"Hinkey, I'm mighty sorry," began Overton. "It was an accident, and——"
"An accident?" flared Hinkey sulkily. "I suppose you expect me to believe that you slammed that flagstaff down and hit me on the top of the head, and that it was all an accident?"
"I certainly do expect you to believe it," replied Corporal Hal, his face flushing.
"Well, I don't," came the ugly response, accompanied by another scowl. "It's a lie, and——"
"Be careful, Hinkey!" warned Corporal Overton, his fine young face paling slightly. "Passing the lie, you know, don't go in the Army!"
"I don't care a hang what goes in the Army," snarled the private, who was a man some twenty-eight years of age, dark of complexion and forbidding of feature. "You've had it in for me all along, Corporal Overton. Only yesterday morning you scorched me at drill."
"You needed it," was the quiet reply. "And I used no abusive language."
"Good thing you didn't," flashed Hinkey. "And the day before——"
"Stop your whining and let me look at your head," advised Corporal Overton. "Whew, what a bump! Hinkey, I'm truly sor——"
"Get away from me, and never mind my head," snapped the other.