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Pee mig
hi pothing was tequired of him, he
strolled’ahout the encampment of cadets,
and gazed With eager admiration at the
different drills.
Just before sunset game the” parade of
the full corps of cadets.
This parade is the most perfect mili-
tary spectacle to be seen in the Unite d
State:
i At its close the corps was drawn up in
line, all facing the flag-staff,
oom!
The sunset: gun was fired. The corps
came to “present arms,” the officers
. Glory, the soldiers lovingly call it—fiut-
4 . ‘tered slowly to the ground.
ot Ben Burgess was quick to catch ‘the
| infection of patriotism that hung in the
Y very atmosphere,
“He pulled off his hat, stood with rever-
‘ently bowed head, and murmured:
“My life-time, henceforth, shall be de-
voted to following that grand old flag!”
CHAPTER III.
morning, ninety-two boys—all can-
didates for cadetship at West
nt—entered the cademic
Building’ “and found themselves in the
presence ot the officers who were to o*
amine the:
nm the day after this, the same boy. 3
again reported at the ‘Academic Building.
A T nine o'clock on’ the following
writing, arithmetic, English grammar,
eo geography and the history of the United
Stat
boys emerged from the or
f the ninety-two who seven, forty-
eight had dropped by the wayside, They
~ had not paid sufficient attention to their
studies at school, and were now subject-
ed to the mortification of being rejected
by the Academic Board at West Point.
Their dismissal gave t their “alternates”
chances for cadetship :
- And Ben Bur,
To the honor of the State and the dis-
trict which he represented, he stood No.
3 on the list of successful candidates.
What of Philip Parsons?
. He, too, had succeeded in passing the
Academic Board. But he had not so much
reason to be elated, for, with one excep-
tion, his standing was the lowest of those
who had pased the board
“Young gentlemen,” said Lieutenant-
Colenel Ordway, the Commandant of Ca-
diets, “those of you who have pessed, and
now are cadets of this Academy, will re-
re. fheln first instruction on military
to-morrow morning. The first
day" 's S drilling will not be severe; but it is
imperative that eac' cre of you should do
his best from the sta:
So, on the next Horning, cadet life be-
an in real earnest for the forty-four
boys who had just la ‘in becoming
adets.
bere
The first instruction ‘1s always ‘given
by older cadets.
Cadet-Captain Hawkins, of the first-
class, took the green youngsters in hand.
He was aided by a cadét-lieutenant.
w,. gentlemen,” said Hawkins, “I
will: ask. you to form in line, one of you
- standing next to the lieutenant, and the
“rest in regular or
Most of the boys “had no idea of mili-
~ tary drill, and it took some time to get
them properly -
A . The first fine” ‘caid Hawkins, “is to
. learn to dress the Itne properly, and
’ then how to take the position of a sol-
dier.” -
‘And then the sadet-captain went on to
explain, ‘
After infinite work, requiring a great
teal of patience, the young instructor
“got his awkward squad into the sem-
blance of shap:
em
“the boys we
saluted, and the Stars and Stripes—Old
on ‘the afternoon of the secand day the,
dea’
{ - An odd- iooking, grotesque-looking lot ,
They were, of all ages from seventeen
to twenty-two, of all heights frem five
feet up, and of. a varying conditions of
thinness and stout
nd, in their dress, ‘there was an equal
’ amount of incongruit
In general, it can be said that they
were as promiscuous and variable in
their apearance as any forty boys who
can be well imagined.
et this is the sort of material from
which Uncle Sam molds his army officers
—the finest lot of military men in the
* alignment and position.
« there were frequent rest:
But the boys were tired by the time it
was over, and heartily welcomed the
command:
“Break ranks—march!”
‘ oe
. .
Tho first lesson was devoted solely to
It did not last much over an hour, and:
GOLDEN
Now they had the day to themselves,
with the,assured certainty ‘that,.on the
morrow, much harder work lay before
them,
Our hero spent the day at ‘the encamp-
He was so eager to learn all that
was possible of cadet’ life that he pre-
ferred the heat of the parade ground to
the comparatively cooler precincts of
eadet barracks.
e looked eagerly for Cadet Blount,
but was unable to find that accommodat-
ing young gentleman disengaged.
After sunset, when darkness was com-
Ing quickly on, our hero was standing
perore a. tent belonging to the third
a ‘cadet Inside perceived him, and came
to the doo:
“Hullo, Youngster,” was his greeting,
“How do you a o!” Ben rep!
et got ever Sos awe of
these sproce: Tooling cade
“C nside,” 91 tinued the third-
classi, “and have a glass of jemon-
“Ben was thirsty, and the offer as a
tempting one.
He entered and found himself in the -
presence of several cadets,
“There’s the lemonade in that jar,”
said, his host, carelessly.-. “Help your-
eten did so.
Then the third-classman continued:
» “Now, bring me a glass of the stuff.”
