Hal turned to resume his seat at the table. But from three or four men
in the center of the room, as they turned away, came a muffled groan.

That sign of insubordination brought the young sergeant to his feet once
more in an instant. His under lip trembled slightly, but he strode in
among the men.

"Men, I've something to say to you," announced the new sergeant coolly.
"I intend to preserve discipline in this squad room, though I don't
expect to do it like a martinet. Some of you groaned, just now, when my
back was turned. Soldiers of the regular Army are men of courage. No
real man fights behind another man's back. Has any man here anything
that he wishes to say to my face?"

It was a tense moment. Three or four of the men looked as though tempted
to "say a lot."

Sergeant Hal, his hands tightly gripped, stood facing them, waiting.

Nearly a score of feet away Corporal Hyman stood negligently by. There
was nothing aggressive in his manner, but he was ready to go to the
support of his sergeant.

"Has any man here anything that he wishes to say to me?" Hal repeated.

Still silence was preserved.

"Then let us have no more child's play by those who are old enough to be
men twenty-four hours in a day," warned Overton crisply.

He hadn't said much, but his look, his tone and manner told the men that
he was in command in that room, and that he intended to keep the command
fully in his own hands.

There was no further trouble that night, though the young sergeant could
not escape the knowledge that he was generally disliked here.

When guard-mounting assembly sounded at nine the next morning Sergeant
Hal Overton marched the new guard on to the field.

Battalion Adjutant Wright was on hand, but Lieutenant Algy Ferrers, the
new officer of the day, was absent.

The adjutant turned, scanning the ground between there and officers'
row. There was no sign of Lieutenant Ferrers, and in the Army lack of
punctuality, even to the fraction of a minute, is a grave offense.

"Orderly," directed Adjutant Wright, turning to a man, "go to Lieutenant
Ferrers' quarters and direct him, with my compliments, to come here as
quickly as he possibly can."

The orderly departed on a run. But he soon came back, alone.

"Sir, Lieutenant Ferrers is not in his quarters?"

"Not in quarters? Did you look in at the officers' club, too?"

"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Ferrers' bed was not slept in last night, so his
striker told me."

Adjut