“Then you are not going?” asked Mrs. Prescott.

“I hardly think so.  Not unless Greg wishes it.”

The next envelope that Dick picked up was addressed in Laura Bentley’s handwriting.  Dick read for a moment, then announced: 

“I have changed my mind.  I shall go to call on Miss Sharp.  Laura urges me to, saying that Miss Sharp has been very kind to her in the last year.  If Laura wishes it, I’ll go to call on any one.”

At this moment Greg Holmes, tall, muscular, erect and looking as though he had just come from the tailor’s iron, stepped cheerily into the store.

“Morning, old ramrod,” hailed the other cadet.  “I know you don’t mind that kind of talk, Mrs. Prescott.  It’s our term of affection for Dick at West Point.  Going through your invitations, are you?  Aren’t they the bore, though.  Especially as we had very few invitations when we were High School boys in this same old town.”

“You received one from Susie:  Sharp, of course?”

“Yes,” Greg assented.  “And I’m going—–­not!”

“You are going—–­yes!” Dick retorted.

“Oh!” nodded Greg.  “Am I entitled to any explanation?”

“Laura wishes it.”

“That’s a whole platoon of reasons boiled down into one file-closer,” grinned Greg.  “Yes; I am going to visit Miss Sharp this afternoon.”

“Have you heard that Bert Dodge is in town at present?”

“No!” muttered Greg.  Then added tersely:  “The b.j.(fresh) rascal!  I wonder what folks here think of a sneak who was forced to resign by a cadet committee on honor?”

“Folks here don’t know that Dodge was forced out of the Academy.”

“Thank you for telling me,” nodded Greg.  “Then I shall know how to keep my mouth shut.  Laura will be a Miss Sharp’s this afternoon, of course?”

“Naturally.  And Belle Meade, also.”

“Then,” proposed Greg, “suppose we ’phone the girls and ask if we may call this afternoon and escort them to Miss Sharp’s.  We must do something to show that we appreciate their loyalty in remaining at West Point last winter until your name was cleared of disgrace.”

“Yes; we’ll ’phone them,” nodded Dick.

On both days, so far, that he had been home, Dick had called at Dr. Bentley’s to see Laura.  In fact, that was the only calling he had done, though he had met scores of friends on the street.

Both young ladies were pleased to accept the proffered escort.

“By the way,” proposed Greg, “what are you going to do this morning?”

“Going out for a walk, for one thing,” replied Dick.  “I’ve talked to mother until she must have ear-ache on both sides, and feel tired of having me home.”

“What do you saw if we trot around and extract handshakes from some of the follows we used to pack schoolbooks with?” hinted Holmes.  “For instance, Ennerton is down at the bank, in a new job.  Foss is advertising manager in Curlham & Peck’s department store.  I know he’ll be glad to see us if we don’t take up too much of his employer’s time.  Then Ted Sanders-----”