"Shall we arrest any of C Company's men that we may find?" inquired Hal.
"You won't find any," replied Sergeant Hupner. "All of C's town-leave men were back on time. It's B that takes all the disgrace this time."
For this important duty Sergeant Hupner had chosen Hal and Noll, because he knew they could be depended upon to enter saloons without being tempted to buy any of the vile wares exposed there for sale.
Moreover, they were both so staunch in their principles that they could enter such places—on duty—without being degraded thereby.
But, though both soldier boys searched saloon after saloon, they did not seem destined to find any of the delinquents. Private Hyman was standing out in the street, with nothing to do.
"Some one must have spread the alarm," thought Private Overton. "Or else the men are really not in any of these vile places. I hope the last guess is the true one."
At last Soldier Hal came to the last resort of the kind on his side of the street.
As he started to push open the door of this place a big, broad-shouldered, red-faced man stepped into the doorway.
"Nothing doing here, soldier kid," leered the fellow.
"Pardon me, but I didn't ask you," was Hal's quick retort.