"Why didn't you call the Sergeant of the Guard, and have the man slapped into the guard-house ?" said Jack, when I told him about it afterwards.

"The man had no business around here; he was trying to browbeat you into giving him a dollar, I suppose." The country above us was full of desperadoes from Boise and Silver City, and I was afraid to be left alone so much at night; so I begged Captain Corliss to let me have a soldier to sleep in my quarters.

He sent me old Needham.

So I installed old Needham in my guest chamber with his loaded rifle.

Now old Needham was but a wisp of a man; long years of service had broken down his health; he was all wizened up and feeble; but he was a soldier; I felt safe, and could sleep once more.