CHAPTER VIII
THE CALL TO COMPANY FORMATION
UNIFORMED rookies at last!
How proud each of our young rookies felt when at last he had a chance to survey himself in a glass.
Never, it seemed, had uniforms fitted quite as neatly before.
Never, at all events, had young recruits felt any keener delight than did Hal and Noll when they found themselves in their first infantry uniforms.
From that happy instant they were looked upon as the two brightest, keenest recruits on post.
On the first day of their uniformed lives Sergeant Brimmer came to them.
"You are directed to fall in at parade, this afternoon, without arms. At formation I will place you in the rear rank."
Though they had their uniforms, their rifles had not yet been issued.