And thus it happened that Member Number Five of the West Point "alliance" was discovered.
"I don't think this famous alliance is going to have much to do at the start," said Mark, as soon as Master Dewey had recovered from his excitement, "for I rather fancy the yearlings will leave us alone for a time."
"Bet cher life, b'gee!" assented the other. "If they don't look out they won't have time to be sorry."
"B'gee!" added Mark, smiling.
"Do I say that much?" inquired the other, with a laugh. "I suppose I must, because the fellows have nicknamed me 'B'gee.' I declare I'm not conscious of saying it. Do I?"
"Bet cher life, b'gee," responded Mark, whereupon his new acquaintance broke into one of his merry laughs.
"Let's go around to barracks," said Mark, finally—it was then just after breakfast time. "I expect they'll want me to report for drill. I thought I'd get off for the morning on the strength of my 'contusions,' as they call them. But the old surgeon was too sly for me. He patched me up in a jiffy."
"What was the matter with you?" inquired Dewey, dropping his smile.
"One eye's about half shut, as you see," responded Mark, "and then I had quite a little cut on the side of my head where Williams hit me once. Otherwise I am all right—only just a little rocky."
"As the sea captain remarked of the harbor, b'gee," added the other. "But tell me, how's Williams?"