Prescott rejoiced that he had this excellent fellow with him, as capable first sergeants are always looked upon in the light of prizes.
Yet, in a---to him---new man Greg Holmes had an almost equally good top in Lund, a Swede who had put in ten years in the Army.
When Greg dropped into the company office that forenoon, Lund handed him a list of men who had put in application for pass that afternoon.

It was to be a visitors' afternoon, and there would be no drills.
"Nineteen, and all good conduct men, Sergeant Lund," commented Greg, glancing over the list and reaching for a pencil with which to O.K.the list.
"And two more put in application, but I didn't put their names down, sir," Lund explained, as he stood at the side of the young captain at the desk.
"Who were they ?" "Mock and Wilhelm." "Have they behaved themselves since they got out of arrest ?" "Oh, yes, sir." "Then we'll let them off this afternoon," proposed Holmes amiably, as he wrote time two names down on the list.

"Perhaps they'll turn out better for a bit of considerate treatment." Though Lund frowned as he received the list back in his own hand he made no comment.
Immediately after the noon meal Mock and Wilhelm exhibited their passes to the guard and walked briskly out of camp.
"Look at that now---the pair of traitors!" muttered Private Riley, as he spat vengefully on the ground.

"Me, I knew better than to ask for it, and me so lately out of the pen.

But those bir-rds with dir-rty feathers get their chance to go off the reservation and plot more mischief." Had Private Riley been able to follow the pair unseen he would have been even angrier.