"Now, Jinks," squeaked Clark.
"Yes, sir," answered Sam.
"Stand on your head now in that tub, and be quick about it."
Sam fixed his mind upon General Meriden in the same circumstances, drew
in his breath, and endeavored to stand on his head in a foot of water,
holding on to the rim of the tub with his hands. His legs waved
irresolutely in the air with no apparent unity of motive, and bubbles
gurgled about his neck and shoulders.
"Grab his legs!" shouted Clark.
Two cadets obeyed the order, and Clark took out his watch to time the
ordeal. The instants that passed seemed like an age.
"Isn't time up?" whispered Saunders.
"Shut up, you fool, haven't I got my watch open?" replied Clark. "But,
good heavens!" he added, "take him out--I believe my watch has
stopped." And he shook it and put it to his ear.
Sam was hauled out and laid on the grass, but he was entirely
unconscious. His tormentors were thoroughly scared. Fortunately they
had all gone through a course of "first aid to the injured," and they
immediately took the proper precautions, holding him up by the feet
until the water ran out of his mouth and nose, and then rolling him on
the tub and manipulating his arms. At last some faint indications of
breathing set in, and they concluded to carry him down to his tent.
Using two boards as a stretcher, six of them acted as bearers, and the
procession moved toward the camp.
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