Page:Boys of the Fort.djvu/85

 CHAPTER X.

THE RESULT OF A SWIM.

the boys, who had never visited a military quarters before, the fort proved of great interest, and they were glad, after the meal was over, to have Lieutenant Carrol take them around. This occupied some time, and when they had finished it was time for the evening parade.

This was quite an affair, and the two lads joined the ladies of the place to witness it. Everybody turned out, in uniform as clean as possible, on inspection. The drums rolled, the fifers struck up a lively air, and the three companies, headed by a major, marched around the stockade several times and then to the parade-ground in front of the gates. Here the command went through the manual of arms and through a number of fancy evolutions.

"It's splendid!" murmured Joe. "Everything moves like clockwork."

"It makes me almost wish to be a soldier," answered Darry. "But if a fellow had this day in Rh