At eleven o'clock on the morning of September fifteenth two slim, sun-burnt, erect and athletic-looking young men walked into headquarters at Fort Butler. The sergeant seated at a desk in the outer room, after taking a look at them, concluded to take a chance. He rose, saluted and stood at attention. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked. "Is Major Tipton at headquarters?" queried Hal. "Yes, sir." "Will you take our cards in to the major if he is not too busily engaged to receive them?" The sergeant glanced at the uppermost card, on which was printed, from engraved script, in the regular form for officers' cards: "Henry Overton, U. S. Army." "At once, gentlemen," replied the sergeant. "Will you be seated?" The sergeant vanished behind the door to the next room. In an instant he came out again, halting just beyond the doorway, and announced: "Major Tipton wishes you to step inside, gentlemen." Major Tipton was standing by his desk to receive his new young officers. He was a large man, tall, with broad shoulders and somewhat inclined to portliness. His hair was iron-gray, his face rather highly colored. But he looked the picture both of courtesy and heartiness as he held out a hand to Hal. "Welcome, gentlemen," was his greeting. "Welcome to the Thirty-seventh. I can speak, with especial heartiness, for the second battalion." Hal and Noll presented themselves by name. "Be seated, gentlemen. And so you have come up from the ranks? We have many splendid officers in the service who took the same path to commissions. I had the hard-won pleasure of coming through West Point, but many of the officers who have served with me and under me came up from the ranks. Our battalion now has its full complement of officers. The two second lieutenants of the other companies are men just from West Point this year." "I think you will like the post here, especially if you are fond of the water. As you will find, when you have time to take a walk, this reservation is right on the bank of the Rio Grande River. In fact, this post is a frontier station. But that you have already gathered from maps or other sources." "We have looked up everything we could find about Fort Butler, sir," Noll answered. "You are both bachelors, I understand." "Yes, sir," assented Hal. "Good. We have plenty of room in the bachelor quarters, and no more cottages, at present, for married officers. So, gentlemen"--here the major's eyes twinkled merrily--"you will be doing me an especial favor if you do not contemplate marriage for the present." "We are wholly free from engagements in that line, sir," Noll laughed.