Then, as the troops marched off, all was over as far as the audience was concerned.
Captain Cortland, however, had no sooner dismissed his company than he turned back to the field, to go to the gully to investigate the matter of the broken log. Lieutenant Prescott went with him.
Over back of one of the cook tents, however, a plain soldier man was already arriving at the truth.
"Hinkey, come over here!" called Private Slosson.
There was something in this soldier's voice which made Private Hinkey feel that perhaps it would not be altogether wise to disregard this request that sounded so much to him like an order.
"Hinkey," continued Private Slosson, "'twas a near escape from breaking his neck that Sergeant Overton had this afternoon."
"That's no concern of mine, I guess," murmured Hinkey.
"Then it ought to be," retorted Private Slosson with considerable warmth. "Hinkey, you had me guessing yesterday and this forenoon, you were so full of industry. And that put me in mind. I saw you coming down from near the gully this morning, and you had something hidden under your coat."
The fingers that held Hinkey's cigarette began to tremble.
"What do you mean, Slosson?"