"Won't the ladies select the dinner?" asked Hal.
"We'd prefer that our sons do that," smiled Mrs. Terry.
"You do it, then, Hal," directed Noll Terry. "I left my spectacles at home."
"What about officers and their duty to tell the truth?" chided Mrs. Terry, whose heart was full of joy and pride to-night.
"I'll amend my statement," replied Noll meekly. "I didn't bring my spectacles with me. But Hal ought to do the ordering, anyway. He always did. He was my ranking sergeant, and now he's my ranking lieutenant."
"We don't know that yet," objected Hal quickly. "We don't yet know anything about the order in which we passed."
"In the meantime," hinted Mr. Overton, "the cook's fire is running low."
So Hal turned his attention to the menu card, ordering with a free hand.
"Gracious! How many do you think there are at this table, young man?" demanded his mother.
"There are six of us," Hal answered. "But we can take hours in which to finish the meal, if we want to. Ralston's doesn't close until midnight."