CHAPTER XIV

CAPTAIN HANDLEE'S VISIT

"Very well done, young gentlemen--very well done indeed," complimented Colonel Masterly, as d.i.c.k and his fellow cadets came driving slowly past where the head of the academy sat with some visitors, and the army officer.

"Indeed, the regulars will have to look to their laurels when such lads as these are doing as well as that," observed the officer. "I thought they were going to have a spill there, at one time. But the lad on the off horse saved the day. Who is he?"

"Millionaire Hamilton's son," said the superintendent in a low voice, yet not so low but that d.i.c.k heard him.

"I wish they wouldn't refer to me that way," he thought. "I'd like to be myself once in a while--just d.i.c.k Hamilton. Money isn't what it's cracked up to be."

"Why, Hamilton, are you hurt?" asked Major Webster, as d.i.c.k guided his horse to the place where the animals would be unhitched. He looked at the red-stained handkerchief around the young millionaire's hand.

"Just a scratch," replied d.i.c.k bravely, though the pain of his crushed finger made him wince. "I caught it in the gun. It doesn't amount to anything."

He saw Dutton looking at him, and he fancied he detected a sneer on the cadet captain's face.

"Well, go to the surgeon, and have it dressed," said the major. "We don't want you to get blood poison. Is yours the only injury of the day?"

"I guess so," replied d.i.c.k, with an attempted laugh.

"A scratch!" exclaimed the surgeon, when d.i.c.k had so characterized the wound, as he came to have it dressed. "Well, I wouldn't want many scratches like that. Why the top of the finger is crushed. You shouldn't have kept on after you got this."

"I'd have to if we were fighting in earnest," was all d.i.c.k said, and he gritted his teeth hard to keep from screaming out when the surgeon dressed the wound.

Fortunately the remainder of the week was devoted to the more quieter forms of military life, the cadets spending considerable time in studying, drilling and reciting.

One afternoon word was sent to d.i.c.k, who was studying in his room, that a visitor desired to see him.

"Who is it?" he asked the housekeeper, who brought the message.

"I don't know. It's a gentleman from Hamilton Corners."

"I hope it's some of the boys," murmured d.i.c.k. "Or even a sight of 'Hank' Darby would be welcome," for, in spite of the activities at Kentfield, d.i.c.k was a bit homesick.

He found waiting for him Captain Handlee.

"I come to see if you had any news of my son," said the veteran pitifully. "I'm about to go out west on a clue I have, but I thought I'd stop off here."

"No," replied d.i.c.k, "I'm sorry, but I haven't any news for you. I wrote you about my inquiries."

"Yes, I know, but I hoped something might have happened since then."

"No, I regret to say, there hasn't. But how does it come that you're going out west?"

"Well, I have an idea I can get some clues there. I'm going to look up some old soldiers who were in my son's company. Your father gave me the money to go."

"My father? Is he home?" asked d.i.c.k quickly, hoping his parent had unexpectedly returned from abroad.

"Oh, no. He gave it to me before he left. I mentioned that I'd like to go out west, and he gave me a good sum. I don't know what I'd do but for him."

"When are you going west?" asked d.i.c.k.

"Right away. I guess I'd better be leaving here now."

"If you have any time to spare, captain, perhaps you'd like to stay and see the cadets go through some drills."

"I think I would, if the commander will let me."

"Of course he will. Old soldiers are always welcome here. We're going to have some wall-scaling drills just before parade this evening. I'd like to have you stay and see them."

"I will, thanks."

d.i.c.k spoke to Colonel Masterly about Captain Handlee, and the veteran not only received a cordial invitation to remain, but was taken in charge by Major Webster, who asked him to occupy his quarters, and take his meals there.

The wall-scaling drills were always enjoyed by the cadets as they offered chances for rough and ready fun. The walls were structures of boards, between ten and fifteen feet high, placed on the open field, and the object was for the lads, by means of a pyramid formation, to get all their comrades over the top, while the men left behind, who had a.s.sisted their fellows over, would either scramble up by means of a rope, anch.o.r.ed by lads on the other side, or would be pulled up by their comrades who leaned over the high fence.

CHAPTER XV

ON THE GRIDIRON

When the exercises for the day were over, d.i.c.k sought out Captain Handlee, and inquired how he liked the wall-scaling.

"Fine! Fine!" exclaimed the veteran. "We never had such practice when I was in the army, but we did pretty near the same in real life. I remember one occasion at Chancellorsville--"

"Now Captain Handlee," interrupted Major Webster, who had const.i.tuted himself host to the veteran, "you keep all such stories for me. If you get telling them to the cadets, first thing I know I'll have to be providing big brick walls for them to scale."

He led the veteran away, the aged captain bidding good-bye to d.i.c.k.

"I hope you'll be successful on your trip," said the young millionaire.

"I hope so, too, d.i.c.k, for I miss my son more and more as I grow older."

In spite of the good record he made in the drills, at artillery practice and in his cla.s.s, d.i.c.k found as the weeks went by, that he was making no progress in becoming popular with the main body of students at Kentfield. He had a few chums among the freshmen, and of course was on speaking terms with all the others, but aside from Paul Drew, his roommate, he had no close friends. This state of affairs made him feel sad, for at home he had been the most popular lad in town.

"I'm not succeeding as I thought I would," he said to himself, one day.

"I guess I'll have to put my plan into operation. But perhaps I'd better wait a while yet. I'll give this way a fair show."

As fall advanced there began to be talk about forming the football eleven. A number of new players were needed, because some of the best had graduated the previous year.