"Then you will be in arrest, sir, till further orders!" said the
officer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was rather alarmed at this, for I fancied I might receive some severe
punishment for this breach of regulation.
Snipson was very angry with me, and accused me of carelessness in
pitching the jam to him, so on returning to my room he told me he would
give me an angle of forty-five as a punishment. As this angle of
forty-five was a very popular punishment in those days, we venture to
describe it with some detail.
The cadet to be thus treated stood to attention against the cupboards,
his arms rigid to his side, and he rigid from head to foot. He then
rested the back of his head against the cupboard and gradually moved his
feet out till he rested at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees with
the cupboards. The old cadet with a kick then kicked the neux's feet
outwards, and the victim came down heavily on his back.
Cadets upon whom this was practised were not uncommonly so much hurt
that they had to go to hospital for several days.
At every parade--and there were about six per day--Snipson and Holms had
to be brushed, and I was responsible if they were in the least dirty.
If the servant (for there was one servant to sixteen cadets) did not put
the washing-basins down soon enough, I had at once to do his work for
him. At the dinner I had occasionally to secure two large potatoes, and
carry these out without being seen by the officer on duty or the head of
the squad. These potatoes I had to conceal in my room, and then, when
evening came, to bake them under the grate for Snipson. If I forgot
salt I was sent down to the far end of Woolwich to buy a small quantity,
and the time allowed me for the journey was so limited that I soon
became a good runner.
Of an evening there were two candles in our room, and when Snipson
worked he would not allow me to be in the room, as he said seeing me
interrupted him, so I had either to wander about outside on parade or go
to the library, where I was almost certain to be called upon by some old
cadet to run messages for him, or to go to his room and do something, as
it was concluded I was idle, or would not be in the library.
About four nights a week I used to be sent for to some of the eight
rooms in the division to sing songs. Other neuxes were usually there
also, and were also called on to sing, make speeches or odes, or tell
stories, and if they did not acquit themselves to the satisfaction of
the old cadets, they became the targets for boots, brushes, and other
missiles.
This may be called the regular routine through which a fag had to pass
on first joining and for a year after his being at the Academy. To work
out of academy hours at any study was impossible; and, in fact, it was
considered "cool" for a neux to work in his room, so that there was an
advantage in taking into the Academy a more extended stock of knowledge
than was sufficient for passing only.
One of the great days of dread to the neux was Saturday afternoon. It
was usual then to grant leave, from Saturday at three to Sunday night,
to all cadets who could produce invitations; and as all who could do so
went away during that time, those who remained were in great request.
There were two reasons why a neux could not always get away: one was,
that he might not have a written invitation; the other was, that he had
been turned out to drill twice during the week, either by a cadet having
the rank of corporal, or by the officer on duty, for unsteadiness on
parade, or want of attention to drill.
The fagging required on Saturday afternoons was somewhat varied. Those
old cadets who were not on leave usually made up a party in one of the
rooms, and required something to eat and drink. To accomplish this it
was necessary to use great caution, for such feasts were against orders,
and to bring wine or spirits into the enclosure entailed, if discovered,
the gravest punishment.
The most successful manner in which the matter was accomplished was the
following:--
Two or three fags were sent out of an afternoon with cloaks on; one of
these returned with the others and carried two bottles concealed under
his cloak. Sometimes as many as six or seven cadets would be sent out,
and if any of these were met by an officer and examined, the chances
were against the one who had the wine being caught among so many.
Snipson sent me on these smuggling expeditions very frequently, and
threatened me with the most dire punishment if I ever divulged that he
had sent me. He assured me that it would only be by stupidity or
carelessness that I should be discovered, and so I must take the blame
myself.
I had been very successful in avoiding detection until the fifth time;
then, however, as I was coming round by the lodge with a bottle of
sherry in each hand, and my cloak on, I ran almost against the officer
on duty. I tried to slip one bottle under my arm and salute with the
other hand, but I did this so awkwardly that he told me to take off my
cloak. I did so, and of course was placed in arrest and the bottles
taken from me. An inquiry into the matter led to my receiving seven
days' arrest and a month's stoppage of leave, with a threat that if I
were again found guilty of a similar offence I should be rusticated.
