d Shrimp, beside himself. "Is
that what ye call letting yer arms hang naturally. Where did ye get yer
ideas of nature, anyway, ye spindle-shanked carpenter's apprentice?"

Sergeant Brimmer had stepped within view, though behind the corporal's
back, and stood looking quietly on.

"Ye wart on an Army buzzard!" howled Shrimp. "Ye----"

"That will do, Corporal," broke in Sergeant Brimmer quietly. "You're
relieved, Corporal. I have time to take over the squad myself. You may
go to the squad room."

Shrimp turned with a glare, but with the snarl somehow dying on his
lips. He gasped with anger and humiliation, then turned about and
stalked away toward barracks.

During the next hour things went along very differently. Sergeant
Brimmer was an alert drillmaster, and he permitted no lagging or
indifference on the part of the recruits. Neither did he hesitate to
single out any rookie who did a thing improperly. But the sergeant's
method of drilling was wholly manly. He was patient, even if firm, and
he called no rookie uncomplimentary names.

"Fall out," ordered the sergeant presently. "Sit down if you want to,
men, or walk about. And I'll answer any questions that you may want to
ask me out of ranks."

"What a difference between non-coms," uttered Hal to Noll, as the two
chums stepped away a few yards. "Sergeant Brimmer is a man, first of
all. I'd cheerfully drill under him until I dropped."

"Non-com" is the abbreviation used in the Army for non-commissioned
officer--a corporal or sergeant.

"I hope we don't have to have much to do with Shrimp," muttered Noll
Terry. "And I hope we don't find many Shrimps in the Army."

"Fall in!" sounded Sergeant Brimmer's voice, at last. How the young
rookies sprang to obey, their eyes shining with interest!

Sergeant Brimmer now began to explain the "rests." Next he came to the
salute. For some minutes he drilled them in the first principles of
marching. But brief rests were frequent, and during these rests he
answered all questions put to him.

"Fall in!" he shouted once more. The rookies fell in as eagerly as
before. "Squad, attention!"

At that instant a far-off bugle sounded.

"That closes this period of instruction," announced the sergeant.
"Dismissed!"

As the four broke out of ranks Hal approached their instructor
respectfully.

"Sergeant, 'dismissed' means that we're through, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Overton. And this squad is dismissed until supper time. You can
retu