"Yes, indeed," sighed Trixy. "Some of 'em's awful hard, too, though mamma helps me all she can. But do you mean that a great big man like Lieutenant Jermyn goes to school?"

"Indeed, I do."

"Dear me!" exclaimed the child. Then she thought a moment, and continued:

"Do you suppose his teacher would let him out for a while? Other scholars get let out of school sometimes, when somebody needs to see them very much."

"I think it doubtful," said one of the officers, but the other, with a wink at his companion, said:

"One never knows what can be done until one has tried. Just go over to that door where you see a cat sitting, ask for the teacher, and tell him what you want."

"Thank you," said Trixy, trotting briskly in the direction indicated, while one officer said to the other:

"Colonel, when will you outgrow your fondness for practical jokes?"

"Not while I live, I hope. Besides, where's the harm? Amperthwaite, the instructor of that section, will be cleverer for the remainder of the day, after such an interruption, and the boys will be glad of a moment's truce. I wish I could be there to see and listen."