As they rode up to the others, Hallie Croffut was insisting that the other boys remain for dinner, and the colonel, hearing the contention from his chair on the veranda, came down to add his invitation to that of his daughter.
So it was that they all stayed, and just before dinner was announced Lieutenant Barrows rode up and joined the group.
He was hot and dusty, and in a bad temper. He acknowledged the introductions to the boys superciliously, and barely nodded to Ted.
Hallie looked at him with a puzzled frown, but said nothing, and entered the house with Stella.
During dinner Ben sat at the left hand of Hallie, with Barrows opposite.
Ben was in his usual good spirits, and was so easy and gentlemanly in his deportment, in spite of his rough clothes, that Stella was quite proud of him.
While he kept Hallie in a constant gale of laughter by his witty remarks, Barrows did nothing but scowl at him, when he was not casting sinister glances at Ted, who, however, never looked at him.
After dinner the girls rushed away to get ready for the trip, and the boys went out on the veranda to wait for them, while the colonel and Barrows went into the library, ostensibly to talk over business of the post, as Barrows was officer of the day.
But presently Ted heard the voices of the two men rising above the normal pitch.
"I seriously object to Hallie going with such people."