“Either they mistake me for someone else, or they are a very pleasant and courteous set,” the lad told himself. “However, I didn’t come here to learn how they behave themselves. I won’t get any information this way. I wonder who is in command here, but I can’t afford to ask.”
Continuing his stroll, he at last mingled with a crowd of officers who were idling about talking.
“I heard General Beulow say that we were likely to be ordered forward within a few hours,” said one of the group of officers.
“So?” questioned another. “I had forgotten that you are now a member of his staff.”
“What’s up, do you know?”
“Nothing that I can talk about,” replied the other with a pleasant smile.
“All right,” said another. “The sooner the better.”
The little group broke up and Hal continued his stroll.
“Good,” he said to himself. “At least I have learned that General Beulow is in command here.”
And he had learned not a moment too soon, as it turned out.