"By column of fours!" he repeated, and Company A broke up into four abreast and turned into the road leading off in the direction of Pine Island. The other companies also broke up, and in a minute more the cadets were really and truly on the march for the camp.
The drums and fifes sounded well on that bracing morning air, and quite a crowd of boys and not a few girls followed the students over the first of the hills back of Putnam Hall. But here the crowd dropped gradually away, until the young soldiers had the country road practically to themselves.
For a full mile the cadets were made to keep in step. Then came the order, "Route step!" and they moved forward as pleased them, keeping together, however, by companies. The route step is given that one may take the step that is most natural to him, be it longer or shorter than the regulation step.
Farms were rather scattered in that neighborhood, but occasionally they passed country homes, when all the folks would rush forth to learn what the drumming and fifing meant.
"They are the Putnam Hall cadets," said one farm woman. "How neat they look and how nicely they march!"
"Puts me in mind o' war times, Mirandy," said her husband. "Don't you remember how the boys marched away in them days"?
"Indeed I do, Ira," answered the woman. "But that was real, while this is only for fun."
"Well, I reckon some o' those lads would make putty good soldiers, were they put to it. They handle their guns like veterans."
The cadets marched until ten o'clock and then stopped for a brief rest near a fine hillside spring, where all procured a drink. Then they moved forward again until noon, when they reached a small village where dinner already awaited them.
"We have covered twelve miles," said Captain Putnam. "Eight more, and the day's march will be over."