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Page 13
The mare laid her ears flat back and began to tremble with rage, but
her rider, bending low over the proud neck, talked to her as though she
were a human being, and in another moment they were off like the wind.
Twice they circled the entire grounds at a speed as yet unequalled in
the camp, and then drew up sharply where Silas Pine still stood
awaiting them.
"Mr. Norris," said that individual, stepping forward, "I owe you an
apology, and must say I never saw a finer--"
Just here the mare snapped viciously at the bronco-buster, from whose
spurs her flanks were still bleeding, and leaped sideways with so
sudden a movement that any but a most practiced rider would have been
flung to the ground. Without appearing in the least disconcerted by
this performance, Ridge began to reply to Silas Pine, but was
interrupted by the approach of the two mounted officers, who had
watched the recent lesson in bronco-breaking with deep interest.
"Can you do that with any horse?" inquired Lieutenant-Colonel
Roosevelt, abruptly.
"I believe I can, sir," replied Ridge, lifting his hand in salute.
"I heard you talking in Spanish. Do you speak it fluently?"
"As well as I do English, sir."
"I believe you wish to enlist in this regiment?"
"I do, sir."
"You are a friend of Private Van Kyp?"
"Yes, sir."
"The one in whose behalf he was about to make application."
Ridge again answered in the affirmative.
"Colonel, I believe we want this young man."
"I believe we do," replied Colonel Wood. Then, to Ridge, he added: "If
you can pass a satisfactory physical examination, I know of no reason
why you should not be permitted to join this command. I want you to
understand, though, that every man admitted to it is chosen solely for
personal merit, and not through friendship or any influence, political
or otherwise, that he may possess. Now you may take that horse to the
picket-line, see that it is properly cared for, and report at my
quarters in half an hour."
Without uttering a word in reply, but again saluting, Ridge rode away
happier than he had ever been in his life, and prouder even than when
he had won the silver hurdles at Yokohama.
An hour later he had successfully passed his physical examination, and
was waiting, with a dozen other recruits, to be sworn into the military
service of the United States. To these men came Lieutenant-Colonel
Roosevelt, who had just resigned the Assistant-Secretaryship of the
Navy in order to join the front rank of those who were to fight his
country's battles. To them he said: "Gentlemen, you have reached the
last point. If any one of you does not mean business, let him say so
now. In a few minutes more it will be too late to back out. Once in,
you must see the thing through, performing without flinching whatever
duty is assigned to you, regardless of its difficulty or danger. If it
be garrison duty, you must attend to it; if meeting the fever, you must
be willing; if it is the hardest kind of fighting, you must be anxious
for it. You must know how to ride, how to shoot, and how to live in
the open, lacking all the luxuries and often the necessities of life.
No matter what comes, you must not squeal. 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?"
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