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The suspicion is gaining ground that you two beasties imagine you have been appointed here as comedians. Is that your delusion?" "No, sir," replied Mr. Briggs and Mr. Ellis in one solemn breath. "Then what ails you, misters?" demanded Dick severely. Both plebes remained silent. "Answer me, sirs. You first, Mr. Briggs."
Our three young cadets were marched nearly two miles for instruction in target practice. At the outset this work was with the gallery rifle at short ranges. At the close of practice the squad was marched back over the dusty roads. "Dodge has been found," was the smiling word passed around as this detachment of plebes was dismissed inside camp limits. "Where? How? When?"
Some of the plebes were negligent and regardless of the fact that the January examinations were close at hand, while others were "boning" steadily, doing their level best to stand well in their classes. For all of his mischievous disposition, Frank was studying enough to hold his own in his class, and he was looked on favorably by his instructors.
Only two of the new plebes had been dropped, they having been found wholly and absolutely unfit to keep the brain-fagging pace of academic work at West Point. "I never minded study back home," muttered Greg, as he and Dick toiled setting their few belongings to rights under canvas.
"When we were plebes, who stood up most staunchly as our class champion? Why, suh, why did we choose Mr. Prescott as our class president? Was it not because we believed, with all our hearts, that in Richard Prescott lay all the best elements of noble, upright and manly cadethood?
"Why why " "Were you aware that in days past plebes who occupied this room had pried up two of the bricks from the base of the fireplace and had a hiding cubby there?" "Of course not! What do you take me for?" Anstey had come to the doorway, but stayed there, blocking the passage. Prescott stepped to the fireplace and stooped as though to look under the loose bricks.
"I will suggest that you two might work up the act you were just indulging in. You ought to raise a great laugh the next time a minstrel show is given by the cadets." "Thank you, sir" -from both "performers." Lieutenant Topham turned and passed on down the company street. The two expelled plebes, in the meantime, had a chance to slip off silently.
Anstey was one of the best-liked men in his class, but the new plebes at first held almost aloof from Dodge. "Whatever you do," urged Anstey, "don't make the mistake of trying to cultivate the acquaintance of any of the upper class men." "I've encountered two already," muttered Bert. "Oh!" and Anstey smiled wonderingly.
If so, the first or second classman usually drops a hint to a yearling, and the latter usually takes the plebe in hand. So far, our young friends had been yearlings just three days. They had not, as yet, exercised their new function of hazing any plebes. The first three days in camp had been too full of new and hard duties to permit of their doing so.
"Your plebes are getting away from you, Miriam," exclaimed the older girl in a bantering tone. "You haven't got them well in hand yet. Nutting parties should be left behind for the Grammar School pupils." "They certainly should," replied Miriam in a disgusted tone. "It's Grace Harlowe who gets up all these foolish children's games. She's nothing but a tomboy, anyhow."
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