RICHARD GOES THROUGH THE DRILL, AND HAS A SET-TO IN THE GROVE.
Richard slept very well, and was attending to the business of sleeping
with great pertinacity, when the reveille sounded at six o'clock in the
morning. He did not feel much like getting up, and though the other
boys in Barrack B instantly jumped out of bed, he did not heed the
summons. It went against his grain to get up at the sound of a drum, or
of a bell; not that he cared to lie in bed any longer, but the
principle of the thing was utterly objectionable.
"Come, Grant," said the boy who occupied one of the beds next to him,
in a kind and friendly tone, "it's time to turn out."
"I suppose it is," yawned Richard, "but I'm not quite ready to get up
yet."
"Better get up at once. They call the roll to half past six. You are in
our company, you know."
"Suppose I don't get up--what then?"
"It will be all the worse for you."
"What will they do?"
"I don't know; but fellows don't like to be late at roll-call."
Richard concluded to get up, for he preferred to see a punishment
inflicted upon some one besides himself before he got into trouble.
Bailey--for this was the name of the boy next to him--told him what to
do, and where to go, till they made their appearance at the armory of
Company D, to which the recruit had been assigned. They were then sent
to the school room for an hour's study. Richard was examined to
ascertain his attainments, and placed in a class, and he was told to
prepare himself for the lessons of the day. There was no great hardship
in this, and as Richard's talents were of a high order, he had no
difficulty in performing the work assigned to him.
The breakfast call scattered the boys again, and they were soon
reassembled in the dining room. When they were seated, profound silence
reigned throughout the apartment. The principal, all the assistant
teachers, and every one else belonging to the establishment, were
present. The chaplain then read a short passage from the Scriptures,
which was followed by a prayer, the whole service occupying not more
than three or four minutes.
The breakfast consisted of coffee, beefsteak, potatoes, with cold bread
and butter. The new comer was perfectly satisfied with this fare, and
taking it as a sample of his living, he did not believe he should
starve.
"What next, Nevers?" asked Richard of the boy who sat next to him, and
who wore the designation of an orderly sergeant.
"Squad drill, my boy. We shall give you some now," replied Nevers. "We
begin to find out what a fellow is made of on drill."
There was a little spare time before the drill came on, and the new
student improved it by inquiring particularly into the nature of his
duties. Bailey was patient and communicative, and he obtained from him
all the information he wanted.
Again the drum rattled, and the boys made their way to the several
armories. The doors and windows were thrown open, and the drill
commenced. It was conducted by Mr. Gault, who was assisted by various
officers of the company.
"Nevers," said the assistant, "you may take Grant and instruct him in
the positions."
Richard glanced at the orderly sergeant to whom this command had been
given, and the look of satisfaction which Nevers put on did not please
him.
"This way, if you please, Grant," said the young orderly sergeant, as
he led the way to one corner of the armory.
"What are _you_ going to do?" demanded the recruit.
"Give you the positions."
"Are you my teacher?"
"I am ordered to give you the positions," replied Nevers, chuckling
with a delight which the new comer could not understand.
"You want to find out what I am made of--don't you?" said Richard,
remembering what the other had said to him at breakfast.
"I always obey orders."
"Well, I think I should rather be instructed by the regular teachers."
"Very well; I will report to Mr. Gault."
"You needn't trouble yourself. If this is the custom, go ahead. I am
ready."
"Stand as I do, if you please--heels on the same line, feet turned out
equally, knees straight."
Richard observed all these instructions, and being a very tractable
scholar, he was soon master of the positions.
"Eyes--right!" continued Nevers, explaining the meaning of the order.
"Front."
There were three other boys, who had not yet been supplied with
uniforms, having come to the Institute a few days before. These also
were placed in Nevers's care, and he began to drill them in the
facings.
"Attention--squad," said the drill master, explaining what he meant,
and going through with the next movement. "Right--face."
