gulators appeared, to his sober senses, to be the most
absurd institution ever invented by the mischievous brain of a boy. Yet
he could not disbelieve the evidence of his senses, and especially of
his smarting legs, and he was compelled to admit that the society
actually existed; though there was a remote possibility that the whole
affair was a practical joke, devised by Nevers and his clique.

We have before intimated, in the course of this story, that Richard
Grant was an "old head." He had a very tolerable conception of the
principles of strategy; therefore he did not do as most boys would have
done--make a tremendous row over the occurrences of the night. He
decided that it would be politic for him to keep both eyes and both
ears open, while he kept his mouth closed. By this course he hoped to
obtain a clew to the mystery, and thus eventually to make the daylight
shine in upon the dark proceedings of the Regulators.

"Where have you been this hour?" demanded the sentinel, whose beat was
next to his own, when they met.

"I haven't been far off," replied Richard; "that is, not more than half
a mile off," he added, in a tone so low that his companion could not
hear him.

"I understand. You have been taking a nap."

"'Pon my word, I haven't."

"But you have; I haven't seen you before for an hour."

"I haven't been asleep."

"Honor bright, Grant, haven't you?" asked his companion, good
naturedly.

"No, I haven't."

"Where were you when the grand rounds were made?"

"I was close by."

"Of course you were, or you would have been missed," added his
neighbor, as he turned on his heel and made off.

Richard thought he was very easily satisfied, and he wondered if he
wasn't a member of the secret band of Regulators. Our sentinel marched
to the other end of his beat. His neighbor on this side had missed him,
but he was as easily satisfied as the other had been, and Richard
wondered whether _he_ was not a Regulator.

While he was musing upon the extraordinary events of the night, the
relief came round, and he was marched to the guard tent, where, for
four hours, he had an opportunity to dream of the Regulators, and their
secret management of the affairs of the Tunbrook Institute.

CHAPTER XVI.

RICHARD BECOMES FIRST SERGEANT OF COMPANY D.

The next morning Richard was discharged from guard duty, and returned
to the battalion. From the moment he opened his eyes he carefully
observed the actions of h