shod-- At the road we met Sergeant Faber of Troop "A" with a small detachment returning from some duty and going into Fort R. We learned from him that the deserters had been seen the night before in Weatherford, which was but a few miles away-- We skated, slid and floundered along through the ice crust, a horse going down now and then until we reached a creek about one-half mile from W---- when the command halted and was placed in bivouac, concealed by heavy chaparral-- Corporal Charlton was directed to get ready to accompany the writer at dark and afoot for a thorough search of the town and to begin to assume his role-- The Search--Amateur Army Detectives--The Corporal's Joke We struck the town under cover of darkness, and proceeded to "comb" it, both heavily armed and with no insignia of rank on or about our citizens clothes or any indication that we were of the army-- "Now, Corporal, you are to preserve your incognito-- You are to deal with your Commanding Officer as though we are simply two friends or acquaintances on a night's drive through the 'slums'; there are to be no--'Yes, Sir!' or--'No, Sir!'-- No deference is to be paid--him-- Don't forget your part! You are to be simply--'Green',--and the other party is to be plain 'Brown'-- Have your guns handy, and at a given signal be prepared for a quick pull on the trigger-- These are all the instructions necessary, except that you are under no circumstances to be separated from me for a moment--and watch me all the time for signals"-- Charlton straightened up--saluted--replied--"Yes, Sir"! and that was the last recognition of rank the writer got during this adventure--