Dick Prescotts First Year at West Point | Page 5

a few moments. Every candidate in the room
looked at him inquiringly.
"Yes, gentlemen; I'm very happy to say that I passed," nodded Danvers,
as he sprang across the room and began to don his clothes once niore.
"Mr. Geroldstone!" called the orderly, and the big candidate went in.
An anxious twenty minutes passed-anxious alike for Geroldstone and
for those who still dangled on tenterhooks in the outer room.
At last the candidate under fire came out, a sickly grin on his face.
Though the others looked at him curiously, not a word did Geroldstone
offer.
"The big fellow has failed; I'll bet," muttered Greg Holmes. "I'm sorry
for him, poor fellow."
Still another candidate was now undergoing the ordeal inside. When he
came out, nodding contentedly, the summons sounded:
"Mr. Prescott!"
"Brace up, Dick! You're all right," whispered Greg, with an affectionate
pat on the shoulder as young Prescott rose, and, wrapping the blanket
nervously around him, went through the doorway.
The same young medical officer, Lieutenant Herman, was in the other
room. With him was an older medical officer, Captain Goodwin.
"Drop your blanket on that chair," nodded Lieutenant Herman. "Now,
step over to the scales."

Dick's weight, stripped, was taken, as well as his height. These points
Lieutenant Herman jotted down as Captain Goodwin called them off.
"Now, let me listen to your heart," directed the senior medical officer,
picking up a stethoscope from his desk. The heart beat and sounds were
examined from several points.
"Come here, Mr. Prescott," directed Captain Goodwin, opening another
door and revealing a flight of stairs. "Run up these stairs and back, as
fast as you can."
As Dick halted, after that feat, his heart action was again examined, this
time by both surgeons. After that his lungs were examined. Then he
was directed to lie on a table, while the areas over his other organs were
thumped and listened to. Then the candidate was examined for
deformities. He was ordered to march around the room, to run, to jump
over a low stool, and perform other antics.
Then the two surgeons conferred briefly at the desk.
"You'll do, Mr. Prescott," announced Captain Goodwin.
"Thank you, sir, stammered Dick, the flush of happiness coming to his
cheeks.
"You've taken part in school athletics, haven't you?" asked Lieutenant
Herman.
"Yes, sir; captain of our football team last fall."
"You look it," nodded Lieutenant Herman pleasantly. "Take your
blanket, Mr. Prescott. Orderly, call the next man."
As Dick strode back where he had left the others he heard the orderly
call:
"Mr. Holmes."
"Go to it, old man. There's nothing to be afraid of," whispered Dick

Prescott.
"They got through with you in mighty quick time," smiled one of the
other candidates.
"Did they?" laughed Prescott. "It seemed to me as though the surgeons
started yesterday and finished to-morrow."
Mr. Geroldstone had finished dressing and sat by, a sulky look on his
face. He wanted to go back to cadet store, get his money and leave
West Point instantly. But the orderly had told him he would have to.
wait until a report had been made out to the adjutant.
To Dick the minutes dragged until Greg Holmes appeared again. Truth
to tell, Greg was much afraid that he had a slight trouble with his heart,
and that this difficulty would hinder his passing. Dick, who was aware
of his chum's dread, was anxious for Holmes. As soon as he had
finished dressing he found himself pacing the floor.
It was quite a while ere Greg came out, but his quiet, happy smile told
the story.
"Did they ask you questions about your heart?" asked Prescott in an
undertone.
"Yes," admitted Greg, while he dropped his blanket and began hastily
pulling on his clothes.
"You told the truth, didn't you ?"
"Of course, I did," flushed Greg. "If I hadn't told the truth I wouldn't be
fit to be an Army officer. But Captain Goodwin laughed at me."
"Then he didn't find anything much wrong with your heart!"
"He said he guessed I had had some discomfort at times, but that, if I
would eat more slowly, and chew my food better, my stomach would
get a rest and stop shoving my heart."

"Oh! Is that all that has been ailing you?" smiled Dick.
"According to Captain Goodwin it's enough. He says my trouble started
only recently, and that I can be over the last sign of it in three days if
I'll take up with decent eating habits. But he has known boys he has had
to reject because they had been at bad eating tricks for a longer time.
You can bet I'm going to follow the surgeon's advice after this."
Four out of this squad of candidates were rejected by the examining
surgeons.