"Wild Charlie" and his band fled as fast as they could, for the
crowd was jeering loudly and talking of taking all six to the
nearest horse-trough for a ducking.

"Is that the best the old town can do for excitement in these
days?" laughed Reade, as soon as our young friends had separated
themselves from the laughing crowd and had started on a stroll.

"Why, that little episode was doing well enough for any town,"
smiled Dick. "A laugh is better than a fight, any day."

"Queer text for a soldier to preach from," grinned Hazelton.

"Not a bit," Dick retorted. "The soldier, above all men, hates
a fight, for the soldier knows he's the only one that's likely
to get hurt."

"Oho!"

"Yes; and moreover," broke in Greg, "armies aren't organized,
in the first place, for fighting, but for preserving peace."

"Just as railroads are built to keep people from traveling," jeered
Reade.

"If we don't look out the greatest excitement that we'll find today
will be starting a fight among ourselves," warned Harry dryly.

"Rot!" scoffed Tom. "The old chums of Dick & Co. couldn't fight
each other, any more that they can avoid joshing each other."