, but this's
a thing 'bout which I hain't got no say. There's a great many things
in the army 'bout which a Corpril hain't as much inflooence as he orter
have, as you'll find out later on. Here comes the Captain o' Co. Q, who,
because o' his rank, has the first pick o' the recruits. He's never seen
you before, and don't know one o' you from Adam's off-ox. He has his own
ideas as to who he wants in the company, and what he says goes. It may
be that the color o' your hair'll decide him, mebbe the look in your
eyes, mebbe the shape o' your noses. 'Tention! Right dress! Front!
Saloot!"

Capt. McGillicuddy came down at the head of the company officers of the
regiment, and took a comprehensive survey of the squad.

"Fine-looking lot of youngsters," he remarked. "They'll make good
soldiers."

"Every one o' them true-blue, all wool and a yard wide. Captain," said
Si.

"You'll play fair, now, Captain, won't you, and choose for yourself?"
said Capt. Scripps. "I've no doubt they're all good boys, but there's
a choice in good boys, and that Sergeant of yours has learned where the
choice is. You let him stay back, while you go down the line yourself."

"Certainly," replied Capt. McGillicuddy. "Serg't Klegg, stay where you
are."

Si saluted and took his position, facing the line, with a look of calm
impartiality upon his face. Shorty turned around and backed up to him so
that the calves of their legs touched, and began intently studying his
gunlock.

Capt. McGillicuddy stepped over to the right of the line stopped in
front of Harry Joslyn and Gid Mackall. Shorty full-cocked his gun with
two sharp clicks.

"You two step forward one pace," said Capt. McGillicuddy to the two
radiant boys, who obeyed with a jump. The Captain walked on down the
line, carefully scrutinizing each one, but did not stop until Shorty's
gun clicked twice, when he was in front of Alf Russell and Monty
Scruggs.

"Step forward one pace," he commanded.

He proceeded on down the line until he came in front of Jim Humphreys
and Sandy Baker, when Shorty's gun clicked again.

"You two step forward one pace," he commanded. "Gentleman, I've got my
six. The rest are yours."

"But you hain't got me. You've lost me," screamed Pete Skidmore,
dismayed at being separated from Sandy Baker. Shorty's gun clicked
again.

"I believe that there is a fraction of a half a man to be distributed
around," the Captain said, turning to the other officers. "We agreed
to