det Prescott half turned. There was no time to do more, when
he felt himself seized in a strong clutch.

There was hardly any struggle. It all seemed to be over in a
second or so. Cadet Prescott plunged headlong through the darkness
of the night into the dark river below!

CHAPTER XVI

ROLL-CALL GIVES THE ALARM

For an instant Haynes leaned far out.

Now his eyes were filed with a terror that overcame the wild fascination
of his wicked deed.

His anger had died down in a flash. Turnback Haynes would have
given worlds to be able to recall the felonious deed he had just
committed. But it was too late. He had seen Prescott's flying
figure sink beneath the waters, which came up to within a few
feet of the railroad trestle.

Haynes turned back with a sobbing groan. Then he cast a terrified
look into the car.

Some of the fellows must have seen both of us come out here, he
quavered. They'll see only one of us come back. I'll have to
stand the whole fire of questions. Ugh! C-c-can I stand it without
breaking down and giving myself away?

The train was over and off of the bridge by now. Warned by a
light burning between the rails, the engineer brought the train
to a standstill.

His heart bounding with a cowards hope, turnback Haynes leaped
down to the roadbed. Breathlessly he rushed along the side of
the train. He succeeded in gaining the platform of the third
car ahead.

Though his knees shook under him, the turnback swung up on to
the steps. In another moment, after noting that the cadets were
not looking particularly towards the door, Haynes turned the knob,
stepping inside and dropping, with feigned carelessness, into
an empty seat.

"Hullo, Haynesy," was Lewis's easy greeting. Been up ahead?

"Yes," lied the turnback.

Anstey heard, though he did not pay much heed to the statement
at the time.

There were many, of course, who asked for Dick. Greg had not
seen his chum for some time. In his own heart Holmes felt sure
that Dick, tired of being congratulated, had sought retirement---in
the baggage car, probably. So Greg had little to say, and did
not go in search of his chum.

It was not, in fact, until the corps reached West Point, and roll-call
by companies was held, that the absence of Cadet Richard Prescott,
second class, was discovered.

Then there was a good deal of curiosity among a few comrades, wild
excitement and useless speculation.

An hour later, however, Gr