Just before dark forty United States doughboys started down the trail, bent on pleasure and sight-seeing.
Being on leave, none of these men were allowed to carry their arms with them. Nothing, for that matter, could be much more awkward to a soldier than his rifle when on leave to visit town.
"Be careful, men, that none of you overstay your leave," Lieutenant Hampton called warningly, as the town party started down the trail.
"We won't, sir," came the chorused answer.
This is always the promise of men on leave. Sometimes, in the excitement of pleasures, the promise is forgotten, or ignored, and then trouble is sure to follow.
CHAPTER XVII
ROUNDING UP THE MISSING LEAVE MEN
CAMP police, which means the care and tidying of camp, and the carrying out of hygienic precautions, occupied the soldiers in camp most of the time between breakfast and nine o'clock.
Then the toilers were dismissed for rest.