H. Irving Hancock

“ Twenty feet beyond them lay a heap of six rifles and as many ammunition belts. Hal's eyes roved from face to face, his men grinning back sheepishly at him.
[144] "All of our sentries for a thousand feet on either side of the pier!" gasped the young lieutenant, in deep humiliation.
Pedro Guarez, laughing harshly, said to Hal:
"Bah! You Gringos are no men to compete with the sons of Mexico! You are like children to us, who roam always by night, in preference to the light of day. And there is much Indian blood in Mexican veins. Now, if you are wise, no harm will come to you. ”

“ Hal, we are commissioned officers in the United States Army. If that means anything, it means that the United States government certifies us to the world to be gentlemen as well as officers. You know the legal phrase, 'officer and gentleman.' If we lie down tamely, and submit to such libelous attacks as the Sphere made on us this morning, then we do a wrong to the whole body of officers and gentlemen in the Army. The officers of our service have always had to stand a lot of abuse from a certain kind of so-called newspapers. It's time to stop it by hitting any nail that shows its head. ”

“ Redding swept on through the restaurant with Mr. Redding in her wake. Somehow, one instinctively felt sorry for Mr. Redding; he looked very much like a small boat towing astern of a larger craft.
"I am wondering very much," smiled Hal's mother. "Although we have gone to the same church for the last fifteen years, Mrs. Redding has never before seemed to know who I am. She is suddenly very cordial."
[35] "That is because you now have a son who is an officer in the Army," interposed Noll's father. "An Army officer is supposed to be a man of some social consequence." ”

“ Lieutenant Overton asked, as Hank directed the "Restless" in toward a dock.
"Joe Dawson will," answered Skipper Tom. "He and I have already drawn lots to see which one of us would stay on the boat."
"You're not going ashore into this hades of riot and arson, are you?"
"Where American women are in danger?" retorted Skipper Tom. "Nothing less than a file of soldiers could keep me back!"
A dozen irregular shots rang out just as Halstead and Hank leaped ashore to hold the lines.
"Tumble off there, men. Don't wait for any gang-plank!" roared Lieutenant Prescott. ”

“ Don't you suppose that, when American women give their sons up to the Army, these same women like once in a while to be seen in public with their sons in uniform?"
"Why, yes, we can do that, of course, Mrs. Overton," Noll agreed readily. "But wouldn't you rather wait a few days and see if we don't obtain the right to wear officers' uniforms?"
"That won't happen in ages," declared Hal's mother warmly. "Every one over in Washington is sound asleep during these hot days. Mrs. Terry and I will have to wait until winter if we must wait to see you both put on lieutenants' uniforms." ”

“ Then he peered through the darkness.
"Just about as I had supposed," he whispered. "Guarez has a tug in at the pier—a steam craft that will move out, as it came in, without lights."
"Queer, sir, that some of the other men haven't acted—they must have seen the tug come in."
"But I am supposed to be on duty in this neighborhood, and so are you men as sentries," whispered Lieutenant Overton. "Our other men, up the river and down, must imagine that we have taken care of the tug, if the craft needed such attention, and so the other men are holding their own posts according to their orders. ”

“ Noll answered.
"You are both bachelors, I understand."
"Yes, sir," assented Hal.
"Good. We have plenty of room in the bachelor quarters, and no more cottages, at present, for married officers. So, gentlemen"—here the major's eyes twinkled merrily—"you will be doing me an especial favor if you do not contemplate marriage for the present."
"We are wholly free from engagements in that line, sir," Noll laughed.
"I am glad to hear it, Mr. Terry. A young officer should first find out if he can live on his pay, before he tries to make it do for two persons. ”

“ Hal answered. "Sergeant Kelly, are you going to forget me in that fashion?"
"You're an officer now, sir," replied Sergeant Kelly, saluting. "I awaited your pleasure, sir, about speaking."
[182] "I can't see that you've changed any, Sergeant," smiled Hal, extending his hand. "But for the difference in some of the stage-settings we might seem to be in the Philippines instead of in Texas."
"This is 'God's country,' sir," replied Kelly, with an air almost of reverence. "There's nothing in the Philippines as restful to the eye as the meanest stretch in the United States." ”

