or complete vindication, will ever put Overton back where
he'd like to be in the esteem of all his comrades."

"I know it," agreed Holmes. "That's why I'm telling you all this about
one of your own men."

"And I ought to have known it myself," Prescott reproached himself. "I
ought not to have waited to get the first strong news from an officer of
another company."

"Why, I suppose it was easier for me to get this word than it would have
been for you. B Company men are too 'sore' to talk much about it. But C
Company men, as it doesn't affect any of them, just treat the whole
matter as one of ordinary news."

Lieutenant Dick Prescott rose and began to pace the floor. He was deeply
concerned--not so much for Hal Overton's sake as for the general good
name of B Company. Moreover, young Prescott knew that, if any man in his
company were unjustly suspected, it was his duty, as one of the company
officers, to find a way to set the whole matter straight.

"What's all the beastly row about, any way?" queried Lieutenant Algernon
Ferrers.

Holmes explained it briefly.

"So it's all a row about some seven hundred dollars, it is?" asked Algy.

"If you choose to put it that way," replied Lieutenant Holmes.

"Then see here, Prescott, old chap," cried Algy eagerly, "why all this
rotten fuss? Why, I see the way through it as clear as daylight! I'll
set the matter straight in thirty seconds!"

CHAPTER V

CORPORAL HAL'S ADMISSION

LIEUTENANT PRESCOTT paused, looking sharply at Algy.

"Ferrers, if you can see a way through difficulties as easily as you
promise, then you're going to be a valuable man for the Army. What's
your plan?"

"Why, as I understand it," beamed Ferrers placidly, "the whole trouble
is caused by the loss of some seven hundred dollars that the Overton
chap got from the simpleton Green?"

"Seven hundred which some men almost suspect that Corporal Overton took
from Green," corrected Lieutenant Prescott.

"All the same thing, as far as the really important details go," beamed
Algy. "I'll settle it out of hand. You know, dear chaps, the guv'nor
owns a few banks in his own name, and he ships me yellow-backs by the
case lots. Result is, I always have plenty of money, and am likely to
have more than ever now, for there doesn't seem to be much chance in the
Army to spend it. So----"

"But what has all this to do with Corporal Overton's unhappy
situation?"

"All leads up to the point, Prescott, dea