth. + +"Lie still, sir!" gasped Sergeant Hal. + +[Illustration: "Lie Still, Sir!" Gasped Sergeant Hal.] + +There was but a single cartridge in Overton's rifle. He clicked the +bolt, then aimed all in a flash. + +In his agitation Hal succeeded only in grazing the top of the animal's +back. + +But bruin, crouched on Darrin's body, raised his head and turned it +snarlingly toward Hal. + +Everything that was to be done must be done in a moment. Fortunately, +the young sergeant wore his bayonet in scabbard at his belt. + +Like a flash Sergeant Overton fixed that bayonet to the muzzle of his +rifle, bruin regarding him with a hostile glitter in his eyes, while +Midshipman Darrin, whose rifle had been hurled just out of his reach, +had the presence of mind to lie utterly still. + +"Now, we'll see what you'll do, bruin!" quivered Hal, making a swift +lunge for the animal's side. + +What bruin did was to leap away from the midshipman's prostrate body. +Despite the bear's lumbering body and shambling gait he can be spry +enough at need. + +Hal's thrust, therefore, failed to land directly, but merely ripped +along the animal's coat. + +The momentum that followed the miss caused Sergeant Hal Overton to fall +forward to his knees. And now the enraged bruin made straight for him. + +There was time to do but one thing. Sergeant Hal made a lunge direct at +the bear's eyes. + +With that menace of cold steel before his eyes the bear dodged to one +side, then rose to his hind feet. + +Rising, Hal took his stand on the defensive, for now bruin was +determined on a finish fight. + +Straight at Bruin's heart lunged Hal, but it was a game at which two +could play. + +Bruin's massive left paw, backed by prodigious strength, swept the +bayoneted rifle aside, fairly wrenching it from Overton's grasp. + +So now the bear was ready, either for embrace or pursuit of this now +helpless enemy. + +Midshipman Dave Darrin, U. S. N., at the instant when he found the +weight of the bulky animal removed from his body, had crawled +noiselessly away for a few feet. + +Now Darrin dropped to one knee, the rifle at ready. Aiming with the +utmost coolness, the young Naval officer fired. + +Straight and true went the bullet this time into Bruin's heart. + +The big mass swayed, then fell. There was barely a gasp to signal the +bear's end of life. + +"Sergeant," remarked the midshipman coolly, "your conduct just now fully +confirmed what I said about your being a valuable man for the Army." + +"I probably wouldn't have been in the Army much longer, sir, if you +hadn't got your rifle and fired just as you did," retorted the boyish +sergeant. + +"And I couldn't have reached my rifle if you hadn't shown the very +unusual nerve to try to whip a bear in a bayonet charge." + +"I know a good deal better, now, Mr. Darrin, how useless a bayonet +attack is against a bear. Though Sergeant Terry and I once made a good +haul of bear's meat with bayonets when at too close quarters with +bears." + +"You'll have to tell me about that as you go along," remarked the young +Naval officer. + +Noting the locality well, they left the bear where it had fallen, to be +taken up a little later. + +"Hello, sir. There are other shots from our party," cried Overton, as +three rifle reports rang out not far away. "That seems to show, sir, +that they're meeting with luck, too." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +CONCLUSION + + +AFTER that, through the days to come, the luck seemed to boom. + +At the end of four days young Sergeant Terry and his guard returned, +having turned over all the prisoners to the sheriff of Blank County. + +Noll had also wired the post at Fort Clowdry, and had received the post +adjutant's answer that a guard would be sent to bring Private Hinkey +back for trial on the charge of desertion. + +"The sheriff knew all the prisoners at once, all except Hinkey," +Sergeant Noll reported back to his chum and to Lieutenant Prescott. "The +leader of the gang is a half-popular fellow with some classes here in +the mountains. Despite the fact that he's a desperado, he is often +surprisingly good-natured, and always game when he loses. His name is +Griller--Butch Griller, he's called. His crew are called the Moccasin +Gang, because Griller has always preferred that his men wear moccasins +instead of shoes. Shoes may give out in the wilds, but moccasins can +always be made whenever an antelope is killed." + +"The Moccasin Gang?" repeated Lieutenant Prescott. "Why, I've heard +stories about that desperate crowd. But what were they doing around our +camp?" + +"Griller told me about that before we reached town," Sergeant Noll +continued. "Griller and his men, it seems, were being