mand =return=, carry the right hand opposite to and 6 inches
from the left shoulder, saber vertical, edge to the left; at the same
time unhook and lower the scabbard with the left hand and grasp it at
the upper band.

At the command =saber= drop the point to the rear and pass the blade
across and along the left arm; turn the head slightly to the left,
fixing the eyes on the opening of the scabbard, raise the right hand,
insert and return the blade; free the wrist from the saber knot (if
inserted in it), turn the head to the front, drop the right hand by
the side; hook up the scabbard with the left hand, drop the left hand
by the side.

Officers and noncommissioned officers armed with the saber, when
mounted, return saber without using the left hand; the scabbard is
hooked up on dismounting. (790)

=680. Enlisted men with saber drawn at inspection.= At inspection
enlisted men with the saber drawn execute the first motion of =present
saber= and turn the wrist to show both sides of the blade, resuming
the carry when the inspector has passed. (791)

[Illustration]

Shelter Tents

=681.= Being in line or in column of platoons, the captain commands:
=FORM FOR SHELTER TENTS.=

The officers, first sergeant, and guides fall out; the cooks form a
file on the flank of the company nearest the kitchen, the first
sergeant and right guide fall in, forming the right file of the
company; blank files are filled by the file closers, or by men taken
from the front rank; the remaining guide, or guides, and file closers
form on a convenient flank.

Before forming column or platoons, preparatory to pitching tents, the
company may be redivided into two or more platoons, regardless of the
size of each. (792)

=682.= The captain then causes the company to take intervals as
described in the School of the Squad (See par. 156.), and commands:
=PITCH TENTS.=

At the command =pitch tents=, each man steps off obliquely to the
right with the right foot and lays his rifle on the ground, the butt
of the rifle near the toe of the right foot, muzzle to the front,
barrel to the left, and steps back into his place; each front-rank man
then draws his bayonet and sticks it in the ground by the outside of
the right heel.

Equipments are unslung, packs opened, shelter half and pins removed;
each man then spreads his shelter half, small triangle to the rear,
flat upon the ground the tent is to occupy, the rear-rank man's half
on the right. The