about what a fellow has to do before he passes the West Point
examinations anyway and that's more than some fellows I know can
say."

"What do you know that we don't?" inquired John.

"How old does a fellow have to be to enter West Point?" demanded
George.

"I don't know," replied John somewhat foolishly. "I suppose he
has to be about eighteen, at least I suppose a fellow eighteen
could enter."

"Could he enter if he was twenty-one?" inquired George.

"He could," spoke up Grant. "A fellow has to be between seventeen
and twenty-two years of age before he can take the preliminary
examinations. But there's another qualification almost as
necessary," he added. "He has got to be free from infirmities."

"No hope for Pop then," said John solemnly. "He has too many
infirmities."

"What, for example?" demanded George.

"His appetite is abnormal, his confidence in himself colossal,
his willingness to condescend to the level of his superiors is--"

"You're getting all mixed up," interrupted George. "A fellow has
to pass a good physical examination and that is all there is to