d!"

It was a sober-minded party that dressed and journeyed back to the fort,
Joe carrying both his own fish and those his cousin had caught.

"I am afraid that will end fishing and swimming for a while," said
Biggs. "The soldiers never go near the falls, for they all know the
danger, but Colonel Fairfield is too strict to run any chances."

"Don't say anything about the adventure on the tree," said Darry.

"Will you keep mum?"

"I will, and so will you, won't you, Joe?"

"Yes."

So it was arranged that nothing should be said, that the soldiers'
little recreation might not be interfered with, for both boys saw that
they had little pleasure at the best.

"A fine haul for you boys!" said Lieutenant Carrol, as he surveyed the
catch. "I must go myself and try my luck. I haven't been fishing this
summer."

"It's a splendid place for bites," said Joe.

"I know it. But you have to be careful up there. There's a nasty fall in
the river. If you went over that you'd never come out alive."

"Yes, we saw the fall," answered Darry, and gave a shudder in spite of
himself.

Again at sunset there was a parade, similar to that of the day before.
After it was over the boys procured guns and had Lambert put them
through their "paces," as he called it.

"First we'll drill a bit without guns," said the old soldier, for
Lambert had seen sixteen years of service. "Toe this line, heads up,
chest out, and little fingers on the seams of your trousers. That's all
right. Now then, Eyes Right! When I say that turn your eyes to the
right, but don't move your faces. Now, Eyes Front! That's good. Eyes
Left! Eyes Front! That's first-rate."

"But we're not moving," said Darry.

"Now we'll move. Watch me. Right Face! Do you see how it's done? Balance
on the heel, this way, and swing around. Now then, Right Face!"

The two boys came around like well-trained old soldiers.

"Good, boys, good. Now then, Front Face! Good. Left Face! That's not so
well. Front Face! Now here's another, About Face!"

So the drilling went on, until the boys could move as Lambert wished
them to. Then they began to march and to wheel right and left. At last
he put the guns in their hands and let them march with the pieces, and
then showed them the manual of arms.

[Illustration: "AT LAST HE PUT THE GUNS IN THEIR HANDS AND LET THEM
MARCH WITH THE PIECES."]

"You'll learn in no time," said the old soldier, when his off time came
to an end. "You've crowded a