From Snipson I received nothing but blame; he declared that it was my
own fault that I had been found out, and might consider myself lucky in
not getting a thrashing from him for having lost the wine for which he
had paid.
Some days after this event Snipson received what was called an
"inattentive return" in some of his studies; the result was, that he had
also seven days' arrest, with its attendant drill. This seemed to
utterly sour his temper, for he became a greater bully than ever, and
invented an amusement from which I was a sufferer. Being unable, in
consequence of his arrest, to leave his room, except for meals, drill,
and study in the regular academy hours, Snipson used to send for three
last-joined cadets, making, with myself, four. He would then ask
Timpson in from the opposite room and commence his amusement, which was
carried on as follows:--
Taking a seat about five feet from the angles of the table, he used to
provide himself with a towel, which he twisted up and tied at the end;
this end he wetted, so as to make it an excellent weapon for flipping.
The four last-joined cadets were then started to run round the table--
two in one direction, two in the opposite. When the cadets had to pass
one another there was a struggle between them as to which should be the
insider. The outsider of course got all the flips with the towel, so
there was a reason for the straggle for inside place.
Snipson described this amusement as such capital fun that several cadets
used to come in to see it; but Holms, who was never present, came in one
day and stopped it, saying it was bullying for no reason, and he would
not allow it; and I was consequently saved from this in Holms' room; but
when Snipson's arrest was over he used to take me to other rooms and
there practise the same amusement.
When one looks back through the long vista of years to those distant
days when one was a cadet, and remembers one's career there as a whole,
the reminiscences that come most prominently forward are the agreeable.
It seems that by some arrangement of nature the pleasant and agreeable
events of the past remain longer in our memory than do those that are
disagreeable. We can recall the many agreeable hours we passed with
this or that cadet, many of whom have long since fallen, fighting
gallantly before the enemy, or have sunk from disease in foreign
climates, where their duty called them to serve. Some few still remain,
most of whom have made their mark in the world, and whose names are now
known, not in the corps alone in which they serve, but to the world at
large, who note and remember the names of those who have distinguished
themselves in various ways.
We can recall, too, how there was a majority at the Academy who had a
high sense of honour and of military discipline, and who would willingly
have put down bullying had they not somewhat weakly felt that by doing
so they were putting themselves forward as "reformers,"--a prominence to
which they objected. Though there was an evil crying out for remedy,
yet there were good points even then at the Academy, that rendered it a
useful school for the soldier. He there learnt to rough it, and to bear
hardship, and too often injustice, without complaint. He learnt too the
importance of keeping his word and acting up to a promise--matters not
unusually neglected in the wide world. We believe that there is not a
case on record of a cadet having broken his word of honour, or of having
broken his arrest, which he was bound to keep on honour; and at the time
we write of, although if a cadet were tipsy (a rare occurrence) all
other cadets would try to screen him, yet, if a cadet had been known to
break his arrest or his word, every other cadet would have instantly
reported him, and used his utmost endeavours to obtain the most severe
punishment for the offence.
There seems in this condition a vast amount of inconsistency, but
inconsistency is the general characteristic of humanity, and is one of
its weakest points. We usually find the best men occasionally do the
worst things, the wisest men commit the most foolish acts, and the most
pious act like the most wicked; misers squander their money on worthless
objects, and the cautious become reckless.
There was great knowledge of character in the relater of the anecdote of
the Roman Catholic who was in prison for murdering his father, but who
was indignant at the idea of his being considered such a sinner as to
eat meat on "a fast day." Every day we see examples of the grocer who,
having ascertained from his assistant that he had mixed the sand with
the sugar, and the saw-dust with the coffee, directed him to come in to
prayers, and to mind he was attentive.
In former times it was not considered at all a dishonourable act to take
a knife belonging to another cadet and to appropriate this to oneself;
such an act was termed "smoutching," and was looked upon as rather a
smart thing. If, however, one cadet took from another cadet a sixpence,
or oven a penny, just as he had taken the knife, he would have instantly
been reported to the authorities as a thief.
