Mark found his roommate and faithful second, Texas, busily occupied in cleaning up for the morning inspection. Texas wasn't looking for Mark; it had been Texas' private opinion that Mark had earned a week's holiday by the battle of the morning, and that the surgeon would surely grant it. When Mark did turn up, however, Texas wasted no time in complaining of the injustice, but got his friend by the hand in a hurry.  
"Ole man," he cried, "I'm proud of you! I ain't had a chance to say how proud I am!"
 
"Thanks," said Mark, laughing, "but look out for that sore thumb—and for mercy's sakes don't slap me on that shoulder again. I'm more delicate than I look. And say, Texas, I've got a new member for our secret society—b'gee!"
 
Texas looked interested.
 
"He's a pretty game youngster," Mark continued, "for[Pg 125] when Bull Harris and that gang of his tried to haze him, he sailed in and tried to do the crowd."
 
"Oh!" cried Texas, excitedly. "Wow! I wish I'd 'a' been there. Say, Mark, d'ye know I've been a missin' no end o' fun that a'way. Parson had a fight, an' I didn't see it; you had one daown to Cranston's, an' I missed that; an' yere's another!"
 
Texas looked disgusted and Mark burst out laughing.
 
"'Tain't any fun," growled the former. "But go on, tell me 'bout this chap. What does he look like?"
 
"He's not as tall as we," replied Mark, "but he's very good-looking and jolly. And when he says "B'gee" and laughs, you can't help laughing with him. Hello, there's inspection!"
 
This last remark was prompted by a sharp rap upon the door. The two sprang up and stood at attention. "Heels together, eyes to the front, chest out"—they knew the whole formula by this time. And Cadet Corporal Jasper strode in, found fault with a few things and then went on to carry death and devastation into the next place.
 
A few minutes later the Parson strolled in.
 
"Yea, by Zeus," began he, without waiting for the formality of a salutation. "Yea, by Apollo, the far-dart[Pg 126]ing, this is indeed an outrage worthy of the great Achilles to avenge. And I do swear by the bones of my ancestors, by the hounds of Diana, forsooth even by Jupiter lapis and the Gemini, that never while I inspire the atmosphere of existence will I submit myself to so outrageous an imposition——"
 
"Wow!" cried Texas. "What's up?"
 
"Sit down and tell us about it," added Mark.
 
"It is written in the most immortal document," continued the Parson, without noticing the interruption, "that ever emanated from the mind of man, the Declaration of Independence (signed, by the way, by an ancestor of my stepmother), that among the inalienable privileges of man, co-ordinate with life and liberty itself, is the pursuit of happiness. And in the name of the Seven Gates of Thebes and the Seven Hills of the Eternal City, I demand to know what happiness a man can have if all his happiness is taken from him!"
 
"B'gee! Reminds me of a story I heard about a boy who wanted to see the cow jump over the moon on a night when there wasn't any moon, b'gee."
 
Mark and Texas looked up in surprise and the Parson faced about in obvious displeasure at the interruption.
 
[Pg 127]"In the name of all the Olympian divinities and the inhabitants of Charon and the Styx," he cried, angrily, "I demand to know——"
 
"Come in," said Mark, laughing. "Excuse me for interrupting, Parson, but this is Mr. Alan Dewey, b'gee, member Number Five of our band of desperate buccaneers, if you please. Mr. Dewey, allow me to introduce you to the gentleman who 'reminded' you of that last story, Mr. Peter Stanard, of Boston, Massachusetts, the cradle of liberty, the nurse of freedom, and the center and metropolis of the geological universe."
 
The Parson bowed gravely.
 
"While I am, together with all true Bostonians, proud of the reputation which my city has merited, yet I am——"
 
"Also to Mr. Jeremiah Powers," continued Mark, cutting the Parson off in his peroration.
 
"Son o' the Honorable Scrap Powers, o' Hurricane County, Texas," added Texas, himself.
 
Young Dewey shook hands all around, and then sat down on the bed, looking at Mark with a puzzled expression on his face, as much as to say, "what on earth have I struck—b'gee?" Mark saw his expression and under[Pg 128]took to inform him, making haste to start before the Parson could begin again on the relative merits of Boston and the rest of the civilized universe.

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