how about
Laura? She would discover, within a few minutes, that I am on
strained terms with the other fellows. That would do worse than
spoil her evening."

"Well," demanded Greg thoughtfully, "why do you need to take her
to the hop?"

"Because she says that's what the girls have come for."

"Bother! Do you suppose it's you, or the hop, that Laura comes for?"

But Dick, instead of being cheered by this view, turned very white.

"I've got to tell her," he muttered hoarsely, "that I'm in eclipse.
That the fellows have voted that I am not a fit associate for
gentlemen."

"And I'll tell her a heap more," retorted Cadet Holmes. "Dick,
do you think either of the girls would go back on you, just because
a lot of raw, half-baked cadets have got you sized up wrong?
Is that all the faith you have in your friends? And, especially,
such a friend as Laura Bentley? Was that the way she acted when
you were under charges of cribbing? You were in disgrace, then,
weren't you? Did Laura look at you with anything but sympathy
in her eyes?"

"No; heaven bless her!"

"Now, see here, Dick. If the girls are up here this evening,
we won't take 'em to the hop. Instead, we'll sit out on the north
porch at the hotel, with Mrs. Bentley near by. We'll have such
a good old talk with the girls as we never could have at a hop."

"Everything in life would be easy, Greg, if you could explain it
away," laughed Dick Prescott, but his tone was bitter.

"Well, as you can't take the girls to the hop, with any regard
for their comfort, my plan is best of all, isn't it?"

"I---I suppose so."

"So make the best of it, old ramrod. There's nothing so bad that
it couldn't be a lot worse."

There was a long tour of work with the field battery guns that
afternoon. For once Prescott found his mind entirely off his
work. Nor could he rally his senses to his work. He got a low
marking, indeed, in the instructor's record for that afternoon's
work.

Then, hot, dusty and tired, this detachment of cadets came in
from work.

In the visitors' seats, near headquarters, Dick and Greg espied
Mrs. Bentley and the girls. How lovely the two latter looked!

The instant that ranks were broken Laura. and Belle were on their
feet, glancing eagerly in the direction of their cadets. Dick
and Greg had to go over, doff their campaign hats and shake hands
with Mrs. Bentley and the girls.

"We've given you a surprise, this time," laughed Laura. "I