“Holmesy, you know so much more about things than I do,” pleaded Griffin sweetly, “just be good to Dell for an hour, won’t you?  You’re one of the best-informed men here.  Now, mind you, Dell!  No fun at Mr. Holmes’s expense.  Look out for her, Holmesy!”

With that Griffin “slid away” as gracefully and neatly as though he hadn’t been planning to do it all along.

“Your brother has always been mighty pleasant to me, but he never was as downright good before,” murmured Greg, looking down into the big black eyes that glanced laughingly up into is face.

“Oh, if you are ordinarily observant,” laughed Miss Griffin, “just keep your eyes on a level, and you’ll be able, in five minutes, to understand why he is so good to you in the present instance.”

Nevertheless, it was fully ten minutes before they met Griff again.  That young man was talking, with all animation, to a tall, rather stately blonde young lady.

“My brother,” remarked Miss Griffin, “is good boy, but he is calculating, even in his goodness.

“I don’t like to hear a word said against Griff,” protested Greg, “for I feel that I’m under the greatest obligation of my life to him.”

Miss Griffin laughed easily, but she glanced up challengingly into the eyes of her tall escort.  Miss Griffin had heard of the gallantries of West Point’s men, and didn’t propose to be caught.

“You must find the cadets a good deal below your expectations?” remarked Mr. Holmes inquiringly.

“No; they’re a wholly charming lot,” replied the girl.  “Oh, that word ‘lot’ simply escaped me.  Yet it does seem rather apt.  Don’t you think, Mr. Holmes, that the wearing of identical uniforms gives the young men rather the look of a ’lot’?”

Greg felt just a bit crestfallen, but he wasn’t going to show it.

“Why, I don’t know,” he replied slowly.  “Some of the young ladies who come here seem able to distinguish units in the lot.”

“Differences in height, and variations in the color of hair and eyes?  Is that it?” asked Miss Griffin, with an air of mild curiosity.

“Why, perhaps we’re like Chinamen?” laughed Greg good-naturedly.  “Pig-tailed and blue-bloused Chinese all look alike at first glance.  Gradually, however, one is able to note individual peculiarities of appearance.”

“Yes, I guess that’s it, Mr. Holmes,” replied the girl musingly.

“Now, I won’t ask you to tax yourself unpleasantly in distinguishing one cadet from another,” Greg went on bravely.  “But I am hoping, with all my heart, that you’ll know me the next time you meet me.”

“I can tell you how to make certain,” responded Miss Griffin demurely.

“Then I shall be your debtor for life!”

“Wear a red carnation in your blouse, and carry a white handkerchief in your left hand.”

“You’re cruel,” sighed Greg.

“Why?” demanded Miss Griffin.