careers as young
engineers.

To be a cadet at West Point, and then to blossom out as an officer
in the Regular Army--this had long been Dick's fondest hope. Greg,
too, had caught the Army fever, and now suffered from it as
severely as Dick Prescott himself.

And now, at what seemed like the critical moment, this tedious
waiting was almost maddening.

Before Mr. Ward's desk stood a lonely looking young man, red
faced and fidgeting as though he were going through a fearful
ordeal.

"What on earth can they be doing to that fellow?" wondered Greg,
in a barely audible undertone. "That fine-looking old gentleman
can't be hazing a cadet?"

"No; but I wonder what the ordeal is," Dick whispered back. "I
haven't seen a fellow look comfortable through it yet."

"Mr. Prescott!"

Dick started to his feet so suddenly that his right almost tripped
over his left.

One of the other candidates near by tittered. That caused Dick's
face to turn redder than ever.

Mr. Ward, however, looked up at the boy with a kindly smile.

"State your full name, Mr. Prescott."

Dick did so.

"When and where born? Give date and place."

By this time Dick was beginning to find his voice. The excess of
color began to recede from his face. He had already, almost
unconsciously, passed over the sealed envelope which he had
received from the adjutant in a room on the same floor at
headquarters.

Prescott was quickly breathing at his ease. He discovered that the
entire ordeal consisted of giving his family history, with dates.

Then he stepped back. Another name was called.

"Don't let that rattle you a bit, Greg," whispered Dick, when he had
dropped back into his seat beside his chum. "Mr. Ward doesn't do
anything but take your pedigree."

"Mr. Holmes!"

Greg got up with nearly all of his self-possession about him. He
was just returning to sit by his chum when the nattiest, sprucest-
looking soldier imaginable, wearing the olive-drab fatigue uniform
of the Army and overcoat to match, stepped into the room.

"The surgeons have directed me to bring down all the candidates
who are through here," the orderly announced. "Follow me to the
sidewalk, where you will fall in loosely, by twos, and follow me to
the cadet hospital."

Among those of the candidates who had finished giving their
pedigrees there was a rush that would put a spectator in mind
almost of a football scrimmage. It represented merely the feverish
anxiety of these young me