Ferrers, an unmarried second lieutenant lives in bachelor officers'
quarters. He has a parlor, bed-room and bath."

"Oh, I say now," protested poor Mr. Ferrers earnestly, "you can't expect
me to get along in any such dog-kennel of a place."

"You'll have to, Mr. Ferrers."

"But my servants--my chauffeurs?"

"No room for them on this post."

"But I can't keep five cars running without at least two chauffeurs. And
by the way, Colonel, what kind of a garage do you have here?"

"None whatever, Mr. Ferrers. You can keep one small car down at the
quartermaster's stables, but that is the best you can do."

Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers, who instantly realized that this
fine-looking old colonel was not making game of him, sat back staring, a
picture of hopeless dejection.

"I had no idea the Army was anything like as beastly as this," he
murmured disconsolately.

"If you're going to remain in the service, Mr. Ferrers," returned the
colonel, "I'm afraid you will have to recast many of your ideas. In the
first place, you won't need servants. You'll get your meals at the
officers' mess, and all the servants needed there are provided."

"But I must have some one to take care of even my two poor little
rooms," fidgeted Mr. Ferrers. "I can't undertake to do that myself.
Besides, Colonel, I don't know how to do housework."

"Some of the work in your rooms you should and must do yourself,"
explained Colonel North. "Such, for example, as tidying up your
quarters. The rougher work you can have done by a striker."

"Striker!" echoed Mr. Ferrers, a gleam of intelligence coming into his
eyes. "No, thank you, Colonel. Strikers never work. I've heard my
guv'nor talk about strikes in his business."

"'Striker,'" explained Colonel North, "is Army slang. Your 'striker' is
a private soldier, whom you hire at so many a dollars a month to do the
rougher work in your quarters. You make whatever bargain you choose with
the soldier. At this post the bachelor officers usually pay a striker
eight dollars a month."

"At that price I can afford a lot of 'em," responded Mr. Ferrers,
brightening considerably.

"An unmarried officer is not allowed to have more than one striker in
this regiment," said the colonel, whereat Ferrer's face showed his
dismay. "Nor is any soldier obliged to become your striker. You cannot
engage him unless the soldier is wholly willing. However, a good many
men like the extra pay. You will be assigned to A company.