Dick Prescotts Third Year at West Point | Page 6

purse."
"Then as an American, I'm proud of West Point, if it has fellows with no more false shame than that," cried Foss heartily.
"Why, I always thought West Point a very swell place, extremely so," murmured Bessie Frost. "In fact--pardon me, won't you---I have always heard that the young men at West Point are very much puffed up and very exclusive."
Dick laughed good-humoredly.
"Of course, Miss Frost, the cadet is expected to learn how to become a gentleman as well as an officer. Yet why should any of us feel unduly conceited? We are privileged to secure one of the best educations to be obtained in the world, but we obtain it at public expense. Not only our education, but all our living expenses are paid for out of the nation's treasury, and that money is contributed by all tax-payers alike. If we of the cadet corps should get any notion that we belong to a superior race of beings, to whom would we owe it all? Are the cadets not indebted for their opportunities to all the citizens of the United States?"
"Did Bert Dodge have any especial trouble at West Point?" asked another girl.
"Mr. Dodge did not make us his confidants," evaded Dick coolly.
"What do you say, Mr. Holmes?" persisted the same girl.
"About the same that Dick does," replied Greg. "You see, there are several hundred cadets at West Point, and Dick and I were not in the same section with Dodge."
"Was he one of the capable students there?"
"Why, he was in a much higher section than either Dick or myself," admitted Greg truthfully; but he did not think it necessary to explain the trickery and cribbing by which Dodge had secured the appearance of higher scholarship.
At this point the tact and good sense of Miss Susie Sharp caused her to use her opportunities as hostess to break up the group and to start some new lines of conversation.
But Susie was uneasy, and presently she found a chance to whisper to Laura Bentley:
"Tell me, dear---what lies back of the fact that Mr. Dodge does not seem to be on good terms with Mr. Prescott and Mr. Holmes?"
"Did Bert Dodge know that Dick and Greg were to be here!" asked Miss Bentley.
"No; I wanted it to be a surprise on both sides."
"It must have been, my dear," smiled Laura "The fact is that Dick and Greg are not on friendly terms with Mr. Dodge."
"Oh!" murmured Susie, moving away. "I am glad that it was no worse."
A large tent had been erected on one of the lawns. To this tent, later in the afternoon, Miss Sharp invited her guests. Here a collation had been served, with pretty accessories, by a caterer, and several waiters stood about to serve.
When the guests returned to the house they discovered that the rugs had been removed, and that an orchestra was now at hand to furnish music for dancing. Given music and a smooth floor, young people do not mind exertion on a hot June afternoon. Dancing was at once in full swing. Nor did the young people leave until after six o'clock.
Greg escorted Belle Meade home, Dick walking with Laura. The two cadet chums met on Main Street a little later. They stood near a corner, chatting, when Bert Dodge came unexpectedly around the corner.
He saw the two cadets, changed color, then halted.
Neither Dick nor Greg checked their conversation, nor let it be known that they were aware of the ex-cadet's presence.
But Dodge, after looking at the chums sourly for a moment, stepped squarely in front of them.
"See here, you fellows-----" he began, his voice sounding thickly.
"Have you the impudence to address us," asked Prescott coolly.
"Don't talk to me about impudence!" snarled Dodge. "What did you two say about me, after I left this afternoon?"
"Oh, I assure you we didn't discuss you any more than was necessary," replied Dick frigidly.
"What did you say?" insisted Dodge.
"We couldn't say much about you," Greg broke in icily. "You know, you're hardly a fit subject for conversation."
"See here, you two fellows," warned Bert angrily, "you want to be mighty careful what you say about me! Do you understand? A single unfriendly word, that does any injury to my reputation, and I'll take it out of you."
Prescott would not go to the length of sneering. He allowed an amused twinkle to show in his eyes.
"On your way, Dodge that's the best course for you," advised Greg coldly. "We're not interested in your threats of fight, and you ought to know better, too, after some of the thumpings you've had."
"Fight?" jeered Dodge harshly. "You fellows seem to think you're still in cadet barracks, and that all you have to do is to call me out, and that my only recourse is to put up an argument before a class scrap committee. But