not idle. With the deft fingers of a woman she was
lifting and laying out the handsome uniforms one by one.

"Here's the one I want you to wear when you go out with your father and
me this evening," she said, holding up the full-dress uniform.

Hal laid down the sword he had been examining, stepped over and placed
an arm around his mother's waist.

"Mother, dear, I'm afraid you don't understand. An officer, when away
from troops and duty, rarely wears his uniform in public. It would be
looked upon as a foolish piece of vanity on his part."

"But you wore your sergeant's uniform when you first came home."

"All I can say, Mother, is that the two cases are different. One of
these days you'll understand just why an enlisted man goes off post in
uniform, and an officer, when away from his duties, ordinarily wears
citizen's dress. But here's one uniform, Mother, that I can wear at home
in hot weather."

He lifted two garments from near the bottom of the box.

"Why, that's only a set of tennis flannels," objected his mother.

"It's part of an officer's prescribed uniform, just the same," Hal
assured her.

"But there's no gold lace, no braid, no shoulder-straps--nothing." Mrs.
Overton's voice quivered with disappointment.

"Here's the red sash that goes with the trousers," smiled Hal, bringing
to light the article he had named. "That gives the suit quite a gay and
military appearance, as you'll soon see."

"It doesn't look like much more than any clerk might wear," remarked
Mrs. Overton, doubtfully.

"It isn't meant to. This flannel undress is intended for an officer to
wear when he doesn't want to look conspicuous among civilians. I'll go
to my room and put it on presently, and then I think you'll like it a
whole lot better."

"Maybe," said Mrs. Overton doubtfully.

"All this time," pursued Lieutenant Hal, "I'm wondering whether Noll had
found a letter waiting for him at his home, and whether his news was as
fine as mine."

"You up there, Hal?" called a voice from below--Noll's.

"Charge!" yelled back the young lieutenant.

Up the stairs very sedately came Noll Terry. His appearance proclaimed
the story. He was wearing the tennis flannel undress, red sash and all.

CHAPTER II

BUNNY HEPBURN UP TO OLD TRICKS

"Congratulations, old chum!" cried Hal Overton, striding across the room
and holding out his hand.

The two friends joined hands in a fervent clasp.

"Yes; I got my letter, and the news