trikes, arouse patriotism, and give an impetus to industry. An
army of five millions on our side against the Browns' three millions! Of
course, they won't start it! We shall have to take the aggressive;
naturally, they'll not."

"And they'll run, they'll run, just as they always have" Eugene cried
enthusiastically.

"You bet they will, or they'll be mush for our bayonets!" said Pilzer,
the butcher's son.

"Will they? Do you really think they will?" asked Hugo, drawing down the
corners of his mouth in profound contemplation that was actually
mournful. "I wonder, now, I wonder if they can run any faster than I
can?"

Everybody was laughing except him. If he had laughed too, he would not
have been funny. His faint, look of surprise over their outburst only
served to prolong it.

"Hugo, you're immense!"

"You're a scream!"

"But I am considering," Hugo resumed, when there was silence. "If both
sides ran as fast as they could when the war began, it would be
interesting to see which army reached home first. Some of us might get
out of breath, but nobody would be killed." He had to wait on another
laugh before he could continue. It takes little to amuse men in garrison
if one knows how. "I don't want to be killed, and why should I want to
kill strangers on the other side of the frontier?" He paused on the
rising inflection of his question, a calm, earnest challenge in his
eyes. "I don't know them. I haven't the slightest grudge against them."

No grudge against the Browns--against the ancient enemy! The faces
around were frowning, as if in doubt how to take him.

"What did you come into the army for, then?" called Pilzer, the
butcher's son. "You didn't have to, being an only son. Talk that stuff
to your officers! They will let you out. They don't want any cowards
like you!"

"Cowards! Hold on, there!" said Eugene, who was very fond of Hugo. He
spoke in the even voice of his vast good nature, but he looked meaningly
at the butcher's son.

"Coward? Is that the word, Jake?" Hugo inquired amiably. "Now, maybe I
am. I don't know. But it wouldn't prove that I wasn't if I fought you
any more than if I fought the strangers on the other side of the
frontier."

"Well, if you don't want to fight, what are you in the army for? That's
a fair question, isn't it?" growled Pilzer, in an appeal to public
opinion.

"Yes, you can carry a joke too far," said the army officer's son. "Yes,
why?"

The others nodded. An atmospher