his resignation as a military officer."

Rising to their feet behind the long, uncovered pine board mess
tables at which they had sat listening and taking notes, the eyes
of the colonel's subordinate officers glistened with enthusiasm.
Instead of showing any trace of dissent they greeted their commanding
officer's words with a low murmur of approval that grew into a
noisy demonstration, then turned into three rousing cheers.

"And a tiger!" shouted a young lieutenant, in a bull-like voice
that was heard over the racket.

Colonel Cleaves, though he did not unbend much before the tumult,
permitted a gleam of satisfaction to show itself in his fine,
rugged features.

"Good!" he said quietly, in a firm voice. "I feel assured that
we shall all pull together for the common weal and for the abiding
glory of American arms."

Gathering up the papers that he had, during his speech, laid out
on the table before him, the colonel stepped briskly down the
central aisle of the mess-room. As it was a confidential meeting
of regimental officers, and no enlisted man was present, one of
the second lieutenants succeeded in being first to reach the door.
Throwing it open, he came smartly to attention, saluting as the
commanding officer passed through the doorway. Then the door
closed.

"Good!" cried Captain Dick Prescott. "That was straight talk