"The officers are going to inspect the grove as a site for camp," was the word that passed back along the line.
"A soldier's first duty," quoth Hal, as he sank upon the ground, "is to make himself as comfortable as he can."
Noll, too, dropped to the ground, and Hyman followed the example.
"Overton, I'll have to borrow some of that baby powder of yours to-night," sighed Hyman.
"For your complexion?" grinned Hal.
"No; to put in my shoes. This mountain hike has my feet in bad."
"I'll tell you what you ought to do, just before every big hike," laughed Hal.
"Don't tell me anything about the hospital," murmured Hyman disgustedly. "I tried that, day before we left Fort Clowdry, but the rainmaker warned me that if I tried to make hospital report, he'd see to it that I was left on thin gruel diet for a month."
"The rainmaker knew his business," mocked Hal. "And I've heard another yarn about that rainmaker."
"What?"