's
horse; and in order to do it he had to cut the lariat that was tied to
the officer's wrist. He got away with the horse, and never awoke one of
us."

Gus Robbins had accumulated an almost inexhaustible fund of such
anecdotes as these during his two and a half years of army-life, and he
related a good many of them to Bob while they were walking about the
fort examining the different objects of interest. From some of them Bob
gained a faint idea of what might be in store for himself.

The next morning the newly-arrived recruits were formed into an awkward
squad and turned over to the tender mercies of a grizzly old sergeant,
who proved to be anything but an agreeable and patient instructor. He
drilled them for four hours without allowing them a single moment's
rest, abusing them roundly for every mistake they made; and when at last
he marched them to their quarters, it was only that they might eat their
dinner and take half an hour's breathing-spell preparatory to going
through the same course of sprouts again in the afternoon. This routine
was followed day after day until the members of the awkward squad were
declared to be sufficiently drilled to warrant their appearance on
dress-parade. After that they were assigned to the different troops (or
companies) that stood the most in need of men, Bob, to his delight,
finding himself in the same troop to which his new friend, Gus Robbins,
belonged. But even then their troubles did not cease. Instead of
drilling eight hours each day, they drilled six, and were obliged to do
guard-duty besides. Among the three hundred and eighty men who composed
the garrison there were not a few old soldiers who hated this hard work
as cordially as some of the new-comers did, and there was a good deal of
grumbling among them; but Bob Owens never uttered a word of complaint.
Firmly adhering to the resolution he had made when he first enlisted, he
set himself to work to learn just what was required of him, and when he
found out what his duty was, he did it cheerfully and faithfully. He was
always on hand when he was wanted, his equipments were always ready for
inspection, and his horse shone like satin. When his own steed had been
fed and groomed, he turned his attention to the horse belonging to the
lieutenant who commanded the troop to which he belonged, and thereby
aroused the indignation of some of his brother-soldiers.

"What are you doing that for?" demanded Gus Robbins one day as he and