ITSY BITSY SPIDER

4. After a while, he noticed a small spider valiantly and optimistically attempting to string a web across the moth of the cave. Time after time, the spider attempted to attach its delicate strands from one side to the other; and time after time, it failed. Over and over it persevered; and over and over it was unsuccessful until-at last!-after several hours of sustained effort, the spider managed to build its web from wall to wall of the cave opening, and settled down to await dinner.

8. My own personal encounter with an arachnid was somewhat less inspiriting.

14. The rest of the morning was spent troweling - troweling or towelling? off the grease and thoroughly cleaning the exposed weapon.

19. Sgt. Parker's "dozey" platoon proved to be so inept at all these basic military maneuvers that it was decided not to allow us to carry our rifles to Saturday morning's parade. As Sgt. Parker put it, "Someone could get seriously injured."All - space between sentences missing the following week we practiced, and were yelled at, drilled, and were yelled at; by Friday we were judged ready to take our wood and steel companions to Saturday morning's muster.

26. The Lieutenant moved slowly along the line, peering critically into each rifle. One in a while he would stop before a recruit and tap the displayed weapon. This was the signal for the soldier to swing the barrel of his rifle to the front, putting his thumb into the breach to reflect the light, which enabled the lieutenant to inspect the cleanliness of the barrel.