Звездный десант
Chapter 4
Eventually,asfilesdroppedoutandwenthomeorelsewhere,wereachedthepointwherewecoulddofiftymilesintenhoursonthelevel—whichisgoodmileageforagoodhorseincaseyou’veneverusedyourlegs.Werested,notbystopping,butbychangingpace,slowmarch,quickmarch,andtrot.Sometimeswewentoutthefulldistance,bivouackedandatefieldrations,sleptinsleepingbagsandmarchedbackthenextday.
Onedaywestartedoutonanordinaryday’smarch,nobedbagsonourshoulders,norations.Whenwedidn’tstopforlunch,Iwasn’tsurprised,asIhadalreadylearnedtosneaksugarandhardbreadandsuchoutofthemesstentandconcealitaboutmyperson,butwhenwekeptonmarchingawayfromcampintheafternoonIbegantowonder.ButIhadlearnednottoasksillyquestions.
Wehaltedshortlybeforedark,threecompanies,nowsomewhatabbreviated.Weformedabattalionparadeandmarchedthroughit,withoutmusic,guardsweremounted,andweweredismissed.IimmediatelylookedupCorporal-InstructorBronskibecausehewasalittleeasiertodealwiththantheothers...andbecauseIfeltacertainamountofresponsibility;Ihappenedtobe,atthetime,arecruit-corporalmyself.Thesebootchevronsdidn’tmeanmuch—mostlytheprivilegeofbeingchewedoutforwhateveryoursquaddidaswellasforwhatyoudidyourself—andtheycouldvanishasquicklyastheyappeared.
