Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 993

The Cadet-Detective's Hot Hustle: The West Point Rogues, by Howard M. Boynton

Chapter One introduces General Earl at the U.S. Military Academy, who telegraphs the Secret Service Bureau in New York requesting their best agent under twenty to investigate trouble at West Point. Sergeant Buck Larmount intercepts the message and alerts three conspirators—an officer, a cadet (Harry Zelda), and a colored man named Sam—that a detective is arriving. The quartet plans to intercept and incapacitate the detective at the 10:30 train that evening. Chapter Two shifts to New York, where Secret Service Chief Henry R. Parsons sends young operative Mat Murray northward after learning a direct train to Garrison's departs shortly. Murray boards successfully but finds the ferry to West Point closed when he arrives. Two men are glimpsed unloading cargo by the shore; one wears an Academy uniform. When Murray requests passage across, the boatman flees. Stranded, Murray falls asleep near the ferry-house around three in the morning.