"I'll throw it at him! I vow I will," said Miss Saucy. "If I could knock his cap off, I should die radiant."
And she did her best. But some puff of adverse wind, some swerve in the fair hand, spoiled all; the corporal's cap maintained its position; the peach fell harmlessly at his feet.
"Attention!"
The plebs started, and so did the girls.
"I'll go home after that," said Miss Saucy. "The only thought left to make life bearable is, that he'll come back after drill and pick it up." But he did not.
Parade followed drill, and supper came after parade; and then in the cool evening light people began to gather for band concert. What pleasure Magnus had had there with his mother, night after night! This time he did not want to see anybody or hear anything. Yet the evening's witchery kept him out of his tent, and the unearthly sweetness from some of the brass instruments drew him, little by little, into the group around the band. Pretty soon Rig touched him on the shoulder.
"Say, Kin, Miss Dangleum wants you."
"What for?"
"Wants to show you how she's done her back hair."