To kick, thrash, or fag in any way a neux was considered by old cadets
only fair and according to rule; but the instant any neux was on leave,
from that instant he was free from fagging, and any old cadet who was
known to have fagged a neux who was on leave, even to the extent of
requesting to be brushed, would have been tried by his peers.
It was ten days after joining the Academy that I first obtained my
uniform, and I can recall even now the secret pride with which I first
put it on. I felt now that I really had commenced the career of a
soldier, and that I had gained an enviable position by passing my
examination. There seemed to come upon me a feeling of responsibility
as the coat came on me, and I made up my mind not to disgrace my cloth.
A boy at sixteen may well be pardoned for feeling that enthusiasm which
hardship and neglect sometimes cause to be extinguished in the breast of
a veteran.
Having, as I may term it, shaken down in my uniform, I asked Smart one
day if he would come down with me to Hostler's. The reason proposed for
this trip was to see one or two of our schoolfellows; but in my heart
the reason was to show myself off in uniform before those boys who had
looked down upon me when I was at Hostler's cram-school; and I also
suspect that the same reasons induced Smart to accompany me.
"We shall just find the boys going out," said Smart, "and it will be
great fun to see what they will say to you. What a sell it will be for
Tomkins and Hurst--your passing--for I hear, now so many have failed,
Hostler won't let them come up for a year, so you will be an old cadet
when they are second-half fellows, and will be able to fag them.
Walkwell declares it was your drawing that got you into the Academy, and
takes great credit to himself for having taught you."
We arrived at Mr Hostler's and entered the well-remembered playground,
where we found the boys assembling previous to an afternoon walk. We
were both welcomed with enthusiasm, whilst we were stared at as objects
of wonder and admiration. In those days the difference between a cadet
and a schoolboy was very great, and the cadet was looked up to as so far
above the schoolboy, that the latter scarcely liked to speak to the
former, for fear of meeting a rebuff. Cadets, too, very often cut their
old schoolfellows, as they could not speak to anything so low. Our
condescension in coming down to Hostler's was therefore fully
appreciated, whilst the reception I met from many of my old companions,
caused me to believe I had been most prejudiced as regards them. There
was Smith, who used to make faces at me, and who used to call me a
"Hampshire hog" and "Tomfool" when I was at Hostler's, now came with a
deprecating smile on his face and shook hands with me, whilst he
intimated he was awfully jolly that I had passed.
There was Bones, as we used to call him, Fraser's great chum, who hated
me after my victory over Fraser, and who used to spread false reports in
the school to my detriment, now came up with "Hullo, Shepard, old
fellow! You are a swell now! I'm so glad you're a cadet?"
As I stood surrounded by an admiring group of boys I heard the
well-known voice of Hostler, and somehow the old influence came over me,
and for an instant I had the fear of three cuts on the hand. Hostler
had seen us in the school-yard, and came down to speak to us, but I must
confess the style of his address entirely took me aback. Hostler was
too clever for me.
"Ah, Shepard," he said, shaking hands, "glad to see you! Well, so my
good groundwork of mathematics and Euclid passed you. I thought it
would. And I told Mr Rouse you only wanted a final polish, which I
hadn't time to give you here with so many boys on hand, to give you a
fair chance. Then, you see, the fact of your having been here was known
at the Academy, and no doubt that helped you on. I feel much flattered
at your having passed, for it shows my system is a sound one."
I was utterly taken aback at this speech of Hostler's after what had
happened; I almost expected he would have apologised to me for his
behaviour. I forgot he did not know I had overheard his conversation
with reference to my not being sent up, and I could almost swear that no
communication whatever had taken place between him and Mr Rouse.
Thinking I would make an awkward remark for him I said, "I'm sorry
Fraser and the others didn't pass."
"I never thought they would, Shepard," replied Hostler, who never moved
a muscle of his face as he uttered this lie. "Fraser was idle and
careless, and his friends would have him pushed on too rapidly, and so
he wasn't sound. I protested against this, but it was no use, so I
foolishly gave way."
