I set off without further parley, and to my great surprise found the old man on the parade-ground talking idly with Peter Sitz.
"Had you forgotten that the company was called together at eight o'clock this mornin'?" I asked, as if in surprise.
"Not a bit of it, lad."
"Then why didn't you come to the barracks?"
"I knew you lads had somewhat of importance to decide, an' wasn't countin' on goin' where I might be said to have influenced you."
"But don't you reckon yourself as belongin' any longer to the company?"
"I didn't count on bein' able to pass myself off for a boy, even among blind men," the old soldier said, with a laugh, and I cried, hotly:
"That isn't answerin' my question, sergeant. Is there any good reason why you should stand stiffly here while we're tryin' to make up our minds what to do?"
"Yes, lad, I believe there is."
"What may it be, if you're willin' to tell us?"