to be better to lose a battle
than to win it, for then you don't have to fight for a year or two to
find out who won it."

Sam entered a feeble protest against Cleary's criticisms, and the two
relapsed into silence.

"Who did win that naval victory anyhow?" said Sam at last.

"That's just what I'd like to know," responded Cleary. "One of the
admirals admits he wasn't there, and, if we are to believe the naval
people, the other one spent most of his time dodging around the
smokestack. But I think they're a little too hard on him; I can't
imagine why. I hear they're going to establish a permanent court at
Whoppington to determine who wins victories in future. It's not a bad
idea. My own view is that that battle won itself, and I shouldn't be
surprised if that was the way with most battles. It would be fun to run
a war without admirals and generals and see how it would come out. I
don't believe there'd be much difference. At any rate it looks so, if
what the navy says is true, and one of the admirals was away and the
other playing tag on the forward deck of the _Philadelphia_. Rum name
for a battle-ship, the _Brotherly Love_, isn't it?"

To this Sam made no answer.

On arriving at the barracks he succeeded in having a separate room
assigned to him, and thenceforth he and Foster were strangers.

CHAPTER VII

The Battle of San Diego

[Illustration]

During the next few days there was much activity in the army. It was
clear that there was an expedition in preparation. All sorts of rumors
were floating about, but it was impossible to verify any of them. Some
said that Gomaldo was advancing with a large army; others, that he had
surrendered and that the army was about to take peaceable possession
of the islands. Meanwhile Sam's position in the 200th Infantry was most
unpleasant. Foster was a popular man in the regiment, and he had set
all the officers against him. It was unfortunately a Slewey regiment,
and it was too late for Sam to change sides--a thing which he was quite
ready to do. He made up his mind never to mention the two admirals
again, and regretted that he had named them once too often. He
complained to Cleary.

"I'm afraid," he said, "that there's no chance of my doing anything.
The colonel will see to it that I am out of the way if there's anything
to do. I might as well have stayed at East Point."

"Brace up, old man! I've got an idea," said Cleary. "I