ony femme pretty often himself."

"Why," asked Hayes, opening his eyes rather wide, "are you boning
bootlick with any but officers?"

"Boning bootlick" means to curry favor. Occasionally a cadet
who wants cadet honors resorts to "boning bootlick" with the tactical
officers stationed at the academy.

"I'm not boning bootlick with cadets or with officers either,"
retorted Dick rather crisply.

"I've never had the delight of wearing chevrons, you know."

Haynes flushed a trifle. The year before he had worn a sergeant's
chevrons. This year, for some reason, he did not have the chevrons.

"Wearing chevrons isn't the only sign of bootlick," replied Haynes.

"Is it one of them?" smiled Prescott good-humoredly.

Again Haynes flushed. He had meant to take down this new member
of the second class, but found Prescott's tongue too ready.

"I don't know," replied Haynes shortly. "I've never been one
of the authorities on bootlick."

"Nor I, either," laughed Prescott quietly. "So we won't be able
to come to the point of any information on the subject, I'm afraid."

Greg, with his back turned to the visitor as he bent over the
study desk, had been frowning for some time. Holmes wanted to
study; he knew how badly he needed the time. But Haynes showed
no sign of leaving the room.

Suddenly, Holmes closed his book, perhaps with a trifle more noise
than was necessary.

"What you going to do, Greg?" inquired his chum, as Cadet Holmes
rose stiffly, holding himself very erect in his natty gray uniform.

"I believe I'll get out for a while," replied Greg. "I---I really
want to think a little while."

"Oh, I'll go, if you say so," volunteered Cadet Haynes, though
without offering to rise.

"Not necessary," replied Greg briefly, and stepped over to the
door, which he next closed---from the outside.

"Your roommate cocky?" asked Haynes, with a short laugh.

"Holmes!" inquired Dick. "One of the best fellows in the world."

"Guess he didn't want visitors, then," grinned: Haynes. "He's
a chump to bone hard all the time. Really, Prescott, you don't
get any further with an excess of boning."

"I always try to get as high in my class as I can," sighed Dick.
"True, that has never been extremely high yet. But a fellow
wants to be well up, so he can spare a few numbers, in case anything
happens, you know."

"I'd just as soon be anywhere above the three fellows at the bottom
of the Glass," replied Haynes, stifling a