our final talk about the good old
Army," cried the retired sergeant heartily.

It was that same afternoon that Tip Branders next espied Jud and Tom
coming down a street. Tip darted into a doorway, intent on lying in wait
for the pair.

As they neared his place of hiding, however, Tip heard Jud and Tom
talking of something that changed his plan.

"What's that?" echoed Tip to himself, straining his hearing.

"Say," breathed Tom Andrews fervently, "wouldn't it be fine if we could
go to New York to-morrow morning, too, and see Hal and Noll sworn into
the United States Army?"

Tip held his breath, listening for more. He heard enough to put him in
possession of practically all of the plans of Hal and Noll.

"Oho!" chuckled Tip, as he strode away from the place later. "So that
pair of boobs are going to try for the Army. Oh, I daresay they'll get
in. But so will I--and in the same company with them. I wouldn't have
missed this for anything. I'll be the thorn in Hal Overton's side the
little while that he'll be in the service! I've more than to-day's
business to settle with that stuck-up dude!"

All of which will soon appear and be made plain.

CHAPTER II

AT THE RECRUITING OFFICE

THE solemn time came the following morning.

Both Hal and Noll were "only children," or, at least, so thought their
mothers.

Messrs. Overton and Terry, the elders, gave their sons' hands a last
strong grip. No good advice was offered by either father at parting.
That had already been attended to.

Naturally the boys' mothers cried a good bit over them. Both mothers, in
fact, had wanted to go over to New York with their sons. But the fathers
had objected that this would only prolong the pain of parting, and that
soldiers in the bud should not be unfitted for their beginnings by
tears.

So Hal and Noll met at the station, to take an early morning train.
There were no relatives to see them off. Early as the hour was, though,
Jud Jeffers and Tom Andrews had made a point of being on hand.

"We wanted to see you start," explained Jud, his face beaming and eyes
wistful with longing. "We didn't know what train you'd take, so we've
been here since half-past six."

"We may be back by early afternoon," laughed Hal.

"Not you two!" declared Jud positively. "The recruiting officer will
jump right up, shake hands with you, and drag you over to where you sign
the Army rolls."

The train came along in time to put a stop to a long co