“And we’ve got to look out for the tacs,” said Sam Leland, when the corporal had left them alone for a time. “They’re always showing up when you least expect them, and if they find a thing out of place in your room—fare thee well, gentle maiden!” and he sighed, and dropped wearily into a chair.
“Well, if I don’t get something to eat pretty soon, they won’t have any trouble with me, nor I with them,” observed Harry.
“Why?” asked Tom, curiously.
“I’ll drop dead from hunger—that’s why. I wonder if they’ll give me a funeral with full military honors in case I die on their hands?” he asked, whimsically.
“No such luck!” returned Tom, with a laugh. “But I think it must be time for dinner. It’s one o’clock and there goes a crowd of the cadets toward the dining hall.”
They looked from the window to observe the nattily dressed lads march along to stirring music. Presently came the summons the candidates were waiting for. In columns of twos they marched to the mess hall, entering last, and were given seats at a table some distance removed from that at which the yearlings, or cadets who had been at the Academy a year, were to eat.
The dinner was excellent, but there was no lingering over it. When the candidates had been marched back to their barracks Tom and his chums decided to put in some time at studying. Twice while they were at work a corporal came in to inspect their room, and each time they had to rise smartly, and stand at attention until he went out. No fault could be found with the lads themselves or their room, and at this the corporal seemed to be deeply disappointed.
Studying went on until parade time, which brought with it a rigid inspection of each candidate in person, from his collar to his shoes. Some were reprimanded for not being neat enough.
“Parade rest!” came the order after inspection, after which there boomed out on the evening air the sound of the retreat gun. Then followed a march to the mess hall for supper.
“And now for some more boning,” Tom observed with a sigh, when he and his three chums were in their room again.