“And that was the very way that Prescott’s horse was enraged, so that old ramrod got his awful tumble!” exclaimed Greg bitterly.

“You believe, now, that the whole thing was a dirty, deliberate trick, don’t you?” asked Spurlock of Prescott.

“I am pretty sure it must have been,” nodded Dick.

“Then,” declared Brayton, “the whole thing is something for you second classmen to settle among yourselves.  In the first place, it is your own class affair.  In the next place, we men of the first class are practically out of the Military Academy already.  It will do the first class no good to take any action, because we shall not be here to carry out any decree.”

“You can advise us, though,” suggested Holmes.

“And we’ll do so gladly,” nodded Brayton.  “Then do we need to hold a class meeting, and vote to make the Coventry permanent?”

“Hardly, I should say,” replied Brayton.  “You’ve already started the cut, and it can be continued without any regular action—–­unless Haynes should have the cheek to try to brazen it out.  If he does insist on staying here at the Military Academy, you can easily take up the matter during the summer encampment.”

“It would seem rather strange for me to call a class meeting, when the whole affair concerns me,” suggested Dick.

“Oh, you don’t need to call the meeting, old ramrod,” advised Spurlock.  “A self-appointed committee of the class can call the meeting.  You can open the meeting, of course, Prescott, and then you can call any other member of the class to take the chair.”

“I wonder if it will be necessary to drum the fellow out of the class formally?” asked Anstey.

“Only time can show you that,” replied Brayton.  “Better just wait and see what action the fellow Haynes will take for himself.  He may have the sense to resign.”

Resign?  That word was not in Haynes’s own dictionary of conduct.  After his first few moments of despair, on gaining his room, the turnback had risen from his chair, his face showing a courage and resolution worthy of a better cause.

“Those idiots may think they have ‘got’ me,” he muttered, shaking his fist toward the quadrangle.  “One of these days they’ll know me better!  I’ll make life miserable for some of those pups yet!”

Just before it was time for the call to dress parade Pierson came hurrying into the room to hasten into his full-dress uniform.

Haynes, already dressed with scrupulous care, looked curiously at his roommate.  But Pierson did not appear to see him.

Haynes stepped over to the window, drumming listlessly on the sill.  At length he turned around.

“Pierson,” he asked, “have the fellows sent me to Coventry?”

“You don’t need to ask that,” replied the other coldly.

“Is it because of Prescott?”

“Yes.  And now, will you stop bothering me with the sound of your voice?”