Tom dragged his drowsy partner from the bed, seating him on the edge of it.

“Now, shed your pajamas and pull on something decent,” Reade commanded grimly.  “Hustle!  There’s a conference going on outside, and you’re wanted.  Hurry!  Want me to dump the pitcher of water on you?  I’ll do it if you give your eyes another rub!”

Hazelton was now fully convinced that something important was in the air.  If not, he knew that his chum never would have hauled him out of bed in the darkest hours of the night.

“If you throw any water I’ll shave you with the bread-knife,” retorted Harry.  “But you can keep on talking to me, so that I won’t fall asleep while I’m trying to dress.”

Slowly, at first, then more rapidly, Hazelton got his clothes on.  Pouring water into the basin he sopped a towel in it, then liberally applied it to his face.  The water waked him rapidly.

“Now, lead me forth to where duty calls,” mimicked Harry.

“Run along out on to the porch,” ordered Tom.  “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Still yawning, Hazelton groped his way out into the hall, along the dark passage, and thence out into the night.  Some one stood there, and Harry walked curiously toward him.

“Howdy, whoever you are,” was Hazelton’s greeting.

“Halloo, Harry, old chum,” came Dick Prescott’s laughing answer.

“Dick Prescott!” gasped Harry delightedly.

“I suppose you think I might have waited until daylight,” laughed Dick, as their hands met.

“I’m heartily glad you didn’t wait,” said Harry.  “How long can you stay with us?”

“Not as long as I’d like to, for I’m due at Fort Clowdry in a very few days.”

“And Greg?”

Lieutenant Prescott gave the same explanation he had furnished Tom.

“How does it seem to be an army officer?” Harry continued.

“I believe it to be the finest career on earth,” Prescott answered.  “Still, as you can guess, I’m utterly without experience so far.  After a few days more I shall have my first day as an officer on duty with troops.  But do you and Tom continue to find engineering the grandest career on earth?”

“We certainly do,” affirmed Hazelton.

“It must be very interesting,” agreed Dick.  “Still, I imagine there is yet enough of the primitive savage in the average man to make him enjoy a real fight once in a while.  That’s an experience you’re denied in your calling, but an army officer may always look forward to the chance of seeing a little fighting.”

Hazelton glanced humorously at his partner before he replied: 

“At present there’s a very good chance of a fight right here at this camp.”

“So?” Dick Prescott asked, sitting up with a look of interest.

“Not so much chance as there was,” said Tom gravely.  “The fight came off to-night.  Harry, I met the big black—–­caught him redhanded.”