CHAPTER VI.
IN THE HANDS OF THE YEARLING HAZERS Under the hard grilling of cadet corporal Spurlock, Bert Dodge actually made a lot of progress within the next few days.
Dodge learned that, whenever addressing an officer, whether that officer were a cadet officer, or one of the Regular Army officers stationed at the Academy as instructors, he must add "sir" to every communication.

He also learned that he must not address any superior officer unless first addressed by him.
Bert also picked up rapidly the knowledge that he was no better than anyone else, and of not a thousandth part of the importance of any upper class man.
Much of this the young man picked up from his new roommate, Tom Anstey, a soft-eyed, soft-voiced, helpful and sunny young man from Virginia.

Anstey was one of the best-liked men in his class, but the new plebes at first held almost aloof from Dodge.
"Whatever you do," urged Anstey, "don't make the mistake of trying to cultivate the acquaintance of any of the upper class men." "I've encountered two already," muttered Bert.
"Oh!" and Anstey smiled wonderingly.
"Pratt and Judson, of the yearlings," Dodge continued, then related what had happened in the room of Cadets Prescott and Holmes.
"I guess you're going to be in for it, presently, Dodge," nodded Cadet Anstey.

"Mr.Pratt and Mr.Judson are known as two terrors." "They don't want to try to pass any of their terror on to me," growled Bert.
Whereupon Mr.Anstey took his roommate in hand, gently and genially, and tried to make that new cadet--for Bert had passed his academic exams.

without even a hint of trouble--understand how worse than foolish it would be to attempt to antagonize the upper class men.
"You come from the same place that Prescott and Holmes do, don't you ?" asked Anstey, one afternoon, as the roommates rested from study.
"I'm glad to say I don't," replied Bert, almost brusquely.
"Oh!" nodded Anstey.
"I suppose we've got to be comrades, now, but I don't like that pair an over-lot," Bert explained.
"Odd! Most of the new plebes like Prescott and Holmes all the way up, and then all the way down again," murmured Anstey seriously.
"For myself, I don't know any two fellows in the new lot that I like better." "Oh, I guess they're all right in a good many ways," admitted Bert slowly.