u will have
much to do in the day-time. You have only your boat guard of six men
under Sergeant Raney. The water-front patrol I have called in and sent
to camp."

Hal ate his breakfast in leisurely fashion. He had slept well and was
refreshed, but he believed that he had a long and dull day before him.
And so it proved. The day passed on with absolutely nothing to do but
eat and lounge, save for the one sentry who watched both boat and shore
end.

It was almost dark, and Hal had just seated himself in the cabin to eat
his supper when the sentry hailed:

"Lieutenant Overton!"

Hal showed his head at the cabin door.

"A detachment of troops approaching, sir."

"Well, they're our own men, aren't they, sentry?" Hal inquired.

"I think not, sir."

Hal stepped back into the cabin, picked up and donned his cap, then
stepped out on deck. The approaching troops were on the dock by the time
that the young lieutenant had returned to the open.

"Two officers and ten men!" flashed through Hal's mind.

Then, of a sudden, he felt like giving a whoop of joy. Instead, however,
he darted down the gang-plank, then caught himself and walked forward
with dignity just as one of the approaching officers called out with
military crispness:

"Squad halt! Break ranks!"

"Mr. Prescott! Mr. Holmes!" cried Hal, going up to the two lieutenants
who had just arrived.

"Hullo, Overton," responded both newly-arrived officers, extending their
hands, while Prescott added:

"By Jove, I didn't count on finding you here, though I heard that you
had won your commission. Where's Terry?"

"Up at our camp, Mr. Prescott."

"Drop the formal 'Mr.,' Overton, do," urged Lieutenant Prescott. "We
have known each other long enough not to stand on ceremony."

"We've known each other in other times," laughed Holmes, "and in much
more stirring times, I take it, than these are likely to be."

"Don't be too sure about the present being tame times," urged Hal. "From
what we have seen here so far I believe that we are right in the middle
of a district that is heavily engaged in sending arms over into Mexico.
We may have a fight with a lot of these desperate, fanatic Mexican
rebels at any moment."

"Let it come, then," laughed Holmes indifferently. "We need a bit of
practice, now and then, to keep us in handy touch with our work."

"But how does the Thirty-fourth happen to be down here?" Hal asked
curiously.

"Ordered away from Fort Clowdry. That's