CHAPTER XXV
OFF TO CAMP
"Hurray!" yelled Paul Drew one afternoon, as he fairly jumped into the room which he and Dick shared.
"What's the matter?" asked hi chum.
"Matter? Why, lots. You've passed, and so have I. We're going to he corporals from now on. That's for making good records in the spring examinations. Dutton and Hale are to be majors, I heard. I'm glad for Hale's sake, but it's going to be bad for us to have Dutton given so much authority."
"Why?"
"Because he'll lord it over us worse than ever. Well, it can't he helped. And there's more good news. Get up and have a war dance, you old buzzard!"
"Hold on!" cried Dick protestingly, as Paul yanked his from the easy chair. "What's up?"
"Lots. We're going to camp!"
"Camp?"
"Yes; it's just been announced. We're to go and spend one week under canvas; with no lessons to worry about, and lots of chance to skylark and have fun."
"I guess there'll be instructions in tactics, and recitations, won't there?" asked Dick. "It won't be all pie."
"Oh, of course we'll have to do some studying, I think."
"Of course. We'll have to tell what we'd do if, leading a small force of men, we happened to meet with an overwhelming army in a mountain pass, hemmed in on every side."
"I'd surrender," said Paul, with a laugh.
"I wouldn't; I'd fight." said Dick grimly, and he squared his jaw after the manner of Grit, his bulldog.
"Oh, well, we'll have lots of sport," went on Paul. "Of course it's for military instruction we're going, but I think we can manage to slip in a good time now and again."
"Sure," replied Dick, his eyes brightening. "When do we go?"
"Day after to-morrow. Orders are to get our kits in shape. We're to go in light marching order. The tents and grub will be carried in a wagon."
"That's good. I hate to pack my house, and all I want to eat, on my back."
The two chums fell to discussing the pleasant prospects ahead of them, some of the freshman cadets in neighboring rooms dropping in occasionally to get points on what to do and how to do it.
They were interrupted by a knock on Dick's door, and for a moment the buzz of voices ceased, as if the owners had been caught in some breach of the rules. Then, as the whistled strains of "In the Prison Cell I Sit," came to them, Dick exclaimed:
"It's Toots. Come on in, you old Horse Marine."
Toots entered, whistling a reveille with great precision.
"Major Webster wants to see you, Mr. Hamilton," he said, saluting.
"Me?" repeated Dick.
"Yes. In his office."
"You're in for a wigging," consoled Paul.
"Court martial for yours," added 'Gene Graham.
"No, I'm going to be promoted to take entire command of the camp," said Dick with a laugh as he went out. He had come nearer the truth than he thought in his jesting words. He saluted the major, who returned it, and bade him be seated.
"Ah, Hamilton, by the way, before I forget it, let me say that I haven't heard anything about that marksman's medal yet," said Major Webster, referring to the one that had fallen from the pocket of Toots. "When I hear anything I'll let you know. But that wasn't why I sent for you."
Dick thought it couldn't be anything serious, or the major wouldn't have begun in this fashion, so he waited.
"I have been looking up your record, Hamilton," went on the old soldier, "and I am very much pleased with. So much so, in fact, that I am going to promote you, temporarily, and give you a command."
Dick's heart began to beat rapidly.
"During this encampment," went on the major, "we wish the new cadets to get a good idea of the value of military training, and what this academy stands for. I think that by this plan of mine they will gain more knowledge in a week than they otherwise would in two months. Now I am going to take all the cadets who recently arrived and form them into two companies. One you will have entire charge of, as captain. The other I will select a captain for. Yours will be known as Number One Company, to distinguish it from the regular lettered commands. I want you to give the freshmen as good an idea, as you can of what a military life here means."
"What am I to do?" asked Dick.
"Take entire charge of them. See that they are shown everything, from how to load a gun, vault upon a horse, put up a tent, build a camp fire, mount guard and so on. At the end of the week's camp we are going to have a sham battle."
"A sham battle?"
"Yes, off in the woods. The cadets will be divided into two armies, and we will play the war game just as the regulars and volunteers do. In a sense the lads in your care will be volunteers, and perhaps they will do better than the regular cadets. That part is up to you."
Dick resolved that if he could bring it about his company would gain some honors.
"Your command will be part of the fighting force in the sham battle," went on the major, "and it will depend on yourself how they behave. The rules of the sham battle will be announced later, but I want you to get ready for your shoulder straps," and he smiled at our hero.
"Well," thought Dick, as he left the major a little later, "I got to a captain's stripes before I knew it—but it won't last very long," he added, somewhat regretfully.
Dick thought ruefully that, even with this temporary promotion, he was hardly fulfilling the conditions of his mother's will. He was certainly not popular with the great body of students, and he began worrying lest he be sent to his Uncle Ezra, As he walked back to his room, he recalled a letter he had received from his father that day, stating that Mr. Hamilton would remain abroad longer than he had originally planned.
"It doesn't look as if I was going to make good," thought Dick, gloomily, as he entered his apartment.
"What was it?" asked his chums eagerly, as he came back.
Dick told them.
"A sham battle!" cried Paul. "That's the stuff! Hold me down, somebody, or I'll stand on my head, and if I do I'll split my new uniform. Hold me, somebody, do."
"I will," volunteered 'Gene Graham, and he obligingly tilted Paul up, so that he turned a neat summersault over his bed.
"I guess that'll hold you for a few moments," observed Stanley Booker. "Now tell us more about it, Dick."
Which the young millionaire proceeded to do.
Never was there such excitement in Kentfield academy as when it became known that, in addition to the camp there was to be a sham battle. On every side was heard talk of ambuscades, skirmishing parties, rear attacks, retrograde movements, waiting for reinforcements, deploys and bases of supplies.
Dutton sneered openly when he heard of Dick's promotion.
"I suppose he thinks he'll do wonders with those freshies," he said. "Maybe he hopes he'll win the battle by coming up with them as reinforcements."
"Well a small force has turned the tide more than once, Dutton," Allen Rutledge reminded him.
"I don't think Hamilton can do it, though," was the reply of the bully.
The start for camp was made on a bright, sunny morning, and the line of cadets, in field uniforms, with their guns over their shoulders, the sun glinting from the polished barrels, made an inspiring picture.
"Isn't this glorious?" said Dick to Paul, near whom he was marching.
"Silence in the ranks!" snapped Major Dutton, though there was no need for the command.