This is the most emphatic and picturesque way that soldiers have of displaying their displeasure against a man. It is a torment that is also inflicted on any soldier who is accused of being "too fresh." Eight soldiers had hold of an ordinary army blanket, holding to it by the edges. Several other soldiers had started in pursuit of Corporal Raynes. Though that non-com ran for all he was worth, he was captured, overpowered and dragged to the blanket. Willing hands caught him up, throwing him into the slack of the blanket. "Heave her, boys!" Instantly, before Raynes could scramble to his feet and escape, the slack blanket was hauled taut. Up into the air some four feet shot Corporal Raynes's sprawling figure. Down he came again, into the slack, but just as promptly he was tossed again. This time the victim went up more than five feet into the air. "Stop it!" gasped the victim from up in the air. But no one was in a mood to stop it. Higher and higher shot the body of the unpopular corporal, until he was going up ten feet or more at nearly every toss. It is a most ludicrous punishment to look at, but the victim of this strenuous prank feels that it is more than ridicule. He is always certain that an outrage is being carried on against him. "Sto-o-op it!" gasped Raynes weakly. Under the merciless tossing and consequent jolting nearly all the breath had left his body. "Give him a few more tastes," advised three or four of C Company's men who stood in the front rank of those looking on. Of course it was a breach of discipline, in a way, for privates to toss a non-commissioned officer, but neither Captain Freeman nor either of his lieutenants interfered. The non-com is not always safe, by any means, from blanket tossing. At last, however, the blanket was dropped to the ground, and Corporal Raynes, breathless and very red-faced, was allowed to roll off the woolen surface. As the corporal lay on the ground one of the men voiced the feeling of all his comrades in C Company by muttering grimly: "Put up jobs that supply B's men with fresh meat and leave us out, will you?" CHAPTER XII THE CALL TO DEADLY WORK For the next three days the men were to remain at the present camp. Instruction in the erecting of temporary field fortifications was to follow. But Hal and Noll missed the first afternoon of this work, for they were sent over to Mason City as orderlies to Lieutenant Prescott, who, as acting commissary officer to the reunited companies, went to buy fresh foodstuffs. Two wagons were also dispatched, the young lieutenant riding with the driver on one of the wagons, while the soldier boys rode on the other wagon. Mason City nestled in among the mountains in what was considered one of the best health sections of Colorado. The "city" would have been termed a village back in the east. It contained four hotels, two sanitariums, a small theatre and other public buildings. It was to this town that many eastern consumptives came.