hoped they should be good friends. The new recruit
was shown to his quarters, as his room was called, and Mr. Grant took
his leave.

Richard felt that he was alone with the future.

CHAPTER X.

RICHARD LEARNS THE MEANING OF RIGHT ABOUT FACE.

The apartment to which Richard was shown was called "Barrack B." There
were ten rooms of this kind, known by the first ten letters of the
alphabet, omitting J. Each barrack contained twenty narrow iron
bedsteads, and no two boys were allowed to occupy the same bed. At the
head of each barrack, there was an alcove large enough to contain the
bed of the assistant teacher, who had charge of the pupils in the room.
This apartment of the instructor was screened from the view of the boys
by a curtain, so that he could see without being seen, when he desired
to do so.

There was a small closet in the wall between every two beds, for the
use of the boys, and Richard was directed to transfer the contents of
his trunk to this receptacle, by Mr. Gault, the assistant teacher in
charge of Barrack B. Richard opened the trunk, and then sat down upon
the bed to wait until the instructor should retire, for he did not care
to exhibit his wardrobe to a stranger.

"Proceed, if you please," said Mr. Gault.

"I think I will do this business by myself," replied Richard.

"According to a rule of the Institute, the wardrobe of each pupil must
be inspected," said the teacher.

"Inspected?" asked the recruit. "What for?"

"To see that no improper articles are brought in."

"I would rather not," added Richard.

"The rule is imperative," said Mr. Gault, decidedly.

The strait jacket had already begun to oppress the male heir of
Woodville, and he was disposed to resent the indignity, as he deemed
it; but almost the last words of Bertha had been an injunction to
observe the rules of the school, however distasteful they might be.
Reluctantly, and with the feeling that he was sacrificing his
independence, Richard transferred his clothing to the closet assigned
to him. Mr. Gault carefully watched the proceeding, and confiscated
several articles which were declared to be contraband, among which were
some cakes and other sweetmeats, prepared by Bertha, and several
yellow-covered novels he had purchased in Whitestone.

"Can't I have those things?" asked Richard.

"No, sir; no boy belonging to the Institute is allowed to eat cake on
the premises."

"Why not?"

"We do not explain to boys t