Farms were rather scattered in that neighborhood, but occasionally they passed country homes, when all the folks would rush forth to learn what the drumming and fifing meant.
"They are the Putnam Hall cadets," said one farm woman. "How neat they look and how nicely they march!"
"Puts me in mind o' war times, Mirandy," said her husband. "Don't you remember how the boys marched away in them days?"
"Indeed I do, Ira," answered the woman. "But that was real, while this is only for fun."
"Well, I reckon some o' those lads would make putty good soldiers, were they put to it. They handle their guns like veterans."
The cadets marched until ten o'clock and then stopped for a brief rest near a fine hillside spring, where all procured a drink. Then they moved forward again until noon, when they reached a small village where dinner already awaited them.
"We have covered twelve miles," said Captain Putnam. "Eight more, and the day's march will be over."
The cadets were glad enough to eat their dinner and take it easy on the porch of the old country hotel at which they had stopped.
"Imagine us marching off to war," observed Sam. "How would you like it, Tom?"
