 I didn't realize a dress parade could be so thrilling. It's a great sight, Jerry. You know, this is the first time I've seen a dress parade, too. What do you mean? All the time you've been here at Faroaks and this is the first time you've seen a dress parade? Sure, I've always been in them before. Oh, yeah, that's right. Hey, come on, let's finish this job. We didn't come up here to review the parade. Besides, we're supposed to be finished by the time the drill's over. Well, we've only got the A to get off. Come on, let's get at it. Hand me that can of gasoline. Yeah, here you are. Keep plenty of gas on your rag. There's a lot left in the can. I know. It's a good thing you didn't make a better job of this painting. It's hard enough getting these letters off as it is. If I'd have known I had to clean it off myself, I'd have put watercolor on instead of regular paint. Well, that band shirt helps. What do you mean that that helps? Oh, I can always work better to music. Come on, let's pitch in now and get this over with. Hey, you got another rag there? This one's so full of paint, I'm just smearing it around instead of cleaning it off. Okay. Here, take this one. Thanks. Look, Jerry, that goes the last formation. They'll leave the field in a couple of minutes now. Oh, we've only got a little more to do. Hey, you got the other side? Yes, I'll get that off. Hey, you know something? What? I think we're in for something with the upperclassmen. Why, what do you mean? Well, everyone has the afternoon off as soon as the parade's over. Unless I miss my guests, they'll use the time making things uncomfortable for us. No, you're all mad, Jerry. They won't do a thing. Probably might be in for some kidding, but that's about all. This year's paint crew did their job and met that. Then you don't think they're angry about it? Oh, of course not. Oh, they might be a little peeved because they didn't catch us, but, oh, they haven't been able to stop a plebe class from painting those letters yet. So they just take it as a matter of course. They'd have to stay up night and day and keep watch. Hey, you know, if I didn't get the letters painted last night, I would have kept trying over and over again until I did. That's the old fight. That's the spirit that gets the stack painted every year. You can't keep a good plebe down. You said it. Well, I guess we've just about got the job done. Oh, get that little spot there to your left. Here? That's not paint. That's a little nick in the cement. Oh, well, I guess we're through. Careful going down now. There they go off the field. Prades over. Come on, let's get down. Oh, boy, am I hot and tired, too. Yeah, that sun is pretty warm. Hey, I got an idea. Yeah? What? What do you say we go right over to Max and get some ice cream? Jack, oh, but wait, we'll have to go up to the room first. I haven't got any money with me. Oh, I got some. I'll lend you what you need. Come on now, let's get this ladder down. Now, get a hold of the other side there. Yeah, I've got it. All right. Take it slowly now. It's pretty heavy. Okay, I know. Last night, it didn't seem this heavy when we put it off. That's because we were excited. You got a lot of extra strength at a time like that. I guess you're right. Okay. Let it down easy. All right. There. Oh, that's that. Stack looks pretty clean from here. Think it'll pass? It's as clean as we could get it. And besides, I think it looks a lot cleaner than it did before we painted it. Yeah, on this side anyway. Well, come on, let's get going. Now, you go first. I'll hand the gas can down to you. Okay. Here's the can now. Here I come. Hey, get your fingers out of the way. Not so fast. Be careful. Hey, look who's coming. It's Red Morrison. And who's that with, uh, Cully Newsom? I wonder what they're coming out here for. Oh, to inspect our job, I suppose. What's it their business? Well, don't say anything, Jerry. If they want a kid, let's just let them. Oh, I won't say anything. There's this year's paint crew, Cully. Nice salute, Dugan. You're getting better. Where's that salute, Cadet Phillips? You don't get one. What's that? You'd better salute me if you know what's good for you. Make it snappy. That's insubordination to a Cadet Officer, Phillips. You'd better look up the rules on salutes, Morrison. You see, Dugan and I are on work to tail, and then we're closed. No salute is necessary. Sorry? Then I didn't have to salute either? Of course not. I'm afraid the joke's on you this time, Red. The boys have you there, Red. You keep out of this, Cully. I think I'll have to. I wouldn't laugh too much if I were you, Dugan. Yeah, but you're not me. I suppose because you painted the tack, you think you're out of the plead class. Well, you're not. You've got a long ways to go. Oh, speaking of going. Come on, Jerry. It isn't good to be seen in bad company. I've got to remember that, Crack Phillips. And all the upperclassmen aren't going to forget that you're part of the paint crew. There are a few things you can get away with around here, but you've just about used up your quota. Oh, now don't scare me like that, Red. I won't be able to sleep tonight. Oh, what's the use? If you'll excuse us now. Come on, Jerry. Yeah. Goodbye, Captain Morrison. Well, I don't think we should have gone that far. What are you talking about? I mean with Red. Oh. Well, what do you think you'll do about it? Oh, maybe nothing at all. He might even forget it. All cadet officers and upperclassmen remember when they were pleaded and how important it was to be the paint crew of their class. Deep down in his heart, Red thinks we're okay for being able to paint the stack. I'll bet he does it then. Sure he does. Hey, come on, let's cut across past the parade grounds. Okay. Oh, say, I meant to ask you. What did Captain Bogart have to say to you when you went into his office? I mean, besides telling you to help me. Oh, nothing. He said he knew who the other boys were, but he figured it was you and me who planned the whole thing. Then I guess Tubby and Harold get out of it. Mm-hmm. Well, uh, hey, are we gonna get the merits? Well, I don't know. He said he'd decide our punishment after he saw what kind of a job we did cleaning off the stack. Oh. And if we did a good job, we won't get so many demerits, huh? I