Now it happened that Fraser had been four years at Mr Hostler's, and
had been over and over again the coarse that he had to be examined in;
and when I was at Hostler's he was held up to me as one of the most
promising boys, who was to bring honour to the establishment at which he
had been prepared, and who was considered very likely to pass at the
head of his batch.
"You must mind and work hard for your probationary," said Hostler.
"You'll find you've plenty to do; and it's no child's play, I can tell
you."
I thanked, him for his advice, and remarked that, having passed my first
examination, I hoped I should not break down at the next.
I only once again entered Mr Hostler's establishment from that day, but
the remembrance of the misery I endured there, of the false system of
teaching (or rather cramming, for he did not teach) he adopted in his
school, of the whalebone and cane arguments he used to convince boys of
the advantages of learning their Euclid, is still fresh in my memory;
and even now the worst nightmare I can suffer from, is that I am again a
boy at Hostler's, and have failed in my Euclid.
One of the greatest defects at the Academy in former times was the
impossibility of ever being alone. We were usually four in each
barrack-room; we were marched about by squads, divisions, or classes; we
dined, breakfasted, and had tea at squads; we were in classes from
thirty to forty for study. At night we could never be alone; the
snoring or turning of another cadet in the room disturbed one. Now
there are some natures so affected by external influences that they are
never thoroughly themselves unless they are entirely alone. Such
individuals are never known in their real characters, for before others
they are unconsciously actors. Men who appear idlers before the world,
mere loungers on society, are not unusually when alone the deepest
thinkers or the hardest workers; and to such, solitude is an essential.
To many, therefore, especially to those who wished to work hard, it was
a great drawback being penned up night and day with companions whose
tastes not unfrequently were anything but congenial.
In spite of the hard life I led at the Academy, and the amount of
fagging and bullying I had to go through, the time passed quickly; there
was a novelty in everything, which was very attractive. As I advanced
in my drill, and joined the squad of other "last-joined," there was a
secret pleasure in feeling I was a soldier, that a splendid career was
open before me if I could only manage to pass my examinations, and that
when I became an officer my career might be most favourable. I made but
little progress, however, in my studies; the hard work I had gone
through in order to pass, and the varied scenes and events I was daily
passing through, gave me a kind of mental indigestion, and I found it
very hard work to learn. Although I had passed into the Academy, I
could not get over the idea that it was to a certain extent a bit of
good luck that I had done so, and I believed I was somehow less gifted
with a capacity for learning mathematics than were other boys, and I
began to have doubts and fears whether I should pass my probationary
examination, especially considering the impossibility there was in
working out of academy hours.
I had, after the first two months, got accustomed, to a great extent, to
the fagging and bullying. Snipson still continued my greatest
tormentor, and had it not have been for him I should not have led so
hard a life as I did, for Holms was often very kind, and gave me hints
as to what I ought to do under various circumstances. He used also to
stop Snipson from bullying me whenever he found him doing so. I
consequently looked on Holms as a great friend, and should probably have
passed my half-year tolerably had not a circumstance happened which
considerably affected my comfort and deprived me of the society and
protection of Holms.
It happened that Snipson had great difficulty in getting out of the
second academy, as he was very bad in mathematics. In order, therefore,
that he might work of a night, he asked Holms if he would allow him to
keep up lights. I was not aware at the time I heard this request made
by Snipson, and agreed to by Holms, of the risk the latter ran of severe
punishment in case of detection; but as it was agreed to, that lights
were to be kept up, I was called upon to assist at the preparatory
arrangements.
Between the outside window and the room in which I lived there were iron
bars arranged in diamond-shape; between these and the window there was a
space of a few inches; between these bars a regimental cloak was
carefully drawn and so spread out that from the inside of the room no
ray of light could be seen coming through any little chink left by the
cloak not being properly arranged. To fill up this space in a
satisfactory manner four cloaks were required, which, having been placed
between the window and the bars, a careful inspection was made, and
matters being considered satisfactory, candles were lighted, the door
locked, and Snipson commenced his studies.
