drill to carry himself correctly
and march with the men.

"How in the world did you manage it, my lad? Here, I know: you were the
chap who played in the mess. Well, how are you? There, fall in!" cried
the sergeant, suddenly altering his tone and manner. "We'll have a talk
by-and-by."

For the next hour or two Dick was going through the customary
instruction, and being barked at with the rest, ordered here and there,
made to perform the balance-step, and put through his facings generally.
The sergeant bullied him in the time-worn style, and stared at him as
if he had never seen him before, till the recruits were drawn up in
line, hot, weary and worried; for, though the stout sergeant was not
very active, he did not spare himself, much less the fresh, raw lads he
was drilling into shape.

Then, after some exceedingly severe strictures, he turned suddenly to
Dick.

"Here you, Number Fourteen; you've been through all this?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hah! Taught by some clumsy worn-out duffer who belonged to the old
school! You've a lot to learn, my lad, but you needn't stop with this
rough lot; you can drill with one of the regular squads."

Some of the men turned to look sourly at the new recruit, and were
yelled at by the sergeant.

"Eyes front!" he roared. "Keep your heads up there! I'm speaking to
Number Four from the left, not to you! Steady there! Right face!
Dis--miss!"

The rank was broken, and, as the tired squad hurried off to the
barrack-room, the sergeant drew his cane from under his arm, and called
to Dick, the stern, rigid look giving place to a pleasant, cheery smile
as he shook hands.

"You meant it, then?" he said.

"Yes, I meant it," replied Dick, smiling back.

"Well, I'm glad to see you, my lad. Don't you take no notice of what I
said before those louts. You're all right; you'll have to go through
the course, but I can soon report you as being pretty perfect. You
could hold your own now with most of the fellows in the band."

"I think I can soon get on," said Dick, who felt glad of a friendly
word.

"Of course you can. You well-educated chaps know your right leg from
your left; lots of these fellows never seem to. You'll be all right
there in the band."

He nodded and walked away, while Dick was soon after obeying the dinner
call, and forcing himself to bear his grievance, as he sat down to
partake of the roughly-cooked coarse beef and potatoes which formed the
day's rations, a