Ira introduced Dan, adding:
“He is my right hand in the special work I am doing,” and then all chatted merrily together as they ate.
An hour later Fred shook hands with his companions, and started back to town. As he rode over the brink of the hill, he cried:
“I’ll see you later, boys.”
The scouts glanced at each other, and Ira remarked:
“We got rid of him more readily than I expected. He might have made us much trouble had he gone on to the camp.”
“He’ll be dreamin’ of that colonel’s commission,” Dan added laughingly.
They resumed their journey, and after a time, Ira said:
“Fred’s coming has given me an idea, Dan.”
“I take it that it’s a good one,” was the confident reply.