And he found the Sunday rest a great thing. Broken in upon, indeed, by a guard-mounting and parade; by police calls, inspection, and now and then guard duty; but between whiles full of quiet time to think.
It was such a pleasure to pile up the study books Saturday night, and leave the dark mass untouched till Monday morning. It took faith—a good deal—in some crises of work, but it paid well. The free time was so good. Not hours snatched unlawfully, but taken of right, according to that most wise and blessed law of the Lord: "In it thou shalt not do any work."
In fine weather Magnus kept himself much out of doors, letting the dust of the week clear all away from eyes and heart and brain, till the balance of things, so often confused in the weekday rush, swung steady and true once more.
"I don't see how you do it, Kin," said Randolph one day. "Do you run a light after taps?"
"Never," said Magnus. "I study all I can Saturday, and as early as I can Monday morning."
"Always ready for eight o'clock?"
"I will not say the details are always just as clear as they were on Saturday, but then my head is so much clearer. I get along, somehow."
"Well, I should say you did!" commented Rig. "Maxing it every blessed day last week."