tting of an "i" or the crossing of a "t,"
which had carelessly been overlooked by both company commander and
clerk. Then would follow the hair-splitting Colonel's permission to
step back again.

The --th Infantry, arriving at Manila late in the spring of 1899,
had taken its turn at doing duty on the outskirts of the city, and
was now participating in the nocturnal fights of the interior. It had
been at San Fernando de Pampanga for a little more than a month and
both officers and men showed the wear and tear of sleepless nights
and tropical climate, which tested the hardihood of the stoutest
constitution among them.

With temper yet ruffled, Captain Sever retraced his steps to his bamboo
hut. When he arrived there, he found three of his brother officers in
possession. With that hearty and genial tone of good-fellowship which
is only used and felt between men who have passed through hardships
together, and know the true worth of each other, they greeted him.

He confided to them the cause of his unusual exertion after a
trying night on outpost duty, and wearily dropped himself onto some
ammunition-boxes, which were serving the purpose of a chair.

The talk naturally turned to the condition of affairs, but argument
waned for lack of an opposing side--the unanimous opinion being that
the "gugus" did not and never would know when they were "licked."

Sever arose, walked over to a native bed, and began cleaning his
revolver, occasionally glancing toward the enemy's lines. Finally he
said: "Say, Parsons, I wish you would reach up in that cracker-box
above your head and hand me my glasses."

Lieutenant Parsons was a long, lank fellow, who never exerted himself
any more than was absolutely necessary, so he simply unwound one
of his arms, which was twisted around one of the posts of the bed,
and blindly felt above till he found the article desired. Handing
them to Sever, he indifferently asked: "What's going on over there?"

Without replying, Sever took the glasses and looked intently at the
"gugu" trenches. Having satisfied his curiosity, he returned to his
work of cleaning his "six-shooter"; then answered the almost forgotten
question: "Oh, nothing, I guess; only I thought I saw a 'nigger'
running. Its such an unusual sight to see one of those fellows 'get
a move on,' especially when the sun is beating down like it is now,
unless something is after him--looks like there might be something up."

Parsons reached over for