was marching it back up the inclined road on the way to the summer
encampment. By that time, a sergeant and a squad of Engineer
privates---soldiers of the Regular Army---were busy taking care
of the pontoon boats and other bridge material.

Marching his men inside the encampment, Dick halted them.

"Detachment dismissed!" he called out.

There was a quick break for first and third class tents. These
young men were in field uniforms---sombreros, gray flannel shirts,
flannel trousers and leggings. Most of them were dripping with
perspiration under the hot August sun.

They were all hot and dusty, and their hands stained with tar.
Within a very few minutes every man in the detachment must be
washed irreproachably clean, without sign of perspiration. They
must be in uniforms of immaculate white duck trousers and gray
fatigue blouses, wearing cleanly polished shoes, and ready to
march to dinner.

A great deal to be accomplished in a few minutes by the average
American boy! Yet let one of these cadets be late at dinner formation,
without an unquestionably good excuse, and he must pay the penalty
in demerits. These demerits, according to their number, bring
loss of prized privileges.

Cadet Jordan, having done little, was among the first to be clean
and presentable. Immaculate, trim and trig he looked as he stepped
from his tent, but on his face lay a scowl that boded ill for his