fill it," announced Mr. Hopper.

Anstey, Greg and a dozen others gleefully escorted the class
president to the platform.

Dick addressed the meeting in a quiet, low voice, but he heartily
thanked the class for the honor it had accorded him.

"I'm not going to make a speech, gentlemen," he continued.
"Perhaps a speech from me will be worth more when I am through
with the office. But I have listened attentively to what has been
outlined to-night by other speakers as constituting a worthy
president, and I can only add that I shall do all that may possibly
be in my power to live up to such ideals. The chair now stands
ready to be advised of any further business that may properly come
before the meeting."

There being no "business," the time was taken up with speeches
from several plebes who wanted to be heard. The subject of their
treatment by the yearlings came in for much attention. Many of the
speakers expressed burning indignation at the "small show"
accorded to the plebe class.

"Hasn't our president something to say on this subject?" called
some one.

"I shall be glad to speak on this very matter," smiled Cadet
Prescott, rising. "Gentlemen of the class, I know that we are
traveling over a road that, even under the most genial conditions,
would be a rough one. Many of us feel that the yearling class is
devoting all its energies to making that road a still rougher one."

"Hear! Hear!" cried a dozen at once.

"But, gentlemen," continued the new class president, "next June
we shall be yearlings. There will be a new lot of plebes here, and I
feel rather certain that we shall treat them just about as we are now
being treated."

There were murmurs of dissent at this.

"For generations," continued Cadet Prescott, "the plebe at West
Point has had to rough it. You are all familiar with the truism that
a soldier must learn to obey before he is fit for command. In much
the same way, I fancy, the plebe must travel a rough road before he
is thoroughly broken in and fitted to enjoy the delights of full
equality and recognition with upper class men.

"We are no more put upon than was every present upper class
man during his first year here. When we reach the sublime heights
on which the yearlings dwell I believe that we shall look back and
appreciate the fact that we truly needed some round thrashing into
shape. We shall feel grateful to our present enemies, the
yearlings--and we will turn around and help the new lot