e corporal with the
relief just as dawn was breaking.

The days and the weeks sped by rapidly now. There were always new duties
to be learned, but our young rookies had now picked up the habit of
learning so easily and quickly that everything seemed a matter of
course.

"How do you like Army life now, Noll?" Hal asked one day.

"I wouldn't swap this life for any other," exclaimed Private Noll Terry,
his eyes shining. "Hal, have you never suspected that they're making men
out of us here? We're learning to obey without asking why, and we're
being trained in a way that will fit us to lead other men one of these
days. And look how strong all the gymnastics with a rifle is making us.
We sleep as we never slept before, and it takes a heap to make us
tired."

"We're eating everything in sight, if that's a sign of good physical
condition," laughed Hal.

"But I wish I could hear the orders sending us to our regiment," sighed
Noll.

"Don't be downspirited," urged Hal, smiling cheerfully. "Our stay here
at the rendezvous can't last much longer, anyway."

"How long have we been here, anyway?" Noll wondered.

"Why, we came here early in April and it's now past the middle of June,"
Hal went on. "Let me think. Why, it's just ten weeks to a day since we
took the oath to serve the Flag."

"And a rook generally puts in three months here----" Noll began, when a
soldier, close to the door of the squad room, called out:

"Attention!"

Instantly every man in the room rose and wheeled about, standing at the
position of the soldier. An officer, followed by the first sergeant of A
Company, was entering the room.

As the officer came to a halt the first sergeant called:

"Overton and Terry, step forward."

Hal and Noll approached the officer and the sergeant, then again stood
at attention. The officer was the post adjutant, and now he spoke:

"Overton and Terry, your company commander is satisfied that you are now
sufficiently instructed to go to your regiment. We have a draft for two
men for the first battalion of the Thirty-fourth Infantry, stationed at
Fort Clowdry, in the Colorado mountains. If you have any objections to
that regiment, or station, I will listen to them."

"Colorado will very exactly suit me, sir, thank you," Hal replied, his
pleasure showing in his face.

"And me also, sir," added Noll.

"Very good, then. You will both report to Sergeant Brimmer, on his
return, that you are released from further duty