r and
over again, and write the answers to long lists of questions.

"It has given me great pleasure to conduct this examination," he said,
on the day following. "It shows that the average in military knowledge
is much higher than it was last term. The following are the pupils who
have passed, given in the order of merit." And then he read the list of
names. Lew Flapp came first, Dick Rover next, Larry Colby third, George
Granbury fourth, and the others, including Tom and Fred Garrison,
followed. Neither William Philander Tubbs nor Hans Mueller were
mentioned.

"I dink me dere vos a mistake py dot," said the German boy. "Or else I
vos know so much der captain didn't vont nobody to know apout it," and
this raised a laugh.

"It's an outrage!" declared Tubbs. "An outrage! I shall request my
parents to withdraw me from the institution." And he wrote a letter
home that very night. But his parents refused to grant his request.
Probably they knew of his shortcomings, and thought a few terms at
Putnam Hall would do him good.

Lew Flapp was much pleased over the fact that he headed the list of
those who had passed, and nobody could blame him for this. But he
immediately made himself more obnoxious than ever by going around among
the cadets and declaring that he was the only one to be elected to the
office of major.

"It's mine by right," he said. "It wouldn't be fair to elect anybody
else."

"But Dick Rover and Larry Colby stand almost as high," said one of the
cadets. "Captain Putnam said your average was 96 per cent., while
Rover's average was 95 per cent., and Larry Colby's was 94 per cent. A
difference of one or two per cent. out of a possible hundred isn't
much."

"I don't care," retorted Lew Flapp, "I ought to be elected major, and
that is all there is to it."

When Dick was approached he had but little to say.

"I didn't expect to stand so high," he declared. "I don't know that I
care to be made major. If I get to be a captain or a first lieutenant I
shall be well content. You know I was a second lieutenant once."

"My percentage is more than I expected," said Larry. "I really didn't
think I was so well up in military matters. Now, if the boys want me
for an officer I'll take whatever they give me."

"And that is what I say," added George Granbury.

"Ditto, myself," put in Tom. "Even a second lieutenantship will not be
declined by yours truly."

After this there was a good deal of canvassing and "log rol