“Did you ever go up such a steep place before?”

“Yes, steeper,” I yelled back, thinking of Bunker Hill Monument.

“And didn’t fall?” he continued, as I took another labored stride onward and upward.

“No.”

“Wasn’t you afraid of falling?”

“No.”

“You must be plucky.”

As this did not strictly demand any answer, I took advantage of a momentary pause to say,

“Good day.”

“Good——But say? What regiment did you say you were in?”