Practically the first duty of the day was drill. The apprentices were instructed in the rudiments of company drill. Led by a drum and bugle corps, they marched back and forth across the field in the sunlight, with the sparkling waters of the bay almost at their feet. Dan Davis had had some experience in drilling, and he proved himself an apt pupil.
After the drill the boys were marched to the drill hall, where they were given guns and instructed in the manual of arms.
“This is something like,” grinned Sam, who was thoroughly at home with a gun in his hand. “I’d like to take this piece out and hunt woodchucks with it. I’ll bet it’s a dandy for chucks.”
“Wouldn’t it be likely to blow them off the face of the earth?” questioned Dan, with a smile.
“It might that.”
“Attention!” commanded the officer, who had caught the faint sound of voices. “No talking in the ranks.”
The lads subsided instantly.
“We will now have a little physical drill, and after that a cock-fight,” announced the officer.
Dan and Sam glanced at each other in surprise.
“Going to have a rooster fight?” whispered Sam. “They’re real sports up here, after all.”