Remember, above everything, that absolute obedience to every command is your first lesson.

Now think it over, and if any man wishes to withdraw, he will be gladly excused, for hundreds stand ready to take his place." Did any of those young men accept this chance to escape the dangers and privations, the hardships and sufferings, awaiting them?
Not one, but all joined in an eager rivalry to first take the oath of allegiance and obedience, and sign the regimental roll.
As it happened, this honor fell to Ridge Norris, and a few minutes later he passed out of the building an enlisted soldier of the United States, a private in its first regiment of volunteer cavalry, and ordered to report to the first sergeant of Troop "K"-- Rollo Van Kyp's troop, he remembered with pleasure.

"Poor old boy! how I wish I could see him and tell him of my good luck!" he reflected.

"Wonder how long he will be kept in that beastly guard-house ?" At the moment our young trooper was passing headquarters, and even as this thought came into his mind, he was bidden by Colonel Wood to deliver a written order to the corporal of the guard.

"It is for the release from arrest of your friend Van Kyp," explained the colonel, kindly, "and you may tell him that it was obtained through the intercession of Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt." With a light heart Ridge hastened to perform this first act of his military service; and not long afterwards he and Rollo were happily engaged, under the supervision of Sergeant Higgins, in erecting the little dog-tent that they were to occupy in company, and settling their scanty belongings within its narrow limits.