“ The residents of this city will soon be in a position to know whether such outrages may be safely committed by officers of our Regular Army, a body of men organized supposedly for the protection of the citizens of the country!"
"Well, wouldn't that blow your hat off?" demanded Lieutenant Noll, as he and his chum went over the account published by the Sphere.
"It's evidently aimed with a view to blowing our heads off," muttered Hal Overton.
"What talented liars there are in this world!" uttered Noll Terry, in high disgust. ”

“ Hal's eyes gleamed.
"You seem to like the prospect, my boy."
"I do, sir. Active service always appeals to me."
"You'll find it very active service," sniffed Mrs. Foster. "Nothing but a lot of hard, dusty marching, with insufficient food, little time to prepare it, and always matching wits with a lot of crafty, barefooted Mexicans!"
"Overton is right," contended the captain. "Despite the discomforts and possible hardships such work is excellent, both for soldiers and their officers."
"If anything of the sort comes," murmured Lieutenant Hal, "I certainly hope that I shan't be left out of it." ”

“ Guarez made a significant gesture across his throat.
"How did you men come to be taken, Simms?" asked Hal, of the nearest soldier, after his captors had forced him to lie on the ground with his men.
"A Greaser crept up behind me, sir, and threw a noose that got tangled around my windpipe," replied Private Simms. "He did it so swiftly and quietly, too, that not even Bolton on the next post heard him."
"I heard nothing, sir," confirmed Private Bolton, "until I heard a roaring in my own ears just after I got the noose trick, and then a lot of other Greasers piled on me." ”

“ 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." ”

“ A few moments later Hal found himself chatting with Mrs. Foster, a very sweet little woman, some years younger than the captain. Hal took an instant liking to her. Mrs. Foster asked him much about his home folks, adding:
"As soon as you feel that you're settled in your new life and duties, Mr. Overton, I shall ask you to permit me to invite your mother here as my guest. I know that a mother always wants to see her son's life in the service."
"When that time comes, Mrs. Foster," the young officer answered, "you will be giving me the greatest happiness that can come to me." ”

“ The gasoline boat, still followed by the rays of light from the tug, entered a cove on the Mexican side. Hal turned the light full on some moving objects on the bank of the cove. A score of figures were dancing there, and shouting derisively at the out-distanced American tug. From where he stood forward Hal could make out other men hurriedly lifting cases to the shore. ”

“ The officer would be in too much danger from the bullets of his own men if he got in front of them."
"Then an officer isn't in so very much danger, after all," guessed Mrs. Overton, speaking in a tone of relief. "Some one in front of him will stop the bullets."
"No one man can stop a bullet that's going under full steam, Mother. At two or three hundred yards' range, to-day, a bullet will pass through six or eight men in succession, if there are that many men in its path." ”

“ Lieutenant Hal responded.
"But the drift will carry us downstream."
"If we get too far down we'll steam back. Mate!"
"Aye, aye, sir," answered the man standing beside the tug's master.
"Get your masthead light out. Then display your starboard and port sidelights. Men," called Hal to his soldiers, "I call upon you to note and remember that this craft had no lights out until I ordered them out."
"We don't need lights out at the pier," growled Boggs, comprehending the meaning of Lieutenant Overton's remark.
"I believe you do," Hal rejoined, "when you are about to leave the pier for the stream. ”

“ A striker's work must not interfere with his performance of his own soldierly duties. A trained striker knows just the hours when he is expected to be at his officer's quarters, and just what he must do when he gets there.
[88] Noll soon came out, presenting a striking sight in his brand-new, finely fitting uniform.
"I can't rid myself of the notion that I'm liable to arrest by the guard," laughed Noll as the chums made their way down the stairs.
"Why?" asked Hal.
"For daring to masquerade in an officer's uniform," grinned Noll. ”

