"Sorry! My mistake!" said Kennedy, with a smile. "We’ll try again. I should have said, ’one pace to the rear with the left foot.’ Now then, form fours!" His cheerfulness won the men’s sympathy, and the order being now correctly carried out, one or two of them cheered. "Silence in the ranks!" roared Kennedy. "Right! Quick march!" and the battalion marched off. The day’s work began with a run for three-quarters of an hour, to the bank of a river some two miles away. A "run" so called, for it consisted of slow and quick march and doubling in turn. At eight o’clock they were back in the hall for breakfast: tea, bread and bacon, sausage or cheese. The provisions were good, the men had healthy appetites, and at 9.15, when the battalion orders of the day were read, they were contented and cheerful. Marching out to the parade ground, a field in the neighbourhood, they spent an hour in physical drill under experienced N.C.O. instructors, and then a couple of hours in company drill. Dismissed at 12.15, they met again for dinner at 1, a plentiful meal of meat pie and vegetables. Then came a route march and extended order drill, tea at 4.30, with jam and tinned fruits, and at 5.30 company lectures. "It’ll be rummy to hear Kennedy lecture," said Harry, sitting beside Kenneth on the form. "I wonder what he’ll spout about." "Poor chap!" said Kenneth. "I’m beginning to think the Tommies haven’t the worst of it. Keep a straight face whatever he says." Somewhat to his surprise, when Kennedy appeared the men were at once silent. The habit of discipline was strong in those who had already served in the Regulars or the Territorials; the recruits were interested in the novel circumstances, and subdued by the indefinable influence of constituted authority. "Now, men," began Kennedy, unfolding his notes and studiously avoiding the eyes of his old school-fellows, "I’m going to say a few words to you on Feet." "My poor tootsies!" murmured one of the men. "We have all got feet," Kennedy went on, "but do we all know how to use them?" "Give us a ball and we’ll show you, sir," cried a voice. "Well, I hope we’ll have some footer by and by, but that’s not the present question. We have just done a ten-mile walk. Two or three of you fell out, two or three were limping before we got back. Why was that?" "’Cos we ain’t used to it, sir," said one of the unlucky ones. "Ate too much pie and ’taters, sir," cried another. "Got a corn inside o’ my toe," said a third. "Well, we’ll leave out greediness for the present: that’s a moral defect which perhaps one of the senior officers will deal with. We’ll confine our attention to the proper care of the feet." And he went on to give some simple and practical advice as to bathing, greasing, methods of hardening, until six o’clock struck, and the men were dismissed until first post at 9.30.