il a man to remain here with you, and send
an ambulance for you. If I have to send an ambulance I'll have
you examined at the hospital, and if I find you've been faking
foot trouble then you shall feel the full weight of military law.
I'll give you your own choice. Which do you want?"

Tugging his sock on, Mock merely mumbled.

"Answer me!" Greg insisted sharply.

"I---I'll do my best to march, sir."

"Then be sure you're ready by the time B company gets here, and
be sure you march all the way in," Greg ordered sternly. He hated
a shamming imitation of a soldier.

Major Bell and his staff came by at the head of the line, followed
by Prescott and A company.

"Don't disappoint me, Sergeant," Greg warned his man.

Though his brow was black with wrath Sergeant Mock stood up by
the time that the head of B company arrived.

"Take your place, Sergeant," Greg ordered, and waited to see his
order obeyed, next running up to his own post.

Ten minutes later, as a group of carpenters from the rifle range
paused at the roadside, Greg chanced to glance backward. He was
just in time to see Sergeant Mock limping out of the line of
file-closers to sit down at the roadside.

His jaws set, Greg Holmes darted back.

"That's enough of this, Mock," he called. "You can't sham in B
company. Your feet, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir," groaned the sergeant.

"First two men of the rear four of B company fall out and come
here," Captain Holmes shouted.

Instantly the two men detached themselves from the company and
came running back.

"Fix your bayonets," Greg ordered. "Bring Sergeant Mock in at
the rear of the battalion. If he shirks, prod him with the points
of your bayonets. Don't be brutal, but make the sergeant keep
up at the rear of the battalion."

"Sir-----" began Mock protestingly.

"Quite enough for you, Sergeant Mock," Greg rapped out. "I'll
have your feet examined by a surgeon when you come in. Unless
the surgeon tells me that I'm wrong you may look for something
to happen!"

As Greg turned and started to run back to the head of his company
he thought he heard a sound like a hiss. In his opinion it came
from some one in the group of carpenters, but he did not halt
to investigate.

Though Mock limped all the way in, he came in exactly at the tail
of the battalion. As the last company halted on the drill ground
Sergeant Lund came back for him, relieving the guards.

"Mock, until you've been examined," s