these nights when I catch him outside on pass."

When Hal returned to the porch he picked up his book and disappeared
into the quieter squad room, for he had found it rather difficult to
study while among the others.

"Long" Green was making considerable noise, lying on his back on the
porch, rumbling snores issuing from his wide-open mouth.

"No man has a right to run a Gatling gun like that without a license,"
muttered Kelly, gazing thoughtfully down at the noisy sleeper. "Boys,
whist!"

There was mischief in the Irishman's eyes. Sergeant Hal, from the shadow
at the back of the squad room, heard and glanced out.

At a sign from Private Kelly, the other soldiers rose, fleeing softly
inside of barracks.

With an air as grave as that of a college professor absorbed in a
chemical experiment, Private Kelly drew the pill box from one of his
pockets. He took out a capsule, uncapped it, and bent over the sleeper.

Into "Long" Green's open mouth Kelly carefully but swiftly emptied the
contents of the capsule of quinine, then joined his comrades in the
barracks, all but closing the door.

After a moment Private William Green, asleep though he was, became dimly
conscious that something was wrong with his tongue.

Then he awoke. There was a hideously bitter taste in his mouth.

In another instant Private Green had turned ghastly pale, shaking like a
leaf. It took him but a moment to realize that he was alone on the
porch. Out on the road, some two hundred yards away, a solitary male
native was passing. Private Green was a quick guesser.

"_Kantab!_" he gasped hoarsely.

Then "Long" Green's legs got into swift action. Vaulting the porch rail,
and almost falling in his trembling weakness, William made a straight
line for the hospital, vanishing inside.

Five minutes later Hospital Steward Hicks appeared on the scene. He was
supporting "Long" by one arm, for the soldier was not yet over his
fright.

"Kelly," said Steward Hicks, "I find that I made a mistake. The medical
authorities do not prescribe the stuff I gave you in a case like yours.
So I'll take the capsules back."

"You're welcome," grinned Kelly, passing over the pill box.

"Two capsules; there should be three," remarked the hospital man, after
having raised the lid from the box. "Green, you idiot, the kantab you're
howling about came from the missing capsule that Kelly can't return to
me."

"Do you give kantab at the hospital, too?" gasped "Long," l