“They do,” the cook said with a laugh; “but just read these ’ere rules and regulations on ‘Drill and Exercise,’ an’ you’ll see that men at life-saving stations ain’t allowed to spend very much idle time. All that’s set down there is to be gone through with every day, in addition to patrolling the shore, which, as you have seen already, ain’t child’s play. Not that I’m grumblin’ about the work, for it’s well the boys are kept out of idleness; but this will show how hard they’ve got to work.” The cook handed Benny a thin, black-covered book bearing the title _Revised Regulations_, and on the page exposed to view the lad read the lines given below: “168. The following weekly routine of drill, etc., will be observed during the first month of the active season at all regularly manned stations in the Service: “_Monday._--Practice with beach-apparatus and overhaul and examine all apparatus and gear. “_Tuesday._--Practice with surf and life-boat. “_Wednesday._--Practice with signals. “_Thursday._--Practice with beach-apparatus. “_Friday._--Practice resuscitation. “_Saturday._--Clean house. “After the first month the practice with beach-apparatus on Monday may be omitted. “169. Whenever the regular practice is prevented by wreck duty, stormy weather, or high surf, it must take place the first opportunity thereafter. Whenever practice is so prevented, the fact must be entered upon the journal, with full particulars of the cause. “170. No wilful neglect on the part of the keepers to practice their crews, as directed in the foregoing routine, will be tolerated, and the officers of the district are required to permit none. “171. By practice with the beach-apparatus is meant the mustering of the crew, the recital by each member of his particular duty, and the rigging of the gear over a distance of seventy-five yards from sand-anchor to wreck-pole, according to the method set forth in the beach-apparatus drill. Powder must be used in every case, and the practice, so far as practicable, be precisely the same as at a wreck, using the apparatus upon the carriage, excepting the long whip. If necessary, to preserve the hawser, a coil of rope may be taken to the practice ground, and placed at the rear of the carriage, and used in its stead. If a practising shot-line is used, it must be removed from pins, and fired from the box precisely as in actual service. The use of powder will be dispensed with when the supply on hand is reduced to three pounds, at which time the district superintendent or resident assistant inspector will be notified. “172. Boat practice will consist in launching and landing through the surf, and at least one half-hour’s exercise of the men in handling their oars, as directed in the prescribed boat-drill. Going off and landing through the surf will not be sufficient to enter upon the journal as practice.