Upton Sinclair

“ Could it be possible that this girl, the belle of West Point, the beauty over whom half the cadets were wild, the daughter of a famous judge, was sympathizing with a few, poor, miserable plebes in an effort to upset West Point? And that she had actually offered to help them in a trick, the boldness of which was enough to make the boldest hesitate? Good stars! The world must be coming to an end! ”

“ This last duty is where the yearlings have all the fun with the new plebe.
"Deviling" sentries is an old, old amusement at West Point. The plebe goes on duty, solemn and anxious, awed to silence and gravity by the sternness of his superiors. He is proud of his important office and thoroughly resolved to do his duty, come what may, and to die in the last ditch. He seizes his gun resolutely; feels of the bayonet point valiantly; puts on his sternest and most forbidding look; strides forth with a step that is bold and unwavering. And the yearlings "don't do a thing" to him. ”

“ The girl's last words were said in a tone of anguish and despair, and she buried her head in her hands once more.
"It is all that other girl!" she continued, after a moment's pause. "He thinks of no one but her! Oh, how I hate her! He is with her all the time; he asked her to join that society——"
"How—how on earth did you know?" gasped Texas.
"Do you think I am blind?" cried the girl, fiercely. "Do you suppose I cannot see what Mark Mallory is doing? It is all that Grace Fuller—all! ”

“ Foremost among them was the wild Texan and he was a sight to put a hundred in a panic, a sight to rival Hercules and his club. Texas had snatched an oar from the boat, and as he ran he was brandishing that. His hair was ruffled, his face was red, and his eyes staring and wild. From his mouth came a series of yells and whoops that made the forest echo. And a moment later he struck the crowd of cadets.
How that mighty oar did cut the air! If it had been a broadsword it could not have swept a clearer furrow. ”

“ Night came, as night always does, no matter how anxiously it is waited for. Mark and his friend Indian went on guard that afternoon from two to four; and soon after that came dress parade and the sunset gun, then supper and finally darkness at last. ”

“ There was no delay, no hesitation; the whole crowd fell in under one leader, stole down the street, signaled the sentry; and then came a dash and a tramp of feet that almost shook the ground. The class was gone. Gone to stop that fight or die!
One hates to tax a reader's credulity. To say that that sleepy moonlit camp was once more a witness of the same unusual scene not half a minute later seems beyond the possibility of belief. Yet so it was. There was no signal this time; they simply met, five of them, all plebes, two from an A Company and three from a B Company tent just in the rear. ”

“ He found Grace waiting for him.
"You got the invitations?" she inquired.
"Yes, Chauncey did," responded the other, laughing.
"I told you," said the girl, "that Corporal Spencer would do it. I knew his handwriting on the envelope at once, and I was sure that he was in the plot to fool Mr. Chauncey. And I'd just love to outwit him, too."
"You say you were successful?" inquired Mark.
For answer Grace Fuller presented three dance cards, at which Mark glanced with amazement and delight indescribable.
"Why, they're full!" he cried. "You've gotten some one for every dance!" ”

“ When the yearlings returned, behold, Mark was making himself charming to another girl, and Chauncey, perfectly in his element at last, was busily engaged in describing the streets of Paris to a group of half a dozen!
"Cut them all!" whispered the yearlings.
Well, they tried it. To be brief, Grace and the other two danced with no one that next dance. But three more girls went down on the blacklist, and the plebes' triumph was yet greater.
"We'll leave 'em no one to dance with," chuckled Mark. "We'll send them all home!" ”

“ Time passed rapidly. He saw the cadets undressing, saw most of them extinguish their lights and lie down. And then suddenly came a roll upon the drum—ten o'clock—"lights out and all quiet." And at the same moment he heard the clank of a sword, and the tramp of marching feet coming down the path. It was the relief.
They left another sentry there in Mark's stead and marched on around the camp, picking up the others. Among these was the weary fat Indian, who joined them with a sigh that it is no pun to call one of "relief." ”