Holms had gone to bed soon after the cloaks were arranged, but Snipson
made me sit up, as he said he should require me to help take down the
cloaks when he was tired of working; so I sat up and tried to read, but
my eyes gradually closed, and more than once I fell asleep. Snipson,
however, took care to wake me by tapping me on the head with a book, and
thus we passed the time till about twelve o'clock.
It happened that, on the particular night in question, the officer on
duty had been dining at mess, and, on returning to his quarters in the
Academy, saw a slight speck of light coming from the window of our room,
where a flaw had occurred by one of the cloaks slightly slipping. On
coming close to the window he found that lights were being kept up, and
that he had discovered the delinquents. From the officers' quarters to
those of the cadets there was a passage which might be passed through of
a night. By this passage the officer entered the division, and came to
our door, which he tried, and found fastened.
The instant we heard a step approaching our room, Snipson put out the
lights, and commenced dragging down the cloaks. The officer, rapping
loudly at the door, and requesting to be admitted, Snipson was
wonderfully quick in getting down the cloaks, and then, dressed as he
was, jumped into bed, telling me to open the door.
Holms had slept soundly during the greater part of this disturbance, and
only woke as the knocking became more furious. Upon my opening the
door, the officer on duty entered with a dark lantern in his hand, and,
looking round the room, said, "Mr Holms, you have been keeping up
lights!"
"I am only just awake, sir," said Holms.
"Don't prevaricate, sir!" said the officer. "Look here; here's some
tallow on the cloth still warm! You'll be in arrest till further
orders, Mr Holms!"
As the officer was leaving, I felt inclined to say it was not Holms but
Snipson who had kept up the lights, but luckily I said nothing, for no
matter who had kept them up, Holms, as head of the room, was
responsible, and must bear the blame.
As soon as the officer left the room, Snipson said, "I'm awfully sorry,
Holms, but it's all the fault of that confounded young donkey, Shepard,
who could not have put the cloaks up properly.
"You'll get a licking for this to-morrow, Shepard, depend on it," said
Snipson.
"I'm safe to be smashed," said Holms, "for I was suspected last half of
keeping up lights, though they couldn't prove it; and it's a nuisance,
as this is my last half-year."
After a few minutes' conversation, both Holms and Snipson agreed it
couldn't be helped, and we all went to sleep.
At the mid-day parade on the following day an order was read out to the
effect that Mr Holms, having been found keeping up lights contrary to
orders, was reduced from the rank of corporal, and was removed to
another room, whilst gentleman cadet Brag was promoted to corporal and
was placed in charge of my room.
Brag was quite a different character from Holms. He was a very small
cadet, not so big as I was, though nearly two years my senior; he was
not clever, at least at examinations, and was very low down in his
batch, below even Snipson. He had a white, leathery face, with a most
disagreeable expression, nearly white hair, a bad figure, and awkward
legs and feet. Brag was generally unpopular, and was dreaded by the
last-joined cadets, as he delighted in bullying for bullying sake; and
as when he was a last-joined he had led a very hard life as a fag, he
seemed to think he had a long account to pay back upon those who were
now his juniors.
Brag came the same afternoon to take charge of my room, and I soon saw
that he and Snipson, being birds of a feather, got on well together;
they had one point on which they mutually agreed, viz, that I was the
slackest neux they had ever seen, and wanted keeping up to the mark.
In order that this, condition of keeping me up to the mark might be
obtained, Brag ordered me to start at seven o'clock the following
morning, and run down to Charlton's and see what o'clock it was by his
clock.
Now Charlton's happened to be at Green's-end, about one mile from the
Academy. As I had to go this mile and return, then to rewash and get
brushed and be on parade at a quarter to eight, it did not give me much
time for the performance. I started about seven on a drizzling morning,
and got as far as the barracks, when I saw a clock there which showed
ten minutes after seven. It suddenly occurred to me that I need not go
down to Charlton's to find out what o'clock it was, as I could find out
by the barrack clock, so, turning back, I came slowly to my room,
allowing about as much time as would have elapsed if I had gone all the
way to Charlton's.
