In accordance with the custom, recommended by the authorities, this date was so arranged that the appointment would occur one year before the time of the application of the candidate at West Point. Young Decker, by a little figuring, discovered that, if he should be the successful contestant, he would attain the required age just one week before taking his eventful journey up the Hudson, to learn whether Uncle Sam would pronounce him qualified to become one of his future generals and leaders of his armies.
And now let us pass over the intervening years to the day fixed for the test of scholarship and ability. Mr. Bryton had been selected by Congressman Willard to pass upon the merits of the thirty odd candidates who presented themselves on the decisive day. The honorable gentleman himself was present, and expressed his pleasure as he looked into the faces of the boys, who were mostly alert and fully alive to the task before them.
To his eye James Decker was the brightest and must promising of all. Looking down from the platform, he caught his eye and smiled encouragingly. James was tall, handsome, and manly. His frame had expanded and hardened a good deal in the intervening years, for he was one of those boys who possessed a healthy mind in a healthy body.
He was the captain of the leading baseball club and its best player. He had become that which his teacher dreaded, full back on a football eleven, but he never indulged in “slugging,” or received any serious injury. He was a good runner and swimmer, and, when Buck Kennon looked at him, he thought that he would as soon tackle a full-grown grizzly bear as engage him in a test of physical ability. Conditions had greatly changed in the few years since that first collision of the lads.
“Of course,” remarked Mr. Willard to Teacher Bryton, “I wish this to be a competitive examination and, therefore, to be perfectly impartial, but—that is—I am very hopeful that—or—James may be successful.”
“He has every chance in his favor,” replied the examiner, with a quiet smile at the earnestness of the gentleman.
“He has maintained the high standard he showed when I first made his acquaintance?”
“Fully so; there is no boy in the school that is his equal.”
“I would have no anxiety if it was confined to this school, but you know it takes in my whole congressional district. More than half these boys are from outside Burkville, and there’s no saying what will be the result; there may be one or two prodigies among them.”