"Sergeant," whispered Corporal Grimm, "did you ever hear as long a prayer in your life?"
"No," was the whispered reply. "There! I'll be hanged if he ain't gone back to Moses!"
The prayer still went on, and on, and on; and the soldiers, tired of standing, kneeled; tired of kneeling, sat; tired of sitting, lay down—and still the prayer went on. It was long past high noon, before the faltering "Amen!" was pronounced.
"Ready, fall in!" came the sharp order.
The men rose from the grass and fell in line, and the sergeant led Diggs over to the coffin by the side of the grave; but Diggs, sobbing piteously, clung to him with such tenacity that it was difficult for the sergeant to free himself. He finally succeeded, forced him to kneel by his coffin, put the bandage over his eyes. Just as he stepped away, the clatter of hoofs were heard coming around the bend in the road.
"Attention!" said the sergeant. "Ready!"
A loud cry interrupted the order, and a horseman came dashing up the hill.
"Hold!" said Sergeant Swords. "There comes the captain."
On, on he came, waving a paper high over his head. The soldiers rested on their guns.