"What! back again?" said Brag. "Well, what's the time?"
"Nearly a quarter past seven," I said.
"Was that the time by Charlton's clock?"
"About that," I replied.
"You're telling me a lie," said Brag. "You didn't go to Charlton's."
"I didn't go quite down," I answered, as I now felt what a mistake I had
made in not obeying the order literally.
"You've disobeyed orders, and you've told a lie," said Brag. "Now you
come here?"
I was now placed by Brag against the cupboards, and put into the
position of an "angle of forty-five," when he kicked my feet from under
me, and I fell heavily on my back, striking my head against the
cupboards as I came down.
"Up again!" shouted Brag, who seemed to warm to his work. "I'll teach
you what you get for telling me a cram, and disobeying orders."
Six times I was brought heavily to the ground, and on the last was
half-stunned by the blow my head received in the fall.
During this performance Snipson stood opposite, shouting with laughter,
and exclaiming, "Bravo, Brag! That's the way to serve him! Give it him
again!"
At length Brag seemed tired, and having informed me that I was to go
down every morning for a week to see what the time was, left me to
recover myself as best I could.
I was so shaken and hurt by my falls, that for some time I could not
stand, and sat on my bed trying to recover myself. As I sat there an
idea came into my head that such treatment as this, if carried out on
all the cadets who were last-joined, would drive them to desperation,
and that it might be possible to organise a mutiny against the authority
of the old cadets, used as it was in this brutal way.
Thinking over this idea of a strike, I began to count the numbers and
size of the first and second-half cadets, and to estimate the
probabilities of success. I soon saw, however, that there would be no
chance for the juniors; the power entrusted to the corporals of placing
any cadet in arrest on the plea of making a disturbance in academy, or
for being dirty on parade, was so great, and might be used so freely,
that such power alone would make the seniors all-powerful. After due
deliberation I decided it was better to endure the bullying, and
endeavour to stand it as quietly as possible.
Brag was an individual of an inventive turn of mind, and was much
pleased with anything original. He was highly amused with the
suggestion of Snipson about four neuxes running round the table, whilst
he and another cadet flipped them; but he was fond of a little gambling,
and so invented another amusement, of which I was one victim.
In former times the gymnasium and racket-court were on the east side of
the building, and were of small dimensions compared to the magnificent
building which now serves as a gymnasium at the Academy. The posts,
ropes, etc, for gymnastic exercises were out of doors, and between two
high posts was a stout rope, along which it was considered hard work to
pass hand over hand. Brag had thought of making this rope of use as a
means of producing excitement. His plan was as follows:--
A cadet (last-joined) was made to hold onto this rope with his hands,
and his back turned to Brag and another old cadet. Brag, armed with a
racket and some old balls, used then to strike a ball at the cadet, and
if he hit him he counted one. Alternate shots were taken, and sixpence
a shot was paid for each hit.
Brag was a capital shot, and I used to be "corked," as he termed it, by
him nearly every shot. The distance from the ground to the rope was
about twelve feet, so that when we dropped, as we were compelled to at
last, we came down rather heavily. As soon as one neux could hold on no
longer, another was substituted in his place, who had to pass through
the same ordeal. So contagious is bullying of this description, that in
two or three days at least twenty old cadets took part in it, and it is
difficult to say to what extent it might have been carried had not the
officer on duty, suspecting probably that something irregular was going
on, paid a visit to the gymnasium, and, seeing what was done, reported
the circumstance, on which a court of inquiry was ordered to assemble,
composed of officers connected with the Academy, whose duty it was to
find out whether any bullying had occurred.
The assembly of this court caused quite a sensation in the Academy, as
all the last-joined cadets were to be examined. The old cadets who had
taken part in this affair now entirely altered their behaviour to their
fags. Brag became quite civil to me, and hoped I wouldn't split on him.
He told me that he, when a neux, had to go through far worse things,
and that by-and-by I should be an old cadet and should have the
privilege of fagging; that of course he didn't mean to hurt me, and
hoped he hadn't done so, and finished by asking me not to say anything
that would get him into a scrape.
