All the boys turned their heads, and there was a noisy shuffling of feet.
“Quit crowding, Tom Baldwin!” exclaimed Sam Rivers in an audible tone.
“Quit crowding, yourself,” was the reply. “You've got more room than I, now.”
“Silence in the ranks!” said the instructor authoritatively. “Frank Frost, I desire you to see that the boys stand at regular distances.” This was accomplished.
“Turn out your feet equally, so as to form a right angle with each other. So.”
Mr. Morton illustrated his meaning practically. This was very necessary, as some of the boys had very confused ideas as to what was meant by a right angle.
After some time this order was satisfactorily carried out.
“The knees must be straight. I see that some are bent, as if the weight of the body were too much for them. Not too stiff! Rivers, yours are too rigid. You couldn't walk a mile in that way without becoming very tired. There, that is much better. Notice my position.”
The boys, after adjusting their positions, looked at the rest to see how they had succeeded.
“Don't look at each other,” said Mr. Morton. “If you do you will be certain to make blunders. I notice that some of you are standing with one shoulder higher than the other. The shoulders should be square, and the body should be erect upon the hips. Attention! So!”