Farrel stepped lithely down the long front to the geometrical center of
the formation, made a right-face, walked six paces, executed an
about-face, and announced complainingly:
"Well, I've barked at you for eighteen months--and finally you made it
snappy. On the last day of your service, you manage to fall in within
the time-limit and dress the line perfectly. I congratulate you." Covert
grins greeted his ironical sally. He continued: "I'm going to say
good-by to those of you who think there are worse tops in the service
than I. To those who did not take kindly to my methods, I have no
apologies to offer. I gave everybody a square deal, and for the
information of some half-dozen Hot-spurs who have vowed to give me the
beating of my life the day we should be demobilized, I take pleasure in
announcing that I will be the first man to be discharged, that there is a
nice clear space between these two demobilization-shacks and the ground
is not too hard, that there will be no guards to interfere, and if any
man with the right to call himself 'Mister' desires to air his grievance,
he can make his engagement now, and I shall be at his service at the hour
stipulated. Does anybody make me an offer?" He stood there, balanced
nicely on the balls of his feet, cool, alert, glancing interestedly up
and down the battery front. "What?" he bantered, "nobody bids? Well,
I'm glad of that.
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