"Yes, sir. By any great good luck are you willing to go with me?"
"I'd like to, Prescott, but as it happens there is the school for battalion commanders to-night. A talk on trench orders by the brigadier is listed, I believe."
"I'm afraid I shall have to go alone," sighed Dick "Yet I've half a mind to stroll over to company office and invent some new paper work. With every one else busy I feel like the only slacker in the regiment."
"If you really go alone," suggested the major, "perhaps you could combine pleasure with doing me a favor."
"How, sir?"
"My horse hasn't had any exercise for three days. I'd be glad if you'd take him out tonight, if it suits you."
"Nothing could please me better, sir," Dick cried eagerly, for he dearly loved a horse.
"How soon will you be ready?"
"At once, Major."
"Then I'll send around now for the horse." Just a few minutes later an orderly rode up, dismounted, saluted and turned the saddled animal over to A company's commander.