“ No plebe had ever dared to do such a thing in West Point's history. One might almost as well think of a plebe's becoming a captain! And here was Mark seriously proposing it!
They had a perfect right to go. They had an invitation, and no one could ask for more. But the freezing glances they would get from every one! The stares, and perhaps insults from the cadets! Still, as Mark said, suppose Grace Fuller, the belle of West Point, danced with them? Suppose all the girls did? Suppose, swept away by the fun of "jollying" the yearlings, the girls should even prefer plebes! ”

“ Poor Texas fairly worships the ground you walk on."
"He has promised never to drink, anyhow," responded Mark. "It was very funny to see how long it took him to get the idea into his head that it was wrong. It's just as I told you, and as I told the superintendent, too; down where he comes from it's the custom when a man wants to have fun he drinks all the whiskey he can to start him. And Texas thought he'd try it up here."
"He certainly did have fun," exclaimed the girl, breaking into one of her merry laughs at the recollection of the scene. ”

“ Texas was not seeking for any beautiful effects, mind you; all he wanted to do was to put some mark on those yearlings that would cure them of their hazing habits, that would make them the laughingstock of the class.
Having finished one, doused him well, Texas went on to the next. And more miserable looking and feeling cadets than the three a human being cannot imagine. ”

“ He is a cowboy, and to get drunk is the only amusement he knows at home. He has no more idea right now that it is wrong to drink than to eat. His own father, he told me, got him drunk when he was ten years old."
"But, my boy," expostulated the colonel, "I can't have such a man as that here. Think of an army officer with such a habit."
"It is not a habit," cried Mark. "He did it for fun—he knows no better. ”

“ The Seven were all smiles in an instant, and the Parson came out of his shell once more and leaned forward with interest.
"What is it?" he cried.
"It won't take long," said Mark, "to tell it. You may not like it. It'll take lots of planning beforehand if we do try it. It seems to me that the yearlings have set a trap for us, and want us to walk into it. Now, I think we might bid them defiance, and show how little we care for them, by going in right boldly and outwitting them in their own country, that's the plan."
The six stared at him in amazement. ”

“ Grace Fuller glanced at him in horror for a moment, and then as she saw his merry eyes twinkle a vague idea of what he meant began to occur to her. She began to see the possibilities of the affair, just as Mark had seen them. He might get all the girls to dance with him; he might have the yearlings perfectly furious, raving; he [Pg 132] might dump West Point traditions all at once, all in a heap, and with a dull, sickening thud at that. ”

“ THE PLOT SUCCEEDS.
That beautiful July evening, while those precious rascals sat whispering and discussing the details of their plan, while first classmen and yearlings were all down in the academy building at the "hop," a certain plebe sat in a tent of Company A, all by himself. A candle flickered beside him, and he held a writing pad in his hand. The plebe was Mark, his clear-cut, handsome features shining in the yellow light.
"Dear Mother," he was writing. "It is hard for one to get time to write a letter here. We plebes have so much to do. ”

“ Wright and his second were just as prompt and businesslike. The lieutenant stripped his brawny frame to the waist and bound his suspenders about him to hold his trousers. Mark was ready then, too.
"It is your choice," said he to the other. "How shall we fight?"
"By rounds," he answered simply. He was a man of few words. "My second has a watch," he added. "Mr. Stanard may look on if he cares to, though we shall each have to rely upon the other's honor mostly. We have no referee."
"I am willing," said Mark. "Let Mr. Harden manage it. And let us be quick. Will you shake hands?" ”

“ Who?"
"The cadets, sir! Bless my soul, I—puff—heard them say, they were—puff—oh!—going to b-b-beat the general."
There was a moment of silence, then a perfect roar of laughter came from the staff officers. The general laughed too, for a moment, but when he saw the plebe's alarm and perplexity he stopped and gazed at him with a kindly expression. "My boy," he said, "you've been letting the yearlings fool you."
"Fool me!" echoed Indian in horror. "Bless my soul!—how?"
"Beating the general means," answered the officer, "beating the general assembly, which is a drum call." ”

