Then followed some rapid-fire drilling in dressing, facings, counting fours, marching and halting.  The material in hand was excellent, or Midshipman Cranthorpe might have been in despair.

Presently their instructor gave the order to break ranks, showing the new men where to stand, up against the building, out of the way.  Almost immediately a bugler sounded a call.  Then the new men were treated to a sight that made their blood dance.

Out of Bancroft Hall hastily poured scores and scores of midshipmen, until nearly six hundred had assembled.  These were the members of the three upper classes.

The brigade of midshipmen is divided into two battalions, each of two divisions, six companies.  The first and fourth companies formed on the right of the first battalion, the seventh and tenth companies on the right of the second battalion.  The divisions formed with intervals of two paces between companies preparatory to muster.  Second call was sounded quickly on the bugle, immediately after which the first petty officer of each company began briskly to call the roll.  Each man answered just loudly enough to be heard.  While roll-call was going on company commanders stepped briskly along inspecting their companies.

As the muster of each company was completed the first petty officer commanded, “count off!”

“One, two, three, four!  One, two, three four!” went the count along each company line.  Then the first petty officer of each company wheeled about, saluted his company commander, and reported: 

“Sir, all present or accounted for!”

Company commanders next corrected the alignment on the right center company of each line.

Battalion commanders, seeing the divisions of their respective battalions aligned, faced about, while the battalion adjutants took post to right and rear.  The brigade adjutant then faced about, saluted the brigade commander, reporting:  “Sir, the brigade is formed.”

Receiving the word from his superior, the brigade adjutant next read the orders, after which he was ordered to take his post.

While this was going on Midshipman Cranthorpe had formed his awkward squad to the rear, behind the first battalion.

Now orders rang out crisply for battalion commanders to take charge.  Thereupon each battalion commander marched his command in column of squads into the mess hall; battalion commanders preceding their battalions, company commanders preceding their companies and the junior officers of each company following the company.  Last of all came Midshipman Cranthorpe’s awkward squad.

And very awkward, indeed, these young men felt.  Each had a burning conviction that he was being watched curiously by hundreds of pairs of eyes.  The new men might as well have saved themselves their worry.  Barely an upper class man in the hall was paying any heed whatever to these self-conscious plebes.