Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants; or, Serving Old Glory as Line Officers

uired Captain Foster, of H company, after the present

s,

You'll be required only to turn out for parade at the end of the afternoon. To-morrow you w

good

uctions. Wait, and I'll see if I can fi

weet little woman, some years younger than the captain. Hal took an insta

Overton, I shall ask you to permit me to invite your mother here as my gue

ng officer answered, "you will be giving me

o very long to get settled in your new duties. The time

ing, my dear," int

hat?" question

t the Mexi

s!" cried Mrs. Foster. "They can have noth

upset the whole routine of garrison life. You have r

"Enough to know that some pretender in the country across the bord

erton, about the chanc

eems that only a few hundred of the rebels are in the field, and that they are spen

ent has information that the Mexican sympathizers in this state have secured a good many stands of rifles and a considerable supply of ammunition, and are watching their chance to slip over the border into Mexico with their war supplies. Now, the few hundred rebels at present in the field in Mexico may

ll not allow the Mexican rebels on this side of the river

ation," smiled Captain Foster. "But, my

troops, I suppose,"

cavalry have been ordered to patrol the border in small riding par

N

or work in patroling the frontier. That was why I just suggested that Mr. Overton will do well to wait until this border business has blown ov

think it likely that this battalion will be called

ourths of this command will soon be called out

eyes g

like the pros

ve service alway

lot of hard, dusty marching, with insufficient food, little time to prepar

the discomforts and possible hardships such work i

mured Lieutenant Hal, "I certainly h

both Mr. Terry and yourself have already distinguished yourselves in scouting work in the

, "and it will spoil several of the good times t

dear," remarked the captain. "Remember, Overton,

-footed, to bachelor quarters. There

or me to-day, Noll,"

opening his door. "May I come acr

ear to have. My striker appears to have put everything in apple-p

pton appears to be just the ri

ng down the stairs, their swords clanking at their sides. This parade, though unimportant in a sense, was their first ac

parade call sounded the enlisted men of four companies

ame briskly up while the first sergeants of

ns. As he drew his sword, for the first time in Uncle Sam's service, Li

it was the first time that either had stood with troops as officers, they went through

to the young lieutenants. Then, when it was all over, and the men di

of the dinner hour. Most of the officers who

to his first lieutenant, "can you s

nt to ask me about the r

ordered me to full duty b

after dinner. It won't take very long to

ards at dinner. Every officer took his seat at the long table at the minute of 6.30. Hapgood, who

urth is back in Colorado," announced Lieu

ad that their transport had arrive

"By way of further news I may add that Major Tipton told me, a few minutes ago, that Major Sils

roubles?" asked L

es

e," remarked Lieutenant Sears. "It has been understood, I think, that troops from this post w

," grumbled Pratt. "A beastly job. The state of Texas o

e province of the United States, not of a sing

all for nothing, perhaps. If we belonged to the Navy, and were ordered to patrol, we'd do it in a gunboat, and wouldn't care where we went, as we'd always be on our gunboat, with, good meals ready at the stroke

d you'd have to work like a horse. There are no easy ways of

oung officer at need, and who had merely been exerc

the luck to be picked for this sort of bord

ntil you're more accustomed to you

I don't expect to have my pick of anyth

it then either

t officers in the regiment were handed printed slips containing the routine work of the day at Fort

f course," said Sears, in conclusion. "You are aware, of cour

," acknowl

with their day of travel and of new life, left the cl

hair that his chum pushed forward. "But I've simply got to

at last the notes of a bugl

p one hand, his eyes glowing.

, since we added swords to

n. We have as much work to do

al's door. As the young lieutenant awoke and leaped from his bed he

hrowing on a bathrobe and

pliments to Lieutenant Overton, and the major directs

both opened their do

the Mexican border trouble has broken out, a