“What sort of fun?”

“Well, for one thing, the cadets of the upper classes haze the plebe cadets a good deal.”

“Humph!  That’s fun for all but the plebes.  Who are the plebes, anyway?”

“The new cadets; the youngest class at the Academy,” Hal replied.

“What do they do to the plebe?” Eph wanted to know.

“I guess the only way you could find that out, Eph, would be to join the plebe class.”

“Reckon, when I come to Annapolis, I’ll enter the class above the plebe,” retorted Somers.

The three submarine boys had again approached the cadet barracks building.

“Here comes a cadet now, Eph,” whispered Jack.  “If he has the time, I don’t doubt he’d be glad to answer any questions you may have for him.”

Young Benson offered this suggestion in a spirit of mischief, hoping the approaching cadet, when questioned, would resent it stiffly.  Then Eph would be almost certain to flare up.

The cadet, however, suddenly turned, coming straight toward them, smiling.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” was the cadet’s greeting.

“Good evening,” was Jack’s hearty reply.

“You’ve never been here before, have you, sir?”

“Never,” Jack confessed.

“Then I take it you have never, sir, seen the camelroorelephant?”

“The cam—­” began Eph Somers.

Then he stopped, clapping both hands to his right jaw.

“Won’t you please hand that to us in pieces?” begged Eph, speaking as though with difficulty.

The cadet laughed heartily, then added: 

“Don’t try to pronounce it, gentlemen, until you’ve seen the camelroorelephant.  It’s a cadet joke, but it’s well worth seeing.  Shall I take you to it?”

“Why, yes, if you’ll be good enough,” Jack assented, heartily.

The cadet glanced quickly about him, then said in a low voice: 

“This way, please, gentlemen.”

He led the strangers quickly around the end of barracks to an open space in the rear.  Here he halted.

“Gentlemen, I must ask you to close your eyes, and keep them closed, on honor, until I ask you to open them again.  You won’t have to keep your eyes closed more than sixty seconds before the camelroorelephant will be ready for inspection.  Now, eyes closed, please.”

Lingering only long enough to make sure that his request had been met, the cadet stole noiselessly away.

Nor was it many seconds later when all three of the submarine boys began to feel suddenly suspicious.

“I’m going to open my eyes,” whispered Eph.

“You’re on honor not to,” warned Jack Benson, also in a whisper.

“I didn’t give my word,” retorted Eph, “and I’m going to—­oh, great shades of Santiago!”

The very genuine note of concern in Eph’s voice caused Jack and Hal to open their own eyes instantly.

Nor could any of the three repress a quick start.