“I do, sir.”

“Then, on your honor as a cadet and a gentleman, you declare that your statement is true?”

“I do, sir,” Cadet Prescott replied.

The pledge he had just given is the most solemn that is exacted of a United States military cadet.  Usually, the cadet’s plain word is accepted as ample, for the sense of faith and honor is paramount at West Point.  A cadet detected in a lie would be forced out of the cadet corps by the ostracism of his own comrades.

“That is all, for the present, Mr. Prescott.”

Dick respectfully saluted the K.C., then the O.C., next wheeled and marched out of the tent, going straight to his own tent.  Prescott would gladly have remained, but he had been dismissed.

It was twenty minutes later when Greg crept back into the tent and began to undress.

“How about it?” whispered Prescott.

“I was asked more questions, but all of the same import,” Holmes answered in a whisper.

“Did the O.C. make you tell on yourself, about being over by the reveille gun?”

“No; I thought some of his questions led that way, but my other answers stopped him in that line.  As a last resort I would respectfully have declined to say anything to incriminate myself.”

As was afterwards learned, Dick and Greg were the only witnesses examined that night.  Captain Bates had followed the only trail at which he could guess, and had learned nothing.

* * * * * * * *

“Mr. Prescott and Mr. Holmes both have the usual excellent reputation of cadets for truthfulness, haven’t they, Captain?” asked Colonel Strong.

“Yes, Colonel.”

“Then I am afraid we shall get no further in this investigation.”

“Unless, sir, my questions were so badly put as to give them a chance of shielding themselves without giving untruthful answers.  I shall sleep on this matter tonight, Colonel.  I don’t want these young men to think they can put such an easy one right over my head.”

“I wish you luck, Bates.  But I’m afraid you’ve shot off your only round of ammunition, and have found it a blank charge.  Good night.”

“Good night, sir.”

“Mr. Prescott was clever enough to prevent my pouncing on Mr. Holmes at the reveille gun tonight,” mused the O.C.  “I can hardly suspect Mr. Prescott of untruthfulness, but I wonder whether he has been clever enough to baffle me in this monument affair, without telling an absolute untruth?”

For nearly a half an hour the O.C. lay awake, reviewing the method he had followed in questioning Cadet Prescott.

In the morning, after breakfast, there were a few minutes of leisure in camp before the squads or platoons marched away for the first drills.

“You were on the grill, last night, old ramrod?” asked Furlong, in a chuckling whisper.

“Yes,” Dick nodded.

“You couldn’t tell anything?”