the post to-morrow, Mr. Ferrers?"
demanded the colonel, a good deal astonished.

"Yes; can't I?"

"Mr. Ferrers, you are of the Army until your resignation has been
accepted in the usual way."

"Haven't you accepted it, Colonel?"

"I have no authority to do so. Your resignation will have to go to
Washington through the usual military channels, and can be accepted only
by the authority of the President."

"Oh, that will be all right," declared Algy promptly. "I'll get my
friend, Benson-Bodge, to attend to that."

"I'm afraid he can't do it for you, young man. Mr. Ferrers, you will
have to remain at this post, and perform all your duties, until the
acceptance of your resignation comes in due form, and through the usual
channels. And if you absent yourself from post again, without leave,
I'll use the telegraph to make sure that your resignation is refused and
that you are obliged to stand trial."

It took Mr. Ferrers until the next morning to recover his good spirits.

Then, immediately after the first drill--which he attended on time--Algy
went over to the post telegraph station, where he picked up a blank and
wrote this message to his father:

"You'll be glad to know that I'll be with you
after a few days more. Have resigned from this
beastly Army."

Sergeant Noll Terry was in charge of the office. He looked the message
over gravely, then said:

"I am sorry, sir, but I am afraid that I cannot allow this message to go
without the written approval of the post commander."

"What's the matter now?" asked Algy.

"Pardon me, sir, but you have referred to the Army in slighting terms. I
am certain that Colonel North would censure me if I allowed this message
to go."

"But I'm an officer--yet--so what right have you to refuse to send it,
Sergeant?"

"It will have to be approved by Colonel North, or his adjutant, before I
can allow it to be sent, sir," replied Noll firmly.

"Humph! But it's high time to get out of the Army when a chap can't even
write his own telegrams!"

However, Ferrers thought it over for a few moments. Then he wrote this
new message:

"Expect me home, soon. Have resigned from the Army."

"Is a chap allowed to send a message like that?" Algy inquired
plaintively.

"Certainly, Lieutenant," Noll replied, and handed the message over to a
soldier operator.

A glance at the clock in the room told Lieutenant Ferrers that he had a
little time to spare before