with khaki-clad warriors, strutting up and down, exchanging military
salutes, and arousing the admiration of all the girls, who came forth
to gaze and applaud.

It was a great day for Stanhope. A stranger visiting there for the first
time might think some military academy must have taken up fall quarters
near by, and granted full liberty to its uniformed hosts.

If there were those who had been hesitating about joining either of the
troops, a decision must certainly follow the first glimpse of those
gallant uniforms.

That night many a lad ate supper as an honored guest at his father's
table; for surely the wearer of a uniform must be entitled to unusual
privileges.

Of course the word had gone around for a meeting of the Stanhope No. 1.
But it was not to be held at the Shipley barn--oh! no, those boys had
had "quite a sufficiency," as Bobolink said, of their former quarters;
and Bluff admitted that his father would not dare use the building again
that year for his tobacco crop.

Jason Carberry, father of the twins, had asked as a favor that they make
use of his big smithy; and since the night air was cool, Paul had
accepted this generous proposition of the blacksmith on the spot.

So that was where they came together, a uniformed organization, at last.