e, the
Moccasins hoped that they could get some of our arms and ammunition.
Thus provided, they hadn't much doubt of being able to provide
themselves with more fighting hardware. And they'd have gotten away,
too, if it hadn't been that Butch Griller had promised Hinkey a chance
for revenge on Sergeant Overton."

"But how did Hinkey come to be with them?" broke in Lieutenant Prescott.

"Griller told me about that, sir," Noll replied. "Griller said he was
standing on the stoop of a house in Denver, near the ball grounds, at
the time when Hinkey deserted and made his break to get away. Griller
was in Denver, on the quiet, to get more men together. When he saw
Hinkey running, he sized him up as a man just deserted, and felt that
Hinkey would be useful to him. So he called to Hinkey, shoved him
inside the house, and then, when----"

"Say, but I remember that! And now I recall where I saw Griller before.
He told me that Hinkey had rushed on and turned the next street corner
below. That threw me off the track," muttered Sergeant Hal.

"Well, his new man Hinkey brought him no luck," laughed Lieutenant
Prescott. "And the Moccasins won't do much more harm, unless they manage
to break jail."

"I don't believe they'll get away from that sheriff, anyway, sir,"
remarked Sergeant Noll grimly.

Noll Terry and the members of his guard were in time to do some more
hunting before the happy soldiers' holiday came to an end.

When the expedition set out on its return both of the big transport
wagons carried all the wild game meat that could be packed into them,
and officers' and enlisted men's messes at Fort Clowdry celebrated in
joyous fashion.

Ex-Private Hinkey, the deserter, was soon tried by general
court-martial, and sentenced to be dismissed from the service, to
forfeit all pay and allowances and to serve two years at a military
prison.

It was Lieutenant Prescott who gave one of the crowning sensations just
toward the close of Hinkey's trial.

Just before the battalion had left Fort Clowdry to go to the military
tournament at Denver, First Sergeant Gray had asked every soldier in B
Company to turn in a slip on which was written the name and address of
his nearest relative or friend.

As such data was already on file, the men had wondered not a little at
the request, but they had complied. And now Lieutenant Prescott informed
the members of the court that it had been a ruse of his.

These slips, together with the clum