Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants: or, Handling Their First Real Commands. Hancock Harrie Irving

a corporal. I think I'll go to the colonel and – "

      But whatever Hyman was going to do he did not explain, for the notes of assembly rang out and all the men in the squad room hastened outside, yet did it with that dignity and seeming deliberation that the soldier soon acquires.

      Drill was over in something like an hour. Hal and Noll returned to squad room, where they spent some little time going over their equipment. Then they sauntered outside, for there was still some time before the noon meal at company mess.

      "Look at Hyman, in that tree over yonder," said Hal, nodding in the direction.

      Corporal Hyman was sitting on one of the lower limbs of a tree some four hundred yards away. It was close to the wall that ran along the front of the reservation, and overlooked the road that came up from the town of Clowdry.

      "Yes," grinned Noll. "It's a favorite trick with old Hyman to get up in a tree like that. Says he can think better that way than when he's touching common earth. Hello, he has jumped down to the wall. There he goes into the road outside."

      "There was a cloud of dust along the road. I guess he's talking to some one in a carriage or an automobile," guessed Hal.

      "Well, it's of no interest to us," mused Noll.

      But in that Corporal Terry was wrong.

      "There's Hyman up on the wall again," reported Hal.

      "So I see, and he's making motions this way."

      "He's signaling," muttered Hal, watching the motions of Corporal Hyman's right arm. He had started with that arm held up before his face. Now the arm was falling rhythmically to left and right. "Why, Hyman is asking, 'Can you read this?'"

      Then, raising his own arm, Hal signaled back:

      "Yes."

      Again Hyman's right arm was moving. Hal watched closely, spelling out the wig-wagged signal:

      "Pipe – off – what's – coming. Greatest – ever happened – in the – Army. Don't – miss – it."

      "Now, what on earth can that be?" queried Noll.

      "It must be something unusual to rouse enthusiasm in a man like Hyman," laughed Hal.

      And indeed it was something great that was coming. Corporal Hyman's wig-wagging arm was moving again.

      "Hustle – over – to – main – road."

      Hal and Noll were instantly in motion. It must be confessed that they were eager.

      Little did they guess that the coming event was of a nature destined soon to have the whole post at Fort Clowdry by the ears!

      CHAPTER II

      LIEUTENANT "ALGY" JOINS THE ARMY

      IN at the gate down by post number one – in other words, at the guard house – turned an extremely large and costly-looking seven-passenger touring car.

      At the driver's post sat an undersized, shrewd-looking little Frenchman.

      Behind him, in one of the five seats of the tonneau sat a dapper-looking young man of medium height, with a soft, curly little moustache and dressed in the height of masculine fashion.

      At post number one the car was halted, apparently much to the surprise of the solitary passenger, who leaned indolently forward and exchanged some words with the sentry.

      "Gracious!" gasped Noll. "He must be a person of some importance, after all. There's the sentry presenting arms."

      "And there comes the corporal of the guard, making a rifle salute," added Hal. "It must be a new officer joining the regiment."

      "That – an officer?" gasped Noll, in unfeigned disgust. "Don't libel the good old Army, Hal."

      Of a sudden the big car shot forward again, and came up the main road to officers' row at a smashing clip.

      Then, just as suddenly, it halted beside the two young corporals.

      "Hello, boys!" greeted the dapper, smiling little fellow in the tonneau. "Say, I'm afraid I'm all at sea. I've come to live with you fellows, but I'm blessed if I haven't already forgotten what that fellow with the gun told me down at the porter's lodge."

      "Porter's lodge? Do you mean the guard house, sir?" Hal asked respectfully.

      "Why, yes – if that's what you call it – of course. Names don't matter much to me. Never did. Some one over in Washington – the secretary of something or other – sent me over here. I'm a new lieutenant, and I believe I'm to stay at this beastly place."

      At the mention of the word "lieutenant" both Hal and Noll came to a very formal salute.

      "Now, what do you mean by that?" smiled the new-comer affably. "Sign of some lodge on the post? I haven't had time to get into any of your secret societies yet, of course."

      "We offered you the officer's salute, sir," explained Corporal Hal.

      "Oh, then you're officers? I guessed as much," beamed the pleasant young stranger.

      "No; we're corporals, sir," Hal informed him.

      "Oh, yes; seems to me I've heard about corporals. I'll know more about them later, I dare say. How are you, anyway, boys?"

      The stranger leaned out over the side of the car, extending his hand to Corporal Overton, who could not very well refuse it. Then Noll came in for a handshake.

      "Of course you understand sir, that we're below the grade of officers," Hal continued.

      "Oh, pshaw!" replied the still smiling stranger. "Such things as that don't count. And I've been warned that the Army is one of the most democratic places in the world. I haven't brought any of my 'lugs' here with me – 'pon my word I haven't. I'm Lieutenant Algernon Ferrers. I hope all of you fellows will soon like me well enough to call me Algy."

      Though Mr. Ferrers was certainly the biggest joke in the way of an officer that either of the young soldiers had ever seen, it was impossible not to like this pleasant young man.

      "Jump in – won't you, boys?" invited Lieutenant Ferrers, throwing the nearer door of the tonneau open. "I'll be tremendously obliged if you'll pilot me to the right place. Where do I ring the bell? Of course I've got to give some one here the glad hand before I can be shown to my rooms."

      Though they did so with some misgivings Hal and Noll both stepped into the tonneau.

      "Sit right down, boys," urged Lieutenant Ferrers amiably.

      "Pardon me, sir," explained Hal Overton. "It would be a bad breach of discipline in this regiment for any enlisted man to sit in the company of his officers."

      "Oh, you're enlisted men, eh?" queried the new lieutenant, showing no signs whatever of feeling taken aback. "I'm glad to say I didn't have to enlist. My guv'nor has some good friends at Washington, and I was appointed from civil life."

      Hal and Noll had already guessed that much without difficulty. No officer quite like Lieutenant Ferrers had ever been turned out at West Point, and surely such a man had never risen from the ranks. Now, when all the West Point graduates have been commissioned into the Army, and all meritorious enlisted men have been promoted to second lieutenancies, then, if there be any vacancies left, the President fills these vacancies in the rank of second lieutenant, by appointing young men from civil life.

      Generally these appointments from civil life go to the honor graduates of colleges where military drill is conducted by an officer of the Army detailed as instructor. But, occasionally, there are more vacancies than these honor graduates can or will fill – and then political influence very often plays a part in the appointment of some young men as lieutenants in the Army.

      "Tell François where to drive, will you?" begged Lieutenant Ferrers.

      "I don't believe, sir, that Colonel North is at his office so late in the forenoon," Corporal Hal replied. "But I think, sir, that Captain Hale, the regimental adjutant, will be found there."

      "Does Hale assign a fellow's rooms to him?" queried Lieutenant Ferrers innocently.

      "If you are under orders