the fourth of july was looked forward to by all the cadets, the plebes no less than the upper classmen. to all it meant a day when most of the duties were suspended, and to the “plebes” it marked the time when some of them, for the first time, would be chosen to go on guard. not all the plebes would be selected for this, but tom learned that he and sam would be. harry and chad had to wait a while for the coveted honor.
on the morning of independence day, following an old-time custom, the west point band marched through the streets of tents at reveille. after this all duties were suspended for the day. a patriotic concert was given in the morning, with the firing of a national salute at noon, and then came an extra good dinner served in honor of the occasion.
few and far between were the privileges accorded the plebes, those most lowly of the west pointers. but in some manner, on this independence day, unusual permission was given to the[pg 98] lowest division of cadets to go, with certain restrictions, where they pleased in the afternoon, provided they were back by a certain hour.
“say, this hits me just about right!” exclaimed sam to tom, as the two came back to their tent after dinner. “what do you say that we get a boat and go across the river to garrison and feel as if we could call our souls our own for a while.”
“i’m with you, if it’ll be allowed,” said tom. “sure it’ll be allowed!” his chum asserted. “we’ll get harry and chad, hire a boat, and have a real lark for once.”
“go as far as you like,” laughed tom, “only i haven’t got much cash.”
“we don’t need much. i have plenty, as it happens—just by luck more than anything else,” he added quickly. for he was the son of a wealthy broker, and had much spending money. however, a “plebe” has little chance to spend money, so tom was no worse off than any of his companions. in fact, in spite of what is said about the democracy of many colleges, it is only at west point that the absolute lack of money makes no difference at all. money is really not given a consideration. it is comradeship, worth, and brains that count.
never since he had arrived had tom, even for a moment, been made to feel that he was looked down on because of his poverty. and he had no[pg 99] doubt but that his lack of spending money was well known to all his companions.
“we’ll have a bang-up good time!” went on sam. “all the ice cream and lemonade we want for once!”
both he and tom were very mild in their desire for pleasures, as were harry and chad. the two latter eagerly welcomed the chance to get away for a while from the daily grind, and the necessary permission having been secured, they went to hire the boat to row across the hudson.
as yet tom had had little opportunity to look at the many points of interest around west point, with its revolutionary associations, and the part it played in the treason of arnold. he made up his mind that some day he would take the time to visit all these spots and see those which history had made famous.
the four chums started off together, bent on having a good time. money rattled in the pockets of sam, at least. as a matter of fact, cadets are not supposed to have any cash. things they need are charged against their monthly salary, and should they desire a picture taken, or wish to buy some candy, they have to submit a permit credit for the necessary amount. thus the real need of money is done away with. but of course every cadet is more or less surreptitiously supplied by his family, so that occasionally a bit of[pg 100] “boodle” may be purchased, that being the cadet term for all contraband eatables.
our friends were not the only ones who went to the river for a row that pleasant fourth of july. but only a few, including tom and his three chums, went to garrison.
how they enjoyed the delights of doing, in a measure, as they pleased, without having to march along as stiff as ramrods, without having some corporal yell “more yet” in their ears, meaning thereby to straighten up more yet, or draw in their chins more yet—how they enjoyed the delights of this freedom may easily be imagined.
they laughed and joked, made fun of each other and their fellow cadets, talked as familiarly as they liked of their superior officers, from the “supe,” as the superintendent of the academy and the highest official is known, down to the “com,” or commandant of cadets.
it was all pure joy and delight—at least for a time.
reaching garrison the boys tied up their boat and made their way through the streets of the town. they met several other cadets—upper classmen, but the latter took no notice of the “plebes” nor did the latter dare so much as look at the “superior beings.” such has custom decreed.
“this looks like a good place to go in and[pg 101] have a feed of ice cream,” suggested sam, as they passed a place where tables were set in the open air under some trees and vines growing over a pergola.
“go to it,” advised tom. “i’m hot and dry.”
they marched in and gave their orders, noticing as they did so that the ice cream garden joined one attached to a cafe, where something stronger than water and grape juice was sold.
somewhat to the surprise of tom and his chums they saw several older cadets in this other summer garden, sitting about tables drinking and smoking.
“they’re hitting the pace,” murmured harry.
“yes, but don’t let them see us looking at them,” advised tom. “it won’t do, you know.”
the “plebes” knew their places well.
the four friends were enjoying their cream, and wondering what next they could do to help pass the day, when tom, whose back was toward the cafe garden, heard his name spoken loudly.
“sit down!” some one exclaimed.
tom looked around and saw clarence hawkesbury at a table where sat some upper classmen.
clarence seemed a bit unsteady on his feet. his face was flushed and he pointed a wavering finger at tom.
“there he is!” he said. “there’s the fellow who did me out of my trick at west point. if it[pg 102] wasn’t for him i’d be with you now—with you, my friends,” and he waved his hand to include the older cadets.
“sit down!” some of them advised him. others laughed. they were all rather noisy and hilarious.
“i—i’ll fix him,” clarence continued.
young hawkesbury strode over toward tom’s table.
“he’s coming,” said sam in a low voice. “want to duck out?”
“i did not!” exclaimed tom.
“that’s right—stick! we’re with you!” chad said.
“i’ll fix him!” clarence muttered.
“oh, come on back! sit down! don’t be foolish!” his friends advised him. but clarence was hot-headed just then. unsteadily, he strode over to tom’s chair. by this time tom had arisen, for there was a foreboding look of anger on the face of his enemy.
“there! that’s one i owe you!” clarence exclaimed. he aimed a blow at tom. it only fell lightly, but tom was not one to take a blow like that and not reply.
the next instant his fist shot out, met the chin of clarence squarely with a resounding crack, and the insulting youth fell backward on the grass, lying prone.
