THE LUCK OF THE YOUNG RECRUIT
ON top of all this came the news that Colonel North's quarters had been
entered the night following.
Worse, the scoundrels had used chloroform this time. Colonel North awoke
at about three in the morning, his head feeling heavy and dull. He noted
at once the strange odor in the room. Then he roused his family. Traces
of thieves were found; within ten seconds after that Colonel North had
summoned the guard.
Yet the two sentries on duty in officers' row both declared that they
had seen no prowlers.
Almost every article of value had been found and taken. A pair of costly
revolvers belonging to the regimental commander had gone with the loot.
Some money, too, had been found and taken. Colonel North and his family
placed their loss at nearly four thousand dollars.
"Lieutenant Ray," said Colonel North, to the officer of the day, who had
followed the guard, "I think you had better summon Major Silsbee at
once."
The major was there, inside of five minutes.
"So the scoundrels have blistered you, too, sir?" demanded the
white-faced battalion commander wrathfully.
"They have taken almost everything in the way of valuable property that
Mrs. North and I own, Major."
"We've got to put a stop to this, sir. And we've got to find and bring
the rascals to boot."
"Pardon me, Colonel; shall I pass the order for a prompt search of
barracks?" queried the officer of the day.
"No, Mr. Ray," replied Colonel North promptly. "Until I have real proof
I'm not going to put the slight upon our enlisted men. I believe they're
all fine men. If I had taken more time to think I never would have
sanctioned the last search of barracks. It shan't happen again."
Captain Ruggles of A Company, having heard some excitement along the
row, now came in.
"What we might, and perhaps ought to do, Major," continued the Colonel,
"is to advise the married officers whose homes have not yet been robbed
that they will do well to send their valuables into town for
safe-keeping at the bank for the present."
"We might, sir," assented Silsbee dryly. "The bank in Clowdry is under
the protection of a police force of less than a dozen men. Shall we
admit, Colonel, that a dozen policemen are safer guardians of property
than our four hundred men of the Regular Army?"
Colonel North looked troubled at that way of putting the matter.
"I believe Mrs. Ruggles and I have some things worth stealing," broke in
Captain Ruggles quietly. "But I feel certain that neither of us would
like to throw any slight over the ability of this battalion to protect
its own property."
"My head isn't very clear yet," admitted Colonel North. "I realize that
I have made a poor suggestion. I don't imagine, Major, that you'd be
much better pleased if I directed you to double the guard."
"I shall obey, of course, Colonel, any orders on that subject that you
may give me," replied Major Silsbee.
"These robberies are likely to continue, at intervals, until the
quarters of all married officers have been entered and despoiled, sir,"
suggested Captain Ruggles, "so it seems to me, sir, that it would be
wise to put each guard on its mettle."
"I am thinking only of protecting you gentlemen who have not yet
sustained losses," continued Colonel North.
"And we appreciate your solicitude greatly, sir," resumed Major
Silsbee.
"I leave it to you, Major."
"Then I shall make it my business, sir, to see to it that the men are
instructed to be more alert than ever in guard duty," replied Silsbee.
The next morning the news, of course, traveled swiftly all through the
garrison.
Hal and Noll had a chance to chat together for a few minutes before the
sounding of the first assembly after breakfast.
"The thieves are around again," mused Noll aloud.
"Yes," nodded Private Hal thoughtfully.
"I wish we might catch the rascals at it."
"You've got time enough to think out your plan, then," laughed Hal, in
mild derision at this suggestion.
"How so?"
"Well, the thieves are not due for a few days yet on their next raid. It
seems to be their plan to leave intervals between their raids."
"If the burglars are scheming further attempts they may vary their plans
by coming again to-night," hinted Noll.
"I hardly believe they will," replied Hal, shaking his head.
That day at noon Sergeant Gray warned Hal for guard the following day.
Just after dinner Hal found that his chum Noll had also been warned.
