“And you think you can prove that you’re the brightest fellow in the district?” laughed Dave good-humoredly.

“There are to be two chances, and I think I can prove that I’m one of the two brightest to apply.  And Dave!”

“Well?”

“Why don’t you go in to prove that you’re the other brightest fellow.  Just think!  West Point!  And the Army for a life career!”

“I think I’d rather scheme to go to the Naval Academy, and become an officer of the Navy,” returned Dave slowly.  “The big battleships appeal to me more than does the saddle of the cavalryman.”

“Go to Indianapolis?” muttered Dick, in near-disgust.  “Well, I suppose that will do well enough for a fellow who can’t get to West Point.”

“Now, see here,” protested Dave good-humoredly, though warmly, “you quit talking about Indianapolis.  That’s a favorite trick with fellows who are cracked on West Point.  You know, as well as I do, that the Naval Academy is at Annapolis.  There’s a vacancy ahead for Annapolis, too.”

“Oho!  You’ve been thinking of that?” demanded Dick, again looking into his chum’s eyes.

“Yes.”

“Yes; if I can come out best in a competitive examination of the boys of this district.”

“Two secrets, then—–­yours and mine,” grinned Prescott.  “However, it’ll be easier for you.”

“Why?”

“There aren’t so many fellows eager to go to the Naval Academy.  It doesn’t draw as hard as the Army does.”

“The dickens it doesn’t!” ejaculated Dave Darrin.

“No; the Navy doesn’t catch young enthusiasm the way the Army does.  You won’t have so many fellows to compete with as I shall,” said Dick.

“I’ll have twice as many—–­three times as many,” flared Darrin.  “The Naval Academy is the only real and popular school in the United Service.”

“Well, we won’t quarrel,” laughed young Prescott.  “When the time comes we’ll probably find smarter young fellows ahead of us, headed for both academies.”

“If you do fail on West Point-----?” quizzed Dave.

“If I do,” declared Dick, with a very wistful emphasis on that “if,” “then, after getting through High School I’ll probably try to put in a year or two of hard work on ‘The Blade,’ to help my parents put me through college.  They’re anxious to make me a college man, and they’d work and save hard for it, but I wouldn’t be much good if I didn’t try to earn a lot of the expense money.  One thing I’m resolved upon—–­I’m not going to go through life as a half-educated man.  It is becoming more true, every year, that there’s little show for the man with only the half-formed mind.”

Then the two turned back to the subject that had brought them out on this September night—–­the disappearance of Banker Theodore Dodge.

“In a minute or two we’ll be in sight of the river bend,” announced Darrin.

“There it is, now,” nodded Dick, slowing down the horse and gazing over yonder.  “Some one is there, and looking hard for something.”