It was not an invitation to join their officer. Both recruits fully understood that. The gulf of discipline prevents officers and men eating together.
On the platform before the station-building Major Davis halted long enough to say:
"My men, I appreciate your help to-night. It would have been too much for me alone. You men stood by me like soldiers. As a United States Army officer I would have felt disgraced had I allowed a United States mail car to be rifled without striking a blow to stop it."
"It was a daring thing to do, sir," Hal ventured, with another salute.
"It was my plainest sort of duty, as an officer," replied Major Davis, returning the salute.
"May I ask, sir," ventured Hal, "whether it would have been our duty, had we been armed, and you not on the train?"
"Not unless led by an officer," replied the major. "But where did you young men learn to obey so promptly, and without questioning or hesitation?"
"At the recruit rendezvous, sir."
"Which one?"
"At Bedloe's Island, sir."