he Virginian.

"Cannon crackers over at Battle Monument," replied Dick. "We were
over there at the time."

"You were?" asked Anstey quietly, but shooting at them a look
of amused suspicion.

So many cadets were now seeking their tents that our three bunkies
did not notice that one footstep ceased before their door, for
a moment, then passed on.

The man outside was Bert Dodge, also of the Dodge was a former
Gridley High School boy and a bitter enemy of Dick's. The origin
of that enmity was thoroughly told in the _High School Boys Series_.

During the plebe year Dodge, who was a fellow of little honor
or principle had done his best to involve Prescott in serious
trouble with the Military Academy authorities, but had failed.
Dodge, however, had succeeded in escaping detection, and had
succeeded in passing on from the plebe to the yearling class.

Anstey, however, who had been Dodge's roommate in the plebe year,
was firmly resolved that he would not be roommate to Dodge when
they returned to cadet barracks the next year.

Dodge hated all three of the bunkies in this tent, but Dick Prescott
he hated more than the other two combined.

"Yes; we were near the spot," Dick said, answering Anstey's question.
"But we didn't set off the crackers, or have anything to do with
the matter. We don't even know, or have a guess, as to who the
offenders were."

Though Dodge knew, in his soul, that he could believe Prescott,
it was with an evil smile that Bert now hastened on, gaining his
own tent.

Taps sounded, and fifteen minutes more went by. It began to look as
though the Battle Monument affair would be allowed to go by until
morning. Greg was asleep, and Dick was just dozing off, when there
came a sharp step in the company street. The step had an official
sound to it. That step halted, suddenly, before the door of the tent
of our three bunkies.

"By order of the commandant of cadets," sounded the voice of Cadet
Corporal Haynes. "Mr. Prescott and Mr. Holmes will turn out with
all due speed, and report at the office of the officer in charge."

"Yes, sir," acknowledged Prescott, and nudged drowsy, half-awake
Greg.

"Yes, sir," replied Holmes.

Dick leaped up, lighting the candle. Then he gave a slight kick
that was enough to bring Holmes apart from his blanket.

Hastily, though with soldierly neatness, the two yearlings dressed
themselves, then stepped out into the night, prepared to face
the rapid-fire gun