om B Company. By the holy
poker, if you don't turn out and get it and report to me on the parade
I'll spot the whole gang absent, and then no _matinee_ for you to-day,
my buck. Come, out with you! I mean it. Hall says you and he have an
engagement in town; and 'pon my soul I'll bust it if you don't come
out."

And so, growling and complaining, and yet half laughing, Adonis rolled
from his couch and began to get into his clothes. Chester's blood ran
cold, then boiled. Think of a man who could laugh like that,--and
remember! _When_, how, had he returned to the house? Listen!

"Confound you, Sloat, _I_ wouldn't rout _you_ out in this shabby way.
Why couldn't you let a man sleep? I'm tired half to death."

"What have you done to tire you? Slept all yesterday afternoon, and
danced perhaps a dozen times at the doctor's last night. You've had more
sleep than I've had, begad! You took Miss Renwick home before 'twas
over, and mean it was of you, too, with all the fellows that wanted to
dance with her."

"That wasn't my fault: Mrs. Maynard made her promise to be home at
twelve. You old cackler, that's what sticks in your crop yet. You are
persecuting me because they like me so much better than they do you," he
went on, laughingly now. "Come, now, Sloat, confess, it is all because
you're jealous. You couldn't have that picture, and I could."

Chester fairly started. He had urgent need to see this young
gallant,--he was staying for that purpose,--but should he listen to
further talk like this? Too late to move, for Sloat's answer came like a
shot:

"I bet you you _never_ could!"

"But didn't I tell you I had?--a week ago?"

"Ay, but I didn't believe it. You couldn't show it!"

"Pshaw, man! Look here. Stop, though! Remember, _on your honor_, you
never tell."

"On my honor, of course."

"Well, there!"

A drawer was opened. Chester heard a gulp of dismay, of genuine
astonishment and conviction mixed, as Sloat muttered some
half-articulate words and then came into the front room. Jerrold
followed, caught sight of Chester, and stopped short, with sudden and
angry change of color.

"I did not know _you_ were here," he said.

"It was to find where _you_ were that I came," was the quiet answer.

There was a moment's silence. Sloat turned and looked at the two men in
utter surprise. Up to this time he had considered Jerrold's absence from
reveille as a mere dereliction of duty which was ascribable to the
laziness and in