He stepped ahead a few paces, as if unwilling to be questioned further. They passed the gate of Hall. Beyond it, at the foot of the Jacob's Ladder leading up to Parc-an-Hal, he whispered to her to halt, climbed with great caution, and disappeared behind the hedge of the great meadow; but by and by he came stealing back and beckoned to her. "It's all right," he whispered; "only step softly." Keeping close alongside the lower hedge, he led the way towards the great rick at the far corner of the field. As they drew close to it he caught her arm and pulled her aside, pointing to her shadow, which the level sun had all but thrown beyond the rick. "But what is the meaning of it?" The question was on her lips when her ear caught the note of a voice-- Nuncey's voice--and these words, low, and yet distinct-- "At the call 'Attention!' the whole body and head must be held erect, the chin slightly dropped, chest well open, shoulders square to the front, eyes looking straight forward. The arms must hang easily, with fingers and thumbs straight, close to one another and touching the thighs; the feet turned out at right angles or nearly. Now, please--'Tention!"--(a pause)--"You break my heart, you do! Eyes, I said, looking _straight forward_; and the weight of the body ought to rest on the front part of the foot--not tilted back on your heels and looking like a china cat in a thunderstorm. Now try again, that's a dear!" Hester gazed around wildly at Calvin, who was twisting himself in silent contortions of mirth. "Take a peep!" he gasped. "She's courting Archelaus Libby, and teaching him to look like a man." "You odious child!" Hester, ashamed of her life to have been trapped into eavesdropping, and yet doubting her ears, strode past the edge of the rick and into full view. Nuncey drew back with a cry. "Hester Marvin!" Hester's eyes travelled past her and rested on Archelaus. He, rigid at attention, caught and held there spellbound, merely rolled a pair of agonized eyes. "Nuncey! Archelaus! What on earth are you two doing?" "Learnin' him to be a Volunteer, be sure!" answered Nuncey, her face the colour of a peony. After an instant she dropped her eyes, her cheeks confessing the truth. "But--but why?" Hester stared from one to the other. "If he'd only be like other men!" protested Nuncey. Hester ran to her with a happy laugh. "But you wouldn't wish him like other men!" "I do, and I don't." Nuncey eluded her embrace, having caught the sound of ribald laughter on the other side of the rick. Darting around, she was in time to catch Master Calvin two cuffs, right and left, upon the ears. He broke for the gate and she pursued, but presently returned breathless. "'Tis wonderful to me," she said, eyeing Archelaus critically and sternly, "how ever I come to listen to him. But he softened me by talking about _you_. He's a deal more clever than he seems, and I believe at this moment he likes you best."