“A sad mistake.  You men have made a bad bungle; I know it.”

“It is a matter of internal discipline in the corps,” replied the West Point cadet, speaking much more coldly.

“Yes, I know it,” Dave replied quickly, “and I beg your pardon for having seemed to criticise the action of the Corps of Cadets.  However, anything that unpleasantly affects Dick Prescott is a sore subject with me.  Prescott is one of the best friends I have in the world.”

“Why, I’ve heard something about that,” replied Fields in a less constrained tone.  “You and Mr. Prescott are old school cronies.”

“Of the closest kind,” Dave nodded.  “That’s why I feel certain that Dick Prescott never did, and never could do, anything dishonorable.  You’ll surely find it out before long, and then the Corps will make full amends.”

“I fear not,” replied Cadet Fields.  “Mr. Prescott had every opportunity given him to clear himself, and failed to do so to the satisfaction of the Corps.  Therefore he’ll never graduate from the Military Academy.  It wouldn’t do him any good to try.  He’d only be ostracized in the Army if he had the cheek to stay in the Corps.”

“Let’s not talk about that part of it any more,” begged Dave.  “But you’ll miss Prescott from your fighting line to-day.”

“That’s very likely,” assented the West Point man.  “I’m glad we haven’t Mr. Prescott here, but we’d be heartily glad if we had some one else as good on the football field.”

“And you haven’t Holmes, either?” sighed Dave.

“That isn’t any one’s fault but Holmesy’s,” frowned Cadet Fields. 
“We wanted Holmesy to play, and we gave him every chance, but-----”

“But he wouldn’t,” finished Dave.  “No more would I play on the Navy team if the fellows had done anything unjust to Dalzell.”

“Do you feel that you’re going to have an easy walk-over with us to-day?” demanded Cadet Fields cheerily.

“No; but we’re prepared to fight.  We’ll get the game if it’s in any way possible,” Darrin assured his questioner.

“Are the bonfires back in Annapolis all ready to be lighted to-night?” inquired Fields smilingly.

“They must be.”

“What a lot of unnecessary labor,” laughed the West Point man.

“Why?” challenged Dave.

“Because the Army is going to win again.”  That “again” caused Dave Darrin to wince.  “We win almost every time, you know,” Fields explained.

“Almost every time?” challenged Dan Dalzell, joining the pair.  “Are you sure of your statistics?”

“Oh, I have the statistics, of course,” Fields answered.  “That’s why I speak so confidently.”

At this point three more West Point men approached.

“Hey, fellows,” called Fields good-humoredly.  “Do you know of an impression that I find to prevail among the middies to-day?”

“What is that?” inquired one of the gray-clad cadets, as the newcomers joined the group.