Dick Prescotts's Fourth Year at West Point / Or, Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps

uscular young men marched away

iage was erect, their step springy and martial. In ranks their faces were impassive, but when they

able. That was the table at which

h a remark. Brown glanced at Holmes, nodding slightly. All the o

uizzed Holmes. "You're

up at his question

lamb, Durville?"

ithout speaking, nor did h

wift glances. They unders

ce had be

there seemed to sting him. Then, as suddenly, he went whi

offended the strict traditions and inner regulations of

one table, the one spot in all the big room wher

, as he went on eating mechanically. He no longer knew

were hundreds of the flower of the young manhood of the United States. These young men were

mned him--had sentenced him to bitter retribution--was it

cally, trying proudly to bide his dismay from watchful eyes. "Then I have offended against manhood, in some w

t that his comrades had wronged him. But on

I refrain from reporting Mr. Jordan for breach of con. That was my plain duty, more especially as Mr. Jordan is a member of the company that I command. But the appearances have been all against me, and I have refused to explain. The class is hardly to be blamed for condemning me, and I imagine that Mr.

as hard, indeed, to look and act

s enemy from another table, got little satisfactio

last year and into the Army!" thought Jordan maliciously. "However, he's done f

. If this rebuke were to become permanent, then Prescott was not in the least likely t

at the bare thought of this terrible indignity put upon that prince of good fellows, Dick Prescott. Holmes felt, in

nds 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 clas

yed one of his knees to give Dick's knee a long, firm pressure that

y the most necessary words. They however, were not objects against whom the silence was directed, and t

arched back to camp, and had been dismissed, Dick Prescott, head erect, and betraying no sign of annoyanc

rrived. Cadet Holmes, however, did

going to investigate. And I'm afraid his hot he

silence "put" on him, his tentmate or roommate may still talk unreservedly with him without fear of incurring class disfavor. To im

t when Coventry or the silence is meted out. None th

darkness came on, but

whom they would escort in strolling near the bandstand. Plebes are not expected to escort young ladies to these con

most of the remaining cadets sauntered through the c

came suddenly silent when within ten paces of Dick'

et escorts and cadets without young ladies took pains not to approach too close to where he sat. It was enough to fill him with

at that moment Prescott became aware of the fact that Greg Hol

"I've found out all ther

ed that was your pur

ous to hear the

; ve

ious!" muttered Greg, study

good deal of skill in masking m

Cadet Holmes hopefully. "It m

nt silence hasn

," repli

that the length of the silence

was swung around to the silence. Only a bare majority were wheedled into voting for it. Nearly half of the class stood out

hey are bound by t

hat's as far as the decision runs up to date. The class is yet to decide on whether the silence is to be for a week or a month. Of course, a

N

ha

k against any permanent silen

in you than that," muttered

m not going to make a stubborn, senseless effort, all through life, to stay among comrades who don't want me, and who will make it plain enough that they do not consider me fit t

t's voice. He was thinking of Laura Bentley as the one

y hard to decide such a matter off-hand," returned Greg. His

out a hand, resti

amrod, it's the outs f

re

force a cheery ring into his voice. "If you can't get t

three years of training here at the nation's expense. It will soon be

asked Holmes, regarding

and the Army, if my comrades would have it. But if they won't, the

t this information up on your inside bulletin board: When you quit