tion. Under his arm he holds a pile of plateless
pies, just as the newsboy on the train secures a pile of magazines. The
caterer marches down the length of the table with the half-inquiring,
half-defiant announcement, "Pies, gentlemen! pies, gentlemen!" At every
step he reaches for a pie, gives it a dexterous twirl between his thumb
and finger, and sends it spinning to the recipient with a skill and
accuracy of aim which would have done credit to the disk-thrower of the
ancient Romans.

The "noon gun," fired after dinner, calls the regiment back to the
parade-ground. The real work of the day is over; and now come
recreation and amusement. The remarkable "evolutions" of the several
companies are shown, each town striving to outdo the others. Of course
the Walton Light Infantry will excel all the rest; but it may be no easy
matter to make every one think as we do. The newest evolution--that of
the snake on training-day--certainly "brings down the house," even if it
fails to carry an admission of its superiority. When this friendly
rivalry is over, the sham fight proceeds. A rough structure of boards
and boughs has been prepared to represent a fort, and one of the
companies is imprisoned therein, with little air or light, and with no
means of defence except to discharge their guns upward. The advancing
regiment fires by platoons, which wheel outward and retire to the rear
to load. The artillery fires blank charges from a neighboring hill. The
sweltering soldiers within the fort are only too glad to capitulate and
let some other company take their place; the new company, in turn, to
capitulate and march out with the honors of war. Meanwhile, the
cavalry--whose horses are more used to the plough than to the din of
battle--has retired to a distance, and indulges in a sham fight on its
own account. And yet, in spite of all this preparation and in spite of
the pains that have been taken to show the fancy movements of the
soldiers, you will seldom see a company that is really well drilled in
the most simple movements; for drill-masters are unknown.

The sham fight goes on till toward sunset, when the regiment is
dismissed at the signal of the evening gun. And now comes the hurry to
reach home. Such reckless driving, such wild racing over the hills and
along the rough roads and ledges, and such a desire to "take off
somebody's wheel," you never saw, unless you have been to a muster-day
before. This is a part of the fun; and if y