Two hours afterward, when the drill sergeant's work was done in the riding hall and he discovered that Kettle had not reported himself to the officer of the day, the sergeant walked over to the C.
O.'s house and sent in a respectful request to see the commanding officer.
"Come in, Sergeant," called out Colonel Fortescue, sitting at his desk.
"Beg your pardon, sir," said the Sergeant, once inside, "but I have come to you privately, to tell you about your man, known as Kettle.

He came into the riding hall this morning, and Sergeant Gully and Sergeant Halligan said he enlisted.

Of course, I know, sir, they couldn't enlist him, but I'm afraid I helped 'em on with the joke.

Anyhow, I made him get on a horse, and it would have broke your heart, sir, to see such riding! Then he got sassy, and I told him, just to get rid of him, to report himself under arrest, but nobody hasn't seen him since." At that moment, the new recruit was seen passing the window, and wearing blue over-alls, in which he did scrubbing.

The Colonel tapped on the window and Kettle came in by the office entrance.
"What's this, Solomon, about your being saucy to Sergeant Briggs ?" asked Colonel Fortescue, sternly.
"Well, suh, I enlisted," answered Kettle, promptly, "an' I done resigned.