nough. There'd be
lots of mornings when every one of us would hate it. Oh! you needn't
look that way. You all would, sure. What's fun when you feel like it is
quite the other thing when you don't. And nine o'clock comes pretty
early in the morning. Doesn't it, Miss Dorothy?"

The laugh was upon her and she joined in it. Yet she hadn't one whit
abandoned her plan of helping Leslie against himself. But there was no
use in arguing, and, small woman that she was, she tried strategy
instead.

"Well, Leslie, you make me think of Mr. Seth Winter's story about the
eleven contrary jurymen. All 'contrary' except the one who couldn't get
his own way. No matter, nobody wants to force you into hard work. Though
I suppose you'll be willing, we, your guests, shall do as we please?"

"Certainly," he replied with an absurdly profound bow, to which Dorothy
merrily returned a sweeping courtesy.

"Then the rest of us who have given our word will keep it. We will be on
hand every morning, Captain, to be drilled in the noble tactics of the
soldier. Aunt Betty says everybody always finds use for all the
knowledge he possesses. Aunt Betty knows. She's lived almost as long as
all our ages put together, and she's the very happiest person I ever
saw. I don't know anything about soldiering yet but I'm going to learn
what I can with this splendid teacher to instruct me--" here she made
another profound obeisance to Captain Lem, who returned the courtesy by
his finest military salute, mentally appraising the earnest little girl
as the best of them all.

"So that I shall have one more thing to put in my knowledge-box, ready
to use if I ever need it. And while we are drilling you can amuse
yourself otherwise, Leslie dear. Now, Captain, can't we go on and find
out what wonderful thing is hidden in that corral behind these
Barracks?"

"Sure. Forward, march!"

He faced forward again and even Leslie fell into step behind the others,
willing to join in such "foolishness" as a temporary amusement.

In fine order they reached the further end of the long building, marched
around its rear, and came upon what Dorothy thought was a most beautiful
sight. Within the wide paddock, or corral, as these westerners called
it, was a small herd of young, thoroughbred horses. From a little stand
outside the paling, Mr. and Mrs. Ford were watching the handsome
creatures and talking with the grooms that attended them, concerning
their good, and possibly, bad quali