They as good as carried me the last half of the way.
The sergeants marched with the air peculiar to military Germans, of men who are going to be amused.

They said nothing--did not smile--but strode straight forward, three abreast, swinging their kibokos with a sort of elephantine sporty air.

They were men of all heights and thicknesses, but each alike impressed me with the Prussian military mold that leaves a man no imagination of his own, and no virtue, but only an animal respect for whatever can make to suffer, or appease an appetite.
The D.O.A.G.

proved a mournful enough lounging place in which to spend convivial evenings.

However, it seemed that when the sergeant-major had decreed amusement the non-commissioned officers' mess overlooked all trifles in brave determination to obey.