Hinkey, after glaring defiantly and contemptuously at the young sergeant, turned on his heel and started away.
"Halt, there, my man!" ordered Sergeant Hal coolly, yet at the same time sternly.
Hinkey kept on as though he had not heard.
Without an instant's hesitation, his manner still cool but his face white and set, Sergeant Overton leaped after his man, laying a hand heavily on the private's shoulder.
"I halted you, my man!"
"Did you?" said Hinkey. "I didn't hear it."
With that, he slipped out from under Hal Overton's detaining grasp, turned his back and once more started onward.
"Careful there, Hinkey!" called one of the soldiers warningly.
But the sullen soldier was now beyond any sense of caution.
As Hal again grabbed him, this time with both hands, and swinging him about, Hinkey thrust his face menacingly close to Overton's.