eve, must of
course use 'em as if they were the real thing. Now then, cock fawlocks!
Present! Fire! (Pretend to, I mean, and the same time throw yer
imagination into the field o' battle.) Very good--very good indeed;
except that some of you were a _little_ too soon, and the rest a _little_
too late.'

'Please, sergeant, can I fall out, as I am master-player in the choir,
and my bass-viol strings won't stand at this time o' year, unless they be
screwed up a little before the passon comes in?'

'How can you think of such trifles as churchgoing at such a time as this,
when your own native country is on the point of invasion?' said the
sergeant sternly. 'And, as you know, the drill ends three minutes afore
church begins, and that's the law, and it wants a quarter of an hour yet.
Now, at the word _Prime_, shake the powder (supposing you've got it) into
the priming-pan, three last fingers behind the rammer; then shut your
pans, drawing your right arm nimble-like towards your body. I ought to
have told ye before this, that at _Hand your katridge_, seize it and
bring it with a quick motion to your mouth, bite the top well off, and
don't swaller so much of the powder as to make ye hawk and spet instead
of attending to your drill. What's that man a-saying of in the rear
rank?'

'Please, sir, 'tis Anthony Cripplestraw, wanting to know how he's to bite
off his katridge, when he haven't a tooth left in 's head?'

'Man! Why, what's your genius for war? Hold it up to your right-hand
man's mouth, to be sure, and let him nip it off for ye. Well, what have
you to say, Private Tremlett? Don't ye understand English?'

'Ask yer pardon, sergeant; but what must we infantry of the awkward squad
do if Boney comes afore we get our firelocks?'

'Take a pike, like the rest of the incapables. You'll find a store of
them ready in the corner of the church tower. Now then--Shoulder--r--r--r--'

'There, they be tinging in the passon!' exclaimed David, Miller Loveday's
man, who also formed one of the company, as the bells changed from
chiming all three together to a quick beating of one. The whole line
drew a breath of relief, threw down their arms, and began running off.

'Well, then, I must dismiss ye,' said the sergeant. 'Come back--come
back! Next drill is Tuesday afternoon at four. And, mind, if your
masters won't let ye leave work soon enough, tell me, and I'll write a
line to Gover'ment! 'Tention! To the right--left whee