tered the office. "It had on it a regiment going home on veteran
furlough. I asked the Major in command to come over and help us. He and
his boys was only too glad for a chance to have some fun and stretch
their legs. They came off the cars with a whoop as soon's they knowed
what was wanted. Now, you boys kin go home and git a good night's sleep.
I'll take these prisoners along with the regiment over to the next
County seat, and keep 'em there till things cool down here. I'm awfully
obliged to you."

"Don't mention it. Glad to do a little thing like that for you any
time," responded Si, as he and Shorty shook hands with the Sheriff.

At the next corner, after leaving the Courthouse square, they met Maria
and Martha.

"I just couldn't stay in the house while this was goin' on," Maria
explained. "I had to come out and see. O, I'm so glad it's all over and
you're not hurt."

She caught Shorty's arm with a fervor that made him thrill all over.

CHAPTER XV. OFF FOR THE FRONT

SI AND SHORTY TAKE CHARGE OF A SQUAD OF RECRUITS.

WHEN the boys came to breakfast the next morning, they found Maria with
the hollyhock effulgence of garb of the day before changed to the usual
prim simplicity of her housedress. This meant admiration striking Shorty
still dumber. He was in that state of mind when every change in the
young woman's appearance seemed a marvelous transformation and made her
more captivating than before. He had thought her queenly dazzling in her
highly-colored "go-to-meeting" plumage of the day before. She was now
simply overpowering in her plain, close-fitting calico, that outlined
her superb bust and curves, with her hair combed smoothly back from her
bright, animated face. Shorty devoured her with his eyes--that is, when
she was not looking in his direction. He would rather watch her than eat
his breakfast, but when her glance turned toward him he would drop his
eyes to his plate. This became plain to everybody, even Maria, but did
not prevent her beginning to tease.

"What's the matter with you? Where's your appetite?" asked she. "You're
clean off your feed. You must be in love. Nothin' else'd make a man go
back on these slapjacks that Cousin Marthy made with her own hands, and
she kin beat the County on slapjacks. Mebbe you're thinkin' o' your Bad
Ax girl and her widower. Perk up. He may fall offen a saw-log and git
drowned, and you git her yit. Never kin tell. Life's mighty uncertain,
especially around s