"If the thieves are coming again I hope it will be to-morrow night,"
suggested Hal.
"No good," retorted Noll cynically.
"Why not?"
"We're only rooks."
"Well?"
"There isn't a ghost of a chance that we'd be put on post up in
officers' row. The oldest and keenest soldiers will be put on that duty
every night."
"Oh, I suppose so," sighed Hal. "Of course rookies are just rooks. We'll
get the post down by the commissary stores, where a wagon train would be
needed for stealing anything really worth money."
At guard mount the next morning both recruits turned out spick and span.
Knowing that they could not expect to get any important posts for night
tours both boys hoped to be selected by the officer of the day for
orderly duty. But two older soldiers were chosen for that. When guard
mount was over Sergeant Hupner, as commander of the guard, marched the
new guard over to the guard-house, where the old guard was relieved.
This was the first time that the rookies had been detailed to guard duty
since joining their regiment. No matter to what inconsequential posts
they might be assigned both were full of determination to show
themselves model sentries.
During the day Hal and Noll, who were assigned to the same relief, had
two tours. The first was in officers' row; the second, which ended just
before dark, was down at the main entrance of the post.
Then followed some hours for leisure and sleep.
"You men will go on post again at two in the morning," announced
Corporal Sanders, who was in command of the relief to which the rookies
belonged.
Punctually that relief was turned out, aligned, inspected and
instructed.
"Post number three, Private Overton. Post number four, Private Terry,"
ran the corporal's orders. "Post number five----"
And so on.
Hal's heart was already beating high with hope. He had the post along
officers' row, Noll the one just beyond.
"All sentries will exercise unusual vigilance," announced Sergeant
Hupner, as commander of the guard. "This applies especially to the
sentries on posts number three and four. But let no sentry, anywhere,
allow his whole attention to wander from his duties for an instant.
Corporal, march the relief."
"Attention," called Corporal Sanders on receiving this order. "Right
shoulder arms! By twos, left march!"
Three minutes later the man on post three had been relieved, Hal having
been dropped into his place.
It was just after two o'clock in the morning when Private Hal Overton
began to pace his post, watching the relief vanish in the darkness in
the direction of post number four.
Then he heard a sentry's hail:
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"The relief."
"Advance, relief."
After that, the steps of the marching party died off in the distance.
In the darkest part of the moonless night Hal walked up and down before
the officers' quarters.
But he did more than walk. Making his own steps as noiseless as possible
Hal felt that he was truly "all ears and eyes."
Thus some twenty minutes went by.
Then, suddenly, just as Hal had passed the north side of Captain
Ruggles' quarters the young sentry halted like a flash.
Under the dim starlight he saw two shadowy forms leave by the captain's
back door.
Each carried a bundle, though Hal could not make out the size or shape
of either very distinctly.
"The burglars--at their tricks!" flashed Hal exultantly.
But he wasted no time thinking. In a twinkling he slipped a cartridge
into his rifle, bringing the piece to his shoulder.
"Halt!" he challenged. "Who's there?"
The two figures, crouching low, made a bolt for the tall corn in a
vegetable garden at the rear of the grounds.
"As fast as he could shout the words Private Hal Overton shouted:
"Halt! Who's there? Halt! Who's there?"
Having obeyed a sentry's instructions to challenge three times, and
receiving no answer, Hal pressed the trigger.
A flash of flame lit the darkness around the rifle. It leaped straight
from the muzzle.
Bang! The bullet sped in among the corn stalks.
Over it all sounded Hal's voice:
"Corporal of the guard, post number three!"
Hal shot back the bolt of his rifle, dropping in a cartridge with
fingers as steady as at drill.
"Corporal of the guard, post number three!"
The gate was too far away. Hal took the fence at a bound, carrying his
cocked piece with him.
Straight to the growing corn the young private took his speedy way.
"Come out and show yourselves, or I fire at once," Private Overton
shouted.
Crack! crack! Two pistol shots rang out from the corn patch.