back to the rear this morning and crawled into a wagon. I think we had
better reduce him to the ranks and appoint Mr. Klegg."

"Do so at once," said the Colonel.

Next morning when the 200th was drawn up in line an order was read by
the Adjutant reducing the skulker and promoting Si to the full rank of
Corporal, with a few words commending the gallantry of the latter.
These orders announcing rewards and punishments were supposed to have
a salutary effect in stimulating the men to deeds of glory, and as a
warning to those who were a little short of "sand."

[Illustration: CORPORAL SI KLEGG 151 ]

The boys of Co. Q showered their congratulations upon Si in the usual
way. They made it very lively for him that day. In the evening: Si
hunted up some white cloth, borrowed a needle and thread, went off back
of the tent, rammed his bayonet into the ground, stuck a candle in the
socket, and sewed chevrons on the sleeves of his blouse. Then he wrote a
short letter:

"Deer Annie: I once more take my pen in hand to tell you
there's grate news. I'm an ossifer. We had an awful fite
yisterdy. I don't know how menny rebbles I kild, but I guess
thare was enuff to start a good sized graveyard. I tuk a
prizner, too, and the Kurnal says to me bully fer you,
Mister Klegg, or sumthin to that effeck. This mornin they
made me a Corporil, and red it out before the hull rijiment
I guess youd been prowd if you could have seen me. To-night
the boys is hollerin hurraw fer Corporal Klegg all over
camp. I ain't as big is the Ginrals and gum of the other
ossifers, but thars no tellin how hi I'll get in three
years.

"Rownd is the ring that haint no end,
So is my luv to you my friend.

"Yours, same as before,

"Corporal Si Klegg."

CHAPTER XVI. ONE OF THE "NON-COMMISH"

A NIGHT'S ADVENTURES AS "CORPORAL OF THE GUARD."

"CORPORAL Klegg, you will go on duty to-night with the camp guard!" said
the Orderly of Co. Q one evening, as the 200th Ind. filed off into a
piece of woods to bivouac for the night, two or three days after Si had
been promoted.

The chevrons on his arms had raised Si several degrees in the estimation
not only of himself, but of the other members of the company. His
conduct in the skirmish had shown that he had in him the material for a
good soldier, and even the Orderly began to treat him with that respect
due to his new rank a