some of these peculiar Army customs.
Even an officer is likely to be ordered about a good deal as though he
were a dog. Eh, Sergeant?"

"I have never felt like a dog, sir, since entering the Army."

"Oh, I dare say Wright is quite proper in his order, you know. I'll go
up and drop in on him right now."

Both sergeant and sentry saluted again as this very unusual officer
turned on the speed and went driving lazily up to headquarters'
building.

Algy Ferrers had his cigarette going by the time that he stepped
leisurely into the adjutant's office.

"Some one told me you wanted to see me, Wright," began Algy.

Lieutenant Wright wheeled around briskly upon his subordinate.

"I want to see you, Mr. Ferrers, only to pass you on to the colonel.
I'll tell him that you're here."

Adjutant Wright stepped into the inner office, nodding his head at the
colonel, then wheeled about.

"Colonel North will see you, sir."

Algy took three quick whiffs of his cigarette, then tossed it away. He
had already gained an idea that a young officer does not go into his
colonel's presence smoking.

"So you're here, sir?" demanded Colonel North, looking up from his desk
as Algy came to a halt before him.

"Yes; I'm here, Colonel--or most of me is. My, how seedy I feel this
afternoon! Do you know, Colonel, I'm almost persuaded to cut out
social----"

"Silence, Mr. Ferrers!" commanded Colonel North very coldly. "Concern
yourself only with answering my questions. Yesterday afternoon you were
warned that you would be officer of the day to-day."

"Bless me, so I was," assented Algy mildly.

"Yet this morning you failed to be present at guard-mount."

"Yes, sir. I'll tell you how it happened."

"Be good enough to tell me without delay."

"Colonel, did you ever hear of the Douglas-Fraziers, of Detroit?"

"Answer my question, Mr. Ferrers!"

"Or the Porterby-Masons, of Chicago?" pursued Algy calmly. "Both
families are very old friends of our family. They and some others were
very much interested in my being a soldier, and----"

"You being a soldier!" exploded the irate colonel under his breath.

"And so they and some others who were on their way to the coast on a
special train had their train switched off at Clowdry last night. They
expected to get in at eight, but it was eleven when they arrived last
night. However, sir, they telephoned right up to me and tipped me off to
join them at once at the Clowdry Hotel. So what could I d