young man in the khaki
uniform of the United States Army. He was an officer, a second
lieutenant, and a very young and very new second lieutenant at
that. His face was white and he seemed much agitated.

"What's the matter here?" he demanded. Then, seeing Jed for the
first time, he asked: "Who is this man and what is he doing here?"

"That's just what I was askin' him, sir," blustered the workman.
"I found him here with this fire goin' and I asked him who he was
and what he was doin'. I asked him first if he'd seen the plan--"

"Had he?" broke in the young officer, eagerly. Then, addressing
Jed, he said: "Have you seen anything of the plan?"

Jed slowly shook his head. "I don't know's I know what you mean by
a plan," he explained. "I ain't been here very long. I just-- My
soul and body!"

He snatched the kettle from the fire, took off the cover, sniffed
anxiously, and then added, with a sigh of relief, "Whew! I declare
I thought I smelt it burnin'. Saved it just in time. Whew!"

The lieutenant looked at Jed and then at the workman. The latter
shook his head.

"Don't ask me, sir," he said. "That's the way he's been actin'
ever since I struck here. Either he's batty or else he's
pretendin' to be, one or the other. Look here, Rube!" he roared at
the top of his lungs, "can the cheap talk and answer the
lieutenant's questions or you'll get into trouble. D'ye hear?"

Jed looked up at him. "I'm pretty nigh sure I should hear if you
whispered a little louder," he said, gently.

The young officer drew himself up. "That's enough of this," he
ordered. "A plan has been lost here on this reservation, a
valuable plan, a drawing of--well, a drawing that has to do with
the laying out of this camp and which might be of value to the
enemy if he could get it. It was on my table in the office less
than an hour ago. Now it is missing. What we are asking you is
whether or not you have seen anything of it. Have you?"

Jed shook his head. "I don't think I have," he replied.

"You don't think? Don't you know? What is the matter with you?
Is it impossible for you to answer yes or no to a question?"

"Um--why, yes, I cal'late 'tis--to some questions."

"Well, by George! You're fresh enough."

"Now--now, if you please, I wasn't intendin' to be fresh. I just--"

"Well, you are. Who is this fellow? How does he happen to be
here? Does any one know?"

Jed's first interrogator, the big workman, being