o be reflected from points of steel. In a few moments they
heard above the tender chiming of the church bells the loud voice of a
man giving words of command, at which all the metallic points suddenly
shifted like the bristles of a porcupine, and glistened anew.

''Tis the drilling,' said Loveday. 'They drill now between the services,
you know, because they can't get the men together so readily in the week.
It makes me feel that I ought to be doing more than I am!'

When they had passed round the belt of trees, the company of recruits
became visible, consisting of the able-bodied inhabitants of the hamlets
thereabout, more or less known to Bob and Anne. They were assembled on
the green plot outside the churchyard-gate, dressed in their common
clothes, and the sergeant who had been putting them through their drill
was the man who nailed up the proclamation. He was now engaged in
untying a canvas money-bag, from which he drew forth a handful of
shillings, giving one to each man in payment for his attendance.

'Men, I dismissed ye too soon--parade, parade again, I say,' he cried.
'My watch is fast, I find. There's another twenty minutes afore the
worship of God commences. Now all of you that ha'n't got firelocks, fall
in at the lower end. Eyes right and dress!'

As every man was anxious to see how the rest stood, those at the end of
the line pressed forward for that purpose, till the line assumed the form
of a bow.

'Look at ye now! Why, you are all a crooking in! Dress, dress!'

They dressed forthwith; but impelled by the same motive they soon resumed
their former figure, and so they were despairingly permitted to remain.

'Now, I hope you'll have a little patience,' said the sergeant, as he
stood in the centre of the arc, 'and pay strict attention to the word of
command, just exactly as I give it out to ye; and if I should go wrong, I
shall be much obliged to any friend who'll put me right again, for I have
only been in the army three weeks myself, and we are all liable to
mistakes.'

'So we be, so we be,' said the line heartily.

''Tention, the whole, then. Poise fawlocks! Very well done!'

'Please, what must we do that haven't got no firelocks!' said the lower
end of the line in a helpless voice.

'Now, was ever such a question! Why, you must do nothing at all, but
think _how_ you'd poise 'em _if_ you had 'em. You middle men, that are
armed with hurdle-sticks and cabbage-stumps just to make-beli