CHAPTER IX
SETTLING DOWN TO STUDY
Dick meant what he said concerning coming back to Putnam Hall for thesake of learning something. He felt that he had lost too much time fromschool already to lose more, and he pitched in with a vigor that wasindeed surprising.
"I don't see how you can do it," said Tom one day. "I can't, to save mylife." Yet Tom was by no means a poor scholar, and if he did not standat the head of his class he was not far from it. Sam was also doing hisbest, and all of this gratified Captain Putnam exceedingly.
"It shows they can work as well as play," was what the captain toldhimself, and he wrote Anderson Rover a long letter, in which he praisedthe boys for their efforts.
The boys fell into their places at the academy with a naturalness thatwas surprising when one considered the adventures that had but latelybefallen them. Over and over again did they have to tell of theirdoings while on the Pacific, and as Crusoes, and some of the cadetsnever tired of listening to the stories. A few, including Lew Flapp,did not believe them true, but the majority did, and that was enoughfor the Rovers.
Dick was now advancing in years, and he knew that before long he wouldeither have to go into business or to college, which he had not yetfully decided. To tell the truth, the thought of separating from hisbrothers was exceedingly distasteful to him.
"If I went to college I'd like you fellows to be with me," he said oneday to Tom and Sam. "There would be no fun in going alone."
"That's true," answered Tom. "But if you wanted us to go together you'dhave to wait for Sam and me to catch up to you."
"Well, I might spend a year or so in traveling while I waited, or Samand you might hurry up a little," answered the eldest Rover.
During those days but little out of the ordinary happened. Dick tookespecial care to avoid Lew Flapp, and the tall youth did not attempt tobother him. It was soon learned that Flapp was more of a braggart thananything else, and then even some of the smaller boys grew less afraidof him.
As already told, it had been decided by Captain Putnam to have thecadets elect a new set of officers for the term, and these officerswere to be chosen in a somewhat different manner than heretofore.
"In the past," said the captain, when addressing the students on thesubject, "you have been permitted to elect whoever you pleased to anyoffice, from major down. This has occasionally resulted in someonebeing chosen who, while he might be a good scholar and a good fellowgenerally, was not exactly fitted to a military position. On thataccount I have made a change. Next Wednesday and Thursday I shall holda general examination in military matters only, and the twenty pupilsstanding highest shall be the ones eligible for the positions of major,captain, and first and second lieutenants. On these twenty names youshall vote as heretofore. As we now have three companies here we shallwant a major, three captains, and six lieutenants, making a total often officers. After that each company shall choose its own corporalsand sergeants. The company marching best on parade the followingSaturday shall have the honor of carrying the flag until after theannual encampment, which this year will begin a month from to-day."
At the mention of the annual encampment the cadets set up a cheer. Theouting was looked forward to with great interest.
"Where are we going this year?" asked George Granbury.
"It's a secret, I believe," answered Larry Colby. "But I am prettycertain that we are going further away than usual."
"I hope we go into the mountains."
"Or along some other lake, where the fishing is fine," put in Tom.
"Yes, that would suit me, too."
The announcement concerning the examination in military matters alsocaused much talk, and many of the cadets began at once to studymilitary tactics harder than ever, while drills became a pleasureinstead of a hardship.
"I'm going to win some kind of a place," said Larry earnestly. "Even alieutenantship would be better than nothing."
"I am sure I am going to win," put in William Philander Tubbs. "I amperfect in every kind of a drill."
"Good for Buttertub, the perfect man!" sang out Tom. "Billy, you oughtto have your picture done in oil, to hang alongside of Washington's, inthe library."
"Don't you dare to call me Buttertub, or Billy either, you rude thing!"snorted Tubbs, and walked away in outraged dignity.
"Dot examinations vos dickle me alretty," said Hans. "Vot I don't knowapoud dem military tictacs you don't know, ain't it. I vill pe by dertop of der class so kvick as neffer vos, you pet yourself!" And henodded his head as if he meant every word of it.
Dick Rover said but little on the subject, but he meant to win if hepossibly could, and so did Tom. Sam felt he was as yet too young tobecome anything but a sergeant, so he did not enter the competitionwith much vigor.
