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The Young Buglers by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
page 58 of 363 (15%)
accompanies us, and even that will be broken up when we once enter
upon active campaigning. Several of the company buglers have either
left lately, or have got their stripes and given up their bugles, and
I do not fancy that their places will be filled up before we get out
there. Now, your great object will be to get two of these vacancies. I
am afraid you are too young, still there will be plenty more vacancies
after we are once in the field, for a bullet has no respect for
buglers; and you see the better you behave the better your chance of
being chosen."

"What is the difference exactly, sir?" Tom asked.

"The company bugler ranks on the strength of the company, messes,
marches, and goes into action with them; the other buglers merely form
part of the band, are under the bandmaster, play at the head of the
regiment on its march, and help in the hospitals during a battle."

"Macpherson," he said as he entered the bandmaster's quarters, where a
number of men and a few lads were practicing, "I have brought you two
lads who have entered as buglers."

The bandmaster was a Scotchman--a stiff-looking, elderly man.

"Weel, Captain Manley, I'm wanting boys, but they look vera young, and
I misdoubt they had better have been at school than here. However,
I'll do my best with them; they look smart lads, and we shall have
plenty of time at the depot to get them into shape."

"Lots of time, Macpherson, lots of time. They say they know a few
calls on the bugle, so perhaps they had better stick to the calls at
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