“What happened?” whispered Dan as Sam fell into line once more. “I got mine.” “Punishment?” “Yes.” “What kind?” “Extra duty tour—with a gun. I’m glad he told me to carry a gun. I can amuse myself with the gun. I wish he had told me to load it and go woodchuck hunting.” Dan looked a bit troubled, but Sam took his punishment good-naturedly. An hour later, found him tramping up and down the drill ground in the hot sun, with a rifle slung over his shoulders. He had not been there long before he saw Louis Flink approaching him, the latter having been sent to quarters on some mission or other. Sam pretended not to see him until Flink halted before him with a stealthy glance to the rear to make sure that he was not observed. “Hullo, red-head. Got what’s coming to you, didn’t you!” sneered Flink. “That’s where you’ve got the best of me Blinkers. You haven’t got what is coming to you yet, so you have something to look forward to. Go on about your business before I put down this gun and thrash you. Go on!” Sam made a move toward his tormentor, whereat Flink made haste to get out of the way. From a safe distance he taunted Sam until he saw a blue-coated figure approaching. Flink hurried on about his business, Sam taking up his steady march. The figure, which proved to be that of a lieutenant whom Sam had not seen before, came on, but the boy did not appear to see him. He was too busy marching apparently, to heed even an officer. But Sam was suddenly called to his duty by a sharp command. “Halt!” Instinctively the lad stiffened. “Attention! Young man, do you not understand what ‘attention’ means?” “Yes, sir.” “Then what is that gun doing on your shoulder?” “I—I don’t know, sir.” “Don’t you know that you should come to present arms when an officer passes?” “No, sir. No one ever told me that before.” “Don’t you study your Handy Books?” “Yes, sir, but I have been here only a day.” “Present arms!” Sam came to a present. “Carry on!” came the sharp command, after which Hickey again shouldered his weapon and began his measured pacing back and forth. The lieutenant passed on, Sam gazing after him with a scowl upon his face. “I hope to get to be an officer some of these days. Won’t I make the rest of the bunch step around lively? I don’t seem to be able to do anything to suit anybody.” For the next two hours the lad continued his extra duty tour, this time, however, keeping a sharp lookout for approaching officers. No officers showed themselves in his vicinity. Now and then a group of apprentices would pass with the invariable greeting, “Hullo, red-head!” To this Sam made no response. He was determined to take his medicine and show himself to be a man, even if he was being punished. At last the sky became overcast. Dark clouds began sweeping in from the sea, swirling and tumbling riotously.