very well acquainted, except for those who
have not the habit of noticing their neighbors. There are a couple of men
who have for ten days sat opposite me at table, and yet do not know me
when we meet outside. But most of the men are very companionable.
Nevertheless, it must be admitted that the opportunity has not been very
great. Unless a man is Number One or Number Four in his squad, he is
likely to be swallowed up by it. I have felt very fortunate to be Number
One, for in all formations in line I stand beside a man of another squad,
and whenever we fall in or stand at rest I chat with them. Since
Bannister has neglected the advice, given by the captain, to shift the
men about, I am glad that I have had this advantage, and am more lucky in
getting a wider acquaintance than is possible to some of the others. For
as you have seen, we eat together, march together, dress and sleep
together, the squad being the unit on which everything is based. Captain
Kirby has said that when we rest on the hike squads must sit down
together, so as to waste no time in falling in.

But the shooting has done a great deal to break down this isolation. It
was impossible, on the range or the gallery, to keep the squads together,
whether in shooting or in waiting. The men compared their scores,
explained their mistakes, gave advice, and fished for sympathy, with
everyone they met. Men in squads widely separated in the line got quite
chummy over their misfortunes, and grew friendly in encouraging each
other. The scorers and especially the coaches met many new men. So at the
table and the camp-fire the talk is now much more personal, and I think
that from this time on the company will be more of a unit in feeling, if
not more in unison in drill.

On this last point Captain Kirby is certainly unanimous. The shooting,
with its necessary disorder, has got us out of our habits of snap, and
today we have been put through a course of sprouts that has taken away
any conceit that we might have had. This morning he gave us ten rounds of
blank cartridges and took us out into our usual ground, the Peru road and
the fields adjoining. First, in anticipation of tomorrow, by platoons we
were given rapid-fire practice, sitting and firing our ten shots at a
count of ninety seconds. To our delight, it being a little windy, the big
paper target had to be held by a couple of the sergeants, one of them
being Loretta, at whom most of us aimed. (Some day I shall find