I served in the Spanish
war, and I was able to get pretty familiar with conditions."

"I didn't know it, no," said Colonel Roberts, in some surprise. "What
command were you with? I didn't get any further than Tampa myself."

"I was on General Shafter's staff in Cuba," said Durland, quietly.

Colonel Roberts looked at the Scout-Master a bit ruefully.

"You're a regular," he said, half-believingly. "Great Scott, you must be
a West Pointer!"

"I was," said Durland, with a laugh. "So I guess you'll find that my
Troop will understand how to behave itself in camp."

"I surrender!" said the militia colonel, laughing. "If you don't see
anything you want, Captain, just ask me for it. You can have anything
I've got power to sign orders for. And say--be easy on the boys! They're
a bit green, because this active service is something new for most of
us. They mean well, but drilling in an armory and actually getting out
and getting a taste of field-service conditions are two different
things."

"I think it's all splendid training," said Durland, "and if we'd had
more of it before the war with Spain there wouldn't have been so many
graves filled by the fever. Why, Colonel, it used to make me sick to go
around among the volunteer camps about Siboney and see the conditions
there, with men who were brave enough to fight the whole Spanish army
just inviting fever and all sorts of disease by the rankest sort of
carelessness. Their officers were brave gentleman, but, while they might
have been good lawyers and doctors and bankers back home, they had never
taken the trouble to read the most elementary books on camp life and
sanitation. A day's hard reading would have taught them enough to save
hundreds of lives. We lost more men by disease than the Spaniards were
able to kill at El Caney and San Juan. And it was all needless."

"I'm detached from my regiment for this camp," said Colonel Roberts,
earnestly, "but I'm going to get hold of Major Jones as soon as I get to
Guernsey, and ask him to have you inspect the Fourteenth and criticize
it. Don't hesitate, please, Captain! Just pitch in and tell us what's
wrong, and we'll all be eternally grateful to you. And I wish you'd give
me a list of those books you were talking about, will you?"

"Gladly," said Durland. "All right, Colonel. I'll have the Troop on hand
for that train."

The Scouts enjoyed the trip mightily. Durland took occasion to impress
on them some of the differences bet