"It, sir, is, sir, not, sir, my, sir, cot, sir."
"That has nothing to do with your orders. Turn down that mattress!"
Bert obeyed with great alacrity.
"Now, then, mister," ordered Yearling Judson, "get up on that mattress, and stand at attention upside down!"
It took Bert Dodge a few precious seconds to understand the full nature of the ignominious thing he had to do.
This was neither more nor less than to stand on his head on the mattress. He could rest his hands beside his head, at the outset, bracing his feet against the wall. So far it was not difficult. But—
"Don't you know the position of attention, mister!" demanded Cadet Pratt, with feigned anger. "Your hands should hang naturally at your sides, the little finger touching the seam of the trousers."
Now, in this inverted position the hands "hung" anything but "naturally" at the sides. In fact, Bert had to hold his hands up in the air in order to have the little fingers touch the seams of the trousers.
Standing on his head, in this fashion, without support, was something that taxed all of Mr. Dodge's athletic powers. He had to try over again, more than a half a dozen times, ere he achieved a decent performance of this gymnastic feat.
"Now, let us see how good a soldier you are, mister," commanded
Yearling Pratt, turning around upon Plebe Anstey.