"Nine, sir, when the three in the oven come out."
"The sun's going so low now, Kelly, that I'm minded to let you live another day," broke in Sergeant Noll.
"Aw, that's just because there's company present," growled Kelly, with a side glance at the lieutenant.
"Will be, when you come in and fetch the wood to cook with," Slosson hailed back through his hands.
A growl of desperation came from the party headed by Corporal Hyman. Then in they tramped, but they carried only their rifles.
"What have ye been doing the long day?" demanded Kelly, with a keen look at the party.
"Getting up an appetite for supper," retorted Corporal Hyman.
"'Twas so heavy we gave up carrying it," grinned Corporal Hyman.
"The boys back in barracks have had their mouths watering for game for days," grunted Slosson. "How'll we ever break the news to 'em?"
"Want a suggestion as to the gentlest way of breaking the news back home, Slosson?" inquired Lieutenant Prescott.
"We'd surely be grateful for it, sir," answered Slosson.
"Then we'll coax Sergeant Overton to wire back requesting full rations for seventeen days for seventeen men."
"The post commissary sergeant would be that mad he'd poison the grub, sir, before shipping it."
"I believe he would," agreed Mr. Prescott thoughtfully. "For the men back in barracks are looking for at least four tons of game food."
"Hello! What's that?" cried Noll, starting up and listening.
"Queer question for a soldier to be askin'," mocked Private Kelly.
"Wirra, but that feller can't stop to take breath between his shooting," remarked Private Kelly.
"Those shots," declared Lieutenant Prescott, "sound out in the direction where I left Sergeant Overton."
"He's struck something," declared Noll gleefully.
"Some of us had better go out there," hinted Lieutenant Prescott, rising from the campstool that he had brought out from his tent. "Either the sergeant is in trouble, or else he's bagging a wagonload of game."
"He's moving, anyway, whoever he is," declared Sergeant Noll.
Another group of men came, and right after them the remainder of the hunters save one.
"Now we know it's Sergeant Overton out there," announced Lieutenant Prescott. Then he turned to Noll.
"Sergeant Terry, you're in charge. What are you going to do about it?"