Lew Flapp was not a particularly bright pupil, but there was one thing,outside of bag punching, that he could do well, and that was to drill.He took to military tactics naturally, and knew nearly every rule thatthe book of instructions contained.
"It's going to be an easy matter to get into the chosen twenty," thetall boy told himself. "But after that, will the cadets elect me to oneof those positions?" He wanted to be major of the battalion, butdoubted if he could muster up sufficient friends to elect him.
The examination in military matters came off on the afternoon of thefollowing Wednesday and on Thursday morning. Captain Putnam was verythorough in the work, and made the pupils do certain things over andover again, and write the answers to long lists of questions.
"It has given me great pleasure to conduct this examination," he said,on the day following. "It shows that the average in military knowledgeis much higher than it was last term. The following are the pupils whohave passed, given in the order of merit." And then he read the list ofnames. Lew Flapp came first, Dick Rover next, Larry Colby third, GeorgeGranbury fourth, and the others, including Tom and Fred Garrison,followed. Neither William Philander Tubbs nor Hans Mueller werementioned.
"I dink me dere vos a mistake py dot," said the German boy. "Or else Ivos know so much der captain didn't vont nobody to know apout it," andthis raised a laugh.
"It's an outrage!" declared Tubbs. "An outrage! I shall request myparents to withdraw me from the institution." And he wrote a letterhome that very night. But his parents refused to grant his request.Probably they knew of his shortcomings, and thought a few terms atPutnam Hall would do him good.
Lew Flapp was much pleased over the fact that he headed the list ofthose who had passed, and nobody could blame him for this. But heimmediately made himself more obnoxious than ever by going around amongthe cadets and declaring that he was the only one to be elected to theoffice of major.
"It's mine by right," he said. "It wouldn't be fair to elect anybodyelse."
"But Dick Rover and Larry Colby stand almost as high," said one of thecadets. "Captain Putnam said your average was 96 per cent., whileRover's average was 95 per cent., and Larry Colby's was 94 per cent. Adifference of one or two per cent. out of a possible hundred isn'tmuch."
"I don't care," retorted Lew Flapp, "I ought to be elected major, andthat is all there is to it."
When Dick was approached he had but little to say.
"I didn't expect to stand so high," he declared. "I don't know that Icare to be made major. If I get to be a captain or a first lieutenant Ishall be well content. You know I was a second lieutenant once."
"My percentage is more than I expected," said Larry. "I really didn'tthink I was so well up in military matters. Now, if the boys want mefor an officer I'll take whatever they give me."
"And that is what I say," added George Granbury.
"Ditto, myself," put in Tom. "Even a second lieutenantship will not bedeclined by yours truly."
After this there was a good deal of canvassing and "log rolling" as itis called. Lew Flapp spent much money in secret, treating boys when atthe village and elsewhere. By this means he gathered quite a band offollowers around him.
"He is going to win, by
hook or by crook," observed Songbird Powell."He acts just like some of those politicians who don't care what theydo so long as they win."
"I am not going to spend a cent on the boys," declared Dick. "I don'tbelieve in buying votes."
There was a strict rule at Putnam Hall that no cadet should touchliquor of any kind excepting when ordered by the doctor. This rule hadbeen broken in the past by Dan Baxter and a few others, but themajority of the cadets respected the rule and kept it.
But Lew Flapp had always been allowed to drink when at home and now hefrequently drank on the sly when down to Cedarville. On theseexcursions he was generally joined by a weak-minded boy named Hurdy,who was usually willing to do whatever Flapp desired done.
One day, just before the election for officers was to come off, LewFlapp called Ben Hurdy to him.
"I am going down to Cedarville this evening," he said. "I want you togo along and invite Jackson and Pender and Rockley."
"Going to have a good time?" asked Ben Hurdy.
"Yes and you can tell the others so, and tell them if they know someothers who want a good time, and can keep their mouths shut about it,to bring them along. But mind, Hurdy, we want no blabbers."
"All right, Flapp, I'll get the right fellows," answered Ben Hurdy, andran away to fulfill his questionable errand.