pursued by the +sheriff of the next county. He trailed them to a cabin where they had +stopped and made such a complete surprise that Griller and his gang got +away only by jumping through the windows without their arms. Then they +traveled fast. When they found that there were soldiers here, the +Moccasins hoped that they could get some of our arms and ammunition. +Thus provided, they hadn't much doubt of being able to provide +themselves with more fighting hardware. And they'd have gotten away, +too, if it hadn't been that Butch Griller had promised Hinkey a chance +for revenge on Sergeant Overton." + +"But how did Hinkey come to be with them?" broke in Lieutenant Prescott. + +"Griller told me about that, sir," Noll replied. "Griller said he was +standing on the stoop of a house in Denver, near the ball grounds, at +the time when Hinkey deserted and made his break to get away. Griller +was in Denver, on the quiet, to get more men together. When he saw +Hinkey running, he sized him up as a man just deserted, and felt that +Hinkey would be useful to him. So he called to Hinkey, shoved him +inside the house, and then, when----" + +"Say, but I remember that! And now I recall where I saw Griller before. +He told me that Hinkey had rushed on and turned the next street corner +below. That threw me off the track," muttered Sergeant Hal. + +"Well, his new man Hinkey brought him no luck," laughed Lieutenant +Prescott. "And the Moccasins won't do much more harm, unless they manage +to break jail." + +"I don't believe they'll get away from that sheriff, anyway, sir," +remarked Sergeant Noll grimly. + +Noll Terry and the members of his guard were in time to do some more +hunting before the happy soldiers' holiday came to an end. + +When the expedition set out on its return both of the big transport +wagons carried all the wild game meat that could be packed into them, +and officers' and enlisted men's messes at Fort Clowdry celebrated in +joyous fashion. + +Ex-Private Hinkey, the deserter, was soon tried by general +court-martial, and sentenced to be dismissed from the service, to +forfeit all pay and allowances and to serve two years at a military +prison. + +It was Lieutenant Prescott who gave one of the crowning sensations just +toward the close of Hinkey's trial. + +Just before the battalion had left Fort Clowdry to go to the military +tournament at Denver, First Sergeant Gray had asked every soldier in B +Company to turn in a slip on which was written the name and address of +his nearest relative or friend. + +As such data was already on file, the men had wondered not a little at +the request, but they had complied. And now Lieutenant Prescott informed +the members of the court that it had been a ruse of his. + +These slips, together with the clumsily printed note that had +accompanied the return of Private William Green's money, and also the +envelope addressed to Green, which latter Hal had admitted as his +writing--all, just before the start of the hunting trip, had been +forwarded by Lieutenant Prescott to a famous writing expert in the east. + +Word had finally come from the expert to the effect that the envelope +had really been addressed by Sergeant Hal, as that young soldier +admitted. The printed note to Green, however, had been fashioned, the +expert stated positively, by the same man who had turned in the written +name and address of the "nearest friend" of ex-Private Hinkey. + +With this report the expert had sent a curiously drawn chart showing +resemblances between Hinkey's admitted handwriting and the printed note +to Green. There were also photographs, made with the aid of the +microscope, showing pronounced similarities of little strokes and +flourishes that were alike, both in Hinkey's admitted handwriting and in +the turns given to some of the letters of the printed note. + +Summing up all the evidence, the expert's report stated positively that +Hinkey was the one who had fashioned the note to Green. + +Finding that he could no longer deny his guilt, Hinkey was finally +driven to confession before the court. + +He had hated Sergeant (then Corporal) Overton with such an intensity, +Hinkey confessed, that he had found himself willing to stop at nothing +that would damage the young soldier in any way. + +The envelope that Hal had addressed in his own handwriting, it now +turned out, was one that he had so addressed at the request of Sergeant +Gray to enclose an official communication that Gray had delivered to +Private Green some weeks before. + +On finding this envelope, and realizing how it would implicate Hal +Overton, Hinkey had even gone to the extreme of returning Green's +money, when he might safely have kept and spent it. + +The reason why the money had not been found during the search that had +immediately followed the discovery of the robbery in the squad room was +equally simple. Hinkey, the afternoon before the robbery, had made the +discovery of a secret hiding place under the floor beside his cot. That +hiding place had been made, at great trouble, by some soldier formerly +living in the squad room, and Hinkey's discovery of it had been +accidental. + +Now that he was in the mood for confessing, Hinkey also described how he +had slipped the revolver lightly under Sergeant Hal's blanket in passing +Overton's cot. + +So the mystery was wholly cleared up at last, and when ex-Private Hinkey +departed to begin his term of imprisonment the Army was well rid of one +who was in no sense fit to be the comrade of any honest man wearing +Uncle Sam's soldier uniform. + +Late in the fall the Colorado courts sent Griller and his crew to the +penitentiary for long terms. + +Immediately after Hinkey's trial, Lieutenant Prescott, who had gone to +all the trouble to secure the evidence, drew up a brief statement, +setting forth Sergeant Hal Overton's complete innocence of the +squad-room robbery and declaring who the scoundrel was. + +This statement was published, by direction of Colonel North, in the +orders of the day. + +Then, of course--human nature always works this way--even those of the +soldiers who had most honestly believed in young Overton's guilt, now +swarmed around him to assure him that they had never for an instant +believed it possible that he could be otherwise than a most honest and +wonderful soldier. Not they! Oh, no! Now that they knew who the real +culprit was, these victims of human nature were ready to cross their +hearts that they had known all along that Overton was absolutely +guiltless; and they had even suspected, all along, who would turn out by +and by to be the villain. + +As has been said, this is human nature, and therefore not to be sneered +at. In fact, nearly all of the men who protested so loudly to Hal +Overton had the actual grace to believe themselves--as is always the +case. + +Private William Green, however, had been cured, ever since the return of +most of his money, of the bad habit of carrying so much around with him. +Seldom after that was he to be caught with more than a hundred dollars. + +To Sergeant Hal it seemed impossible to thank Lieutenant Prescott +sufficiently. + +For, though the young soldier, even if he had not been vindicated so +handsomely, would have lived down most of the suspicion in time, yet all +of the stain would never have vanished had it not been for Lieutenant +Prescott. + +Soldiers, from the very fact of living in isolated little communities of +their own, are somewhat prone to gossip over purely garrison and +regimental affairs. So some of the story would always have clung about +Sergeant Overton's reputation among his own kind. + +"But you've stopped all of that forever, Lieutenant," protested Hal +gratefully when calling, by permission, at Mr. Prescott's quarters. + +"I am glad I have then, my lad," smiled back the young lieutenant. "I'm +glad for your sake, Sergeant, and, if you wish, you may consider that I +took much of the trouble on your account personally. But I had also a +still greater motive in doing what I did." + +"What was that, sir, if I may ask?" + +"My own love of the service," replied Lieutenant Dick Prescott +impressively. "What would the service ever amount to, Sergeant, if we +allowed our best, brightest and most loyal men to be downed by +suspicions against them that clearly had no base? What honest man would +care to enter or to stay in the ranks of the Army if he did not feel +sure that his officers would work to see him righted and enjoying his +proper place in the esteem of his comrades. So, Sergeant, don't try too +hard to thank me. Whatever I did for you personally, I did it ten times +more for the good of the tried, old, true-blue United States Army." + +Then, after a pause, Mr. Prescott went on: + +"I've had my attention attracted to you more than ever, both yourself +and Sergeant Terry. I see even new possibilities in you as soldiers. Do +you know why?" + +"No, sir." + +Lieutenant Prescott laughed lightly, though there was a slight mist in +his eyes as he answered: + +"It may be news to you, Sergeant, but my good old schoolboy friend, now +Mr. Darrin, of the Navy, has taken almost as much of a liking to you two +youngsters as though you were pet younger brothers of his. Darrin +watched you both often while he was here, after we returned from the +hunting trip. He spoke of you frequently, and seemed to have noticed so +many excellencies in both yourself and Sergeant Terry that I grew +ashamed of my own slight powers of observation. Of course, you don't +know anything of the old days when Mr. Darrin, Mr. Dalzell, Mr. Holmes +and myself were all devoted chums." + +"I think I do, sir," Sergeant Hal rejoined. + +"You do? How?" + +"Mr. Darrin told me a lot that day he and I spent some hours hunting +together. He told me a lot about your old schoolboy days." + +"That's only another proof of how much Darrin likes you, then," pursued +the young lieutenant warmly. "Darrin isn't usually very talkative with +new acquaintances. But what I was going to say was that, back in our +schooldays, I often made a great reputation for wisdom just because I +accepted Darrin's wise estimates of human nature and people. So now +Darrin's praises of you two young sergeants have made me feel that I +have missed a lot of what I should have observed about you both." + +"Both Terry and myself will feel highly honored over such good opinions +of us, sir," Hal replied. + +"I wouldn't talk quite so freely if I didn't know that you're both so +level-headed that a little praise will make better, instead of worse +soldiers of you, Sergeant Overton. Of course, as one of your officers, I +understand that both of you young sergeants are working onward and +forward with the hope of one day winning commissions in the line of the +Army. I wish you every kind of good luck, Overton. Here's my hand on it. +And some day I hope to be able to offer you my hand again--when, +wearing the shoulder straps, you come into an officers' mess, somewhere, +as a fellow-member of that mess." + +"Mr. Darrin made both Terry and myself promise, sir, that if we ever win +commissions, we'll visit him on his ship as soon after as possible." + +"Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell are on their way to China by this time," +continued Lieutenant Prescott. "From the China station their next detail +will undoubtedly be the Philippine station. And that's where, after a +while, this regiment will be due to go." + +And that is just where the Thirty-fourth Regiment did go, as will be +discovered in the next volume in this series, which is published under +the title: "UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES; Or, Following the Flag +Against the Moros." + +Not only did our two young sergeant friends taste all the joys of life +and residence in these romantic tropical possessions of the United +States, but they were destined also to see and take part in a lot of +spirited fighting against brown enemies of the United States. + +But these adventures must be reserved for the next volume. + + +THE END + + + + +HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY'S + +Best and Least Expensive +Books for Boys and Girls + + + + +The Motor Boat Club Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The keynote of these books is manliness. The stories are wonderfully +entertaining, and they are at the same time sound and wholesome. No boy +will willingly lay down an unfinished book in this series. + + 1 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB OF THE KENNEBEC; Or, The + Secret of Smugglers' Island. + + 2 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AT NANTUCKET; Or, The + Mystery of the Dunstan Heir. + + 3 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB OFF LONG ISLAND; Or, A + Daring Marine Game at Racing Speed. + + 4 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AND THE WIRELESS; Or, The + Dot, Dash and Dare Cruise. + + 5 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB IN FLORIDA; Or, Laying the + Ghost of Alligator Swamp. + + 6 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB AT THE GOLDEN GATE; Or, A + Thrilling Capture in the Great Fog. + + 7 THE MOTOR BOAT CLUB ON THE GREAT LAKES; Or, The + Flying Dutchman of the Big Fresh Water. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + Sold by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price. + + * * * * * + + Henry Altemus Company + 1326-1336 Vine Street Philadelphia + + + + +Battleship Boys Series + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +These stories throb with the life of young Americans on to-day's huge +drab Dreadnaughts. + + 1 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS AT SEA; Or, Two Apprentices + in Uncle Sam's Navy. + + 2 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS' FIRST STEP UPWARD; Or, + Winning Their Grades as Petty Officers. + + 3 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN FOREIGN SERVICE; Or, + Earning New Ratings in European Seas. + + 4 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN THE TROPICS; Or, + Upholding the American