Our hero, seeing nothing strange in the
request, obeyed.
y name is Bates,” continued the
third-classman. “Think you can remem-
ber that name; youngster?
“Yes, certainly.
“Phen see that you don’t forget it, if
you value life.
And, not regarding Ben’s look of mild
astonishment, Cadet Bates kicked a very
dusty pair of boots toward our hero,
saying:
“You'll find a brush and blacking in
that box. Go ahead and shine the boots,
youngster.”
Ben gazed at his fellow-cadet in be-
wilderment.
“I don't think I quite understand you,
Mr. Bates.
the
"“Black~-those—boots,” repeated
third-classman, very slowly and dis-
tinetly. .
Ben reddened. -
“I don’t think, sir,” he replied, “that
you quite understand that I am a cadet,
like yourself.
“You' re a plebe, aren’t you
“Yes, I am Burgess, of the newly ad-
mitted fourth
SS,
hen that's On right, Burgess. You
“My fag. That is to say, my valet, my
body-servant. You do whatever I tell
you to do, and you ask no questions aud
make no objections.
yana if I refuse?” demanded Ben, brid-
in,
“Te! s out of the question, You can’t
refuse. No fourth-classman ever did re-
fuse to do fag-service for a third-class-
man. By an old, unwritten law of the
Academy you are required to serve me
during the encampment. When all hands
go back to the barracks you are released
from further servitude, Now pick up
these boots and black them lively.”
Ben hesitated a moment. Then he re-
plied
“Since you are a cadet, Mr. Bates, you
must be incapable of falsehood. I will
ake your word for what you say. If I
find that you have imposed upon me, I
shall do my best to
thrash you. will black your boots
jpon that con on.”
. “All right,” retorted Bates, © go ahead
and black them. And by the way, let me
advise you to drop that talk o thrashing
me. There is prou lood in my yeins,
which is likely to boil over at the mere
mention of such a thre
her third-classmen
laughed heartily at this,
Without more ado, Ben began to black
the boots
‘When he had finished, Bates remarked:
“My friends here have not been equal-
% lucky in securing fags, up to date.
n this occasion, I command you to
attend to their boots as well,”
Ben obeyed in silen
When he had put the Hoots of all hands
pp proper shape, Bates was kind enough
present
s
wT hat will do, Mr, Burgess. You ean
now, but remember that you are ex-
pected to’ attend dally to my wants.
That will include many things besides
blacking my boo
And I will beg “you to remember,” Te-
turned Ben, very quietly, “that I will do
as you direct, if I find that it js the rule
for fourth-ciassmen to the fag.
jut,” with a look full of meaning, “it
such is not the case, then I shall repay
HOURS
you with a as big a thrashing os it is in
stuff in that
away.
rejoined another cadet,
you told him no falsehood. If you had,
I am confident that you could look for-
ward to a very determined assault upon
our person.
“Which, I am sorry to say, would result
returned
had suffered insult, or whether it really
was customary to force “plebes” into
If the latter was the case, he
had prescribed for green hands at the
‘oint.
While passing by one of the tents he
heard a yoice which he instantly recog-
nized as belonging to Philip Parsons.
Evidently he was in some trouble, for
our hero heard him
tell you, fellows, cf won 't do it!”
pees, voice; “no plebe ever escaped it
ry don’t care what other plebes may
ave done,” persisted Parsons, “I tell
you that it’s no work for a gentleman,
and I refuse to submit.
‘Then followed the sound of scuffling.
And then Parsons was heard saying:
“Ouch! ouch! Stop that, I tell you. If
you, font I'll report the whole lot of
you
"Oh, you will, eh?” demanded the bass
oice, “Do you know what we do with
informers?* Well, it’s 3 something too hor-
rible to talk about until the time | comes.
Now go ahead and do as I told y
won't
Then there was more scuffin
“Ouch! Hold on, fellows; I give int”
“You' ‘Il toe the mark, then?
Ben glided away in the darkness, mur-
murin
So even Mr. Philip Parsons has to d
scend to becoming a fag? Well, I Gon't
know that hard work will burt him.”
—_—
CHAPTER IV.
A-RA-TA-RA-TAI
. “I wish the talented gentleman
who performs on that bugle would
oversleep himself some morning,
murmured Ben Burgess, as he rolled over
and began to rub his drowsy eyes wide
pen.
“Hear, heart” erfed another cadet,
And Philip Parsons, who also
inmate of the tent, echoed this, sentiment
inwardly. It was the first time, proba-
bly, that he had ever agreed with our
ero in anything.
Several days had passed since Ben's
initiation as a fag, ie new fourth class
of cadets had received their uniforms at
last, and had been transferred to quar-
ters in their. encampm:
To boys who have ‘generally been able
to sleep. “oo late as they want to, there
is something intensely disagreeable, at
first, in being compelled to rise at half-
past five every morning.
