CONCLUSION.
The yearlings were a merry party, about ten of them, and they were out
for fun and all the fun that could be had. They were going to make it
hot for certain B. J. plebes, and they meant to lose no time about it,
either. They crept up the company street, laughing and talking in
whispers, for fear they should arouse the tac. The sentries they did not
care about, of course, for the sentries were pledged to "look the other
way."
It was decided that the first thing to be done to those B. J. plebes was
to "yank 'em." Yanking is a West Point invention. It means that the
victim finds his blanket seized by one corner and torn from under him,
hurling him to the ground. Many a plebe's nightmares are punctuated with
just such periods as these.
It seems that a "yanking" was just what the four had prepared for. They
had prepared for it by huddling up in one corner and rigging dummies to
place in their beds. The dummies consisted of wash basins, buckets,
etc., and it was calculated that when these dummies were yanked they
would be far from dumb.
The yearlings stole up cautiously; they did not know they were watched.
The breathless plebes saw their shadows on the tent walls, and knew just
what was going on. They saw the figures line up at the back; they saw
half a dozen pairs of hands gently raise the canvas, and get a good firm
grip on the blankets. Then came a subdued "Now!" and then--well, things
began to happen after that!
The yearlings "yanked" with all the power of their arms. The blankets
gave way, and the result was a perfectly amazing clatter and crash. Have
you ever heard half a dozen able-bodied dishwashers working at once?
Naturally the wildest panic resulted among the attacking party. They did
not know what they had done, but they did know that they had done
something desperate, and that they wished they hadn't. As the sound
broke out on the still, night air they turned in alarm and made a wild
dash for their tents.
Two of them raced down the company street at top speed; both of them
suddenly struck an unexpected obstruction and were sent flying through
the air. It was a string; and at one end of it was the Texas
.44-caliber. The result was a bang that woke the camp with a jump. And
then there was fun for fair.
The sentries knew then that every one was awake, including the "tac,"
and that they might just as well, therefore, "give the alarm." All five
of them accordingly set up a wild shout for the corporal of the guard.
This brought the young officer and Lieutenant Allen on the scene in no
time. Also it brought from the land of dreams every cadet in the corps
who had managed to sleep through the former racket. And nearly all of
them rushed to their tent doors wondering what would happen next.
The seven meanwhile had been working like beavers. The instant the gun
had gone off Texas, who held the string, had yanked it in and stowed it
away with his other weapons, shaking with laughter in the meanwhile. The
others had gone to work with a will; pitcher, basin, bucket, everything,
had been hastily set in place; blankets had been relaid; and everything,
in short, was put in order again, so that by the time that Lieutenant
Allen got around to their tent--the officer had seized his lantern and
set out on a hasty round to discover the jokers--he found four "scared"
plebes, sitting up in beds, sleepily rubbing their eyes, and inquiring
in anxiety:
"What's the matter?"
He didn't tell them, for he hadn't the remotest idea himself. And nobody
told him; the yearlings couldn't have if they had wanted to.
Of course the lieutenant didn't care to stay awake all night,
fruitlessly asking questions; so he went to bed. The sentries resumed
their march, wondering meanwhile what on earth had led their classmates
to make so much rumpus, and speculating as to whether it could possibly
be true, what one cadet had suggested--that that wild and woolly Texan
had tried to shoot some one who had hazed him. The rest of the cadets
dropped off to sleep. And soon everybody was quiet again--that is,
except the Seven Devils.
The Seven Devils had only just begun. They lay and waited until things
were still, and then Mark gave the order, and the crowd rose as one man
and stole softly out into the street. This included even the trembling
Indian, who was muttering "Bless my soul!" at a great rate.
"I guess they're all asleep now," whispered Mark.
"What are you going to do?" inquired Indian.
"Yank 'em," responded Mark, briefly. "Come ahead."
Mark had seen that the yearlings came up boldly, which told him at once
that the sentries were "fixed," and he calculated that just at the
moment the moon being clouded, the sentries would not know yearlings
from plebes. The only danger was that Lieutenant Allen might still be
awake. It was risky, but then----
"Do you see Bull Harris' tent?" Mark whispered. "It is the sixth from
here. He and the Baby, with Vance and Murray, are in there. Now, then."
With trembling hearts the crowd crept down the street; this was their
first venture as lawbreakers. They stole up behind the tent just as the
yearlings had; they reached under the canvas and seized the blankets.
And then came a sudden haul--and confusion and muttered yells from the
inside, which told them that no dummies had been yanked this time.
The yearlings sprang up in wrath and gazed out; retreating footsteps and
muffled laughter were all that remained, and they went back to bed in
disgust. The plebes went, too, in high glee.