Flag in a Honduras + Revolution. + + 6 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS IN THE WARDROOM; Or, Winning + their Commissions as Line Officers. + + 7 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS WITH THE ADRIATIC CHASERS; + Or, Blocking the Path of the Undersea Raiders. + + 8 THE BATTLESHIP BOYS' SKY PATROL; Or, Fighting + the Hun from above the Clouds. + + + + +The Range and Grange Hustlers + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +Have you any idea of the excitements, the glories of life on great +ranches in the West? Any bright boy will "devour" the books of this +series, once he has made a start with the first volume. + + 1 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS ON THE RANCH; Or, + The Boy Shepherds of the Great Divide. + + 2 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS' GREATEST + ROUND-UP; Or, Pitting Their Wits Against a + Packers' Combine. + + 3 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS ON THE PLAINS; Or, + Following the Steam Plows Across the Prairie. + + 4 THE RANGE AND GRANGE HUSTLERS AT CHICAGO; Or, + The Conspiracy of the Wheat Pit. + + * * * * * + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +Submarine Boys Series + +By VICTOR G. DURHAM + + 1 THE SUBMARINE BOYS ON DUTY; Or, Life on a Diving + Torpedo Boat. + + 2 THE SUBMARINE BOYS' TRIAL TRIP; Or, "Making + Good" as Young Experts. + + 3 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE MIDDIES; Or, The + Prize Detail at Annapolis. + + 4 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE SPIES; Or, Dodging + the Sharks of the Deep. + + 5 THE SUBMARINE BOYS' LIGHTNING CRUISE; Or, The + Young Kings of the Deep. + + 6 THE SUBMARINE BOYS FOR THE FLAG; Or, Deeding + Their Lives to Uncle Sam. + + 7 THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE SMUGGLERS; Or, + Breaking Up the New Jersey Customs Frauds. + + + + +The Square Dollar Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + + 1 THE SQUARE DOLLAR BOYS WAKE UP; Or, Fighting the + Trolley Franchise Steal. + + 2 THE SQUARE DOLLAR BOYS SMASH THE RING; Or, In + the Lists Against the Crooked Land Deal. + + + + +The College Girls Series + +By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A.M. + + 1 GRACE HARLOWE'S FIRST YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SECOND YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 3 GRACE HARLOWE'S THIRD YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 4 GRACE HARLOWE'S FOURTH YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE. + + 5 GRACE HARLOWE'S RETURN TO OVERTON CAMPUS. + + 6 GRACE HARLOWE'S PROBLEM. + + 7 GRACE HARLOWE'S GOLDEN SUMMER. + + * * * * * + +All these books are bound in Cloth and will be sent postpaid on receipt +of only 50 cents each. + + + + +Pony Rider Boys Series + +By FRANK GEE PATCHIN + +These tales may be aptly described the best books for boys and girls. + + 1 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ROCKIES; Or, The + Secret of the Lost Claim.--2 THE PONY RIDER BOYS + IN TEXAS; Or, The Veiled Riddle of the Plains.--3 + THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN MONTANA; Or, The Mystery of + the Old Custer Trail.--4 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN + THE OZARKS; Or, The Secret of Ruby Mountain.--5 + THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ALKALI; Or, Finding a + Key to the Desert Maze.--6 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN + NEW MEXICO; Or, The End of the Silver Trail.--7 + THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE GRAND CANYON; Or, The + Mystery of Bright Angel Gulch. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The Boys of Steel Series + +By JAMES R. MEARS + +Each book presents vivid picture of this great industry. Each story is +full of adventure and fascination. + + 1 THE IRON BOYS IN THE MINES; Or, Starting at the + Bottom of the Shaft.--2 THE IRON BOYS AS FOREMEN; + Or, Heading the Diamond Drill Shift.--3 THE IRON + BOYS ON THE ORE BOATS; Or, Roughing It on the + Great Lakes.--4 THE IRON BOYS IN THE STEEL MILLS; + Or, Beginning Anew in the Cinder Pits. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The Madge Morton Books + +By AMY D. V. CHALMERS + + 1 MADGE MORTON--CAPTAIN OF THE MERRY MAID. + + 2 MADGE MORTON'S SECRET. + + 3 MADGE MORTON'S TRUST. + + 4 MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +West Point Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The principal characters in these narratives are manly, young Americans +whose doings will inspire all boy readers. + + 1 DICK PRESCOTT'S FIRST YEAR AT WEST POINT; Or, + Two Chums in the Cadet Gray. + + 2 DICK PRESCOTT'S SECOND YEAR AT WEST POINT; Or, + Finding the Glory of the Soldier's Life. + + 3 DICK PRESCOTT'S THIRD YEAR AT WEST POINT; Or, + Standing Firm for Flag and Honor. + + 4 DICK PRESCOTT'S FOURTH YEAR AT WEST POINT; Or, + Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +Annapolis Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The Spirit of the new Navy is delightfully and truthfully depicted in +these volumes. + + 1 DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, Two + Plebe Midshipmen at the U. S. Naval Academy. + + 2 DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, Two + Midshipmen as Naval Academy "Youngsters." + + 3 DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, + Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen. + + 4 DAVE DARRIN'S FOURTH YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; Or, + Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The Young Engineers Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +The heroes of these stories are known to readers of the High School Boys +Series. In this new series Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton prove worthy of +all the traditions of Dick & Co. + + 1 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO; Or, At Railroad + Building in Earnest. + + 2 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA; Or, Laying + Tracks on the "Man-Killer" Quicksand. + + 3 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN NEVADA; Or, Seeking + Fortune on the Turn of a Pick. + + 4 THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN MEXICO; Or, Fighting the + Mine Swindlers. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +Boys of the Army Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +These books breathe the life and spirit of the United States Army of +to-day, and the life, just as it is, is described by a master pen. + + 1 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE RANKS; Or, Two Recruits + in the United States Army. + + 2 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS ON FIELD DUTY; Or, Winning + Corporal's Chevrons. + + 3 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS; Or, Handling + Their First Real Commands. + + 4 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE PHILIPPINES; Or, + Following the Flag Against the Moros. + + 6 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS LIEUTENANTS; Or, Serving Old + Glory as Line Officers. + + 7 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS WITH PERSHING; Or, Dick + Prescott at Grips with the Boche. + + 8 UNCLE SAM'S BOYS IN THE GREAT MARNE DRIVE; Or, + Putting Old Glory in the Forefront in France. + + + + +Dave Darrin Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + + 1 DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ; Or, Fighting With the + U. S. Navy in Mexico. + + 2 DAVE DARRIN ON MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE. + + 3 DAVE DARRIN'S SOUTH AMERICAN CRUISE. + + 4 DAVE DARRIN ON THE ASIATIC STATION. + + 5 DAVE DARRIN AND THE GERMAN SUBMARINES. + + 6 DAVE DARRIN AFTER THE MINE LAYERS; Or, Hitting + the Enemy a Hard Naval Blow. + + + + +The Meadow-Brook Girls Series + +By JANET ALDRIDGE + + 1 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. + + 2 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ACROSS COUNTRY. + + 3 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS AFLOAT. + + 4 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS IN THE HILLS. + + 5 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS BY THE SEA. + + 6 THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS ON THE TENNIS COURTS. + + * * * * * + +All these books are bound in Cloth and will be sent postpaid on receipt +of only 50 cents each. + + + + +High School Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +In this series of bright, crisp books a new note has been struck. + +Boys of every age under sixty will be interested in these fascinating +volumes. + + 1 THE HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN; Or, Dick & Co.'s First + Year Pranks and Sports. + + 2 THE HIGH SCHOOL PITCHER; Or, Dick & Co. on the + Gridley Diamond. + + 3 THE HIGH SCHOOL LEFT END; Or, Dick & Co. + Grilling on the Football Gridiron. + + 4 THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM; Or, Dick & + Co. Leading the Athletic Vanguard. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +Grammar School Boys Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +This series of stories, based on the actual doings of grammar school +boys, comes near to the heart of the average American boy. + + 1 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS OF GRIDLEY; Or, Dick & + Co. Start Things Moving. + + 2 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS SNOWBOUND; Or, Dick & + Co. at Winter Sports. + + 3 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN THE WOODS; Or, Dick & + Co. Trail Fun and Knowledge. + + 4 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER ATHLETICS; Or, + Dick & Co. Make Their Fame Secure. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +High School Boys' Vacation Series + +By H. IRVING HANCOCK + +"Give us more Dick Prescott books!" + +This has been the burden of the cry from young readers of the country +over. Almost numberless letters have been received by the publishers, +making this eager demand; for Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Tom Reade, and +the other members of Dick & Co. are the most popular high school boys in +the land. Boys will alternately thrill and chuckle when reading these +splendid narratives. + + 1 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' CANOE CLUB; Or, Dick & + Co.'s Rivals on Lake Pleasant. + + 2 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS IN SUMMER CAMP; Or, The + Dick Prescott Six Training for the Gridley Eleven. + + 3 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' FISHING TRIP; Or, Dick & + Co. in the Wilderness. + + 4 THE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' TRAINING HIKE; Or, Dick & + Co. Making Themselves "Hard as Nails." + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The Circus Boys Series + +By EDGAR B. P. DARLINGTON + +Mr. Darlington's books breathe forth every phase of an intensely +interesting and exciting life. + + 1 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE FLYING RINGS; Or, Making + the Start in the Sawdust Life. + + 2 THE CIRCUS BOYS ACROSS THE CONTINENT; Or, + Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark. + + 3 THE CIRCUS BOYS IN DIXIE LAND; Or, Winning the + Plaudits of the Sunny South. + + 4 THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI; Or, Afloat + with the Big Show on the Big River. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The High School Girls Series + +By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M. + +These breezy stories of the American High School Girl take the reader +fairly by storm. + + 1 GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, + The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshman Girls. + + 2 GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; + Or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and + Athletics. + + 3 GRACE HARLOWE'S JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, + Fast Friends in the Sororities. + + 4 GRACE HARLOWE'S SENIOR YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL; Or, + The Parting of the Ways. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + +The Automobile Girls Series + +By LAURA DENT CRANE + +No girl's library--no family book-case can be considered at all complete +unless it contains these sparkling twentieth-century books. + + 1 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT NEWPORT; Or, Watching + the Summer Parade.--2 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS IN THE + BERKSHIRES; Or, The Ghost of Lost Man's Trail.--3 + THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS ALONG THE HUDSON; Or, + Fighting Fire in Sleepy Hollow.--4 THE AUTOMOBILE + GIRLS AT CHICAGO; Or, Winning Out Against Heavy + Odds.--5 THE AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT PALM BEACH; Or, + Proving Their Mettle Under Southern Skies.--6 THE + AUTOMOBILE GIRLS AT WASHINGTON; Or, Checkmating + the Plots of Foreign Spies. + + Cloth, Illustrated Price, per Volume, 50c. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors corrected. + +Page 22, "rythmically" changed to "rhythmically" (arm was falling +rhythmically) + +Page 68, "Freeland" changed to "Vreeland" (Potter, Reed, Vreeland) + +Page 102, "Ferrer" changed to "Ferrers" (could reduce Ferrers) + +Page 106, "receive" changed to "received" (received a telephone) + +Page 117, "strenghtened" changed to "strengthened" (strengthened Hal's +reputation) + +Page 127, "everyone" changed to "every one" (nearly every one of the) + +Page 205, "Deitz" changed to "Dietz" (called Dietz) + +Page 241, "Bruin" changed to "bruin" (But bruin, crouched on) + +Page 260, Uncle Sam's Boys Series, the numbers skip five. (Uncle Sam's +Boys on Their Mettle). This was retained. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK UNCLE SAM'S BOYS AS SERGEANTS*** + + +******* This file should be named 27679.txt or 27679.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/6/7/27679 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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