een in command
of a battalion, they held the attitude of school-boys to a master--the
instinctive feeling of all privates towards all officers. Jones and
Cumnor were members of his camp guard. Being just now off post, they
stood at the fire, but away from him.

"How do you like this compared with barracks?" the sergeant asked,
conversationally.

"It's all right," said Jones.

"Did you think it was all right that first morning? I didn't enjoy it
much myself. Sit down and get warm, won't you?"

The men came and stood awkwardly. "I 'ain't never found any excitement
in getting up early," said Jones, and was silent. A burning log shifted,
and the bell sounded in a new place as the leader pastured along. Jones
kicked the log into better position. "But this affair's gettin'
inter-esting," he added.

"Don't you smoke?" Keyser inquired of Cumnor, and tossed him his
tobacco-pouch. Presently they were seated, and the conversation going
better. Arizona was compared with Idaho. Everybody had gone to bed.

"Arizona's the most outrageous outrage in the United States," declared
Jones.

"Why did you stay there six years, then?" said Cumnor.

"Guess I'd been there yet but for you comin' along and us both enlistin'
that crazy way. Idaho's better. Only," said Jones, thoughtfully, "coming
to an ice-box from a hundred thousand in the shade, it's a wonder a man
don't just split like a glass chimbly."

The willows crackled, and all laid hands on their pistols.

"How! how!" said a strange, propitiating voice.

It was a man on a horse, and directly they recognized E-egante himself.
They would have raised an alarm, but he was alone, and plainly not
running away. Nor had he weapons. He rode into the fire-light, and "How!
how!" he repeated, anxiously. He looked and nodded at the three, who
remained seated.

"Good-evening," said the sergeant.

"Christmas is coming," said Jones, amicably.

"How! how!" said E-egante. It was all the English he had. He sat on his
horse, looking at the men, the camp, the cook-fire, the A tent, and
beyond into the surrounding silence. He started when the bell suddenly
jangled near by. The wandering mule had only shifted in towards the camp
and shaken his head; but the Indian's nerves were evidently on the
sharpest strain.

"Sit down!" said Keyser, making signs, and at these E-egante started
suspiciously.

"Warm here!" Jones called to him, and Cumnor showed his pipe.

The chief edged a thought closer