"I imagine that that other new West Pointer, Holmes, is just as fine a soldier and officer," Hal continued. "Very likely," admitted Noll. "I hear that they both came from the same home town, and that Prescott and Holmes were chums even years before they went to West Point." To healthy young soldiers the walk, though over rough roads for most of the way, was no hardship. The wagon train reached camp later in the afternoon, just as the hard-working regulars in camp were coming back from drill in constructing trenches with revetments. These revetments are frames of one kind of wood or another, so built into the trench as to increase its stability greatly. "You found that your task took longer than you expected, didn't you, Mr. Prescott?" was Captain Cortland's greeting when the young officer, saluting, came over to report. "We would have gotten through much earlier, captain, but some of our time was taken up otherwise." "How was that?" "We accomplished an arrest for the county, at the request of the local deputy sheriff, sir." Captain Cortland frowned slightly. "Ordinarily, Mr. Prescott, that is no part of a soldier's business. But I feel certain that you must have had excellent reasons for acting before you had explained to me the circumstances in the matter?" "Under the circumstances, sir, as I had the use of the telegraph, I found it much easier to communicate with Colonel North at Fort Clowdry." "Oh, you did that, Mr. Prescott?" "Yes, sir. I trust that was not the wrong course to take. I wanted to save time, and so used the wire straight to regimental headquarters." "That was perfectly proper, Mr. Prescott," nodded Captain Cortland. "So you had Colonel North's permission to aid the county authorities?" "Yes, sir; on condition that we acted as volunteer county peace officers, and not as soldiers. I have preserved Colonel North's dispatch, sir. Here it is." "Come over to the tent, Mr. Prescott. I am anxious to hear about the whole affair." As Captain Cortland listened to the young officer's narration of what had taken place, he opened his eyes a bit wider. "Mr. Prescott, Overton and Terry seem, in every way, to be proving themselves exceptionally fine young soldiers." "They are all of that, sir," assented Lieutenant Prescott warmly. "Sergeant Gray!" called the captain, thrusting his head outside the tent. B Company's first sergeant stepped over, saluting. "Sergeant, direct Overton and Terry to report here at once." "Yes, sir." Privates Hal and Noll appeared before the door of the tent, saluting respectfully. "Come in, men," directed the captain, and the soldier boys entered the tent, standing at attention. "Men, Lieutenant Prescott has just been telling me about the arrest in town. He speaks most highly of the conduct of both of you this morning." Since this called for no reply, the two soldier boys merely continued to stand at attention.