m. The crowd was full of exclamations of
praise and admiration, but a tense quiet enveloped them as Company "A"
came from columns of four into line for volley firing. This was a real
test; it meant not only grace and precision of movement, singleness of
attention and steadiness, but quickness tempered by self-control. At the
command the volley rang forth like a single shot. This was again the
signal for wild cheering and the blue and white streamers kissed the
sunlight with swift impulsive kisses. Hannah and Little Sister drew
closer together and pressed hands.

The "A" adherents, however, were considerably cooled when the next
volley came out, badly scattering, with one shot entirely apart and
before the rest. Bud's mother did not entirely understand the sudden
quieting of the adherents; they felt vaguely that all was not as it
should be, and the chill of fear laid hold upon their hearts. What if
Bud's company, (it was always Bud's company to them), what if his
company should lose. But, of course, that couldn't be. Bud himself had
said that they would win. Suppose, though, they didn't; and with these
thoughts they were miserable until the cheering again told them that the
company had redeemed itself.

Someone behind Hannah said, "They are doing splendidly, they'll win,
they'll win yet in spite of the second volley."

Company "A," in columns of fours, had executed the right oblique in
double time, and halted amid cheers; then formed left halt into line
without halting. The next movement was one looked forward to with much
anxiety on account of its difficulty. The order was marching by fours
to fix or unfix bayonets. They were going at a quick step, but the boys'
hands were steady--hope was bright in their hearts. They were doing it
rapidly and freely, when suddenly from the ranks there was the bright
gleam of steel lower down than it should have been. A gasp broke from
the breasts of Company "A's" friends. The blue and white drooped
disconsolately, while a few heartless ones who wore other colours
attempted to hiss. Someone had dropped his bayonet. But with muscles
unquivering, without a turned head, the company moved on as if nothing
had happened, while one of the judges, an army officer, stepped into the
wake of the boys and picked up the fallen steel.

No two eyes had seen half so quickly as Hannah and Little Sister's who
the blunderer was. In the whole drill there had been but one figure for
them, and that was B