Richard did not come to time, and the sergeant repeated his
instructions, and gave the order again; but it was done no better than
the first time.
"Move quicker, Grant. How long will it take you to turn on your left
heel? Now, try again. Right--face!"
The young gentleman from Woodville did not like the style of the drill
master's remarks. Though he had been scrupulously polite in all he had
said, up to the point of Richard's failure to obey the order with
promptness, there was something in his tone and manner that was very
offensive to him. Nevers seemed to feel that he was armed with
authority, and he intended to make the new comer feel it; but Richard
took his own time, and after they had tried half a dozen times, he
could not "right face" till after the others had completed the
movement.
"How long will it take you to turn on your heel, Grant?" said Nevers,
sharply, when his patience had been sorely tried.
"Till you speak a little more civilly," replied Richard, quietly.
"Perhaps not till you have found out what I am made of."
Nevers bit his lip at this reply. Perhaps he was conscious that he
ought not to have used the remark, or he might have reported the
contumacy of the recruit to the assistant in charge of the room.
"We will try again," continued Nevers. "Right--face."
The result was no better than before; for Richard was so offended at
the manner of the instructor that he determined not to obey.
"Well, Grant, you won't get round till the first day of January. You
are a perfect dough-head," said Nevers, the last remark being in a low
tone, though it was distinctly heard by the subject of it.
"All right," muttered Richard. "If you have found out what my head is
made of, I will show you, by and by, what my fist is made of."
"Ready when you are," replied Nevers, dropping his voice so that the
assistant teacher could not hear him. "Now, about--face;" and he
explained the movement, and went through with it himself.
Richard, having made up his mind what to do when the occasion offered,
did not deem it necessary to carry his resistance any farther at
present. Besides, he was very desirous of learning the drill, that he
might join the company. His "about face," therefore, was
unexceptionable.
"Very well, Grant," said the drill master, in a satirical tone, and
with a patronizing air.
"Your praise and your censure are all the same to me. Spare me both, if
you please," replied Richard, with a dignity becoming the male heir of
Woodville.
"No impudence, you puppy!" growled Nevers, his cheek flushed with
anger. "If Gault wasn't here, I'd boot you."
"I will make an opportunity for you when he is not present. Do your
duty like a decent fellow, if you can," answered Richard.
"Squad, forward--march," said Nevers, as he explained how the command
was to be executed.
As Richard and his companions in the squad were very tractable
scholars, they soon mastered all the mysteries of the step in common
time, and were then instructed in the principles of the "double quick."
They were then reviewed several times in what they had learned: after
which muskets were placed in their hands, and they were taught to
"shoulder arms," "support arms," and "present arms."
The hour devoted to drill was finished, and in spite of the overbearing
manner of the instructor, Richard was pleased with the exercise, and
even began to entertain visions of military glory.
The two hours devoted to study and recitations passed off without any
thing to distinguish them. Richard had learned his lessons, and every
thing went off to his satisfaction. The next item on the time card was
the battalion drill. The recruits were placed in the ranks, and for an
hour and a half they were exercised in the school of the battalion;
part of the time by Colonel Brockridge, and part of the time by the
young gentleman who had been elected by the company officers to the
command of the battalion--Major Morgan. If Richard was pleased with the
squad and company drill, he was delighted with that of the battalion.
After dinner came the hour of recreation. During this time the boys
were allowed to go any where upon the estate, which contained about a
hundred acres of land. Some of them made up games on the parade ground,
and others went over to the grove, a short distance from the Institute
buildings. Richard and Bailey, who had become good friends in the short
time they had been acquainted, took a walk over the estate. They found
the students engaged in every amusement which the genius of a boy could
devise, from base ball and cricket down to mud dams and water wheels.
In the grove they found Nevers, whom Richard was very anxious to meet.
The orderly sergeant was a year older than Richard, and somewhat
heavier.
"There is the fellow I've been looking for," said Richard to his
companion.
"Who--Nevers?"
"Yes, that's his name."