Snipson was even more anxious to persuade me that it was all a joke, and
that it was absurd to make such a fuss about a mere trifle. In his day
a neux had, he said, to go through far more, and it did them all good;
he himself was a deal better for having the conceit taken out of him.
He advised me to be very careful what I said before the court, for if,
through anything I said, an old cadet got rusticated or into a scrape, I
should lead such a life, he assured me, that I should wish myself a
galley-slave instead of a cadet.
I had instantly made up my mind that I would say nothing to criminate
any one. I hoped that by such a line of conduct I should show both Brag
and Snipson that I could be generous. I hated them both, for I soon
discovered they were very bad specimens of the old cadet, and that I was
unlucky in having two such in my room. Some of the last-joined cadets
told me they were not bullied at all, and the head of their room would
not allow any other cadet to fag them, and, to prevent them from being
fagged, gave them permission to say they were wanted by the head of
their room, for "the instant another cadet tries to fag you, then you
come to my room."
On Saturdays and Sundays I usually went on leave, my father having
written to several London friends telling them of my being a cadet at
Woolwich. This leave was a great boon; it broke the monotony of the
week, freed me from Brag and Snipson for about thirty hours, and gave me
new ideas. At the Academy I was but a neux, and led a hard life of it;
but when I visited my friends I found that a gentleman cadet was thought
a great deal of, and I was considered to be remarkably clever in having
passed into the Academy--my friends knowing many lads who were supposed
clever, but who had failed at their examinations for Woolwich. These
visits did me much good. I looked forward to them from week to week,
and they tended to keep my mental balance straight; for as we when young
judge often of ourselves by the estimate others form of us, so I had
almost decided that I was most stupid, thoughtless, and careless, in
consequence of Snipson always impressing upon me that I was so.
It not unfrequently happened, however, that I was turned out to extra
drill twice during the week for some offences or other, usually for not
being properly brushed on parade. It was my business to brush Brag and
Snipson, and then Snipson ought to have brushed me. Often he avoided
this, and said he "hadn't time." My only chance then was to take off my
coat and brash it myself. If the time was limited I then could not get
my coat on and get on parade quick enough to avoid being considered
"slack in turning out;" for if a neux was not on parade by the time the
bugle finished sounding, then he was usually turned out to drill to make
him smarter.
Two drills stopped one's leave, and I then had the discomfort of
remaining at the Academy on Saturday and Sunday. The season of the year
then did not admit of the Sunday march past on the barrack-field. The
scene I had witnessed when at Hostler's, however, was still fresh in my
memory, and I looked forward to the time when I should march past as I
had seen others do.
If Brag and Snipson were not on leave, I passed a Saturday and Sunday of
utter misery. They used to bully me during the whole time. If they
were on leave and I was seen about the Academy grounds, I was sure to be
seized upon by some old cadet, whose neux was on leave, and who would
fag me during the two days. If I remained in my room I was pretty sure
to be found, and ordered off to another division, to supply the place of
a neux on leave.
At length I adopted a plan by which I managed to escape the afternoon
fagging on Saturday, and then usually managed to get a walk on Sunday
afternoons.
As soon as Snipson and Brag had gone on leave I used to take off my
coat, get a book, and creep behind my bed, which was doubled up so as to
give sufficient space for me to sit there. Having arranged the curtains
so as to show no indication of disturbance, I could enjoy a quiet read
without the momentary fear that every footstep I heard would be that of
an old cadet running to order me off to his room, or on some message.
The very first afternoon I tried this plan I found its value. I was
snugly concealed when I heard some old cadet ask one of the corporals of
my division if there were any neuxes there not on leave.
"Shepard is not," said the cadet.
"All right?" replied the other. "I want to send him to the `Red Lion'
for some lush. Shepard!" he shouted outside my window.
I remained perfectly quiet, hoping that my concealment was secure. The
cadet then came round to my room, and, opening the door, evidently
looked round the room. I was quiet as a mouse, but was in great fear
that I might be discovered, and if I had I should have received heavy
punishment.