"And now," said Mark. "I guess we might as well go to sleep."
* * * * *
One does not like to leave this story without having a word to say about
what the corps thought of the whole thing next morning. The "tac," of
course, reported to his superior the night's alarm--"cause unknown," and
that was the end of the matter officially. But the yearlings--phew!
The class compared notes right after reveille; and no one talked about
anything else for the rest of that day. The cause of the rumpus made by
the blankets was soon guessed; the two who had set off the gun were
questioned, and that problem soon worked out also; that alone was bad
enough! But the amazement when Bull and his tentmates turned up and
declared that they--yearlings!--had been yanked, yes yanked, and by some
measly plebes at that, there is no possibility of describing the
indignation. Why, it meant that the class had been defied, that West
Point had been overturned, that the world was coming to an end,
and--what more could it possibly mean?
And through all the excitement the Seven just looked at each other--and
winked:
"B. B. J.!" they said: "Just watch us!"
"It was great, b'gee!" said Dewey. "Hurrah for the plebes!"
"Hurrah!" was the answer, in a shout. "Hurrah!"
THE END.
_THE CREAM OF JUVENILE FICTION_
THE BOYS' OWN LIBRARY
A Selection of the Best Books for Boys by the Most Popular Authors
The titles in this splendid juvenile series have been selected with
care, and as a result all the stories can be relied upon for their
excellence. They are bright and sparkling; not over-burdened with
lengthy descriptions, but brimful of adventure from the first page to
the last--in fact they are just the kind of yarns that appeal strongly
to the healthy boy who is fond of thrilling exploits and deeds of
heroism. Among the authors whose names are included in the Boys' Own
Library are Horatio Alger, Jr., Edward S. Ellis, James Otis, Capt. Ralph
Bonehill, Burt L. Standish, Gilbert Patten and Frank H. Converse.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE BOYS' OWN LIBRARY
All the books in this series are copyrighted, printed on good paper,
large type, illustrated, printed wrappers, handsome cloth covers stamped
in inks and gold--fifteen special cover designs.
_146 Titles--Price, per Volume, 75 cents_
For sale by all booksellers, or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price by
the publisher.
DAVID McKAY, 610 SO. WASHINGTON SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
HORATIO ALGER, Jr.
One of the best known and most popular writers. Good, clean, healthy
stories for the American Boy.
Adventures of a Telegraph Boy
Dean Dunham
Erie Train Boy, The
Five Hundred Dollar Check
From Canal Boy to President
From Farm Boy to Senator
Backwoods Boy, The
Mark Stanton
Ned Newton
New York Boy
Tom Brace
Tom Tracy
Walter Griffith
Young Acrobat
C. B. ASHLEY.
One of the best stories ever written on hunting, trapping and adventure
in the West, after the Custer Massacre.
Gilbert, the Boy Trapper
ANNIE ASHMORE.
A splendid story, recording the adventures of a boy with smugglers.
Smuggler's Cave, The
CAPT. RALPH BONEHILL.
Capt. Bonehill is in the very front rank as an author of boys' stories.
These are two of his best works.
Neka, the Boy Conjurer
Tour of the Zero Club
WALTER F. BRUNS.
An excellent story of adventure in the celebrated Sunk Lands of Missouri
and Kansas.
In the Sunk Lands
FRANK H. CONVERSE.
This writer has established a splendid reputation as a boys' author, and
although his books usually command $1.25 per volume, we offer the
following at a more popular price.
Gold of Flat Top Mountain
Happy-Go-Lucky Jack
Heir to a Million
In Search of An Unknown Race
In Southern Seas
Mystery of a Diamond
That Treasure
Voyage to the Gold Coast
HARRY COLLINGWOOD.
One of England's most successful writers of stories for boys. His best
story is
Pirate Island
GEORGE H. COOMER.
Two books we highly recommend. One is a splendid story of adventure at
sea, when American ships were in every port in the world, and the other
tells of adventures while the first railway in the Andes Mountains was
being built.
Boys in the Forecastle
Old Man of the Mountain
WILLIAM DALTON.
Three stories by one of the very greatest writers for boys. The stories
deal with boys' adventures in India, China and Abyssinia. These books
are strongly recommended for boys' reading, as they contain a large
amount of historical information.
Tiger Prince
War Tiger
White Elephant
EDWARD S. ELLIS.
These books are considered the best works this well-known writer ever
produced. No better reading for bright young Americans.
Arthur Helmuth
Check No. 2134
From Tent to White House
Perils of the Jungle
On the Trail of Geronimo
White Mustang
GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.
