king the bed at night the
blankets must first be entirely shaken out; ditto in the morning. Some
sanitary martinet evolved that scheme. We are told that a fourth blanket
will be served out to us. Folded double lengthwise, four will allow seven
thicknesses over us and one below, or any other proportion, according to
the temperature. Sleeping as I do with the tent wall looped up, I shall
be glad of the seven thicknesses.

Cleanliness being next to godliness, many of the men washed clothes
instead of going to church. A little daily washing in this fair weather
keeps a wardrobe always ready for service. It's simple if you combine
your laundry work with your swim.

Bannister, our corporal, got us out on the drill field this afternoon for
squad practice. But as even he is new to many of our evolutions, instead
of monarchy we found democracy, so many of us had something to say. Part
of the time Knudsen gently but firmly managed the squad; we taught each
other how to stack arms; and finally from one argument we could only be
rescued by appeal to the drill regulations. We knelt around the little
blue book, while the opponents of two apparently conflicting ideas
eagerly debated, until of a sudden each saw the other's point, and
discovered that they meant the same thing.

Coming back, we found ourselves heading obliquely toward the company
street, with a half turn to make in order to enter it properly. Corder
suggested that the command should be "Left half turn," but Reardon
contended for "Half left," and at the proper moment the corporal gave
that order. Naturally there ensued at the tent another debate, everyone
putting in his oar, until by the book the Old One proved that while for a
company in column the command should have been "Column half left," for a
squad "Left half turn" was correct. A mixing business, this learning how
to fight for one's country.

Said I to Corder, "You'll take Bannister's job away from him if he
doesn't look out." He laughed. "No," said he. "I like to admire the
scenery rather than attend to business, and I'm a dreamer anyway. But
watch Knudsen. He's a soldier type, and unless I'm mistaken he's had some
training, though he doesn't claim it."

Word has gone forth that we are to go through the drill regulations at
the rate of some forty paragraphs a day. So there is much study up and
down the street, and that not merely on the part of would-be corporals.

This letter is finished under difficulties,