Henry," he replied. "They hold honorary rank, and are attached to
head-quarters, acting as messengers and performing some light clerical
work."

"How do they happen to be in Santa Fé?"

"Mother recently died in the East, and the colonel had them sent here
in charge of a tutor who is to fit them for college, I believe."

Later, on the same day, being desirous of looking over this ancient
Indian and Mexican town, I was making a pedestrian tour of its
streets, and chanced to be opposite San Miguel School in the eastern
section during the pupils' recess. Half a dozen boys were engaged in
throwing the lasso over the posts of the enclosing fence, when
suddenly from a side street appeared the young corporals whom I had
seen at reveille.

The Mexican boys instantly greeted them with derisive shouts and
jeers. They called them little Gringos and other opprobrious names,
and one young Mexican threw the loop of his lasso over the smaller
corporal's head and jerked him off his feet. His companions laughed
loudly. The older corporal instantly pulled out his knife and cut the
rope. Then the two brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the
crowd, quite ready to defend themselves. The young Mexicans,
gesticulating and shouting, crowded round the two brothers, and blows
appeared imminent.

"Muchachos," suddenly cried a ringing voice from the rear, in Spanish,
"are you not ashamed? A hundred against two!"