“Thanks very much, fellows,” said the older cadets to Tom and his chums, as they disembarked. “You did us a good turn all right, and we shan’t forget it.”
The thanks were formal, and, as soon as expressed, the same cold and distant manner that always marked the difference between the plebes and the others was resumed. But Tom and his chums understood. They had made some lasting friends that day.
Clarence Hawkesbury, however, did not stop to thank those who had saved him from possible injury, if not death. As soon as the rowboat touched the dock he sneaked off, too mean to utter a decent word.
“Well, what do you think of that?” asked one of the upper classmen of another.
“I’d hate to tell you,” was the rejoinder. “This is the last time I’ll go out with that cad!”
“Same here!”
And so the little incident passed into history.
Now began a period of hard work for Tom and his chums. Following the Fourth of July they were assigned to guard duty for the first time. Some of the new cadets were on duty all night, and every half-hour the call had to be passed along, the number of the post being given, with the words:
“All’s well!”
It was as near to war conditions as the boys were likely to approach in some time.