"The other afternoon, sir, on the south side of the Pasig River at Manila. You were in a shed, out of the rain, with a native calling himself Vicente Tomba."
The florid-faced man betrayed neither uneasiness nor resentment. Instead, he smiled pleasantly as he replied:
"I thought you were in error, Sergeant, and now I'm certain of it, for I don't know any Vicente Tomba."
"Then I beg your pardon for the mistake, sir," Hal replied quickly.
"No need to apologize, Sergeant, for you have done no harm," replied the florid-faced man.
Here Captain Cortland's voice broke in, cool and steady:
"Yet I know, Mr. Draney, that Sergeant Overton feels embarrassed by the mere fact of his having made a mistake. Sergeant Overton is one of our best and most capable soldiers, and he rarely makes a mistake of any kind."
"I'm glad to hear that he's one of your best soldiers," replied Draney pleasantly. "It seems odd, doesn't it, Captain, to see so boyish a chap wearing sergeant's chevrons?"
"Sergeant Overton, Mr. Draney, is more than merely a sergeant. He is acting first sergeant of B Company, and is likely to continue as such for some months to come."
"He has risen so high?" cried Draney. "I certainly congratulate the young man."