Noll. "I think we've enough to go
around."

So saying Noll stepped over to his chum, quickly freeing him.

"Get up, Sergeant Overton," cried Noll, as he cut the last cord at his
chum's ankles. "And now I turn the command over to you."

Most of the prisoners took their capture in an ugly mood. Their leader,
however, affected, coolly, to regard it all as the fortunes of the game.

"Here don't handcuff any of the disabled men," directed Sergeant Hal.
"Green, you stand as a guard over those wounded. It's bad enough to be
hurt, without having one's hands fixed so that he can't aid himself any
in his misery."

"You want Hinkey ironed, don't you?" inquired Noll.

"No."

"But he's an Army deserter."

"If he gets away from where he's sitting he'll be only the remains of
one," returned Sergeant Overton dryly. "But Hinkey is wounded, and he'll
need his hands free in order to look after himself."

Hinkey, however, did not deign to notice this grace by so much as a look
or a word.

"What are you going to do with these fellows?" asked Noll presently.

"It doesn't rest with me," Hal replied. "This is a purely military
matter, and I shall wait to get Lieutenant Prescott's orders."

"Then Prescott belongs with this camp?" queried the taller,
finer-looking of the pair of young strangers who had given Hal his first
aid.

"Lieutenant Prescott is with this camp; yes, sir," Hal replied, laying
considerable emphasis on the title.

"We're friends of his," explained the same stranger. "So, if you don't
mind, we'll just wait for him."

"If you're friends of Lieutenant Prescott, then make yourselves very
much at home, sir," Hal answered cordially. "Any friend of Lieutenant
Prescott has B company for his friends also."

Johnson and Dietz, who had been freed right after Sergeant Hal, were now
busy once more with preparations for the extra meal.

"Had we better provide for three extra plates, Sarge?" inquired Johnson,
in a low voice.

"It looks very much that way," smiled Hal. "And be sure to have a great
plenty of everything. Vreeland will help you, as you've lost some time."

Ten minutes later the footsteps of others were heard approaching camp.
Then in came Lieutenant Prescott, with Corporal Cotter and five men.
They were carrying two antelope and a fine, big bear.

But the instant that Lieutenant Prescott caught sight of the strangers
he dropped everything, rushing forward with outstretched hands.

"By all that's wond