remained studying
the opposite horizon in calm abstraction until their toes had reached a
certain line, when, like the crack of a whip, there came once more the
long-drawn cry with its explosive termination:

"Ye-a-ou-w!--Yun!!!" with the result that the line was again thrown into
instantaneous, breathless and motionless rigidity.

Toward the advancing officers the sergeant major threw himself into a
salute with one smooth, unbroken movement of indescribable grace and
finish.

"Good morning, sergeant major," said Major Bayne. "Captain Dunbar, this
is Sergeant Major Hackett."

Again came the salute, with a barely perceptible diminution of snap, as
befitted a less formal occasion.

"Sergeant major," said Barry, "I would give a great deal to be able to
do that."

"Wot's that, sir?" enquired the sergeant major.

"That salute of yours."

"Quite easy wen you knaow 'ow!" permitting himself a slight smile.

"You are doing some bayonet-fighting, I see, sergeant major," said Major
Bayne.

"Yes, sir, goin' to do a bit, sir," replied the sergeant major.

"Very well, carry on!"

And the sergeant major "carried on," putting into his work and into his
every movement and utterance an unbelievable amount of concentrated and
even vicious energy.

On the bayonet-fighting ground, the first line of the enemy was
represented by sacks stuffed with straw, hung upon a frame, the
second by stuffed sacks deposited on the parapet of a trench. In
bayonet-fighting the three points demanding special emphasis are the
"guarding" of the enemy's attack, a swift bayonet thrust and an equally
swift recovery, each operation, whether in case of a living enemy or in
the stuffed effigy, being attended with considerable difficulty. Barry
was much interested in the psychological element introduced into the
exercises by the drill master.

"You must halways keep in mind that the henemy is before you. It's
important that you should visualise your foe. The henemy is hever before
you. Anything be-ind a British soldier won't trouble anybody, and you
are to remember that hit's either you or 'im."

In moments of rapid action the sergeant major evidently had difficulty
with his aspirates.

"The suspended sacks before you represent the henemy. You are to treat
'em so."

Having got his line within striking distance of the swinging sacks,
the exercise was directed by two commands, "On guard!" and "Point!" the
first of which was supposed to knock off