"Oh, but I'm sorry I ever came to camp," groaned William Philander
Tubbs. "I'm so wet the water is actually running out of my shoetops!"
"Ton't said a vord," came from Hans. "I dink me I half a rifer floating mine packpone town alretty! Of dis keeps on much longer der whole camp vos in der schwim, ain't it!"
"I reckon we're in the swim already," broke in Sam. "Some of us had better bring the rowboats up."
The high wind lasted for fully half an hour and during that time six of the tents were literally blown to ribbons, while many others suffered to a lesser extent. A quarter of the shelters laid flat in the mud, and nothing could be done with these until the wind went down.
"It's the worst blow I have seen since we have held our encampments," was Captain Putnam's comment, and he and the teachers went around with lanterns to aid the students as much as they could.
By three o'clock in the morning the storm was over and the stars began to peep forth from behind the clouds. As tired as they were the cadets had to set to work to put up the tents and arrange their cots as best they could. Camp-fires were lit in half a dozen places and the students huddled around these to dry themselves and get warm.
"I guess this is a touch of real army life," said Dick. "And I must say
I don't like it overly much."
"We'll have to make the best of it, Dick," answered Tom, who had come over to see how his brother was getting along.
"How is Sam?"
"Oh, he's all right, although as wet as any of us."