call 'hep' put your
left foot down, sir! But don't keep it down, sir!" added the
exasperated cadet corporal in a furious undertone, as Bert came to
a dead halt. "Mr. Dodge, try to exhibit something close to
intelligence. Now, again, sir! Hep! hep! hep! hep!"

An Army officer stationed at the post drove by on a springboard.
Three young women were with him. They saw and partly understood. The
peal of laughter that floated back from them brought a flush to the
face of the green, pestered candidate.

CHAPTER VI

IN THE HANDS OF THE YEARLING HAZERS

Under the hard grilling of cadet corporal Spurlock, Bert Dodge
actually made a lot of progress within the next few days.

Dodge learned that, whenever addressing an officer, whether that
officer were a cadet officer, or one of the Regular Army officers
stationed at the Academy as instructors, he must add "sir" to every
communication. He also learned that he must not address any
superior officer unless first addressed by him.

Bert also picked up rapidly the knowledge that he was no better
than anyone else, and of not a thousandth part of the importance of
any upper class man.

Much of this the young man picked up from his new roommate,
Tom Anstey, a soft-eyed, soft-voiced, helpful and sunny young
man from Virginia. Anstey was one of the best-liked men in his
class, but the new plebes at first held almost aloof from Dodge.

"Whatever you do," urged Anstey, "don't make the mistake of
trying to cultivate the acquaintance of any of the upper class men."

"I've encountered two already," muttered Bert.

"Oh!" and Anstey smiled wonderingly.

"Pratt and Judson, of the yearlings," Dodge continued, then related
what had happened in the room of Cadets Prescott and Holmes.

"I guess you're going to be in for it, presently, Dodge," nodded
Cadet Anstey. "Mr. Pratt and Mr. Judson are known as two
terrors."

"They don't want to try to pass any of their terror on to me,"
growled Bert.

Whereupon Mr. Anstey took his roommate in hand, gently and
genially, and tried to make that new cadet--for Bert had passed his
academic exams. without even a hint of trouble--understand how
worse than foolish it would be to attempt to antagonize the upper
class men.

"You come from the same place that Prescott and Holmes do, don't
you?" asked Anstey, one afternoon, as the roommates rested from
study.

"I'm glad to say I don't," replied Bert, almost brusquely.

"Oh!" nodded Anstey.