Demurely the young Irish soldier approached the waiting colonel and, as the officer sharply ordered him to halt, Dennis and a few watching soldiers were aware that the colonel's patience was entirely exhausted. He was not only angry that his commands had been disobeyed, but manifestly the indifference of the young soldier increased his feeling of irritation. "What have you inside your coat?" demanded the irate colonel. "Yis, sor! Yis, sor!" retorted Dennis, saluting as he spoke. "What have you inside your coat?" repeated the angry officer. "Nothin' of any value, sor." "I don't believe what you say! A man who will disobey orders will lie about his disobedience! Unbutton your coat, sir, and show me what you have!" "Indade, sor," protested Dennis, "'tis nothin' I have which will interest the likes of you, Colonel Rathbun. 'Tis nothin' of any value at all I have." "Unbutton your coat, sir, and throw what you have stolen on to this pile, where the rest of your thievish comrades have placed what they stole!" "Indade, sor," protested Dennis once more, "'tis nothin' of any value. I didn't rob anybody, sor! I--" "Do as I tell you!" demanded the angry colonel, "or I will order you to be taken to the guard-house!" "Yis, sor! Yis, sor!" responded Dennis promptly, as he began to fumble at the buttons of his jacket. The garment, however, had been drawn so tightly about him to cover the object he was trying to conceal that it was with great apparent difficulty he obeyed. Watching the awkward attempts of the young Irish soldier to comply with the demand of the colonel, many of the men of the regiment were crowding about the place. Curiosity as to the prize which Dennis had secured and suspicion that his sober face belied the feeling in his heart, and the general knowledge that Dennis O'Hara was one of the worst practical jokers in the camp, combined with other motives that steadily increased the number of the spectators. After several attempts Dennis succeeded in unbuttoning the upper buttons of his jacket, and then again he paused and facing the colonel said, "'Tis nothin' that will interest you, Colonel. I haven't taken anything of value--" "Not another word from you, sir!" shouted the angry officer. "Do as I tell you! Unbutton your coat and show what you have stolen and throw it on the heap where the other things are piled!" "Yis, sor! Yis, sor!" said Dennis, speaking almost sadly, as he resumed his occupation and in a brief time succeeded in unbuttoning his jacket. As he did so a small block of wood fell to the ground. For a moment the men stared blankly at Dennis's "prize" and then broke into loud and prolonged laughter.