e of all the exciting episodes of that
first garrison life, including the life and death fight that Hal Overton
had with thieves while he was on sentry duty in officers' row, and of
the efforts of one worthless character in the battalion to discredit
and disgrace the service of both splendid but new young soldiers.

In the second volume, "UNCLE SAM'S BOYS ON FIELD DUTY," our readers were
admitted to equally exciting scenes of a wholly different nature. This
volume dealt largely with the troops while away in rough country, under
practical instruction in the actual duties of soldiers in the field in
war time. Just how soldiers learn the grim business of war was most
fully set forth in this volume. Among other hosts of entertaining
incidents our readers will recall how Hal, on scouting duty, robbed the
"enemy's" outpost of rifles, canteens and secured even the corporal's
shoes. Some of Hal's and Noll's other brilliant scouting successes are
therein told, and it is described how Hal and Noll finally gained the
information that resulted in their own side gaining the victory in the
mimic campaign. That volume also told how Lieutenant Prescott, aided by
Soldiers Hal and Noll, succeeded at very nearly the cost of their lives
in arresting a notorious and desperate criminal for the civil
authorities, and how all this was done in the most soldier-like manner.
It was such deeds as the scouting and the clever arrest that resulted in
the appointment of the two chums as corporals. Then there was the
affair, while the regulars were on duty in summer encampment with the
Colorado National Guard, in which Hal and Noll, acting under impulses of
the highest chivalry, got themselves into trouble that came very near to
driving them out of the service.

Since the last rousing scenes in and near Denver, something more than a
year had passed. It was now the beginning of the fall of the year
following when Corporal Hal Overton, with the signal flags under his
arm, waited near the parade ground for that other fine young soldier,
Corporal Noll Terry.

A year of busy life it had been, though in the main uneventful. Our two
young corporals had spent most of their time since in perfecting
themselves in the soldier's grim game. They were now looked upon as two
of the very finest and staunchest young soldiers in the service.

"Oh, there comes Noll at last," muttered Corporal Overton some minutes
later. "And it's high time, too, if he has any regard f