CHAPTER XI
Third Classman Osborn
“How the time has passed, Os; we’ve finished our an exams, and it seems as if it were only yesterday when we were worrying about our semi-ans.”
“You mean when I was worrying, Bollup,” replied Ralph Osborn. “You never got out of the first section in math and have stood well up in French and rhetoric, while four months ago I was worrying about bilging in math.”
“Wasn’t that remarkable? And now you’re the math fiend of the class! How in the world was it that you did so poorly the first three months?”
“I didn’t know how to study for one thing. Another thing the lessons were long and I was more afraid of French and rhetoric and slighted math. I put in all of my time on learning principles and rules and didn’t try to work out probs till I got to the section room, and then I always took too long. I know better now. But these three months have gone quickly, haven’t they? And we’ll be third classmen in ten days; won’t that be glorious?”
“You bet, Os, and we’ll teach some of the plebes who enter how to stand on their heads, sing songs, climb on top of wardrobes, dance jigs and so forth. We’ll know how to teach them all right, won’t we, old chap?”
“Not I, Bollup,” replied Ralph, determinedly.
“Why not? Good gracious, man! Aren’t you going to have a little fun and give the newcomer a few points on naval discipline, rocks, shoals, and hazards? We had our share of it and none of us is the worse for it; all plebes need a little good running and the new ones will feel slighted if they don’t get some; and besides the upper classmen will expect us to do it. That’s part of the Academy training; if we don’t start the new plebes right they’ll be too cheeky and fresh to live with. We’ve got to do it, old man, and you’ll have to do your share.” Bollup spoke earnestly.
“Your ideas are all right, Bollup, but I’m not going to do any running whatever,” remarked Ralph quietly.