in accusing me, has not been at all reticent.
Probably, too, he has taken no extreme pains to adhere to the
exact truth. I do not see how I can get out of the scrape in
which I find myself. I wonder if the silence is to be continued
until I am forced to resign and give up a career in the Army?"

With such thoughts as these it was hard, indeed, to look and act
as though nothing had happened.

But Cadet Jordan, taking eager, covert looks at his enemy from
another table, got little satisfaction from anything that he detected
in Prescott's face.

"Why, that b.j.(fresh) puppy is quite equal to cheeking his way on
through the last year and into the Army!" thought Jordan maliciously.
"However, he's done for! No matter if he sticks, he'll never get
any joy out of his shoulder straps."

Little could Jordan imagine that Prescott's proud nature would
long resist the silence. If this rebuke were to become permanent,
then Prescott was not in the least likely to attempt to enter
upon his studies at the beginning of they Academic year in September.

And Greg! He didn't waste any time in trying to be just to any
one. All his hot blood rose and fomented within him at the bare
thought of this terrible indignity put upon that prince of good
fellows, Dick Prescott. Holmes felt, in truth, as though he would
be glad to fight, in turn, every member of the first class who
had voted for the silence.

That practically all the fellows of the first class had voted
for the silence, Greg did not for an instant believe. He was
well aware that Dick had many staunch friends in the class who
would stand out for him in the face of any appearances. But a
vote of the majority in favor of the silence would be enough;
the rest of the class would be bound by the action of the majority.
And all the lower classes would observe and respect any decision
of the first class concerning one of its own members.

Not a word did Greg say to Dick. Yet, under the table, Holmes
employed one of his knees to give Dick's knee a long, firm pressure
that conveyed the hidden message of unfaltering friendship and
loyalty.

For the other cadets at the table the silence imposed more or
less hardship, since they could utter only the most necessary
words. They however, were not objects against whom the silence
was directed, and they could endure the absence of conversation
with far more indifference than was possible for Prescott.

It was a relief to all at th