“I can play my cards at the hop,” he muttered.

The over to Cullum Hall, through the dark night, the little party strolled, one of many similar parties.

Once inside Cullum Hall, Prescott and Anstey, looking mightily like young copies of Mars in their splendid dress uniforms, conducted the ladies to seats at the side of the ballroom.  Dick and Anstey next took the ladies’ light wraps and went with them to the cloak room, after which they passed on to the coat room and checked their own caps.

Laura and Belle gazed about them with well-bred curiosity—–­Mrs. Bentley, too—–­at the other guests of the evening, who were arriving rapidly.  The scene was one of animated life.  It would have been hard to say whether the handsome gowns of the young ladies, or the cadet dress uniforms, gave more life and spirit to the scene.

As Prescott and Anstey returned across the ballroom floor the orchestra started a preliminary march.  Both young cadets fell unconsciously in step close to the door, and came marching, side by side, soldierly—–­perfect!

“What splendid, manly young fellows!” breathed Laura admiringly to Belle.  Her mother, too, heard.

“Be careful, Laura,” advised her mother, smilingly.  “Don’t lose your heart to a scrap of gray cloth and a brass button.”

“Don’t fear,” smiled Miss Bentley happily.  “When I lose my heart it shall be to a man!  And how many of them we see here tonight mother!”

Nearly with the precision of a marching platoon the two young men halted before the ladies.  Yet there was nothing of stiff formality about either Prescott or Anstey.  They stood before their friends, chatting lightly.

“Tell us about some of the other hops that you have attended before,” begged Belle Meade.

“But we haven’t attended any,” Dick replied.  “Do you recall my promise in Gridley, Miss Bentley—–­that I would invite you to my first hop as soon as I was eligible to attend one?”

“Yes,” nodded Laura smilingly.

“This is my first hop,” Dick said, smilingly.

“Mine, too,” affirmed Anstey.

“Gracious!” laughed Belle merrily.  “I hope you both know how to dance.”

“We put in weary lessons as plebes, under the dancing master,” laughed Dick.

“But you danced well in Gridley,” protested Laura.

“Thank you.  But the style is a bit different at West Point.”

“You make me uneasy,” pouted Belle.

“Then that uneasiness will vanish by the time you are half through with the first number.”

“There comes Mr. Holmes,” discovered Laura.  “What a remarkably pretty girl with him.”

“Mr. Griffin’s sister,” said Dick.

“Isn’t that Mr. Dodge?” murmured Laura.

Dick only half turned, but his sidelong glance covered the doorway.

“Yes; he appears to be stagging it.”

Bert presently disappeared.  As a cadet always claims the first number or two with the young lady whom he has “dragged” hither, “staggers” have to wait until later in the programme.