Once the delicious thrill of excitement following the receipt of the congressman’s letter was over, Tom and his mother began to consider ways and means. It would mean a change for them if Tom was to live permanently at West Point for four years. There was much to be done to get ready. But Tom, in the flush of his first success, made little of these preparations.
“We’ll manage—somehow,” said Mrs. Taylor, cheerfully.
CHAPTER V
AN ATTACK
A few days after Tom had received the letter from Congressman Hutton, our hero was further elated to get another missive through the mail. This came in a long official-looking envelope. It bore the imprint of the Secretary of War’s office, and came through the post office without bearing a stamp, which fact further gave Tom an idea of the importance he was beginning to assume.
“Though of course Clarence got one like it, too, I suppose,” he thought. “Well, I can’t have everything to myself.”
The letter from the Secretary of War, signed with his own name, much to Tom’s delight, formally notified our hero of his appointment, and directed him to report on a certain date, about the middle of June, at West Point for further examination.
“And now,” decided Tom, after he had shown the secretary’s letter to his mother and to many admiring friends, “I’m going to buckle down to hard work. I’ve just got to pass those exams!”
Tom had little doubt as to the result of the physical tests. He was in fine condition; he had lived a manly, clean life.
He played baseball and football in season, he was a good runner, jumper and swimmer. In short, he was an average, healthful American lad—a good all-around athlete, though no phenomenon in any one branch of sport.
He had been quickly passed by the first doctors who examined him, and though he realized that the physical tests at West Point would be more severe, he was not worrying on that score.