“Attention!” once more called the Captain. “Get ready, my brave men! Forward–March!”
And then while some of the Soldiers who had fifes, drums, trumpets and horns played a lively tune, the others, led by their Captain, marched along. They went down the toy counter and paraded past the place where the Candy Rabbit sat watching them. Straight and stiff marched the Tin Soldiers, the music of the tin band becoming more and more lively.
“Left, wheel!” called the Captain, and the Tin Soldiers turned to the left.
“Right, wheel!” shouted the Captain, and the Tin Soldiers turned to the right.
Then they marched around in a circle, and they marched in a square, and they marched in a triangle, and in all sorts of fancy figures. They swung around the Rag Doll, and the Captain waved his shiny sword so fast that the Calico Clown cried:
“Oh, it is so dazzling bright that it hurts my eyes!”
And then the Bold Tin Soldier Captain led his men up a hill made of a pile of building blocks.
“Oh, I hope they do not fall off!” said the Rag Doll.
“No, they won’t fall,” answered the Candy Rabbit. “I guess the Captain knows what he is doing.”
Straight up the building-block hill the Bold Tin Soldier led his men, and when they reached the top he cried: