robust manhood as Kettle.

All this was very disheartening to Kettle but seemed of great interest
to Sergeant Halligan and his side partner, Sergeant Gully, and also to
the orderly, who grinned sympathetically with the two sergeants.

"I say," said Sergeant Gully, "there's nothing doing here this morning
and I'll just leave the orderly in charge and step in with you and
introduce Private Pickup to the drill sergeant. The sergeant is a
honey, but the bees don't know it."

Then, with Sergeant Halligan on one side of him and Sergeant Gully on
the other, Kettle started across the plaza in the clear morning light
for the great riding hall. By this time Kettle was thoroughly alarmed.

The sight of the class in riding, smart young privates, marching gaily
into the drill hall, made Kettle feel very uneasy about the riding.

"How 'bout the milkman's hoss?" asked Kettle anxiously.

"The milkman's horse? The milkman's horse?" sniffed Sergeant Halligan,
"D'ye think I'm an infernal fool to put such a proposition up to the
orficer in charge of mounts? He'd kick me full of holes if I did."

"But I say," replied Kettle, spurred by fear, "you is a deceiver,
suh--a deceiver, and I'm a'goin to tell the Kun'l on you and he'll do
for you--that he will."

"Look-a-here, Solomon Ezekiel Pickup," shouted Sergeant Halligan
savagely, "it's against the regulations to talk to your superior
orficers so damned impudent, and I'm a going to prefer charges against
you, and you can face three months in the military prison for it. And
I'm a-thinkin' that Briggs, the drill sergeant, will put you on the
kickingest horse in the regimental stables. Sergeant Gully here says
the drill sergeant is a honey, but he's awful mistaken. I've known
Briggs ever since we was rookies together, and he's a cruel man, and
has caused the death of several rookies by his murderin' ways."

Just then the three came face to face with Sergeant McGillicuddy. In
those days McGillicuddy's honest face was gloomy and he had not much
spirit for jokes, but he laughed when Sergeant Halligan explained to
him that Sergeant Gully had enlisted Kettle and had passed him both
mentally and physically, and that he was then on his way to take his
first lesson in riding.

Sergeant McGillicuddy went his way, laughing, for once in a blue moon,
and Kettle, marching between the two sergeants, felt like a prisoner on
his way to execution.

Arrived at the great drill hall, now dim and