He had no choice but to wait until the column had passed. The drumbeat 
grew and grew in volume until the pavement shook with each blow, and the shock 
absorption gear built into Kidnapper's legs went into play, flinching minutely 
at each beat. Another vanguard passed through: Hackworth easily calculated its 
size at two hundred and fifty-six. A battalion was four platoons, each of which 
was
four companies of four troops of four girls each. The vanguard consisted of one 
such battalion, moving at a very brisk double-time, probably going ahead of the 
main group to fall upon the next major intersection.