nd he preferred to unearth them in
some other way.

"Your answer, Grant," said the principal.

"Without intending any disrespect to you, sir, I would rather not
answer," replied Richard, glancing at the officers present.

A slight curl on the lip of a cadet by the name of Redman attracted his
attention. It was a kind of suppressed sneer, which Richard interpreted
that he dared not expose the doings of the secret society. His answer
had been a virtual admission of the charge, and the case seemed to have
gone against him. Richard concluded that the boy who could rejoice at
that moment must be a Regulator.

"The penalty of sleeping at your post and deserting it would be the
same; and as you admit the charge in substance, it will not be
necessary to proceed any further," said Colonel Brockridge.

Richard was tempted to make a full explanation of the events of the
night, but he had some doubts whether he would be believed if he did
so. Besides, he was curious to know what the Regulators would do. The
penalty for the offence with which he was charged could not be very
heavy, and he determined to submit to it, for the purpose of exposing
the Regulators at some future time.

The principal then gave him a lecture on the impropriety of deserting
his post, when placed on guard, explaining the consequences that might
result from such unfaithfulness in time of war. Richard listened
patiently to the reproof, and was sentenced to be confined in the guard
tent for twenty-four hours.

Richard possessed his soul in patience, and slept off a good portion of
his imprisonment. He devoted all his wakeful hours to a consideration
of the doings of the Regulators, and in devising plans for
"ventilating" their secret proceedings.

When he was relieved from arrest, and permitted to join his comrades,
he kept a close watch upon Redman, and also upon the two privates who
had been next to him in the line on guard. They must have been his
accusers, and he was satisfied that they belonged to the obnoxious
association. Nevers, no doubt, was also a member, and he believed him
to be the "Dobbin" of the party that had whipped him. Here were four
whom he suspected, and during the week the battalion remained in camp,
their words and their actions were carefully scanned; but they were too
adroit to expose themselves, though Richard's close scrutiny was not
entirely fruitless.

Our soldier entered heartily into the spirit of the occasion, and
perf