CHAPTER XX.
When the Great News Was Given Out At just nine o'clock Congressman Spokes came on to the platform followed by two other men.
One of these latter was a town official, who, in a very few words, introduced the Member of Congress.
Congressman Spokes now addressed the young men upon the vocations they were seeking to enter.

He explained that neither the Military nor the Naval Academy offered an inducement to boys fond only of their ease and good times.
"At either school," warned the Congressman "you will find ahead of you years of the hardest work and the strictest discipline.
No boy whose character is not good can hope to enter these schools of the nation.

It is not worth any boy's while to enter unless he stands ready to sacrifice everything, his own ideas and prejudices included, to the service of his country and his flag." Congressman Spokes continued in this line for some time.

Then he called for the boys who wished to try for West Point to gather at the right side of the hall; those for Annapolis at the left side.
"This is the first time you and I haven't been on the same side in everything, old fellow," Dick whispered smilingly, as he and Dave Darrin parted.
What a hurried count the interested youngsters made! But Tom Reade, who didn't belong to either crowd, probably made the most accurate count.

He discovered that sixty-two of the boys had voted for West Point.