u threaten
to do, you may rest assured that you will be brought back by force of
arms, and if you resist you will be shot."

"How does it come that you know so much more than the rest of us?"
demanded Bristow angrily. "You are not an old soldier."

"I am aware of that fact, but I have been talking to an old soldier, and
that was Haskins. He told me that Major Elliot, one of General Custer's
officers, pursued a party of deserters, and when they resisted he shot
three of them; and Haskins himself was one of the squad that did the
shooting."

"I don't believe a word of it," exclaimed Bristow.

"Neither do I," said another of the recruits. "Of course we expect to be
pursued, but we shall take good care that we are not caught. Any of
these ranchemen who want herdsmen will furnish us with citizens'
clothing, and before our year is out the thing will blow over, and then
we'll go home, and stay there."

"It won't blow over as easily as you think for," said Bob. "It will be
known to your home authorities and to everybody else that you are
deserters, and all the detectives in the United States will be on the
lookout for you. If you want to live in constant fear of arrest, you can
do it, but I won't."

Bob stuck to his resolution, and his discontented companions stuck to
theirs. We shall see in due time which of the four made the wisest
decision.

CHAPTER II.

AN OLD FRIEND TURNS UP.

The long, toilsome journey was completed at last, and late one afternoon
the weary and footsore recruits found themselves drawn up in line on the
parade-ground at Fort Lamoine. After the roll had been called and the
colonel commanding the post had hurriedly inspected them, they were
turned over to a sergeant, who marched them into the barracks. There
they found about two hundred or more soldiers, who, as soon as the order
was given to "break ranks," crowded about them inquiring for late papers
and asking a thousand and one questions in regard to what was going on
in the States.

Learning from the sergeant that no duty would be required of him that
day, Bob spread his blankets in one of the empty bunks, and, stretching
himself upon them, placed his hands under his head and looked about him
with no little curiosity. Presently a young trooper, a boy about his
own age, who looked as though he were just recovering from a long siege
of sickness, approached, and, seating himself on the edge of Bob's bunk,
began a conversation with him.