stood in line-of-battle. I'll
punch the head of any man that says anything to the contrary. Every man
in it is a high-toned, Christian gentleman. Mind that, now, every one of
you brats, and don't you allow nobody to say otherwise."

"No," said Si, after further study of the camps, "neither o' them 's the
200th Injianny. They've both got brass bands. Must be new rijimints."

"Say," said Shorty, "there's a royal lookin' rooster standin' up in
front of that little house there. Looks as if the house was headquarters
for some highroller, and him doin' Orderly duty. If he knows as much as
he's got style, he knows more'n old Sherman himself. Go up and ask him."

It was the first time in all their service that either of them had
seen a soldier in the full dress prescribed by the United States Army
regulations, and this man had clearly won the coveted detail of Orderly
by competition with his comrades as being the neatest, best-dressed
man in the squad. He was a tall, fine-looking young man, wearing white
gloves and a paper collar, with a spotless dress coat buttoned to the
chin, his shoes shining like mirrors, his buttons and belt-plates like
new gold, and his regulation hat caught up on the left side with a
feather and a gilt eagle. The front of his hat was a mass of gilt
letters and figures and a bugle, indicating his company, regiment and
State. On his breast was a large, red star.

"Jehosephat," sighed Shorty. "I wish I had as many dollars as he has
style. Must be one of old Abe's body guards, sent out here with Grant's
commission as Lieutenant-General. Expect that red star passes him on
the railroads and at the hotels. I'd like to play him two games out o'
three, cut-throat, for it. I could use it in my business."

"No," said the Orderly to Si, with a strong Yankee twang, "I don't know
a mite about the 200th Ind. Leastwise, I don't remember it. Everybody
down here's from Indiana, Ohio or Illinois. It's one eternal mix, like
Uncle Jed Stover's fish--couldn't tell shad, herring nor sprat from one
another. It seems to me more like a 'tarnal big town-meeting than an
army. All talk alike, and have got just as much to say; all act alike.
Can't tell where an Indiana regiment leaves off and Ohio one begins;
can't tell officer from private, everybody dresses as he pleases, and
half of them don't wear anything to tell where they belong. There wasn't
a corps badge in the whole army when we come here."

"Corps badges--what's the