He seemed in danger of losing his balance as he stood there blinking. "It's all wrong," snapped out Hupner crisply. "Answer me. Where do you think you are going?" "Back to (hic) camp, Sarge." "You're a disgrace to the uniform," rapped out the sergeant. "You a soldier! You're not even fit to be an anarchist! You miserable, drunken disgrace to the uniform!" "Oh, thash all (hic) ri', Sarge. Had bully time. Now'm going back to camp." "What you need is company, then," returned Sergeant Hupner grimly. "Adams, fall out and go back with him. If Coy gets too drowsy to navigate you can wait here on the trail for us. If he gets quarrelsome then put the bracelets on him." "Don' (hic) need no brashlets," asserted Private Coy with great gravity. "I'm all ri'. Gentleman, I am." "Come along," ordered Private Adams, though he spoke gently, as he took the unfortunate lad's arm. "They're waiting for you now in camp." Sergeant Hupner stood there in the trail, gazing after Coy with a look of mingled contempt and pity on his face. "Thank heaven the good mother who reared that weak piece of flesh isn't here to drop tears over him now," muttered the sergeant. "Forward, route step, march!" People on the streets in Mason City gazed curiously when they saw the little detachment march in. Many of these people, when they saw the revolvers and handcuffs at the soldiers' belts, were able to make a good guess at Hupner's mission. So did several of the loafers of the town, who make a business of guiding prospective victims to saloons and other disorderly places. Some of these members of the scum of the town promptly slipped away to give warning in the places where they believed or knew some of the delinquent soldiers might be found at that moment. At the head of the main street of the town Sergeant Hupner halted his command. "Overton and Terry, fall out," commanded Sergeant Hupner. "You men will start right here, one on either side of the street, and visit in turn each saloon on the street. You will also look into any private rooms that you may find connected with these saloons. If you find any of the missing men you will bring them out into the street. Hyman, fall out. You will remain in the street to receive and hold any prisoners that Overton or Terry may bring to you. Men, you are armed, but you will remember that you are to use your weapons only in case of dire necessity. Yet, at any hazard, you will arrest and hold any man of B Company that you find." "Shall we arrest any of C Company's men that we may find?" inquired Hal. "You won't find any," replied Sergeant Hupner. "All of C's town-leave men were back on time. It's B that takes all the disgrace this time." For this important duty Sergeant Hupner had chosen Hal and Noll, because he knew they could be depended upon to enter saloons without being tempted to buy any of the vile wares exposed there for sale.