For the past fifty years Mr. Fenn has been writing books for boys and
popular fiction. His books are justly popular throughout the
English-speaking world. We publish the following select list of his
boys' books, which we consider the best he ever wrote.
Commodore Junk
Dingo Boys
Weathercock
Golden Magnet
Grand Chaco
ENSIGN CLARKE FITCH, U. S. N.
A graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and thoroughly
familiar with all naval matters. Mr. Fitch has devoted himself to
literature, and has written a series of books for boys that every young
American should read. His stories are full of very interesting
information about the navy, training ships, etc.
Bound for Annapolis
Clif, the Naval Cadet
Cruise of the Training Ship
From Port to Port
Strange Cruise, A
WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDON.
An author of world-wide popularity. Mr. Graydon is essentially a friend
of young people, and we offer herewith ten of his best works, wherein he
relates a great diversity of interesting adventures in various parts of
the world, combined with accurate historical data.
Butcher of Cawnpore, The
Camp in the Snow, The
Campaigning with Braddock
Cryptogram, The
From Lake to Wilderness
In Barracks and Wigwam
In Fort and Prison
Jungles and Traitors
Rajah's Fortress, The
White King of Africa, The
LIEUT. FREDERICK GARRISON, U. S. A.
Every American boy takes a keen interest in the affairs of West Point.
No more capable writer on this popular subject could be found than
Lieut. Garrison, who vividly describes the life, adventures and unique
incidents that have occurred in that great institution--in these famous
West Point stories.
Off for West Point
Cadet's Honor, A
On Guard
West Point Treasure, The
West Point Rivals, The
HEADON HILL.
The hunt for gold has always been a popular subject for consideration,
and Mr. Hill has added a splendid story on the subject in this romance
of the Klondyke.
Spectre Gold
HENRY HARRISON LEWIS.
Mr. Lewis is a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and has
written a great many books for boys. Among his best works are the
following titles--the subjects include a vast series of adventures in
all parts of the world. The historical data is correct, and they should
be read by all boys, for the excellent information they contain.
Centreboard Jim
King of the Island
Midshipman Merrill
Yankee Boys in Japan
Ensign Merrill
Sword and Pen
Valley of Mystery, The
LIEUT. LIONEL LOUNSBERRY.
A series of books embracing many adventures under our famous naval
commanders, and with our army during the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
Founded on sound history, these books are written for boys, with the
idea of combining pleasure with profit; to cultivate a fondness for
study--especially of what has been accomplished by our army and navy.
Cadet Kit Carey
Captain Carey
Kit Carey's Protege
Lieut. Carey's Luck
Out With Commodore Decatur
Randy, the Pilot
Tom Truxton's School Days
Tom Truxton's Ocean Trip
Treasure of the Golden Crater
Won at West Point
BROOKS McCORMICK.
Four splendid books of adventure on sea and land, by this well-known
writer for boys.
Giant Islanders, The
How He Won
Nature's Young Nobleman
Rival Battalions
WALTER MORRIS.
This charming story contains thirty-two chapters of just the sort of
school life that charms the boy readers.
Bob Porter at Lakeview Academy
STANLEY NORRIS.
Mr. Norris is without a rival as a writer of "Circus Stories" for boys.
These four books are full of thrilling adventures, but good, wholesome
reading for young Americans.
Phil, the Showman
Young Showman's Rivals, The
Young Showman's Pluck, The
Young Showman's Triumph
LIEUT. JAMES K. ORTON.
When a boy has read one of Lieut. Orton's books, it requires no urging
to induce him to read the others. Not a dull page in any of them.
Beach Boy Joe
Last Chance Mine
Secret Chart, The
Tom Havens with the White Squadron
JAMES OTIS.
Mr. Otis is known by nearly every American boy, and needs no
introduction here. The following copyrights are among his best:
Chased Through Norway
Inland Waterways
Reuben Green's Adventures at Yale
Unprovoked Mutiny
Wheeling for Fortune
GILBERT PATTEN.
Mr. Patten has had the distinction of having his books adopted by the
U. S. Government for all naval libraries on board our war ships. While
aiming to avoid the extravagant and sensational, the stories contain
enough thrilling incidents to please the lad who loves action and
adventure. In the Rockspur stories the description of their Baseball and
Football Games and other contests with rival clubs and teams make very
exciting and absorbing reading; and few boys with warm blood in their
veins, having once begun the perusal of one of these books, will
willingly lay it down till it is finished.
Boy Boomers
Boy Cattle King
Boy from the West
Don Kirke's Mine
Jud and Joe
Rockspur Nine, The
Rockspur Eleven, The
Rockspur Rivals, The
ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE.
