The old songs which on other occasions had
been wont to let loose the song birds of the battalion seemed to have
lost their power. It was not gloom, but a settled and immovable apathy
which apparently nothing could break.
"This is going awfully slow," said Major Bayne to Barry. "I wish
something could be done."
"The boys are tired out," answered Barry, himself weary and sick of the
performance and longing more than anything else for solitude and his
cot.
The Commanding Officer came over and sat beside them. He was obviously
worried and uneasy.
"I don't like this," he said to the major. "Coleman is doing his best,
and is doing mighty well, but there is no heart in the boys, and it
isn't entirely due to physical weakness. I wish we could start something
that would wake them up before they leave. They would sleep much
better."
"The Pilot here can do it," said Major Bayne in an undertone, "but I
rather hate to ask him for he is pretty much all in."
They sat a little while longer listening to the men's half hearted
drawling of "The Tulip and the Rose.
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