"Not in training for sick report?" asked Furlong, glancing down solicitously. But he saw the glow of robust health glowing through the deep coat of tan on Prescott's face.

"My appet.i.te doesn't resemble sick report," laughed d.i.c.k. "But, while you don't really look ill, Milesy, it's very plain that you have something serious on your mind. Out with it!

"I guess that will make me feel better," a.s.sented Furlong, with a sigh. "It's all that little plebe beast, Mr. Briggs."

"Surely he hasn't been hazing you?" inquired Prescott, opening his eyes very wide.

"No, no; not just that, old ramrod," replied Furlong. "But Mr.

Briggs is proving a huge disappointment to me. I've done my best to make a meek and lowly cub of him, but he won't consent to fill his place. Now, that little beast made a good enough get away with his studies during the three months before camp. He mastered all the work of the soldier in ranks. At bottoms Mr. Briggs is really a very good little boy soldier. But he's so abominably and incurably fresh that he should have gone to Annapolis, where there's always some salt in the breeze.

"What has Mr. Briggs been doing now?" asked d.i.c.k with interest.

"What doesn't Mr. Briggs do?" sighed Furlong mournfully. "Instead of sleeping nights, that beast must lie awake, devising more ways of being unutterably fresh. But now he's contaminating his bunkie, Mr. Ellis."

"Evil company always did work havoc with good manners," nodded d.i.c.k.

"So Mr. Ellis has gone bad, has he?"

"Do you know," continued Furlong severely, "that three mornings ago, when Jessup, of our cla.s.s, was dressing at forty horsepower so he wouldn't miss reveille formation, that he stepped into two shoes full of soft soap, and had to go out sloshing into line in that shape, just because he couldn't spare the time to take his shoes off and empty them?

"Yes," nodded Prescott. "We suspected Haverford, of the first cla.s.s, of that, because Jessup, on guard, challenged Haverford when Haverford was trying to run the guard after taps."

"Haverford nothing," retorted Furlong. "He's above such jobs.

No, sir! This afternoon Jessup ran plumb into Mr. Ellis when that little beast bunkie of the other beast, Mr. Briggs, was just in the act of dropping soft soap into the shoes that Aldrich will wear to dress parade today.

"Where on earth did Mr. Ellis get hold of soft soap?" demanded Prescott, raising himself on one elbow.

"You're entirely missing the problem, old ramrod!" grunted Furlong wrathfully. "The question is, how can we possibly soak such habits out of Mr. Ellis and Mr. Briggs?"

"Perhaps it can't be done," suggested d.i.c.k.

"It must be done!" uttered Furlong savagely.

"Well, I can't think of any yearling better suited to the task that you are, Milesy!"

"One man? or one tentful, isn't equal to any such gigantic piece of work!" retorted Furlong. "Ramrod, you've got to appoint a cla.s.s committee to take these two baboons in hand. It ought to be done this very night, too. Now, sit up, won't you, and get your thinking cap on?"

"Have you talked with any of the other men?"

"Yes; and they all agree that a soiree must be given to Mr. Ellis, and that you should be present."

"What is the call for me, Milesy?

"You are the cla.s.s president."

"But this is no affair that involves the honor of the cla.s.s.

Therefore, as president, I cannot see that there is any call for me."

"It is the feeling with all the members of the yearling cla.s.s that you should be present."

Prescott looked at his visitor intently for a moment.

d.i.c.k understood, now. He had taken "too little" interest in the hazing of b.j. plebes, and the cla.s.s did not want to see its president shirk any duties that might be considered his, either as yearling or as cla.s.s president.

"Very good, Milesy," replied d.i.c.k quietly. "You may inform all anxious inquirers that I'll be on hand. Where and at what hour?"

"Eight o'clock, in Dunstan's tent."

"Very good."

Furlong arose with a satisfied look on his face. He had, in fact, been deputed by others to make sure that Prescott would be on hand. There is always a good deal of risk attendant on hazing.

It may lead to discovery---and dismissal.

"I wonder if some of the fellows think I keep away from hazing simply because I'm afraid of risking my neck?" yawned d.i.c.k. "They practically insist on my sitting in to-night, do they? Oh, well!"

The hop took more men away from camp than usual that night. Other cadets met friends from the hotel or officers' quarters at post number one.

But over in Dunstan's tent a considerable group of yearlings gathered.

A few, in fact, were obliged to stand outside. This they did in such a way as not to attract the attention of the O.C. or any chance tac.

d.i.c.k was there, and with him were Holmes and Anstey, to both of whom had been conveyed a hint as strong as that which had reached the cla.s.s president. Furlong, Griffin and Dobbs were in the tent.

Jessup and Aldrich were there as a matter of fact.

On the still night air came the clanging of eight on the big clock down in the group of barracks and Academic Building. Just as the strokes were pealing forth Plebes Briggs and Ellis came up the street and stood at the front pole of Dunstan's tent.

"Come in, beasties," summoned Furlong. "We are awaiting you."

Neither plebe looked over joyous as the pair entered.

"Stand there, misters," ordered d.i.c.k, pointing to the s.p.a.ce that had been reserved for the victims of the affair. "Now, misters, there is some complaint that you have mistaken West Point for a theatrical training school. 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 d.i.c.k severely.

Both plebes remained silent.

"Answer me, sirs. You first, Mr. Briggs."

"I think we must have been carried away by excess of animal spirits, sir," replied Mr. Briggs, now speaking meekly enough.

"Animal spirits?" repeated d.i.c.k thoughtfully. "There may be much truth and reason in that idea. Camp life here is repressive of animal spirits, to be sure. We who are your mentors to some extent should have thought of that. Mr. Briggs, you shall find relief for your animal spirits. Mr. Ellis, what is your defence?"

"I thought, sir---thought-----"

With the yearling President's eyes fixed on him in stern, searching gaze, the once merry little Mr. Ellis became confused. He broke off stameringly.

"That's enough, Mr. Ellis," replied the cla.s.s president. "You admit that you thought. Now, no plebe is capable of thinking.