ncil signature is
valid." "Not here," said the captain, sticking to the regulations, and
the slips had to be changed.

When we were ready we were marched to the flag, where the company was
drawn up on three sides of a square. The major then said--

--I must break this off to describe what is going on, which is too
interesting to ignore. For the second time this afternoon we are shut up
in the dark tent, everyone having fled before a pelting shower. We were
first aligned for calisthenics, but were dismissed on account of Shower
No. 1, a driving rain that lasted half an hour. Now we were just ready
for parade--think what it would have been on that slimy, soggy
ground!--when the approach of Shower No. 2 sent us all to cover. It is
pelting furiously; Pickle and Knudsen, with the intrenching tools which
luckily were served out to us this afternoon, are digging frantically to
keep the water away from their suit-cases. Through the tied flaps of the
doorway Clay has been yelling at Squad Nine, our opposite neighbors, and
there is the greatest joy and confusion. Knudsen having finished his job,
is jeering at Pickle, who had promised to be first. And now he has taken
Pickle in hand, and is showing him his mistakes. It is thundering and
lightening. "I don't see," says David with slow wonderment, "how it can
rain much harder." Now Knudsen, at the door, imitates the first
sergeant's whistle and alarms our neighbors, who peer anxiously out.
"Corporals, get your men out!" cries he, laughing heartily as the others
consult. "They look like a bunch of dogs," says he, "with their heads
sticking out of their kennels." Now it slackens, I hear laughter in the
street, and in comes a neighbor. "Boys, it's a scream! There's four
inches of water in the next two tents. Their baggage is all afloat."

(Later.) The rain slackening just then, out we all swarmed, the whole
street becoming alive with men, who with shouts crowded toward the great
puddle which completely filled the breadth of the street, and had flooded
tents Four and Six. Looking into these, I saw the glimmer of
lantern-light reflected on water, the beds moved about and piled with
baggage. The sandy soil can drain an ordinary shower, but this was too
heavy, and there was but one thing to try. Yelling, some fifteen men got
out their intrenching tools and began to dig a ditch to lead the water
off to the field below. At first I thought they could not do it, for the
ridge was at least tw