"Then you're the man we want to see, sir," went on Private Overton. "Did two companies go by this way?" "Yes, soger boy. They was 'bout three-quarters of an hour apart. And I reckon ye belong to the second one. Let me describe yer captain." The old hunter gave a clear description of the personal appearance of B Company's commander. There is little that escapes a hunter's eyes or recollection. "Yes," broke in Hal eagerly. "That was our commander, Captain Cortland." "I wanted to be dead sure," resumed the old hunter artfully, "for yer captain left a message for ye, and he wanted me to be particular that no other sogers got it." "Naturally," assented Hal unsuspiciously. "Jest above here," continued the hunter, "yer captain turned his men to the left and went off over the rocks, kinder careful like, as though he didn't want any other sogers to see where his men was going." "Yes; of course," agreed Hal. "That's part of field manoeuvres." "The word yer captain left with me, soger boy, was that he was going to camp his men--hidden, of course, ye understand--on that peak yonder to-night. That's where he said ye two soger boys was to join yer company. Reckon ye kin travel over that-a-way? There ain't no trail to that peak, ye understand?" [Illustration: "Yer Company's Going to Camp Yonder, On That Peak."] "Of course we can, sir," Hal answered respectfully. "If the rest of the company can go to that peak we can follow our comrades there." "Then I've delivered my message from yer captain," finished the old hunter with a satisfied air. "And thank you very much," acknowledged Hal. Both he and Noll saluted the venerable old man of former times. "Nice spoken soger lads, them," muttered "Pop," as he watched the bunkies step off the trail and start to cross the rocky wastes to the distant peak. "If they wa'n't make-believe Japs in this tom-fool sham fight I'd feel ashamed of myself. But I reckon a little extry hardship will do 'em good, anyway." "Say," muttered Noll, halting, when they had gone something more than a mile of the rough way, "I don't want to criticize my commanding officer, but I wish he had chosen a camping spot that was easier to reach." "It's a dandy good place up on that peak, anyway," laughed Hal, whose feet were beginning to feel decidedly sore. "C Company's men wouldn't enjoy hiking over this rough ground in the dark to make a night attack." They covered another mile. "I'm beginning to think that old fellow gave us a false scent," grumbled Noll. "I don't believe Captain Cortland would be heartless enough to march heavily laden soldiers over ground like this." "Why, the old man back at the cabin was the soul of courtesy, and he described Captain Cortland to a dot," returned Hal. Dusk was coming on by the time the bunkies had covered the rest of the distance, and had reached the ledges near the top of the lonely peak. "Now, where's B Company?" demanded Noll almost savagely.