"Do you know him?"
"He drilled our squad this morning, and took the trouble to insult me
several times."
"Just like him. He is the biggest bully in the school."
"I am going to knock some of his impudence out of him."
"You?" exclaimed Bailey, stopping short, and looking with astonishment
at the new comer.
"I am going to try it, at any rate," added Richard, more modestly. "I
don't let any fellow insult me."
"Why, he will break every bone in your body. He can lick any fellow in
the school."
"I don't care for that. I won't be imposed upon by him."
"But it won't do; if any fellow gets up a fight here, it goes hard with
him."
"Can't help that."
"But he will whip you, as sure as you attempt it. I tell you he is the
bully of the school."
"He called me a dough-head, on drill, this morning."
"If you had reported him to Mr. Gault, he would have punished him
severely. No officer is allowed to speak impudently to a private,
especially to a new fellow. Why didn't you report him?"
"Because I feel able to fight my own battles; besides, I don't like the
idea of being a tell-tale."
"I advise you not to touch him. He will make mince meat of you, if you
do."
"Perhaps he will; he shall have a chance to try it."
"I should like to see him licked, and so would every other fellow in
the school."
"I think I can take care of him."
"Do you know any thing about the science?"
"O, well, something," replied Richard, with assumed indifference.
But Richard had been very thoroughly educated in the science of
self-defence by Bob Bleeker, who had served his time as a butcher's boy
in New York city, and done duty there as a rough of the first water.
"Nevers knows all about it. He has had half a dozen pitched battles
with fellows whom he bullied, and all of them got whipped. Nevers has
been 'cock of the walk' for the last year, for no fellow dares say a
word to him."
Richard said no more, but went directly to the place where the bully
was standing. He walked up to him with a bold and defiant air.
"I am glad to meet you, Nevers," said he, with easy self-possession.
"Are you, my fighting chicken?" laughed Nevers.
"You called me a dough-head this morning," added Richard.
"I did; and to make sure that there is no mistake, I repeat it--You are
a dough-head."
"Then take that for your impudence!" said Richard, as with a sudden
movement he slapped the bully's face.
"A fight! A fight!" shouted the dozen boys who were gathered in that
part of the grove.
"What do you want, Grant?" demanded Nevers, turning pale and red with
rage. "Do you want me to lick you?"
"If you please. You wanted to know what I am made of. I am ready to
show you."
"Clear the ring!" shouted the boys, forming a circle round the two
belligerents.
Richard coolly threw off his jacket and vest, rolled up his shirt
sleeves, unloosed his suspenders, and wound them round his waist, to
support his pants. Nevers threw off his jacket only. By this time, at
least fifty boys had assembled to witness the encounter; and so
unpopular was the bully, that Richard had the sympathy of the whole
crowd, except a few personal friends of his opponent.
"I am all ready," said Richard, taking the most approved attitude.
"So am I," replied the ready Nevers, as he edged up to Richard, and
attempted to plant a blow by the side of his head, which was handsomely
parried, and a left-handed rap lodged under the eye of the bully.
This blow maddened Nevers, and he redoubled his efforts to crush his
opponent, as he had expected to do at the first onset. "Keep cool, and
have both eyes open," had been the oft-repeated admonition of Richard's
distinguished instructor in the sublime art of self-defence, and he
carefully observed the instruction. After a few more plunges on the
part of Nevers, he found himself on the ground, from the effect of a
stunning blow which Richard had given him on the side of the head.
"Are you satisfied?" called Richard, flushed with victory.
"No!" yelled Nevers, as he sprang to his feet, and rushed upon his
antagonist.
Richard's coolness enabled him to do wonders, and the bully was down
again in a moment more.
"Come on if you are not satisfied," said Richard, whose nose was
bleeding, and on whose face there was a huge swelling, caused by the
bully's hard fist.
"Time!" shouted the boys.
"Gault's coming! Dry up!" "Settle it another time," added others, as
they began to scatter.