"That shows how easily a suspicious man's eyes may deceive him," mused Lieutenant Topham as he walked along.
Kelton now allowed his gaze to follow the retreating O.C., while the yearlings in the tent stood in dazed silence. They were still panting over the narrow escape from a scrape that might have cost them their places on the roll of the battalion.
"Safe!" whispered Kelton. "You may thank your deliverers."
Then, indeed, the other yearlings pressed about Prescott and Holmes, hugging them and patting them extravagantly.
When Lieutenant Topham returned to his tent, he found Captain Bates there, with a visitor. By the time that he had stepped inside, Topham also discovered the presence of the K.C. likewise engaged.
"I've just had a good lesson in the pranks that a man's eyes and ears may play upon him," announced Topham, unbelting his sword.
Then he related, with relish, the occurrence at Dunstan's tent.
"Humph!" grunted Captain Bates. "You say Mr. Prescott was there?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Then, Topham, you didn't really see very much of what happened, after all," half jeered Captain Bates. "If Prescott was there, the crowd had a plebe on hand, depend on it."