its tracks through to Blixton I probably
would have arrived at a civilized hour," laughed Dick. "As it was, I had
to come in on a wood-burning, backwoods road and the train was only five
hours and a half behind schedule. Then, from a sleepy policeman I got
directions that enabled me to find this place after an hour's hard work."
To what effect? Only to be pounced upon by you as though you had caught me
in the act of stealing all the water in the Gulf of Mexico!"

"Stop your roasting," laughed Tom joyfully. "But say, it _does_ seem good
to set eyes on you again, after two years."

All of our readers who have read the "_High School Boys Series_" and the
"_West Point Series_" know all about Dick Prescott, the famous leader of
Dick & Co.

"What are you now?" Tom asked eagerly. "A general, or only a colonel?"

"Nothing but a shavetail," laughed Dick. "Shavetail is the army nickname
for a second lieutenant."

"I've got to join my regiment, the Thirty-fourth Infantry, out in Colorado
very soon," continued Prescott. "But I came down here to spend a few days
with you, if you can stand me."

"If we can stand you!" chuckled Tom, patting his old high school chum on
the back. "Say, where's Greg?"

Greg Holmes had been another member of Dick & Co., and Dick's chum and
comrade at West Point.

"Well, you see," laughed Lieutenant Prescott, "Greg has been falling in
love with six girls a year regularly ever since he entered West Point.
Now that he's in the army he has started in to increase the yearly
average. He's visiting a Miss Deering, who lives near Chicago."

"Greg's likely never to marry," wisely remarked Tom. "These fellows who
catch a new love fever every few weeks always end up by finding that no
girl wants them. But say, Dick you hardly look the soldier."

"Why not?"

"Well, one would expect to see an army officer in uniform, you know."

"An officer rarely travels in uniform, unless on duty with troops,"
explained Dick.

"How did you like West Point?"

"Fine!" said Dick, grimly. "It was like four years in prison, only more
so. When I look back I shudder at the incessant grind I had to endure
there. Yet I'm going to be happy, now I'm through, for I couldn't be happy
anywhere except in the United States Army."

"What crazy notions some folks have of happiness," murmured Tom, mockingly.
"However, old fellow, we're not going to fight, are we? Now, hustle over
to the house. Harry is sleeping at the