They let the men do pretty much as they please.

So you will see such a company lounging into a line when the drum beats, as if they took little interest in what was going on.
While the captain is giving his commands, one is eating his luncheon, another is talking with his next neighbor.

Part are out of the line; part lounge on one foot; they hold their guns in every position; and, on the whole, present a very disorderly and unsoldier-like appearance.
"I have observed, too, that boys very generally prefer to _see_ the strict companies, but perhaps they would prefer to _belong_ to the lax ones." "No, sir;" "No, sir," say the boys.
"Suppose you all had your choice either to belong to a company like the first one I described, where the captain was strict in all his requirements, or to one like the latter, where you could do pretty much as you pleased, which should you prefer ?" Unless I am entirely mistaken in my idea of the inclinations of boys, it would be very difficult to get a single honest expression of preference for the latter.

They would say with one voice, "The first." "I suppose it would be so.

You would be put to some inconvenience by the strict commands of the captain, but then you would be more than paid by the beauty of regularity and order which you would all witness.