“We’ve got to stay here or go to one of the summer hotels for fun,” said Reff Ritter. “I wanted to camp somewhere where we could get into town now and then on the sly, and play pool and billiards, and get something to drink.”
The field had been staked off into two long streets, one for Company A and the other for Company B. Between the two streets was an opening, and here were erected tents for Captain Putnam, George Strong, and likewise a shelter for Major Jack and another officer. At the end of the streets were the cooking quarters and also a big tent where mess could be served in wet weather. In dry weather the cadets got their food and ate it where they pleased.
The tents in the streets were erected with regularity. The ground sloped toward the lake, and ditches were dug around the canvases, to carry off the water when it rained, so that the tent floorings might remain dry. Each cadet had a cot upon which to sleep, and extra clothing was hung upon the tent-poles or kept in the suit-cases. In the very center of the encampment a tall pole had been erected and from this the Stars and Stripes were already floating.
“We ought to have the time of our lives here,” declared Andy. “No lessons to learn, and plenty of chances to go fishing and swimming.”
“If only the food is good,” came from Stuffer.
“Hard tack and black coffee after to-night,” answered Dale, with a wink at the others.
“Not much!” burst out the lad who loved to eat. “I want something better than that.”
“Well, maybe you’ll get horsefly soup some days—when the flies are thick,” said Pepper, consolingly.
“Huh! horsefly soup! Do you want to make me sick?”
“And ant cake,” added The Imp. “I know you love cake full of ants.”