West Point, you start your life all over again, and you stand on
nothing but your own merits. We don't know how much merit you
have, and we shan't know until you've gone through with your
plebe year and have proved whether you're a man or not. If we
find, a year from this coming summer, that you're a man, we'll
welcome you into the heartiest comradeship of all the corps.
Mister, I've said a lot more to you than most upper class men
would waste the time to say. Choose your own course, and prove
where you stand."

Then Cadet Lieutenant Edwards turned around to Cadet Prescott
with a look that made that Gridley boy feel rather uncomfortable.

"As for you, mister, never again, while you're a plebe, be so b.j.
(fresh) as to try a joke with an upper class man. If there's one thing,
mister, that gets a plebe into three times as much trouble as any
other thing, then it's b.j.-ety!" (freshness).

Of a sudden the cadet lieutenant returned to his feet, resuming all
the dignified demeanor of the cadet officer on duty.

Instantly Dick and Greg stood once more at "attention" until Mr.
Edwards had turned on his heel and left the room.

"Hm!" murmured Dick, as they heard the lieutenant's retreating
footsteps. "We've both had a jolly good lesson."

"You didn't do much," muttered Greg shamefacedly. "I wouldn't
feel so bad about a call down over a bit of ordinary b.j.-ety. I was
scorched and withered for being a cold-foot and a quitter--and I