But red tape has its use. What letters and papers and statements such a step would involve; what answering of official questions; and Cadet Charlemagne Kindred did not feel prepared to state publicly that he, who had survived to be a yearling corporal, must now resign for homesickness. A drum-call in the distance also lent its persuasions. The usual is generally, after all, the easiest thing to do, so Magnus put his cap in position, and set his face towards camp and duty. But taking off the cap again, he first bowed very low towards the steadfast old hills through whose cuts and chasms his mother had just vanished, kissing his hand to her in mute farewell; then resolutely walked away. There was a pleb drill that afternoon, and with the way one has of being good by proxy, Mr. Kindred kept his little set of men to their work most unflinchingly, with small allowance for mistakes, and none at all for inattention. Such zeal bestowed upon himself would have wrought wonders. To hear him, you would have thought a mathematical line the only easy position, and any sort of twist or bend that might be ordered merely a pleasing variety of the same. "Brace up"--the poor, distracted fourth classmen felt sure he must have done it in his cradle. Miss Dangleum came by and paused to look--and Magnus was sublimely unconscious of her presence; the Kitten held out a box of bonbons--and he went by at the double-quick. Then Miss Saucy joined the group, with Miss Bessie Beguile, and finally, that young lady's mother came slowly on the scene. "What's the matter here?" said the panting chaperon. "How you girls do run! What are you looking at? Who's fainted? These drills are positively barbarous!" "Oh, don't you just wish he _would_ faint?" cried the Kitten. "Such fun! Then we'd all rush in with our smelling-bottles, while Mrs. Beguile ran for water!" "While I--ran--for water!" quoth Mrs. Beguile, with a thought of her rather stout proportions. "But you'd be the only one, you know, mamma," said Miss Bessie sweetly. "Because _we_ couldn't invade the guard tents alone." "Nor in company, either," said Miss Saucy. "Nobody's going to faint, Mrs. Beguile, unless it's me, because we can't get Mr. Kindred to look at us." "My dear!" said Mrs. Beguile. "I am surprised! _Never_ show such special interest. Why, you will turn the young man's head." "Just what we're after," said the Kitten. "And what we'll do, too. I'll _make_ him look at me--I vow I will!" The words were spoken half aloud, but the young lady got not a glimpse of the eyes in question. Corporal Kindred's words of command rang out minus let or hinderance; and if the girls put themselves in the way, he led his men straight on, and they had to get out of it. "I don't mind," said Miss Saucy, after one of these raids. "It's fun. And he can't _help_ seeing us!" "It's ravishing to hear anything in such a voice," said Miss Beguile. "If I were going to be shot, I should like to have him give the order."