whispered Noll.

Both young soldiers were alert as a first lieutenant came down the road
toward them. At the same instant Hal and Noll raised their right hands
smartly in salute, which was promptly returned by that officer.

They had already inquired where the adjutant's office was located.
Having passed the officer, our young recruits now hastened over to the
headquarters building.

"Adjutant's office?" inquired Hal of an orderly before a door.

"Right inside," nodded the orderly.

Noll fell in behind Hal as the latter stepped into the office. At a
flat-top desk sat a battalion sergeant-major, who is the
non-commissioned sergeant-major is the non-commissioned assistant of
the regimental adjutant.

At a roll-top desk in another corner of the office the adjutant himself,
a first lieutenant, was seated.

"We are recruits reporting, Sergeant," announced Hal, in a low tone.

"You have your orders with you?" asked the sergeant-major.

"Yes, Sergeant." Hal handed both sets of papers to his questioner.

At the same time each recruit was alert to salute the officer at the
roll-top desk, in case he should look up. But he didn't until the
battalion sergeant-major placed the papers on his desk.

"Come here, men," directed the officer.

Both rookies stepped over to his desk, halted and saluted.

"Recruit Privates Overton and Terry?" asked the adjutant, after a glance
at the papers.

"Yes, sir."

The adjutant turned to examine a list that lay on his desk.

"Private Overton to B Company. Private Terry to C Company."

From an inner room stepped out a gray-haired officer, wearing on his
shoulder-straps the silver eagles of a colonel. This must be Colonel
North, the Thirty-fourth's K. O. Both recruits immediately came to the
salute again.

"These are the young men I wanted to see, are they not, Wright?" asked
the colonel.

"They are, sir," replied the adjutant, rising.

"Major Silsbee!" called the colonel, looking over one shoulder.

That officer entered, also from the inner room, and again the recruits
saluted.

"Major," went on the colonel, "these are the young men I told you about,
who are joining your battalion."

Major Silsbee looked them over keenly, even if briefly.

"They look the part, Colonel," was the major's comment.

CHAPTER XIV

THE SQUAD ROOM HAZING

"MEN, we have had word of you in advance of your coming," continued the
colonel.

"Yes, sir," replied Hal.

"Very good word, i