In a quarter of an hour they arrived at the gate of a large barracks.

The guard turned out as soon as the marshal was seen approaching, and a trumpet call was heard in the courtyard as they entered the gate.
Fergus was struck with the spectacle, the like of which he had never seen before.

The whole regiment was drawn up in parade order.
The colonel was some distance in the front, the officers ranged at intervals behind him.

Suddenly the colonel raised his sword above his head, a flash of steel ran along the line, eight trumpeters sounded the first note of a military air, and the regiment stood at the salute, men and horses immovable, as if carved in stone.

A minute later the music stopped, the colonel raised his sword again, there was another flash of steel, and the salute was over.