"Huh! If this was real war there'd be a lot of kids of the talky kind ducking to get away," growled Private Dowley as he slouched by. "It isn't the kid soldiers who do the deserting in war time," returned Sergeant Hupner quietly. "It's usually some of the older men, who have such a grouch with life that one wouldn't think they'd care about living much longer." Dowley scowled, muttering something, but he did not venture to dispute with a man of Hupner's military experience. "I guess that ought to hold Dowley for five minutes," laughed Noll. "That fellow gives me a sense of fatigue," remarked Sergeant Hupner placidly. "He might turn out to be a good soldier under stress, but all I've got to say is that I wouldn't want to have to defend a position with only a squad or two of men of his type. I wonder how the recruiting officer ever came to let him into the service?" "Perhaps he got in under somebody else's name on a stolen set of references," laughed Hal. "Sergeant Hupner, I want two of your men to send back with a message," announced Captain Cortland, stepping up. "Overton and Terry are in good condition, sir," reported Hupner, rising and saluting as soon as he saw his commander. "Very good; come with me, Overton and Terry." Captain Cortland led the two young soldiers down the trail, drawing a local map from one of his pockets and spreading it on a flat table of rock. "Study this map carefully, men, for I want you to be sure of the road you're to take. You will have to go back about four miles--two of it off this trail. You'll find a little telegraph station there. I want you to deliver, for transmission, this message to Colonel North, at Fort Clowdry." "Yes, sir," Hal answered. "Shall we wait for the answer?" "No; the answer will not be due until to-morrow. As soon as you have turned over your message, retrace your way to this point. B Company will have gone ahead. But a little way above here the trail broadens, and you'll find a house now and then. You can inquire for news of which way we've gone. You'll have to find us as best you can. And Overton!" "Yes, sir." "Remember that these are sham manoeuvres, and that C Company stands for the enemy." "Yes, sir." "Either or both of you might be captured by a detachment from C Company." "We'll do our level best to prevent that, sir," Hal promised, and Noll nodded with emphasis. "Even worse than your own capture would be the capture of this message," Captain Cortland added impressively. "This message, in effect, is my attempt to communicate with my base of supplies, represented by Fort Clowdry. If you fail to put the message through, and C Company captures it, then Captain Freeman and his men have scored heavily against us." "Is it proper for me to ask, sir, whether Captain Freeman knows that you are trying to send this message?" "Captain Freeman does not know, to a certainty, but he may suspect, and he may have men out to catch you."