Quick as light the little hand was raised in salute, and the little figure gathered together its scattered dignity to make a soldierly appearance.
"Private Dreyer, I have been met on the outposts with a message telling me of a disorganized temper that should belong to your command. What have you to say for yourself?"
Instantly the role of the soldier was dropped, and that of the girl with a temper took its place.
"Oh, he told you, did he?" she asked, with a wrathful glance at the figure retreating toward camp. "Well, just wait until I go riding with him again! He's called me a camp follower, and—and everything else that was uncivil."
"Ah! And what did you do?"
"I? Why nothing, of course."
"Nothing?"
"Well, I did threaten to go over and turn them out of the cabin that was built for me, but—"
"But that was a mere trifle in this tropical climate. I've no doubt it would do them good to sleep under the stars instead of a roof; and then it would give you an opportunity to do some wholesale nursing, if they caught colds all around."
"Just as if I would!"