ally delighted to
think that I'll soon be back in gray old barracks, donning the
same old gray uniform."

"Oh, it will be all right. There are a lot of fellows that I'm
eager to see" Greg admitted.

"Is the---er---er-----"

"Out with it!"

"Is Miss Number Three likely to be at the Point when we get there?"

"I don't know," Holmes admitted. "I haven't heard from her in
four days. I hope she'll be there."

All in due time the two cadets worked their way forward on the
boat. Now they encountered nearly a dozen other members of their
class, all returning. Yet none of the dozen were among their
warmest friends in class life.

"Look, fellows!" cried Dick at last. "There's just a glimpse of
some of the high spots of West Point through the trees!"

It was all well enough for the cadets to claim that the life at
West Point was a fearfully hard and dull grind, and that they
were little better than cadet slaves. As they picked out, one
after another, familiar glimpses of West Point, these young men
became mostly silent, though their eyes gleamed eagerly. They
loved the good old gray academy! They rejoiced to find themselves
so near, and going back!

Then at last the boat touched at the pier. Some moments before
the gangplank was run aboard from the wharf everyone of the more
than dozen cadets had already leaped ashore.

"Whoop!" yelled Greg, tossing his hat in the air.

"Mr. Holmes!" growled Cadet Dennison with mock severity. "Report
yourself for unmilitary enthusiasm!"

"Yes, sir," responded Greg meekly, saluting: his fellow classman.

"Fall in!" yelled Dennison.

"Where?" inquired Dick innocently. "In the Hudson? I decline,
sir, to obey an illegal order."

Amid a good deal of laughter the returning cadets trudged across
the road, over the railroad tracks and on up the steep slope that
led to the administration building.

Across the inner court of the administration building walked the
second classman briskly, and on up the stairs. There was no more
laughter. Even the talking was in most subdued tones, for these
young men were going back to duty---military duty at that!

In one of the outer offices on the second floor the cadets left
their suit cases.

Dick, being one of those in the lead, stepped into the adjutant's
room, brought his heels together, and in the position of the soldier,
saluted.

"Sir, I report my return to duty at the Military Academy."

"Very good, Mr. Prescott. Repor