members of his squad in the area right now," declared Dick.

"Then why does he persecute us so?" demanded Greg indignantly.

"I don't believe it is persecution," Dick continued.

"Then why, in the name of all that's kindly, does that fellow put us
under the heel of hateful usage? Why must we submit to the
tyranny of that cadet corporal?"

"It's the West Point way--that's all, I guess."

"Do you propose to submit to it?" challenged Greg.

"Yes," retorted Dick soberly. "I don't want to have to leave the
Academy and go home stamped a failure."

"Neither do I," admitted Candidate Holmes in a more moderate
tone. "But I wonder whether we have to stand so much nonsense
from a petty young official like a mere corporal?"

"I'm afraid we do," nodded Dick. "Now, see here, Greg, can't you
make a good guess as to why we're put through such a grilling?"

"I'll confess I can't see any human reason in it," declared Candidate
Holmes.

"Why, what did we come here to learn to be?"

"Soldiers."