il Miss Hunter came out and joined him, when Cleary called
him aside.

"Sam," he said, "I've got something of importance to say to you. Can't
you come with me now?"

"Can't," said Sam. "Miss Hunter's waiting for me."

"Well, then, beg off to-morrow afternoon. I must have a long talk
with you."

"All right," answered Sam reluctantly. "If I must, I must, I suppose."

The next day found Sam and Cleary walking alone in the woods engaged in
deep conversation.

"Sam, what would you say to going to the war?" asked Cleary.

"I'd give anything to go!" exclaimed Sam.

"You wouldn't want to stay on account of that girl of yours?"

"No, indeed; she would be the first to want me to go."

"Then why don't you go?"

"How can I?" said Sam. "We've got three more years here. That ties us
down for that time, and by the time that's over the war will be over
too."

"That's what I think, and I'm sick of this place anyhow. I'm going to
resign."

"Resign!" cried Sam. "Resign and give up your career!"

"Not altogether, old man. Don't get so excited. What's the use of
staying here? We'll get sent off to some out-of-the-way post when we
graduate, and perhaps we'll get to be captains before our hair is
white, and perhaps we shan't; and then if a war breaks out we'll have
volunteers young enough to be our sons made brigadiers over our heads.
Aren't they doing it every day? I'm not going to waste my life that
way. I want to go to the war now, and I mean to go as a newspaper
correspondent."

"Oh, Cleary!" exclaimed Sam reproachfully.

"Tut, tut, Sam. You're not up to date. We've got no field-marshals in
our army and the newspaper correspondents take their place. Their names
are better known than the generals, and they advertise each other and
get a big share of the glory; and then they can always decently step
aside when they've got enough. They needn't stay on the fighting-line,
and that's a consideration. No, I'm sick of ordinary soldiering, but
I'm willing to be a field-marshal. My father has an interest in the
_Metropolitan Daily Lyre_, and I've written to him for an appointment
as correspondent in the Cubapines. What I've learned here will help me
a lot. But I want you to go with me."

"Me? Go with you? Do you think I'd be a newspaper correspondent?"

"No, of course not. It never entered my head. But why don't you get a
commission in the volunteers from your uncle? He can get just w