As he turned away he muttered to one of his predecessors: "Say, ain't that a good deal like a hold up ?" "Remember, young gentlemen, all the money you have," admonished the treasurer, as the line started to move again.
Thus commanded, the candidates went through all their pockets while standing awaiting their own turns.
Dick and Greg had so well calculated their traveling expenses that each turned in about twenty dollars above the required one hundred dollars.
This little transaction completed, the orderly turned and marched them back at once to the hospital.
By this time some of the candidates had sufficiently overcome their nervousness to realize how raw and chilly this first day of March was.

All of the candidates wore overcoats, though the outer garments worn by some of the young men, especially those who had journeyed hither from Southern States, were not of a weight to meet the March demands at hilly West Point, which lies exposed to the icy northern blasts down the Hudson River.
It looked as though it might snow at any moment.

There was "ice in the air," as Greg Holmes expressed it.
So it was a welcome relief to all of the young candidates to find themselves once more inside the hospital building.
They were taken into the same room.

During their absence the hospital corps orderly had distributed blankets, one on each chair.
"Each of you will please strip now," announced the same young medical officer, coming briskly into the room.

"Strip as quickly as you can.