*

"Well?" challenged Holmes gayly, as he entered their room after
the hop.

"I believe I'm going to turn over a new leaf and max it some,"
grinned Prescott.

"Don't!" expostulated Greg, with a look of mock alarm.

The daily marks were not posted until the end of the academic
week, but Prescott knew, when Monday's recitation in mathematics
was over, that he had found new favor in the eyes of Captain Abbott,
the instructor. On Tuesday again he was sure that he had landed
another high mark.

Greg caught some of the fire of his chum's example, and he, too,
began to bone so furiously that he decided to drop the hops for
the time.

Wednesday again Dick marched back in mathematics section with
a consciousness that he had not fumbled once in explaining the
problem that he had been ordered to set forth the blackboard.

"I hear that you're going to graduate ahead of time, and be appointed
professor in math.," grinned Greg.

"Well, I'm at least beginning to find out that some things are
better than hops," laughed Dick happily. "Greg, if I can kill
math. to my satisfaction this year, I shan't have another doubt
about being able to get through and graduate here!"

It was the end of November by this time, and Dick, on Thursday
of this successful week, received a letter to the effect that
Laura and Belle would arrive at West Point on Saturday afternoon
at one o'clock.

The news nearly broke up Prescott's three hours of study that
Thursday evening. However, he fought off the feeling of excitement
and hampering delight.

When Dick marched with his section into mathematics Friday morning
he felt a calm confidence that he would keep up the average of
his fine performance for the week.

"Mr. Furlong, Mr. Dunstan, Mr. Prescott and Mr. Gray, go to the
blackboards," ordered Captain Abbott. "The other gentlemen will
recite from their seats."

Stepping nimbly over to the blackboard, in one corner of which
his name had been written, Dick picked up the chalk, setting down
the preliminaries of the problem assigned to him. Then his chalk
ran nimbly along over the first lines of his demonstration.

At last he stopped. Captain Abbott, who was generally accredited
with possessing several pairs of eyes, noted that Mr. Prescott
had halted.

For some moments the young man went anxiously over what he had
already written. At last he turned around, facing the instructor,
and saluted.

"Permission to erase, sir?" requested P