But, ere the last peals of the reveille
had died away, all the boys in the tent,
and through the encampment, tor that
matter, were on their
et, for some time, not a cadet was
visible on the outside, for washing and
dressing have to be done inside the Tents.
n an incredibly short time, however,
the cadets began to emerge, almost
simultaneously, from the ten
oll-call was immediately performed,
and then the cadets returned promptly
to aPolice™ their quarters.
army, “police” work is not ex-
aetly what the civilian might expect. It
a name given to work such- is
generally done by house-servants. At
West Point the cadets are obliged to do
this for themselve:
‘wenty minutes after reyellle came the
inspecting officer, “police”
duty had been properly perfor:
t six o'clock the cadets were. marched
into breakfas
en, as our hero had not ben warned
for guard duty, he had nothing to do until
tho pignal was sounded for class parade.
with it came the ordeal which Ben
Burgess Uttle expected.
All went t well, however, until inspec-
Hon was rea
e
the “Inspecting officer, as he
“passed behind our hero, said in a low
“Mr Burgess, fall to the rear.”
Wondering, our hero obeyed.
As soon as the inspection was over,
Ben was summoned before Lieutenant
Slimeoe, of the Regular Army, who com-
manded the fourth-class company,
yes, you will,” replied a deep -
3
“Mr. Burgess,” said that officer, “you
are reported as failing to pass inspec-
tion.”
Ben surveyed himself, as well as ho
could, from head to foot. He could not
discover the flaw in his appearance which
had brought the rebuke.
jacket,” continued Lieutenant
Slimcoe, “has the buttons missing from
the back,tand there is also a small cut or
tear. , Have you any explanation to
fer?
°
ao sir; I did not know that anything
was wrong with my jac
re you sure that, Sou “ita not commit
the injury yourself?
“Iam positive. that I did not.” '
“Then who
“I do not ino sir.”
“Mr. Burgess, is it not plain that, if
you did not injure your coat yourself,
some one else did. Is not the latter the
+case?”
“I do not like to think, sir, that any
one else did it. To think that would be
to. en one of my fellow-cadets.”
ju do not suspect any one else
the cutting oft your buttons, or slashing
tl be
Tieieeent Slimcoe demanded of each
of Ben’s tent-mates whether any of them
had had a hand in the business. All
denied most positively.
lieutenant, “
fault in the matter.
offence, I shall impose only five
merits,
Poor Ben’s face was as
peony. It was the first punishment “aid
against his credit.
“But it sha'n’t be the last, if I can help
it,” chuckled Philip Parsons. “I'll do my
/best to get his name so coyered under
demerits that he'll have to leave West
Point in disgrace before many months.”
It did not even occur to Ben, himself
the soul of frankness and honesty, that
Parsons had been in any way responsible
for his disgrac:
Ben at ones had the damage to his unt-
form repaire
e day ‘was spent, as are all days
, during the encampment, in drilling” and
‘ parading.
The post seemed overflowing with la-
dies and young girls, mothers and sisters
of the cadets, and not a few em
sweethearts, for the United States milf-
tary cadet is always an attractive figure
to the fair sex, .
The cadets, too, are as susceptible as
the young ladies, and the basis for many
lasting attachments are formed at West
Point,
As soon as any intermission came,
most of the cadets sought out heir
sweethearts, and that delightful ‘place
for strolling known as Flirtation Walk,
was made to earn its name.
But Ben, as yet, had not encountered
his cadet fate. He spent his spare time
in strolling about the shady portions of
the post, and brooded not a little over
the demerits which he had received.
“I hate to think that any of the fel-
lows would do a thing so mean,” he said
to himself. “No, it must have been an
accident, but one which cost me dearly
enough.”
A group of thira- elassmen, of W.
Bates was one, stood w
of Fort Knox. A sup
Hudgon lay before them,
had something more exciting than scen-
ery on hand.
Have you noticed how down in the
mouth my fag is?” asked Bates,
“Yes,” replied another; “it’s because
he got five demerits at inspection this
morning.”
“Then we must do something to ven
him up. We've been too quiet with the
new man, anyway.”
is Was enough to put a good- sized
plot under way in less than no tim
The result o:
gess was
- “hazing” spirit for-which West Point is
so noted during the summer encamp-
ment,
n was unsuspicfous of it all,
After dark that night, while our hero
was strolling along the same road on
which the hazing plot had been con-
cocted, he was suddenly pounced upon
from behin:
e was borne to the ground, face down-
ward, and a stern yoice whispered in his
eal
“Don’ t raise any fuss, and don’t ‘try to
see who we are.”
“Hazers!” was Ben’s first thought,
He quickly determined that the best
way out of it all was to submit with as
much good nature as he co:
So he permitted his ae So pe ban-
daged, and then he was led away.
By devious paths the cadets took him
to that portion of the raversige where the
Sea-Coast Battery is located
‘
pests