"Huh! If this was real war there'd be a lot of kids of the talky kind ducking to get away," growled Private Dowley as he slouched by.
"It isn't the kid soldiers who do the deserting in war time," returned Sergeant Hupner quietly. "It's usually some of the older men, who have such a grouch with life that one wouldn't think they'd care about living much longer."
Dowley scowled, muttering something, but he did not venture to dispute with a man of Hupner's military experience.
"I guess that ought to hold Dowley for five minutes," laughed Noll.
"That fellow gives me a sense of fatigue," remarked Sergeant Hupner placidly. "He might turn out to be a good soldier under stress, but all I've got to say is that I wouldn't want to have to defend a position with only a squad or two of men of his type. I wonder how the recruiting officer ever came to let him into the service?"
"Perhaps he got in under somebody else's name on a stolen set of references," laughed Hal.
"Sergeant Hupner, I want two of your men to send back with a message," announced Captain Cortland, stepping up.
"Overton and Terry are in good condition, sir," reported Hupner, rising and saluting as soon as he saw his commander.
"Very good; come with me, Overton and Terry."
Captain Cortland led the two young soldiers down the trail, drawing a local map from one of his pockets and spreading it on a flat table of rock.