and twenty steps per minute. Tell me why the alignment
of the fours was poor, and why the men were allowed to march without
paying the slightest heed to their bearing."

Though there was nothing at all sharp in the company commander's
voice, Mock knew that he was being "called," and, in fact, was
perilously close to being "cussed out."

"The---the day is hot, sir, and---and I knew the men were about
played out," stammered Mock.

"How long have you been in the Army, sergeant?" Greg continued.

"About two years and a half, sir."

"In all that time did you ever know officers or enlisted men to be
excused from full performance of ordered duty on account of the
weather?"

"N-n-no, sir."

"Then why did you start a new system on your own authority?" Greg
asked quietly.

Mock tried to answer, opened his mouth, in fact, and uttered a
few incoherent sounds, which quickly died in his throat.

"Sergeant Mock," said Greg, "we have just heard from our commanding
officer. He demands the utmost from every officer, non-com and
private. Are you prepared, and resolved, from this moment, to give
the utmost that is in you at all times?"

"Yes, sir!" replied Mock with great emphasis.

"You mean what you are saying, Sergeant?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very good, then," continued the young captain. "I am going to
take your word for it this time. But if I ever find you slacking
or shirking again, I am going to go to the colonel immediately and
ask him to 'break' you back to the ranks."

"Yes, sir," assented Mock, saluting.

"Are you fully familiar with all your drill work?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then remember that our enemies, the German soldiers, are men
who are drilled and drilled until they are perfect in their work,
and that their discipline is amazing. Keep the fact in mind that
we can hardly hope to whip our enemies unless we are at least as
good soldiers as they. That is all. Go back to your men, Sergeant."

Standing stiffly erect, Sergeant Mock brought up his right hand
in a crisp salute, then wheeled and walked briskly back to join
his men. Greg turned as if to say that he did not feel the need
of remaining to watch the rebuked sergeant.

"By Jove!" uttered Captain Cartwright. "I do wish, Holmes, you'd
come over and dress down some of my non-coms. I've been trying
for three days to put 'pep' into some of them, and the K.O. frowned
at me this morning."

"Non-com" is the Army abbreviation for "non-commissioned
offi