"I'm glad Tomato recited; he was so out of breath when he finished that he couldn't grow after me," said Billy to himself when he saw that he was safe from pursuit. "I wonder what Honey Girl is doing today." And I fear that he was still thinking so hard about Honey Girl that he forgot to notice when he next dropped to the ground. Anyway, he was standing deep in thought when something tapped him on the shoulder. "Salute!" said a stern voice. Looking up Billy saw that he was surrounded by hundreds of grim-faced soldiers, dressed in uniforms of the very deepest indigo, and all wearing blue glasses. And such a thin, sad, hollow-cheeked, hollow-eyed officer as had tapped him on the shoulder! Billy could tell he was an officer because of the gun metal sword he carried and the epaulettes of crepe that he wore. "Salute," said the officer again in a deep, sepulcheral tone. "Yes, sir," said Billy, cracking his heels together and putting his hand up to his cap as he had seen soldiers do. "That's not the proper salute. Take out your handkerchief and wipe your right eye," said the officer. "That's the proper salute for the Blues." Billy did as he was told with a sinking heart. Everything seemed so changed by the Regiment of Blues. The sun had gone under a cloud, the wind whistled dismally, a frog croaked in a nearby pond, and all together Billy came near to wanting to use his handkerchief in earnest. "So you think you are going to see Bogie Man." "Yes, sir, I am." "You're not, as sure as my name is Colonel Solemncholly." "Excuse me, but I am," said Billy staunchly. "I knew it, I knew it," said the Colonel, sadly. "He is too fat to give up easily--goodness, how I hate fat people--they laugh." "Don't you ever laugh, sir?" "I'd be court martialed if I did." "But aren't you Commander?" asked Billy. [Illustration: _Private Tear._] "Yes, of the Blues, but you know we're the away-from-home guard of Bogie Man, and he is our real Commander." "Oh! I see. Then you can tell me how to get to Never Was." "Indeed not. We were sent out to stop you, and that reminds me--Corporal Punishment and Private Tear, seize this boy." "Snap," went the whip in Corporal Punishment's hand, "Crack," it struck Private Tear on the shoulder, and snuffing and wiping his eyes, Private Tear stepped out of the ranks. "Seize him and throw him in the Dumps," cried Colonel Solemncholly. As the Colonel spoke the drums gave a long dismal roll and the band struck up a funeral march. Corporal Punishment's whip was circling in the air preparatory to coming down on Billy's head, and Private Tear was getting ready to put his handkerchief over his eyes when Billy laughed. It wasn't because he felt like laughing at all, but because Barker in snuggling closer to him had tickled him in the ribs. "Look out, he's armed!" cried Colonel Solemncholly, Corporal Punishment and Private Tear in one breath. This gave Billy an idea, and he burst out into a loud laugh.