"He's not here," said the cadet; "perhaps he's in the back yard."
My name was again shouted, but I did not answer; so the old cadet left,
and I heard him say on leaving, "I suppose he's fagging over at the
`Towers.'"
By this artifice I managed to escape much of the fagging on Saturday
afternoons, and had several hours' quiet, during which I could read or
think as I liked. Unfortunately, however, I in a weak moment confided
to another last-joined cadet the plan I practised in order to avoid
being fagged on Saturdays. I told him of my plan, because he was rarely
on leave, and used to lead a very hard life of it on those days. By
some means or other he was found out. I believe his boots were seen
protruding from the bed, as he was a very long neux, and he received a
severe thrashing for not answering when called. This discovery led the
old cadets who wanted a fag on Saturdays to look behind the beds for
concealed last-joined, and I became a victim. It happened thus:--
An old cadet, named Lakeman, in my division wanted a fag, and having
noted that I was not read out as on leave, came to my room about five
o'clock on one Saturday, and called me. I remained quite quiet, hoping
not to be discovered, for I had not then heard of the discovery that had
been made of the last-joined behind his bed. Suddenly the curtains of
my bed were pulled aside, and the foot of the bed let down, when I
rolled over on the bed fully exposed to view.
"Now come to my room," said Lakeman, "and get a licking! This is the
way you shirk, is it?"
I knew it was of no use making any excuses, I was found out; and so I
went quietly to Lakeman's room, received a thrashing with a racket, and
was kept fagging till Sunday evening, when Brag and Snipson returned.
Lakeman informed them both of his having found me shirking, and I
discovered that I had at once established a bad reputation, and was a
mark for all old cadets to fire off their anger upon.
The time was now coming for the half-yearly examinations, and the first
class of cadets were working very hard--a condition which rendered the
life of a fag somewhat easier, for the old cadets, instead of amusing
themselves by bullying, used out of study to work in their rooms at
mathematics and fortification. It was now a matter of frequent
occurrence for lights to be kept up in various rooms in order that the
cadets who were either trying for Engineers, or had doubts about getting
into the "batch," might work after hours. There was great risk in this
keeping up lights; and Brag, who did not want to work, would not let
Snipson keep up lights in his room. This made Snipson very angry, but
Brag was decided about it, not on principle, but because the situation
of his room was such as to make detection easy. At this crisis I
obtained for myself considerable reputation for inventing a means by
which Snipson could work of a night, and yet stand no chance of being
found out keeping up lights. The plan was this:--
Some small squat wax lights, used by nurses to "watch baby," were
procured. These were not more than an inch high, and by themselves gave
very little light. One of these being lighted was placed at the far end
of the large water-can which was used in our room. The inside of this
can, being very shiny, reflected the light and increased its power. The
can was laid horizontally and in the bed, and was covered over by wet
towels, so that it did not get too hot. By turning the can occasionally
also, the wax burner shifted its position, and heated another part of
the can. By placing a book at the mouth of the can, any one in bed
could read easily.
Having explained this method to Snipson, he got Brag to consent to his
adopting it, and he could then read for an hour or two every night.
The safety of the plan was once fully shown, for the officer on duty
once took it into his head to come round the rooms about eleven at
night, and came very quickly to our room. Snipson had not time to put
out the light, so he covered the bedclothes over the mouth of the can,
stuck up his knees so as to conceal the shape of it, and lay quite
still. The officer turned his dark lantern onto him, gave a good look,
and walked out, not the slightest indication of a light being visible.
By this means Snipson was enabled to read at night without much risk,
and he complimented me by telling me, after all, I was not such a fool
as I looked!
In my own case I could not study by night, as I was not allowed to keep
up lights. Such a proceeding would have been considered "cool," and
would have entailed a thrashing. I did not, however, feel disposed to
work. I had so much anxiety to avoid my daily thrashing, or extra
drill, or kicks, for various things, that actual progress in my studies
seemed by comparison a very trifling matter. I hoped I should pull
throughout did not think much about it.