"It"s stupid work," cried Mrs. Foster petulantly, "and it will spoil several of the good times that the ladies at this post have been planning."
"Now, we won"t detain Mr. Overton any longer, my dear," remarked the captain. "Remember, Overton, parade this afternoon. No other duties for to-day."
Hal took his leave, returning, light-footed, to bachelor quarters. There he found Noll, returned before him.
"Nothing but parade for me to-day, Noll," Hal called to his chum.
"Same here," rejoined young Terry, opening his door. "May I come across into your house a little while?"
"I shall be glad to have you if you have no more to do than I appear to have. My striker appears to have put everything in apple-pie order. Sit down. How do you like the new station and the crowd?"
"Fine," nodded Noll. "Major Tipton appears to be just the right sort of commanding officer."
The instant that the first call for parade sounded Lieutenants Hal and Noll sprang from their chairs. Both were soon going down the stairs, their swords clanking at their sides. This parade, though unimportant in a sense, was their first actual duty as line officers. Both youngsters walked with a new dignity and erectness as they crossed to the parade ground.
They were the first officers to appear. When the actual parade call sounded the enlisted men of four companies came out in human streams from the barracks buildings.
Now the remaining officers of the garrison came briskly up while the first sergeants of the companies were attending to the formation.
At the proper moment the officers of the battalion went to their stations. As he drew his sword, for the first time in Uncle Sam"s service, Lieutenant Hal felt a thrill the like of which he had never known before.
Neither youngster made a mistake during the maneuvers and ceremonies of parade. Though it was the first time that either had stood with troops as officers, they went through all the movements mechanically. They had not put in three years in the ranks for nothing.
Yet every moment, every movement of parade now had a new significance to the young lieutenants. Then, when it was all over, and the men dismissed, the officers returned to their quarters to prepare for dinner.
Hal and Noll reached mess ten minutes ahead of the dinner hour. Most of the officers who would dine at the club were already present.
"Mr. Sears," asked Hal, going over to his first lieutenant, "can you spare me a little time after dinner?"
"Easily, Overton. You want to ask me about the routine duties, I imagine."
"Yes. Captain Foster has ordered me to full duty beginning with to-morrow."
"Then we"ll find seats in the reading room after dinner. It won"t take very long to give you the schedule and the inside ropes."
In the Army punctuality is made a prime virtue for both officers and men. Hence there were no laggards at dinner. Every officer took his seat at the long table at the minute of 6.30. Hapgood, who was officer of the day, came in with his sword at his side; he placed that weapon in a handy corner.
"The evening"s news is that the Thirty-fourth is back in Colorado,"
announced Lieutenant Brisbane, glancing down the table.
"Just before we started west we read that their transport had arrived at San Francisco," answered Noll.
"And Major Silsbee"s first battalion is at its old station, Fort Clowdry," added Mr. Brisbane. "By way of further news I may add that Major Tipton told me, a few minutes ago, that Major Silsbee had been ordered by wire to hold his battalion in readiness for a call from this department."
"Mexican border troubles?" asked Lieutenant Hapgood.
"Yes."
"Then the government knows, better than we do, that the border trouble threatens to grow acute," remarked Lieutenant Sears. "It has been understood, I think, that troops from this post will be the first infantry ordered out to the support of the two cavalry troops now patroling."
"Oh, we"ll get some of that barefoot business presently," grumbled Pratt. "A beastly job. The state of Texas ought to call out its police to take care of the matter."
"Except," remarked Sears dryly, "that it is the province of the United States, not of a single state, to preserve neutrality at the border."
"It"s cases like this Mexican business that make a fellow wish that he belonged to the Navy," insisted Pratt. "If we go out, as doughboys, we"ll have to tramp and hike until our shoes are full of sore feet, and all for nothing, perhaps. If we belonged to the Navy, and were ordered to patrol, we"d do it in a gunboat, and wouldn"t care where we went, as we"d always be on our gunboat, with, good meals ready at the stroke of the bell, with baths, clean clothing, even easy chairs right at hand.
The Navy can keep on patroling even while two-thirds of a crew are in their berths enjoying sweet sleep until the moment for action comes."
"Stop it," insisted Algy Ferrers. "Even in the Navy you"d find you"d have to work like a horse. There are no easy ways of getting through life, and a soldier ought not to look for "em."
Pratt, who was a husky and sufficiently energetic young officer at need, and who had merely been exercising his right to grumble, flushed and was silent.
"I don"t suppose Terry or myself will have the luck to be picked for this sort of border patrol work, if it comes," suggested Hal.
"Probably you"ll be kept on post until you"re more accustomed to your men," nodded Lieutenant Hapgood.
"Either way will suit me," said Noll. "I don"t expect to have my pick of anything until I"ve served a few years more."
"You won"t have it then either," laughed Sears.
The meal over, Sears retired into a corner with Hal. Johnson joined them with Noll. The two youngest officers in the regiment were handed printed slips containing the routine work of the day at Fort Butler, and also the hour for the call to each duty. Sears and Johnson added much more information.
"You"ll come to us for anything else that you want to know, of course,"
said Sears, in conclusion. "You are aware, of course, that your superior officers are paid to answer questions."
"Thank you," acknowledged Hal.
It was soon nine o"clock, and the two Army boys, tired with their day of travel and of new life, left the club early, going directly to quarters and to Hal"s room.
"I won"t stay long," declared Noll, sinking into the easy chair that his chum pushed forward. "But I"ve simply got to talk a bit with you, bunkie, my head is so full of it all."
The chums chatted on until at last the notes of a bugle were borne to their ears.
"Listen!" cried Hal, holding up one hand, his eyes glowing. "The same good old Army taps!"
"We don"t have to go to bed, since we added swords to our equipment,"
laughed Noll.
"No; but we had better turn in. We have as much work to do as any of the enlisted men."
An hour later, when all was quiet, there came a heavy pounding on Hal"s door. As the young lieutenant awoke and leaped from his bed he was sure that he heard a similar commotion going on at Noll"s door.
"Who is it?" called Hal, throwing on a bathrobe and going toward the hall door.
"Private Graham, of the guard, sir. Major Tipton"s compliments to Lieutenant Overton, and the major directs that the lieutenant report immediately at headquarters."
Then, as Hal and Noll both opened their doors, the soldier added:
"Major Tipton authorized me to add, sir, that the Mexican border trouble has broken out, and that you"ll both march soon with your men."