mined to abide
by any order he might receive, even though he fully understood the cause
of Drake's delay, Cram promptly rode over to the guidon and ordered
"Right dress," at which every driver's head and eyes were promptly
turned, but not an inch of a wheel, for the alignment simply could not
be improved. Then after commanding "front" the captain as deliberately
trotted back to his post without so much as a glance at the irate staff
officer. It was just at this juncture that the bay colt came tearing
down the field, his mane and tail streaming in the breeze, his reins and
stirrups dangling. In the course of his gyrations about the battery and
the sympathetic plunging of the teams some slight disarrangement
occurred. But when he presently decided on a rush for the stables, the
captain re-established the alignment as coolly as before, and only
noticed as he resumed his post that the basket phaeton and Mrs. Cram had
gone. Alarmed, possibly, by the non-appearance of her warm friend Mr.
Waring and the excited gambolings of his vagrant steed, she had promptly
driven back to the main garrison to see if any accident had occurred,
the colt meantime amusing himself in a game of fast-and-loose with the
stable guard.

Then it was that old Brax came down and took a hand. Riding to where
Minor still sat on his patient sorrel, the senior bluntly inquired,--

"What the devil's the matter?"

"I don't know," said Minor.

"Who does know?"

"Well, Drake, possibly, or else he doesn't know anything. He's been
trying to get Cram to dress his battery back."

"Why, yes, confound it! he's a mile ahead of the line," said the
colonel, and off he trotted to expostulate with the batteryman. "Captain
Cram, isn't there room for your battery back of the line instead of in
front of it?" inquired the chief, in tone both aggrieved and aggressive.

"Lots, sir," answered Cram, cheerfully. "Just countermarched there."

"Then I wish you'd oblige me by moving back at once, sir: you're
delaying the whole ceremony here. I'm told Mr. Drake has twice ordered
you to dress to the right."

"I've heard it, sir, only once, but have dressed twice, so it's all
right," responded Cram, as affably as though he had no other aim in life
than to gratify the whims of his post commander.

"Why, confound it, sir, it isn't all right by a da---- good deal! Here
you are 'way out on line with Major Minor, and your battery's---- why,
it isn't dressed on our rank at all, s