Dick Prescottss Fourth Year at West Point

Dick Prescotts's Fourth Year at
West Point

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dick Prescotts's Fourth Year at West
Point
by H. Irving Hancock This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg
License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Dick Prescotts's Fourth Year at West Point Ready to Drop the
Gray for Shoulder Straps
Author: H. Irving Hancock
Release Date: July 3, 2004 [EBook #12807]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOURTH
YEAR AT WEST POINT ***

Produced by Jim Ludwig

DICK PRESCOTT'S FOURTH YEAR AT WEST POINT or Ready to
Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps
By H. Irving Hancock

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS
I. Dick Reports a Brother Cadet II. Jordan Reaches Out for Revenge III.
Catching a Man for Breach of "Con." IV. The Class Committee Calls V.
The Cadet "Silence" Falls VI. Trying to Explain to the Girls VII.
Jordan Meets Disaster VIII. Fate Serves Dick Her Meanest Trick IX.
The Class Takes Final Action X. Lieutenant Denton's Straight Talk XI.
The News from Franklin Field XII. Ready to Break the Camel's Back
XIII. The Figures in the Dark XIV. The Story Carried on the Wind XV.
The Class Meeting "Sizzles" XVI. Finding the Baseball Gait XVII.
Ready for the Army-Navy Game XVIII. Dan Dalzell's Crabtown Grin
XIX. When the Army Fans Winced XX. The Vivid Finish of the Game
XXI. A Cloud on Dick's Horizon XXII. Cadet Prescott Commands at
Squadron Drill XXIII. A West Pointer's Love Affair XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I
DICK REPORTS A BROTHER CADET
"Detachment halt!" commanded the engineer officer in charge.
Out on the North Dock at West Point the column of cadets had
marched, and now, at the word, came to an abrupt stop.
This detachment, made up of members of the first and third classes in
the United States Military Academy, was out on this August forenoon
for instruction in actual military engineering.
The task, which must be accomplished in a scant two hours, was to lay
a pontoon bridge across an indentation of the Hudson River, this
indentation being a few hundred feet across, and representing, in theory,
an unfordable river.
"Mr. Prescott!"
Cadet Richard Prescott, now a first classman, and captain of one of the
six cadet companies, stepped forward, saluting.

"You will build the bridge today, Mr. Prescott, continued the instructor,
Lieutenant Armstrong, Corps of Engineers, United States Army.
"Very good, sir," replied Dick.
With a second salute, which was returned, Prescott turned to divide his
command rapidly into smaller detachments.
It was work over which not a moment of time could be lost. All must
be done with the greatest possible despatch, and a real bridge was
called for---not a toy affair or a half-way experiment.
"Mr. Holmes," directed Prescott, "you will take charge of the boats. Mr.
Jordan, take charge of the balk carriers!"
A balk is a heavy timber, used, in this case, in the construction of the
pontoon.
Cadet Jordan, one of the biggest men, physically, in the first class,
scowled as he received this order for what was especially arduous duty.
"That's mean of you, Prescott," glowered Jordan.
"If you have any complaints to make, sir, make them to the instructor,"
return Cadet Captain Prescott, after a swift, astonished look at his
classmate.
"You know I can't do that," muttered Cadet Jordan. "But you-----"
"Silence, sir, and attend to your duty!"
Then, raising his voice to one of general command, Prescott called:
"Construct the bridge!"
Jordan fell back, with a surly face and a muttered imprecation, to take
command of the squad of yearlings, or third classman who must serve
in carrying the heavy balks.

In the meantime Dick's roommate, Greg Holmes, had hurried his squad
away to the flat-bottomed, square-ended pontoon boats, placing his
crews therein.
Almost instantly, it seemed, Greg had placed the first boat in position.
"Lay the balks!" ordered Dick Prescott.
Cadet Jordan moved forward with some of his yearlings, who carried
the heavy balks, or flooring timbers, on their shoulders. It was hot, hard
work---"thankless," as the young men often termed it in private.
These balks were laid across the first pontoon.
As quickly as the balks had been laid the detachment of lashers were at
work securing the balks in place.
"Shove off!"
The first was floated to the mooring stakes and a second boat was
moved into position.
"Chess!"
Another column of yearlings moved forward, each with a heavy plank
on his shoulder. It was heavy, hot, hard and dirty work. Outsiders who
imagine that the Military Academy is engaged in turning out
"uniformed dudes" should see this