guess that's it. Well, I don't think it'd be more than 10 anyway, and it was worth that. I gotta kick out of it. I'm even gonna write and tell Mr. Randall. Yeah. Well, look, there goes a couple of the upperclassmen through the arch. I guess they're going over to Max. Then do you think it's safe for us to go? Well, certainly. They're not gonna do anything. But Red said something about the upperclassmen not forgetting that we painted the stack. Oh, he was bluffing. You afraid to go in? No, of course not. Hey, we left that gasoline can sitting back there at the powerhouse. Well, that's right. We did. Oh, well, never mind now. We'll get it later and take it back to Kirk. Yeah, okay. Hey, how about these dirty rags? What'll we do with them? Oh, we can give them to Max. He'll throw them away for us. You think of everything, don't you? You ask the questions and I'll answer them. That's what you're doing. Hey, look out, Jerry. Boy, he just missed me. You weren't watching. Jiminy, I'm so used to being on the quad and so seldom walking the street. I don't look for cars anymore. Well, you'd better. Well, here comes another upperclassman. Let's get him first. Go ahead. Oh, Max. Oh, I'm glad to have you. You're just the ones I'm looking for. Why? Well, you said you were going to let me in on a secret today. Oh, yeah, that's right. We did. Hi, paint crew. Congratulations. Oh, thanks. There you are, Jerry. There's an upperclassman that gives us congratulations. That's pretty good. Well, what is it? What's the secret? Well, uh, we painted the smokestack last night. Oh, you did, huh? And you just now cleaned it all off, too, didn't you? How'd you know? Somebody tell you? I'm surprised at you. Do you think I've been around Fair Oaks all these years for nothing? I knew yesterday what you were up to. Yes, sir, I knew it right along. You can... I can tell what you lads are up to, but they're looking at you. Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah. Excuse me. I'll fill this man's order. What will it be? A bottle of that pop, Max. All right. Hey, do you think he really knew it yesterday? Maybe. Then why didn't he say so instead of asking us what the secret was? Well, it might be that he didn't want to spoil our fun. There you are. Yes, sir. You lads left to go some to put one over an old Mac. You'll have to go some. But how did you know? Well, I'll tell you the truth. I just had a hunch at first. Just a hunch. Then shortly after you boys were in here, I saw Tubby Young walk right past the frontier and go next door to see Mr. Peters in the hardware. He wasn't in there long when he came out carrying his package by a handle. And you figured it was paint. Well, what else was he going in there for? You're too smart, Mac. Not as smart as you are. You figured that paint and trick out very well. Congratulations, Jerry Duggan. I'd like to shake your head. Yeah, that's a boy. Now, see here, you notice all those pictures of those cadets over the candy counter and back of you there? Uh-huh. Well, those are all painters. Each one of those lads was the stock painter of his class. Since the first one, mind you. Well, then painting the stack has been a plead tradition since Fair Oats was first founded, huh? That's right. And some clever freshman figured that out. Oh, no, no. Not clever freshmanly. Clever Scotchman. What? What's wrong, Mac? Oh, goodbye, lad. Hurry back. Who was he if he wasn't a freshman? Well, it was none other than yours truly. You, Mac? Old Macleod himself and person. But, well, how could you start a tradition for the school if you weren't a student? Well, I put the first paint crew up to it. Say, that's all right. That's game. Well, how'd you have to think of it, Mac? Well, I really didn't think of it myself. I brought it over with me from Scotland. You can, when I went to the university there, our first-year class used to paint the class numerals up on the water tower. Oh, and here I thought it was strictly a Fair Oaks tradition. What do you know about that? Hello, Mac. Hi. Hello, boys. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to the establishment. Oh, say, Jerry, I was talking about those pictures. Oh, yeah. Well, I want a picture of you to hang up there with the other painters and sign it from painter Dugan. Okay, Mac. I'll do that. And I'll hang it up. Yes, sir. And proudly, I'm glad it was you that did the job this year. Yes, sir. Hello, Dugan. Hello. Hello. You're the painter, Dugan? Yes, sir. Well, I was the painter three years ago. Congratulations. Thanks. See, I told you the upperclassmen would be all right. Uh-huh. Hey, Mac, as long as you know so much about the stack tradition, tell me, how many demerits do we get? Demerits? Demerits? Los Lodges, you don't get any for that. Your punishment is taking the letters off. Really? Why, that's right. Wow, oh boy, oh boy, no demerit. I think I'll do it over again. No, no, no, no, no, no, you won't. And you'll not be helping the next paint crew by giving them ideas and telling them how to go about it. Oh, I get you. Okay, Mac. Hey, oh, hello, Newsome. Hello, Mac. Hi, you cully. Did Red get over his peeve? No, I'm glad you asked me about that. After your thoughts walked away, we went over to the stable, and Sergeant Alden was there. Did you find out anything about the list for the writing team? I was just coming to that, Jerry. Yes, I did. That is, the Sergeant hinted that you, as well as four or five other boys, had been selected for the test. Oh, I knew you'd be on the list, Jerry. Oh, it's not set yet. I only gathered from what the Sergeant's conversation said. But listen to this. Red made the remark to me that he was going to see that you didn't get on the list, Jerry. Well, now, wait a minute. How can he stop anything that Sergeant Alden wants to do? I don't know. That's what he said, though, and he's pretty clever at figuring things out. Well, what's he want to pick on Jerry for? I'm the one that got his goat. I don't know that either, Lee. I'm only telling you what I heard. Oh, by the way, the Sergeant said that he'd have the list up on the bulletin board tomorrow afternoon. Gee, I hope you make it, Jerry. I'd sure like to see you on that writing team. Well, we'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out.