p appeared, followed by
two other un-uniformed rookies walking behind him.

"You, Overton, and you, Terry, fall in by twos behind these two raw
rookies," ordered Shrimp. "Try to act a bit as though you were marching,
at that. Don't be too dumb! Forward!"

Conscious that they were not cutting much of a figure, Hal and Noll
followed the pair ahead of them.

Shrimp led them to a bit of green some distance away from any of the
larger drill grounds.

"Squad halt!" he rumbled. "Now, rookies, you'll fall in in single rank,
facing the front and about four inches apart. No, no, ye idiots!" as the
four rookies started confusedly to obey. "You'll wait until I give the
order 'fall in.' When I do, Overton, being the tallest, will take his
place at the right, Terry next him, then Strawbridge, and then Healy.
Now, rookies, d'ye think ye understand? And you'll take your places
about four inches apart--just enough distance to allow each man the free
use of his body. Fall in!"

So confused were the poor rookies under the scowling glances of Shrimp
that, in their haste to obey, they nearly upset each other.

"Ye're a bad lot," commented the corporal, eyeing them with extreme
disfavor. "You don't even know how to judge the interval between each
man. Now, let every man except the man at the left rest his left hand
on his hip, just below where his belt would be if he wore one. Let the
right arm hang flat at the side. Now, each man move up so that his right
arm just touches his neighbor's left elbow. Careful, there! Don't crowd.
Now, let your left arms fall flat. There, you ostriches, you have the
interval from man to man as well as rookies can get it inside of a week.
Now, each one of you note his interval from the man at his right. So.
Fall out!"

Without moving the rookies stood looking uncertainly at Corporal Shrimp.

"Fall out, I say!" roared the corporal.

"Do we go back to the squad room?" asked one of the rookies.

"Listen to the man, now!" growled Shrimp. "Do you go back to the squad
room! You'll be lucky if ye ever live to see the squad room again. Fall
out--fall out of ranks, ye idiots!"

"Oh," answered the same rookie. "Why didn't you say so?"

"Why didn't I say so?" roared Shrimp. "Why didn't I say so, indeed!
Ye'll take the order the way I give it--not the way ye want it. When I
tell ye to fall in, that means to get into line, with the proper
interval from man to man. When I say fall out, ye're to get out of ranks