Hugo's lips were twitching peculiarly.

"Look at him!" exclaimed the manufacturer's son. "Oh, you've had us all
going this afternoon, you old farceur, you, Hugo!"

In the silence that waited on another extravagance from the entertainer
the sergeant entered the room.

"We shall entrain to-morrow morning!" he announced. "We are going to
South La Tir on the frontier."

Oh, joy! Oh, lucky 128th! It was to see still more of the world! The
sergeant stood by listening to the uproar and cautioning the men not to
overturn the tables and benches. Even the banker's and the
manufacturer's sons, who had toured the country from frontier to
frontier in paternal automobiles, were as happy as the laborer's son.

"What fun it would be if we could visit back and forth with the fellows
on the other side of the frontier!" said Hugo.

"What the--eh!" exclaimed the sergeant. "Will you never stop your
joking, you, Hugo Mallin?"

"Never, sir," replied Hugo dryly. "It comes natural to me!"




VI