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278 received a commission as a first lieutenant. Both honors came as the result, so the papers stated, "of special bravery exhibited at the capture of the Filipino guerilla, General Pompoña Adoz." The regulars were quartered not far from where Ben's old regiment was stopping, yet the friends now saw but little of each other.

The retirement of Major Morris made a vacancy among the majors, and no one in the regiment was surprised when Ben became acting major of the third battalion, the other majors moving up to the first and the second battalions. Ben had reënlisted for six months, and in March his commission as a full-fledged major reached him.

"Major Russell, allow me to congratulate you," said Colonel Darcy, as he shook Ben warmly by the hand. "You deserve your promotion. I trust that some day you will go still higher in the ranks."

"Thank you, colonel, but the rank of major is quite high enough for me. Besides, I would not want to take your place from, you—excepting you became a general."

"No, Major Russell, as long as I remain here, I wish to stay at the head of my own regiment."

"And I want to stay with our boys, too, colonel.