Mr. Rathborne's stories for boys have the peculiar charm of dealing with
localities and conditions with which he is thoroughly familiar. The
scenes of these excellent stories are along the Florida coast and on the
western prairies.
Canoe and Camp Fire
Paddling Under Palmettos
Rival Canoe Boys
Sunset Ranch
Chums of the Prairie
Young Range Riders
Gulf Cruisers
Shifting Winds
ARTHUR SEWELL.
An American story by an American author. It relates how a Yankee boy
overcame many obstacles in school and out. Thoroughly interesting from
start to finish.
Gay Dashleigh's Academy Days
CAPT. DAVID SOUTHWICK.
An exceptionally good story of frontier life among the Indians in the
far West, during the early settlement period.
Jack Wheeler
The Famous Frank Merriwell Stories.
BURT L. STANDISH.
No modern series of tales for boys and youths has met with anything like
the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank Merriwell
Stories. There must be a reason for this and there is. Frank Merriwell,
as portrayed by the author, is a jolly whole-souled, honest, courageous
American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys. He has no bad
habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is not necessary
for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. Frank Merriwell's
example is a shining light for every ambitious lad to follow. Six
volumes now ready:
Frank Merriwell's School Days
Frank Merriwell's Chums
Frank Merriwell's Foes
Frank Merriwell's Trip West
Frank Merriwell Down South
Frank Merriwell's Bravery
Frank Merriwell's Hunting Tour
Frank Merriwell's Races
Frank Merriwell's Sports Afield
Frank Merriwell at Yale
VICTOR ST. CLAIR.
These books are full of good, clean adventure, thrilling enough to
please the full-blooded wide-awake boy, yet containing nothing to which
there can be any objection from those who are careful as to the kind of
books they put into the hands of the young.
Cast Away in the Jungle
Comrades Under Castro
For Home and Honor
Zip, the Acrobat
From Switch to Lever
Little Snap, the Post Boy
Zig-Zag, the Boy Conjurer
MATTHEW WHITE, JR.
Good, healthy, strong books for the American lad. No more interesting
books for the young appear on our lists.
Adventures of a Young Athlete
Eric Dane
Guy Hammersley
My Mysterious Fortune
Tour of a Private Car
Young Editor, The
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.
One of the most popular authors of boys' books. Here are three of his
best.
Mark Dale's Stage Venture
Young Bank Clerk, The
Young Bridge Tender, The
GAYLE WINTERTON.
This very interesting story relates the trials and triumphs of a Young
American Actor, including the solution of a very puzzling mystery.
Young Actor, The
ERNEST A. YOUNG.
This book is not a treatise on sports, as the title would indicate, but
relates a series of thrilling adventures among boy campers in the woods
of Maine.
Boats, Bats and Bicycles
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
Numerous errors in the original text involving missing or improper
quotation marks have been corrected. In addition, the following
typographical errors present in the original text have been corrected.
In Chapter I, a spurious paragraph break following "not compelling me to
use my voice much." was removed, "convey the challenge in behalf of the
class" was changed to "convey the challenge in behalf of the class",
"inquired Jaspar" was changed to "inquired Jasper", and "the presence of
this Cyashodhylloid fossil" was changed to "the presence of this
Cyathodhylloid fossil".
In Chapter VI, "the Shakesperian method" was changed to "the
Shakespearian method", and "trigometrical formulas" was changed to
"trigonometrical formulas".
In Chapter IX, "imminet peril" was changed to "imminent peril".
In Chapter XII, "Plantus" was changed to "Plautus".
In Chapter XVIII, "the seequipedalian Hellenic vocable" was changed to
"the sesquipedalian Hellenic vocable".
In Chapter XIX, "My name's Methusalem Zedediah Chilvers" was changed to
"My name's Methusalem Zebediah Chilvers".
In Chapter XXIII, "you have worked for your appointment, to" was changed
to "you have worked for your appointment, too".
In Chapter XXIV, a period was changed to a comma after "Good-afternoon,
Mr. Fischer".
In Chapter XXVII, "Gooh! but that boom" was changed to "Gosh! but that
boom".
In Chapter XXIX, "This came from Mr. Chauncey Van Rensalear
Mount-Bonsall" was changed to "This came from Mr. Chauncey Van
Rensallear Mount-Bonsall".
In Chapter XXXI, "tossed in a ten fly" was changed to "tossed in a tent
fly", and a semicolon was added after "air for water".
In the advertisements, "to cutivate a fondness for study" was changed to
"to cultivate a fondness for study", and "good, wholsome reading" was
changed to "good, wholesome reading".