“Give them what they want, Carl!” pleaded the lady.
“I can’t give them half the road,” growled the man. “I’m not going to run my wheels into the soft ground for anybody. I might get stuck.”
“You can give us half the road and not get stuck either,” returned Jack. He knew a little about running an automobile himself.
The machine was standing almost in the middle of the road. Somewhat to the right was a puddle of water, and had the cadets marched around the machine, they would have had to go directly through the wet spot.
“Do you expect us to march through that puddle?” demanded the young major, after a pause.
“You can break ranks and go around the other way,” answered the man. He evidently wanted to make as much trouble for the young soldiers as he could.
“We are not breaking ranks for that purpose.” Jack’s face was growing white. “I’ll give you just two minutes in which to get out of the road. Now be quick, and move on!”
“Ho! do you intend to dictate to me?” growled the man, but looked just a bit anxious.
For reply the young major got out his watch. At the same time he turned to the two companies behind him.
“Support arms!” was the command. “Fix bayonets!” And at the last word the cadets drew their shining bayonets from their scabbards and fastened them to their guns.