"They're quite synonymous," he replied, trying to match her banter. "May I speak to your illustrious father?" "That reminds me that I've an engagement with him right now," she exclaimed. "For the present, you may say good-bye to Miss Sallie and Miss Veemie for me." With a pretty smile and toss of her head she swept him a little courtesy, then turned to the gate, but he called after her: "Wait! I'll go with you--and show him my targets!" She stopped, looking back as though she had not heard aright. "Targets?" she asked, slightly arching her brows. "Why, these, of course," he cried, drawing them again from his breast pocket. "I always hunt him up, or the Colonel, when I've made a cracker-jack score! It tickles 'em to death!" He sprang to the gate and held it open for her to pass, apparently having forgotten everything but a desire to reap praise from one or the other of these old gentlemen; who in their turns, although separately, had never failed to be genially appreciative. The flavor of war, which filled the air as a restless spirit since diplomatic relations with Germany had come to an end--the numb fear with which he had been obsessed but a moment ago--were completely relegated to the limbo of forgetfulness as he now issued forth in search of praise wherewith to feed his vanity. Whenever it so happened that he failed to get a sufficient amount of this from one or the other of these men, or from his adoring aunts, he drew it from himself. He could not have named a night for months that he had fallen asleep without first thinking of the splendid soldier he would make. He would let his imagination run riot and live through battle after battle, leading his men intrepidly--men who loved the very ground on which he trod. Into the thickest places where old veterans could not have stood the gaff, he went with calm indifference. Victory followed victory--complete, hilarious victories! Dead Germans, prisoners, and cannon which Jeb flung into the game bag of his waking dreams, if put side by side, would have reached around the world.