w quarters.

"Afterward it occurred to the cadets that he had kept strangely quiet
about the whole affair--but one always hears the grass growing after it
has grown. So much, however, was certain; he had allowed no one to help
him, and when Big L put his hands to the work, he became quite rough
toward his little brother. But Little L, ready to help as he always was,
did not allow himself to be deterred by this, and as he was taking out
of his brother's locker the gymnasium drill jacket that was lying neatly
folded together, he felt all at once something hard within--and it was
the belt of the Primaner.

"What the brothers said to each other at the moment, or whether they
spoke at all, no one has ever learned; for Little L had still so much
presence of mind that he went noiselessly from the room.

"But hardly was he out of the door and in the corridor, when he threw
the jacket on the ground, and without once thinking of what might be
made out of the affair, he ran up behind the Primaner with the belt.

"But now, of course, it could no longer be helped; in five minutes the
story was the property of the whole company.

"Big L had allowed himself to be driven by the devil and had become
light-fingered. Half an hour later it was whispered softly from room to
room: 'To-night, when the lamps are turned out, general consultation in
the company hall!'

"In every company quarters, you must know, there was a larger room,
where marks were given out, and certain public actions proceeded with,
in what was called the company hall.

"So that evening, when the lamps were out, and everything was quite
dark, there was a general movement from all the rooms, through the
corridor; not a door ventured to slam, all were in stocking feet, for
the captain and the officers still knew nothing and were allowed to know
nothing of the meeting, else we would have brought a storm about our
ears.

"As we came to the door of the company hall, there stood near the door
against the wall one as white as the plaster on the wall--it was Little
L. At the same moment a couple took him by the hands. 'Little L can
come in with us,' they said; 'he is not to blame.' Only one of them all
wished to oppose this; he was a long, big fellow--he was called--name
of no consequence--well, then, he was called K. But he was overruled at
once; Little L was taken in with us, a couple of tallow candles were lit
and placed on the table, and now the consultation began."