“ Hal laid down the sword he had been examining, stepped over and placed an arm around his mother's waist.
"Mother, dear, I'm afraid you don't understand. An officer, when away from troops and duty, rarely wears his uniform in public. It would be looked upon as a foolish piece of vanity on his part."
"But you wore your sergeant's uniform when you first came home."
"All I can say, Mother, is that the two cases are different. One of these days you'll understand just why an enlisted man goes off post in uniform, and an officer, when away from his duties, ordinarily wears citizen's dress. ”

“ Hal agreed.
"And Mrs. Redding may feel that she would like to be one of the invited," continued the elder Overton. "So, my dear, you see that you will become of social consequence. Others than Mrs. Redding, who have never even bowed to you before, will now be calling on you."
"I don't want new friends of that sort," remarked Hal's mother quietly.
"My dear, you'll have to be very agile if you expect to dodge all such new friends," laughed Hal's father.
Since Hal had given the order the orchestra had played several numbers. ”

“ Overton. "It's slang!"
"It's worse than slang in the Army," laughed Hal. "The army 'goat' is the very new officer who has a lot of extra duties thrust upon him that the older officers don't want. Those duties of the 'goat' are generally both very trifling and very annoying."
"Then it isn't right," declared Hal's mother, with an air of conviction. "No one ought to annoy a young man who has been smart enough to make an officer of himself. What are a second lieutenant's duties?" ”

“ 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. ”

“ The rioters belonged to a peculiar class from the sister republic. Many were criminals, wanted in their own country, who had found safety across our border. Many more had been of the class who would have been camp followers of the insurgent army, had that especial revolution gained the dignity of being backed by a rebel army.
For three weeks more the border patrol was continued. Then, as the revolutionists over in Mexico had been soundly thrashed by the responsible federal government of Mexico, the border patrol by our own American troops was no longer needed. ”

“ Prescott and Mr. Darrin are in great danger at Holmesville," Lieutenant Hal murmured in Skipper Tom's ear.
"Jumping Jupiter!" gasped Halstead, and went down into the engine-room in two bounds for a word with Joe.
Those standing on the deck could fairly feel the quiver with which the "Restless" leaped forward at her best speed.
"It's like riding on an express train!" glowed Lieutenant Greg Holmes.
"No express train was ever made that's fast [243] enough for me to-night," muttered Lieutenant Dick Prescott between set teeth. ”

“ The two sets of quarters proved to be facing each other, Hal's on the east side, Noll's on the west side. Each set consisted of a parlor and bedroom, with bath and dressing-room adjoining.
"There's room enough here, sir, to start married life in," smiled Lieutenant Overton.
"Have you that bee buzzing about you?" asked the major, giving him a keen glance.
"Not in the least, sir."
"I have arranged for two excellent men to act as your strikers," continued the commanding officer. "Their selection is, of course, subject to your approval. ”

“ Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants CHAPTER I
THE LETTER FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT
WHEW, but it's hot here!" grumbled Sergeant Noll Terry, of the United States Army.
"That's an odd complaint to hear from a young man who served so actively for two years in the tropics," laughed Mrs. Overton, a short, plump, middle-aged matron.
"Well, Mother, it is a hot day," put in Sergeant Hal Overton quietly.
"Yes, it is," agreed Hal's mother, "though you two, who came from the Philippines the very picture of health can't feel the weather to-day much. New Jersey isn't in the tropics." ”

“ The present law allows but one lieutenant-colonel to a regiment, you know."
"Oh, as far as that's concerned, cheer up, chum," grinned Lieutenant Noll. "Before we get anywhere near as high as lieutenant-colonel we may each be occupying a two-by-six in a soldiers' cemetery."
"It would please the Hepburns and Sayles better if we did now," laughed Hal. "But let's forget malice toward others—we've been able to get everything on earth that we've wanted so far. Noll, to-morrow morning, we must pay another visit to Sergeant Wright." ”