Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point / Or, Finding the Glory of the Soldier's Life

rning on to the road that passed the hotel, a hot, somewhat tired and rath

the cadets had been engaged in target

ray trousers and leggings, gray fl

iers on parade, but of the grim toile

cAneny, had been engaged in the study of field fortifications. To be more exact, the young men had been di

the young men, marching in route step, fell quickly into ste

with better swing and rhythm. They were, in fact

k command of "halt" rang out. Immediately afterwards the command was dismissed. Carrying their

ught up together a

mmed Greg Holmes, as h

he luxury of a little

sco

th a look of amazement. "What t

e to stretch and yaw

work, after that, I ma

inned for being late at din

But now they had precious few minutes in which to cleanse themselves, brush their hair and get into white duck trouser

ort time, but it ca

camp had just returned from a foreno

asses stepped from his tent looking as though he had j

these cadets had just quitted were in absolute order and wholly clean. At We

n at brisk command, the battalion turned to the left in column

, as they we every day in summer, since five in the morning--spirits ran hig

before the afternoon drills. A few minutes of leisure? Yes, if such an easy ac

rmured Greg, poking his head outside the khaki co

manded Anstey,

color of ink over old

r

conds, by a deep, echoing roll of thunder. The summer storms along thi

en the smallest favors," mu

hen it's hotter," Dick observed, but he nevertheles

ve a campstool of his own in quarters, for P

e class the yearling is quite likely to feel that he is nearly "the whole thing." By degrees, however,

ing academic year. Members of the new second class--men who have successfully passed through the first two years of life at the U

ear at West Point", are already familiar with the ordeals, the hard work

lebedom. Such readers recall the fights in which the new men found themselves involved, the hazing, laughable and otherwise, will be recalled. Our former readers will recollect that about the only

Greg and Anstey were yearlings, entitled to real

f b.j.-ety (freshness), for about all of that

at now, instead of finding himself liable to hazing at

second classman may notice that a plebe is a little too b.j. If so, the first or second c

s yet, exercised their new function of hazing any plebes. The first three day

re it. In another moment there was a steady downpour. Cadet corporals in raincoats darted through

d Anstey, behind his hand. "It's a rest for

self on his bed and

are none too much for a young man engaged at hard drilling and other work. The cadet, when his duties, permit, may, however, snat

as the rain settled down into a monotonous d

hopefully. "Greg, I actually belie

it," begged Greg. "

rstit

r a strenuous day of work. But if you get to exulting over the rain that is to get us out of a drill or two, or bragging about a cool breeze getting

another lo

ain is going to last all afte

spoiled it al

tre!" hailed a laughing

" Greg

a cold, h

N

t you're marked

ving at Furlong?"

you can brave the s

"You and

, Dick?" asked Gr

leave Anstey in peace for his big sl

own open hospitably as Greg ent

emanded Furlong, alluding to the

r a big sleep," Greg

and throw a bucket of water over him. He

"Old Mace (short for 'Mason and Dixon') has been tired out ever since being on guard the fi

it slowly," protested Fur

two yearlings who tented wi

all this a class meeting. A quorum isn't necessary. You've got my campstool, Mr. Presi

long," requested

d gentlemen---

u to order!" interr

indly explain the

e any distinction between

urlong, with a comical bow. "Mr. Chairman and othe

, glancing solemnly abou

oing to do wit

ne of presiding off

, that your question really means, wh

contended the

anything to them?"

ngly at the other yearlings. "Why should we do anything to the plebes? And yet, in a trus

ound in his throat, as though h

't serious,"

stubbornly. "Griffin, what did y

, stupid, unregenerate, unsophisticated, useless, worthless and objectionable member of the community

nden duty to lick a plebe into shape in the shortest possible order. Though it nev

f wisdom from your c

tt inq

and worthy sir!

olly the hazing of plebes at West Point. But we fellows can make a new record, if we will, by frowning on a

. "At times, then, my heart ached for you, but now, with my in

pretty well, didn'

ay you took like a ge

my plebedom. But I also made up my mind--and it still my mind--that I'd go

ously that there w

t a single plebe through any kind of pace. What I do mean is that I shall go very slowly indeed in annoying any plebe. I sha

ny hazing. We were thinking of ordering a plebe in here, and starting i

re with your pursuit

h mock po

s we have just been led to believe? Are you prepared to take t

we get him over his homesickness? Do you feel that we should overlook all the traditional

d defer to upper classmen, just as he will have to do with his superior officers after he goes from here out into the service. The plebe must be kept in his place. I don't believe in making him feel that he's a pet. I do believe in frowning down all b.j.-ety. I don't believe in recognizing a plebe, except officiall

, broken at last

e, in the main,

ted Dobbs, in a tone

but the "shadow"

w nothing in the other's face that j

began to feel that he was a bit in the way at a conference of this sort. He di

ped through a slit-like opening. As he did s

heavily now. Down the company stree

d, laughter loving, somewhat ro

tent in which Anstey lay making up

ng swiftly up and dow

g in sight, Mr. Briggs

tey, aslee

ok careful aim, then shot half the contents of the pa

r. Briggs fled lightly, but swiftly four tents do

e way, came a

thlessly from a sound sleep, it took him a few seconds

king out, but the chuckling plebe was

ed Dick grimly, "I think I know of a

r preacher!"