“Is it one of them?” smiled Prescott good-humoredly.

Again Haynes flushed.  He had meant to take down this new member of the second class, but found Prescott’s tongue too ready.

“I don’t know,” replied Haynes shortly.  “I’ve never been one of the authorities on bootlick.”

“Nor I, either,” laughed Prescott quietly.  “So we won’t be able to come to the point of any information on the subject, I’m afraid.”

Greg, with his back turned to the visitor as he bent over the study desk, had been frowning for some time.  Holmes wanted to study; he knew how badly he needed the time.  But Haynes showed no sign of leaving the room.

Suddenly, Holmes closed his book, perhaps with a trifle more noise than was necessary.

“What you going to do, Greg?” inquired his chum, as Cadet Holmes rose stiffly, holding himself very erect in his natty gray uniform.

“I believe I’ll get out for a while,” replied Greg.  “I—–­I really want to think a little while.”

“Oh, I’ll go, if you say so,” volunteered Cadet Haynes, though without offering to rise.

“Not necessary,” replied Greg briefly, and stepped over to the door, which he next closed—–­from the outside.

“Your roommate cocky?” asked Haynes, with a short laugh.

“Holmes!” inquired Dick.  “One of the best fellows in the world.”

“Guess he didn’t want visitors, then,” grinned:  Haynes.  “He’s a chump to bone hard all the time.  Really, Prescott, you don’t get any further with an excess of boning.”

“I always try to get as high in my class as I can,” sighed Dick.  “True, that has never been extremely high yet.  But a fellow wants to be well up, so he can spare a few numbers, in case anything happens, you know.”

“I’d just as soon be anywhere above the three fellows at the bottom of the Glass,” replied Haynes, stifling another yawn.

“Well, I hope you at least attain to your ambitions in the matter,” replied Dick, regretfully eyeing two of his text-books that he wanted to dig into in turn.  There was not a heap of study time left now, before the call came for supper formation.

“My ambitions run along different lines,” announced Haynes.

“Along different lines than class standing?” inquired Dick.

“Yes; if you mean the kind of class standing that comes from the academic board,” went on Haynes.

“Why, I didn’t know there was any other kind, except standing in drill, and believe nearly all of the men here stand well in drill.”

“Oh, there are some other kinds,” pursued Haynes.  “Personal standing, for instance?”

“Thank heaven personal standing is rather easily reached here,” replied Dick.  “All a fellow has to do is to be courteous and honorable and his personal standing just about takes care of itself.”

“Oh, there are some other little matters in personal standing.  Take the class presidency, Prescott, for instance.”