He had to carry beer and suffer a lot of humiliating imposition from older boys in the big shop, but he bore it patiently and made friends and good progress.

That winter he took dancing lessons from the famous John Trotter of New York and practised fencing with the well-known Master Brissac.

He also took a course in geometry and trigonometry at the Academy and wrote an article describing his trip to Boston for _The Gazette_.

The latter was warmly praised by the editor and reprinted in New York and Boston journals.

He joined the company for home defense and excelled in the games, on training day, especially at the running, wrestling, boxing and target shooting.