“Say, this hits me just about right!” exclaimed Sam to Tom, as the two came back to their tent after dinner. “What do you say that we get a boat and go across the river to Garrison and feel as if we could call our souls our own for a while.”
“I’m with you, if it’ll be allowed,” said Tom. “Sure it’ll be allowed!” his chum asserted. “We’ll get Harry and Chad, hire a boat, and have a real lark for once.”
“Go as far as you like,” laughed Tom, “only I haven’t got much cash.”
“We don’t need much. I have plenty, as it happens—just by luck more than anything else,” he added quickly. For he was the son of a wealthy broker, and had much spending money. However, a “plebe” has little chance to spend money, so Tom was no worse off than any of his companions. In fact, in spite of what is said about the democracy of many colleges, it is only at West Point that the absolute lack of money makes no difference at all. Money is really not given a consideration. It is comradeship, worth, and brains that count.
Never since he had arrived had Tom, even for a moment, been made to feel that he was looked down on because of his poverty. And he had no doubt but that his lack of spending money was well known to all his companions.
“We’ll have a bang-up good time!” went on Sam. “All the ice cream and lemonade we want for once!”
Both he and Tom were very mild in their desire for pleasures, as were Harry and Chad. The two latter eagerly welcomed the chance to get away for a while from the daily grind, and the necessary permission having been secured, they went to hire the boat to row across the Hudson.
As yet Tom had had little opportunity to look at the many points of interest around West Point, with its Revolutionary associations, and the part it played in the treason of Arnold. He made up his mind that some day he would take the time to visit all these spots and see those which history had made famous.
The four chums started off together, bent on having a good time. Money rattled in the pockets of Sam, at least. As a matter of fact, cadets are not supposed to have any cash. Things they need are charged against their monthly salary, and should they desire a picture taken, or wish to buy some candy, they have to submit a permit credit for the necessary amount. Thus the real need of money is done away with. But of course every cadet is more or less surreptitiously supplied by his family, so that occasionally a bit of “boodle” may be purchased, that being the cadet term for all contraband eatables.
Our friends were not the only ones who went to the river for a row that pleasant Fourth of July. But only a few, including Tom and his three chums, went to Garrison.