The country was at war. Congress had determined to free
the downtrodden inhabitants of the Cubapine Islands from the tyranny of
the ancient Castalian monarchy. A call for volunteers had been issued,
and the graduating cadets were to be hurried to the seat of war. During
this agitation news arrived of a great naval victory. The mighty
Castalian fleet had been annihilated with great loss of life, while the
conquerors had not lost a man and had scarcely interrupted their
breakfast in order to secure this crushing triumph. It was in the midst
of such reports as these that the susceptible hearts of Sam Jinks and
Marian Hunter came together. The graduating class had gone, and Sam had
for two days been a full third-class man. For the first time he had
occupied the front rank at dress-parade, and seen clearly the officer
in command, the adjutant flitting about magnificently, the band
parading up and down and turning itself inside out around the towering
drum-major, the line of spectators behind, the bright faces and gay
parasols, and among them the black eyes of Marian looking unmistakably
at him. When at the end of the parade the company officers marched up
to salute and the companies were dismissed, Sam saw a member of the new
first class talking to her. He was now on an equality with all the
cadets, and he boldly advanced and asked for an introduction.
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