om. His
little eyes had a bleary look of perpetual drunkenness, which obscured
the hearty, good-humoured expression really natural to them.

It was all one to him where he lived: was there not beer in the
canteen? and if one paid for it the canteen-keeper, despite the
prohibition, would let one have a case of bottled ale. The non-coms, of
course would drink with him; then they would all be a pleasant company
together.

He was right in his calculations: none of them could withstand the good
cigars and drinks which he distributed freely. Even the sergeant-major
took to joining them; such a chance was not to be let slip. But the
deputy sergeant-major, Heimert, kept his distance; he was occupied with
preparing for his approaching marriage. And Sergeant Wiegandt preferred
walking with his sweetheart Frieda in the quiet evenings.

A special relation soon established itself between Frielinghausen and
the one-year volunteer. Trautvetter had been a couple of terms at
Breslau, and the education they had both received gave them something
in common.

Frielinghausen had a good time now. Trautvetter paid for him and let
him take part in his amusements and pleasures. It even seemed as though
Trautvetter had some honourable feeling towards the young baron, for he
sternly refused ever to let him join in the gambling with which the
drinking-bouts soon came to be enlivened.

The one-year volunteer had his reasons for this. His luck remained
faithful to him with almost puzzling persistency. His little swimming
eyes seemed to hypnotise the dealer when they were playing cards, and
his big fat hands had nothing to do but to rake in the winnings.

He had not the least scruple in taking money from the sergeant-major
and Trumpeter-sergeant Henke, who were usually his adversaries--why
else did the fellows play with him? but he did not like winning from
Frielinghausen.

When the two non-commissioned officers had lost all their money,
Trautvetter had no objection to lending, and let them give him
notes-of-hand, which at last amounted to very considerable sums.

He had not, indeed, any real intention of claiming repayment; but these
I.O.U.'s were very useful weapons in his hand, and it was not long
before the sergeant-major had to dance to his piping.

Every night when an inspection was not expected, Trautvetter and
Heppner would slip out of barracks. As soon as the sentinel had gone
round the corner, they would creep out of the window, a