"My brother," remarked Miss Griffin, "is good boy, but he is calculating, even in his goodness.
"I don"t like to hear a word said against Griff," protested Greg, "for I feel that I"m under the greatest obligation of my life to him."
Miss Griffin laughed easily, but she glanced up challengingly into the eyes of her tall escort. Miss Griffin had heard of the gallantries of West Point"s men, and didn"t propose to be caught.
"You must find the cadets a good deal below your expectations?"
remarked Mr. Holmes inquiringly.
"No; they"re a wholly charming lot," replied the girl. "Oh, that word "lot" simply escaped me. Yet it does seem rather apt. Don"t you think, Mr. Holmes, that the wearing of identical uniforms gives the young men rather the look of a "lot"?"
Greg felt just a bit crestfallen, but he wasn"t going to show it.
"Why, I don"t know," he replied slowly. "Some of the young ladies who come here seem able to distinguish units in the lot."
"Differences in height, and variations in the color of hair and eyes? Is that it?" asked Miss Griffin, with an air of mild curiosity.
"Why, perhaps we"re like Chinamen?" laughed Greg good-naturedly.
"Pig-tailed and blue-bloused Chinese all look alike at first glance. Gradually, however, one is able to note individual peculiarities of appearance."
"Yes, I guess that"s it, Mr. Holmes," replied the girl musingly.
"Now, I won"t ask you to tax yourself unpleasantly in distinguishing one cadet from another," Greg went on bravely. "But I am hoping, with all my heart, that you"ll know me the next time you meet me."
"I can tell you how to make certain," responded Miss Griffin demurely.
"Then I shall be your debtor for life!"
"Wear a red carnation in your blouse, and carry a white handkerchief in your left hand."
"You"re cruel," sighed Greg.
"Why?" demanded Miss Griffin.
"Both tests that you suggest are against cadet regulations. Let me suggest a better test?"
"If you can?" challenged Miss Griffin.
The band, at this moment, was playing a Strauss waltz. The young people had strolled just a bit beyond the encampment, and now Greg compelled a halt under the added shadow of a big tree.
"The test I long to suggest," replied Greg, "is so exacting that I hesitate to ask it."
"My curiosity is aroused," complained Miss Griffin.
"I had it in mind to ask you to look up into my face until you are certain that you will recognize it again."
"Mercy!" gasped the black-eyed beauty.
"I knew I was presumptuous and inconsiderate," admitted Greg meekly.
None the less, Miss Griffin laughed and stood looking coyly up into Mr. Holmes"s face. But at last, feeling absurd, Miss Griffin shifted her glance.
"I knew I was asking too much," remarked Greg in a tone of resignation.
"You couldn"t stand it, could you?"
Laughing merrily, Miss Griffin turned her look upward again, meeting Greg Holmes"s gray eyes.
Then, after a few moments, she remarked thoughtfully:
"My brother was over-solicitous in fearing that I would embarra.s.s you in the least."
"Are you going to be at the hop tomorrow night?" Greg asked.
"I---would like to."
"Can it be possible," queried Mr. Holmes, "that I am so fortunate as to be discreet in asking whether I may escort you there?"
"If you care to be so charitable, Mr. Holmes."
Greg had a moment"s uneasy impulse to seize her hand by way of answer. Fortunately, he restrained himself.
"If I call for you at the hotel tomorrow evening, Miss Griffin, may I hope that you will recognize me?" he challenged.
"I will take another look and make sure," she laughed softly, glancing up archly into Greg"s face.
As the concert drew to a close Greg had to make a decent show of trying to find Griffin, and he succeeded. Griffin was still with the tall blonde. Griffin had permission to go to the hotel, and Greg didn"t. So Greg strolled with Miss Griffin until near the hotel grounds. Then he bade her a cordial good night, and Griff escorted both "femmes" to the hotel.
"What do you think of Holmesy?" asked Griffin of his sister.
"He"s quite agreeable," replied Adele Griffin. "Very soldierly, if I am any judge. I wonder how he will look in a second lieutenant"s uniform?"
As our three bunkies prepared for bed that night Prescott remarked:
"Tomorrow, Greg, we"ll see the folks from home! I hope you"ll do nothing, though, to make Dave Darrin dislike you."
"I won"t," promised Greg solemnly. Then: "Oh, great---Jove!
I"ve-----"
"Well?" demanded d.i.c.k. "What have you done?
"I"ve asked another femme to accept my drag to-morrow night!
"Miss Griffin?"
"Yes!"
"Anstey," continued d.i.c.k, turning quickly to hide a frown, "I shall have to draft you!"
"I was bo"n and reared a gentleman, suh!" replied the Virginian, with cordial gravity.