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"Don’t ht think, especially in the early months of school Were you a sleepwalker at home?"

I shook my head dumbly, and then remembered my eant scratched his head "Well, like as not you’ll get over it and stop doing it If it gets too bad, just tether your wrist to your bedpost at night I’ve only had one cadet who had to do that, but it worked just fine Woke hi his bed behind him"

"Yes, sir Thank you, sir" The dreaer at the edges ofthat would recapture me if it could I felt drawn to it, but I also felt ehtshirt, and even eant had had to rescue me

"Now don’t be troubled, Cadet," he said as if he could read hts "This isn’t a disciplinary matter It remains between you and me And I doubt you’ll keep it up It’s the pressure of the first few s it out in soo back to sleeping all night in your own bed, and no har back up the steps of Carneston House My feet were bruised frorass I’d waded through I clirateful for its warret for the dream that had been interrupted I could not recall a moment of it, but a sense of wonder and pleasure from it still echoed in my sleepy mind

We all knew that initiation "officially" ended after the first six weeks of classes, when the "survivors" were judged to have been introduced properly into Acade si to the point of depression and even weeping, such as Oron Rory, Nate, and Kort seee, and they endeavored to gallop through it as if it bothered thes, Rory sed down a dozen I resented how the inane tasks given me devoured ame attitude about it, for I did not wish to be seen as a bad sport

Then a single incident changedalone back to Carneston House afterrapidly fro forward to getting in out of the cold and settling down totoward roaned As protocol demanded of me, I stepped off the path, came to attention, and, as they passed, snapped the, but they halted and looked ht ahead and my face expressionless

"Nice uniform," said one "Was it tailored especially for you, Cadet?"

"Yes, sir, it was," I replied promptly

"Good boots, too," the other observed "About-face, Cadet Yes, all seems in order from the back, too All in all, a well-turned-out cadet My compliments, Cadet"

"Thank you, sir"

The first spoke again, and I suddenly perceived that this was a well-rehearsed routine for them "But we cannot be sure that he is truly well turned out A book es within Cadet, are you wearing regulation undergarments?"

"Sir, I do not understand" But I did, and

"Off with your coat and trousers and boots, Cadet We cannot have you out of uniform even when you are out of uniform"

I had no choice but to obey There, on the path, I took off my jacket, untied my boots and set them aside, and then stepped out of my trousers as well I folded them neatly and set them to one side and came back to attention

"Oh, and your shirt, too, Cadet Didn’t I ht certainly you had An extra de proht venture by and put an end to their pleasure in tor me, but I had no luck there By a series of commands, they reduced ravel, trying to , and blessed ood fortune that my small clothes were new and free from holes Rory would not have been so fortunate They had added three ested that I could i round thes Again, there was no help for it Within, I seethed, but outwardly I kept a good-natured air of tolerance for this silliness as I began ravel bit into ooseflesh, and I had two quizzes I desperately needed to study for Instead, Iat the top of s as they exhortedlouder, Cadet Are you ashaood House?"