“Now that I think of it,” remarked Brayton, turning and fixing his roommate with a frigid, hostile stare, “I have, on at least two occasions, entered this room just in time to see Mr. Dodge spring up hastily from near the fireplace.  But I am a dull-witted fellow, I suppose, and I didn’t suspect.

“Have you anything to say, Mr. Dodge?” demanded Anstey.

“Nothing,” barely gasped the detected wretch.

“Then I will say something instead, suh,” continued the Virginian.  “I would rather the task fell to someone else, but this work has been delegated to me, and I must see it through, suh.  Mr. Dodge, we are all satisfied that you are a miserable, lying, sneaking hound, suh, not worthy to associate with gentlemen.  We are satisfied, suh, that you are without honor or principle, and that you will never be fit to become an officer of the Army.”

“Now, see here, fellows,” broke in Dodge in a whining tone, “if you’ll be generous and give me another chance, I can live this down.”

“Then you admit that which we have been stating against you, do you, suh?” questioned the Virginian.  “It will be best for you to be wholly honest, suh!

“Yes—–­yes—–­I—–­admit—–­it,” cried Dodge brokenly.  “But I didn’t deliberately plan for Prescott’s undoing—–­on my honor, I didn’t!  What happened was this:  When I took Prescott’s handkerchief with one hand, I had that crib in the other hand.  After using the handkerchief, I found that I couldn’t pass it back without either letting the crib be seen, or else tucking the crib into the handkerchief.  So I had to do the latter thing.  But that was as far as I was guilty—–­on my honor, gentlemen!”

“Then you expect us to believe in the honor of a cadet who dishonors himself by sneaking cribs into a section room?” demanded Anstey with mild but withering sarcasm.

“Give me just one more chance, gentlemen!” faltered Dodge.  “I pledge you my word that, henceforth, I’ll do everything that is creditable and honorable, and nothing that isn’t!”

“We have a somewhat different proposition for you, Mr. Dodge,” observed the Virginian.  “We want no more of your stripe.  We would degrade the entire Army, and the whole people of the United States of America if we allow you to remain here.  Tomorrow, at an early hour, you will hand in your resignation as a cadet, to take effect upon acceptance.  If you fail, we will lay before the superintendent and the commandant of cadets all the evidence that we have against you, including your own confession.  You will then have to face a general court-martial and be dismissed from the service in the deepest disgrace that can come to a cadet.”

Bert Dodge sank to his knees, holding his clasped hands up before him.

“Don’t insist on that, gentlemen!  Don’t!  Spare me the disgrace!  Spare my parents!