2nd. Private Mortimer Marshall, 18 years old, Green Springs’ testing grounds.
3rd. Sergeant S. A. McLean, 37 years old, Fort Meyer.
4th. P. S. Bloom, 29 years old, Fort Meyer.
As the men filed out of the room Major Squiers detained Morey a moment.
“I’m rather glad, my son, you were not first.”
“But, I’m second,” proudly replied the boy. “I’ll show you that Lieutenant Purcell is a good teacher.”
“By the way,” added his superior, “don’t believe that your father’s project has been buried. It has reached the engineering department. Unofficially I hear that it has made a sensation. That is, it has started a hot dispute. That looks good, doesn’t it?”
“It doesn’t look as good to me as this,” said Morey, holding up his little square of cardboard numbered ‘2.’ “I hope it is of use and is worth something, but I wouldn’t trade my chance here for all the money it may bring.”
“How is that?” inquired Major Squiers, puzzled.
“Because I want to do something myself.”