“ A moment later, Mark, to his great amazement, was confronted by the curiously contrasted pair. Indian was beaming like a sunflower.
"Mr. Mallory," he said, with a flourish, "allow me to present my friend, General Miles."
Mark bowed, and the general took the hand he held out.
"Mr. Mallory," he said, "I am proud to meet you. I have heard of what you have done. The service needs such men as you."
And the whole corps heard him say so, too. The general had been very careful to say those words in a loud and clear voice that made the camp ring. Then he turned and spoke to an orderly who was passing. ”

“ Then, to the still greater surprise of the cadet captain—who wasn't used to Texas' ways—the plebe dragged him over to the corner of the tent and whispered in a trembling, excited voice.
"Don't you tell a soul, naow, not a soul. S-sh! Do you want to turn highwayman?"
Fischer stared at the other in alarm.
"Turn highwayman!" he echoed.
"Yes," whispered Texas. "Don't you know what a highwayman is? He's a man what robs folks at night?" ”

“ The moon was high in the heavens by this time; one could almost have seen to read.
"They won't dare to try it," thought Mark. "A snake couldn't creep up on me now. They'll have to come from the camp, too, for they can't cross any sentry beat. ”

“ And how those plebes did dance! The yearlings had never seen better; they could not but acknowledge that. For the plebes were on their mettle then, and if ever they danced in their lives, they did then, radiant with triumph, swept away by the excitement distributing benignant smiles upon every one.
There is only one heaven that lasts an eternity. All others, that dance included, have their finish. The three plebes returned the delighted girls to their seats, and the cadets, excusing themselves from every one, rushed out into the hall, there to hold an angry and excited consultation. ”

“ The woman is standing clad in white that contrasts with her jet black hair. In one hand, half hidden, she clutches a shining dagger; her mouth is set in a firm, determined way, and her eyes are dark and gleaming. Imagine that figure in the moment of victory, every [Pg 275] feature convulsed with joy, with hatred gratified, and that is the girl Mary Adams. She was dancing about Mark in fury, flinging her hands in his face, taunting him, jeering at him, threatening him so as to frighten even the desperate cadets. ”

“ To bind them hand and foot was a still easier task. And then the mighty Texas flung one over his shoulder, the rest carrying the other two; they sprang down into the ditch; they climbed the parapet of the fort beyond; and a moment later were safe, out of sight or hearing.
Then Mark Mallory, sentry number three, brushed off his soiled clothing, picked up his soiled gun, shouldered it and marched calmly away down the path. Tramp, tramp.
Sentry number three would have loved dearly to "see the fun," but there is no worse offense known at West Point than deserting a sentry post. ”

“ Mark stared at the three solemn cadets in amazement, and Texas gave vent to a muttered "Wow!"
"Not be allowed to fight!" echoed Mark.
"No, sir, you will not. Mr. Wright was the class' delegate; your quarrel is with the class."
"B'gee!" put in Dewey, wriggling with excitement, "let's lick the class, b'gee!"
Mark was silent for a while, thinking over the strange turn of affairs; and then the committee continued:
"Mr. Wright will not do you the honor of a fight or of an apology." ”

“ Texas uttered a whoop that brought the attendants in on a run. He subsided after a threat of expulsion and sat down by the bedside and stared at Mark. It was still the same old Mark, handsome and sturdy, but just a little pale.
"Say," growled Texas, "you've got no idee how lonely things are 'thout you. There's nobody to lick the cadets, or anything." ”

“ Indian was a gullible, innocent sort of a lad; life was a solemn and serious business with him. Most plebes take their hazing as fun, rather unpleasant, but still nothing dangerous. With Indian on the other hand it was torture; he dreaded the yearlings as his mortal enemies, and to his poor miserable soul everything they did was aimed at his life. ”

“ And across the floor rushed Corporal Spencer, hop manager, and grasped his friend Jasper by the arm.
"They're here! They're here, man!" he gasped. "Oh, say!"
And the next instant the bandmaster waved his baton, the music crashed all at once, and the first dance was begun.
A dance with plebes present!
To say that the three, Mark, Chauncey and "B'gee," were the cynosure of all eyes would not begin to express the situation. Every one's glance was fairly glued upon them. Girls forgot their dance partners, cadets stopped still in their tracks. Not a soul offered to dance. ”