ained. Had he been an only
son, he might have been spoiled, but he had many brothers, and his
temper had been tried, and he had been taught to command himself, and
while he relied on his own energies for success, to obey his elders and
to treat all his fellow-creatures with respect. Sergeant Dibble very
soon pronounced him his best drill. The awkward squad had been standing
by themselves for some minutes, looking very awkward, indeed, when
Sergeant Dibble exclaimed--

"Fall out, Mr Bracebridge, and take charge of that squad. Exercise
them in the balance step, and put them through their facings."

Ernest, not a little proud, obeyed, and while the rest of the young
soldiers were marching up and down, taking open order, wheeling to the
right or left, and going through a variety of manoeuvres, he placed
himself in front of the boys I have described, with others, making
altogether about a dozen. His first aim was to awaken them all up.
"Attention!" he exclaimed in a sharp tone, which made them all spring up
suddenly. He then explained very clearly what he wanted them to do, and
put himself in the required attitude, taking care that they all did the
same. Very few could not do the balance step. Chivey and other hopping
games had taught them that. He kept them at it a very few minutes, and
then telling them to practise it by themselves, went on to teach them
their facings, explaining the object of each movement. He did it all in
so patient and good-natured a manner that every boy in the squad
expressed a hope that Bracebridge might be set to teach them again.

"I'll tell you what we will do; we will work away every day in the week,
and when Sergeant Dibble comes next week we will show him what we can
do." The idea was taken up enthusiastically, and even the least apt of
the squad made great progress. In two or three weeks they were fully
equal to those who had been drilling all the half. Sergeant Dibble was
delighted, and foretold that if Master Bracebridge went into the army he
would distinguish himself.

"I don't know what I am to be," replied Ernest; "I know that I am to do
everything I am set to do as well as I can."

There were some twenty boys or more who were very far from perfect in
their drill in the larger squad, and Sergeant Dibble managed to persuade
them to put themselves, during the week, under Ernest's instruction.
Some few, at first, kicked at the notion, but finally all agreed to obey
his ord