en," replied the sergeant. "Will you be seated?"

The sergeant vanished behind the door to the next room. In an instant he
came out again, halting just beyond the doorway, and announced:

"Major Tipton wishes you to step inside, gentlemen."

Major Tipton was standing by his desk to receive his new young officers.
He was a large man, tall, with broad shoulders and somewhat inclined to
portliness. His hair was iron-gray, his face rather highly colored. But
he looked the picture both of courtesy and heartiness as he held out a
hand to Hal.

"Welcome, gentlemen," was his greeting. "Welcome to the Thirty-seventh.
I can speak, with especial heartiness, for the second battalion."

Hal and Noll presented themselves by name.

"Be seated, gentlemen. And so you have come up from the ranks? We have
many splendid officers in the service who took the same path to
commissions. I had the hard-won pleasure of coming through West Point,
but many of the officers who have served with me and under me came up
from the ranks. Our battalion now has its full complement of officers.
The two second lieutenants of the other companies are men just from West
Point this year."

"I think you will like the post here, especially if you are fond of the
water. As you will find, when you have time to take a walk, this
reservation is right on the bank of the Rio Grande River. In fact, this
post is a frontier station. But that you have already gathered from maps
or other sources."

"We have looked up everything we could find about Fort Butler, sir,"
Noll answered.

"You are both bachelors, I understand."

"Yes, sir," assented Hal.

"Good. We have plenty of room in the bachelor quarters, and no more
cottages, at present, for married officers. So, gentlemen"--here the
major's eyes twinkled merrily--"you will be doing me an especial favor
if you do not contemplate marriage for the present."

"We are wholly free from engagements in that line, sir," Noll laughed.

"I am glad to hear it, Mr. Terry. A young officer should first find out
if he can live on his pay, before he tries to make it do for two
persons. Having been informed that you were bachelor officers I have
already given orders that your quarters be made ready. We have twelve
sets of officer's quarters here, and, including yourselves, only five
officers to put in the quarters. And now I take it that you will want to
go to your quarters after your long ride on the train?"

"We are wholly