hem immediately," Prescott replied.

"Don't I have to go to my men as soon as I'm up?"

"No; officers don't go down to barracks to see their men rise. Now,
listen. Reveille sounds at 6.05, with assembly and roll-call right
afterward. There's a very brief athletic drill, followed by recall from
the drill at 6.15 o'clock. At 6.20 mess call for breakfast is sounded.
Right after breakfast comes police of quarters and premises. 'Police' is
the Army term for cleaning up and making everything tidy. Then, just at
7 o'clock the bugler of the guard sounds sick call. The first sergeant
of each company makes up the sick report, and a corporal marches the men
out who need the doctor--the 'rain-maker,' we call him in the Army. Now,
with all that happens up to this time the non-commissioned
officers--sergeants and corporals--have to do."

"Then I can sleep a little later, can't I?" proposed Lieutenant Ferrers
hopefully.

"If you do you'll be sure to get yourself in a scrape. You'll be coming
out of your quarters unshaven, or with your uniform put on too hastily.
Colonel North is a true Tartar with any officer who doesn't start the
day looking like bandbox goods. And, my dear fellow, it's no greater
hardship for you to be up early than it is for the enlisted man. Now, at
7.10 in the morning comes first call to drill. Drill assembly goes at
7.20."

"Do I have to be there?"

"You do, unless excused for some very grave reason. Recall from drill
sounds at 8.20."

"That means that drill is over, then?" sighed Algy questioningly.

"Yes. Then, at 8.30, is fatigue call."

"I shall be properly fatigued by that time, no doubt," confessed Algy
wretchedly.

"You'll soon understand what 'fatigue' is in the Army," smiled
Lieutenant Prescott. "It's more work, but work that is done without
arms."

"Without arms? With the feet, then?"

Lieutenant Prescott bit his lip, but answered:

"By arms this time I mean weapons. First call to guard mounting comes at
8.50, and guard mounting assembly at 9. At 10 another drill begins; at
11 the recall sounds, with recall from fatigue at 11.30. Mess call for
enlisted men is at noon, and 1 p. m. fatigue call. Drill call goes again
at 1.50, with drill assembly at 2 o'clock. The time spent at these
drills varies according to the nature of the work and the orders. Recall
from fatigue sounds at 5 o'clock. Parade assembly is at 5.30 at this
time of the year, with retreat and evening gun-fire at 6.10. Then