And try it again they did, without, and then with arms, until May was ready to drop with fatigue. She was a plucky little recruit, but the Springfield Cadet rifle; weight over eight pounds, with bayonet nearly nine pounds, was not exactly a plaything. At length the General saw that she was tired and commanded,
"Squad, rest!"
May knew what rest meant and sat down on the stable floor without ceremony.
"Am I a squad?" she inquired. "What does it mean?"
"A squad is a number of armed men," the General replied. "The term slipped out before I was aware of it—I have never drilled a single recruit."
While they were at a rest the General deemed it wise to continue her instructions by defining various terms, such as columns, rank, file, front, rear, etc., and then he said,—
"There are three kinds of commands——"
"I think I know what they are," said May quickly.
"Indeed!" said the General.