"Two officers and ten men!" flashed through Hal's mind.
Then, of a sudden, he felt like giving a whoop of joy. Instead, however, he darted down the gang-plank, then caught himself and walked forward with dignity just as one of the approaching officers called out with military crispness:
"Squad halt! Break ranks!"
"Mr. Prescott! Mr. Holmes!" cried Hal, going up to the two lieutenants who had just arrived.
"Hullo, Overton," responded both newly-arrived officers, extending their hands, while Prescott added:
"By Jove, I didn't count on finding you here, though I heard that you had won your commission. Where's Terry?"
"Up at our camp, Mr. Prescott."
"Drop the formal 'Mr.,' Overton, do," urged Lieutenant Prescott. "We have known each other long enough not to stand on ceremony."
"We've known each other in other times," laughed Holmes, "and in much more stirring times, I take it, than these are likely to be."
"Don't be too sure about the present being tame times," urged Hal. "From what we have seen here so far I believe that we are right in the middle of a district that is heavily engaged in sending arms over into Mexico. We may have a fight with a lot of these desperate, fanatic Mexican rebels at any moment."