“Not on your life!” said the sergeant, and went closer to him. “I got a cousin in headquarters; and he saw the order from Washington.” “What was the order? You remember it, eh?” “All orders for troops to sail during month of June canceled,” lied the sergeant glibly. “Not likely to forget that, old top, with a month to play round in your dear old town.” He was filled with admiration of himself. And under that admiration was swelling and growing a great loathing for the creature before him. He would fill him with lies as full as he would hold. And then he would get him. But he would consult the girl about that. She had forbidden violence, but when she knew the facts—— He gave his name and put down a deposit. “You are sure you are in no hurry?” asked Mr. Booth, scrutinising him carefully. “I wish I was as sure of a uniform.” The girl was waiting, and together they went down to the street. Though her eyes were eager she asked no questions. She preceded Sergeant Gray to the little car and got in. And suddenly a chill struck to the sergeant’s heart. On the pavement, eying him with cold and glittering eyes, were the stable sergeant, the troop mess sergeant, the second mess sergeant and two corporals. Like himself they wore slickers to cover certain deficiencies, and unlike him they wore an expression of cold and calculating deviltry. “Hello!” they said, and surrounded him. “Having a good time?” He cast an agonised glance at the car. The girl was looking ahead. “Pretty fair,” he replied; and calculated the distance to the car. “We’ve been keeping an eye open for you,” said the stable sergeant, stepping between him and the car. “We want to have a word with you.” “I’ll meet you somewhere.” There was pleading in his voice. “Anywhere you say, in an hour.” Their faces were cold and unrelenting. “In a half hour, then.” “What we’ve got to do won’t wait,” observed the stable sergeant. “How do you think we like going about like this anyhow? Our only chance to have a time, and going round like a lot of lunatics. We warned you, didn’t we? We——” Sergeant Gray knew what was coming. He had known it with deadly certainty from the moment he saw that menacing group, cold of eye but hot of face. And strong as he was he was no match for five of them, hardened with months of training and infuriated with outrage. “I’m with a young lady, fellows,” he pleaded. “Don’t make a row here. If you’ll only wait——” “Oh, there won’t be any row,” observed the stable sergeant. “You take off that slicker, that’s all.” “Not here! For heaven’s sake, fellows, not on the street! I tell you I’ve got a girl with me. A nice girl. A——” The stable sergeant hesitated and glanced toward the car. “All right,” he said. “But we’re going to take that slicker back to camp. We promised the troop. You can step inside that door. I guess that’s satisfactory?” He glanced at the group, which nodded grimly.