The Colonel was a bluff old fellow, and all the officers liked him except for one thing, and that was his jealousy of the commanding officer of a neighboring post. He would grow irritable whenever this officer's name was mentioned, although he invariably brought the name up himself. One evening some of the mess determined to have some fun with the Colonel, and possibly put a stop to his pettishness.
"Colonel," said one of the officers, "it's queer, but you'd think Major D —— [the neighboring commander] had studied spelling. I got a letter from him to-day, and how do you think he spells 'here'?"
"He doesn't know much," growled the Colonel. "I suppose he spells it, h-e-a-r."
"No."
"Well, h-e-e-r."
"No, that's not it."
"H-i-e-r," ventured the Colonel once more.
"Guess again."
"Well, I'd have to be as stupid as he is to guess any other way of spelling it. Wait a moment. Does he spell it h-u-e-r?"
"No, Colonel."