HINKEY, secure in his new retreat, with a new-found "friend" who wanted the services of a man of Hinkey's stripe, was not found.
The evening programme of the military tournament was carried out before all the spectators who could wedge themselves into the grounds, and once more the big circus played to a small crowd.
In the morning the Thirty-fourth entrained and returned to Fort Clowdry.
While in Denver, Lieutenant Ferrers, though he had accompanied the battalion, had been employed in duties that kept him out of the public eye.
Once back at the post, however, Ferrers was warned by both battalion and regimental commanders that he must buckle down at once to learn his duties as an officer.
"I had an idea that being an officer was a good deal more of a gentleman's job," Algy sighed to Lieutenant Prescott.
"An officer's position in the Army is a hard-working job," Prescott rejoined. "However, there's nothing in that fact to make it difficult for an officer to be a gentleman, too. In fact, he must be an all-around gentleman, or get out of the service."
"But gentlemen shouldn't be expected to work—at least, not hard," argued Algy Ferrers.
"Now, where on earth did you get that idea?" laughed Lieutenant Prescott.
"All the fellows I used to know were gentlemen," protested Algy, "and none of them ever worked."