Wednesday again d.i.c.k marched back in mathematics section with a consciousness that he had not fumbled once in explaining the problem that he had been ordered to set forth the blackboard.
"I hear that you"re going to graduate ahead of time, and be appointed professor in math.," grinned Greg.
"Well, I"m at least beginning to find out that some things are better than hops," laughed d.i.c.k happily. "Greg, if I can kill math. to my satisfaction this year, I shan"t have another doubt about being able to get through and graduate here!"
It was the end of November by this time, and d.i.c.k, on Thursday of this successful week, received a letter to the effect that Laura and Belle would arrive at West Point on Sat.u.r.day afternoon at one o"clock.
The news nearly broke up Prescott"s three hours of study that Thursday evening. However, he fought off the feeling of excitement and hampering delight.
When d.i.c.k marched with his section into mathematics Friday morning he felt a calm confidence that he would keep up the average of his fine performance for the week.
"Mr. Furlong, Mr. Dunstan, Mr. Prescott and Mr. Gray, go to the blackboards," ordered Captain Abbott. "The other gentlemen will recite from their seats."
Stepping nimbly over to the blackboard, in one corner of which his name had been written, d.i.c.k picked up the chalk, setting down the preliminaries of the problem a.s.signed to him. Then his chalk ran nimbly along over the first lines of his demonstration.
At last he stopped. Captain Abbott, who was generally accredited with possessing several pairs of eyes, noted that Mr. Prescott had halted.
For some moments the young man went anxiously over what he had already written. At last he turned around, facing the instructor, and saluted.
"Permission to erase, sir?" requested Prescott.,
Captain Abbott nodded his a.s.sent.
Picking up the eraser, d.i.c.k carefully erased the last two lines that he had set down.
Then, as though working under a new inspiration, he went ahead setting down line after line of the demonstration of this difficult problem. Only once did he halt, and then for not more than thirty seconds.
Dunstan went through a halting explanation of his problem. Then Captain Abbott called:
"Mr. Prescott!"
Taking up the short pointer, d.i.c.k rattled off the statement of the problem. Then he plunged into his demonstration, becoming more and more confident as he progressed.
When he had finished Captain Abbott asked three or four questions.
d.i.c.k answered these without hesitation.
"Excellent," nodded the gratified instructor. "That is all, Mr.
Prescott."
As d.i.c.k turned to step to his seat he pulled his handkerchief from the breast of his blouse and wiped the chalk from his hands.
All unseen by himself a narrow slip of white paper fluttered from underneath his handkerchief to the floor.
"Mr. Prescott," called Captain Abbott, "will you bring me that piece of paper from the floor?"
d.i.c.k obeyed without curiosity, then turned again and gained his seat. The instructor, in the meantime, had called upon Mr. Pike.
While Pike was reciting, haltingly, Captain Abbott turned over the slip of paper on his desk, glancing at it with "one of his pairs of eyes."
Anyone who had been looking at the instructor at that moment would have noted a slight start and a brief change of color in the captain"s face. But he said nothing until all of the cadets had recited and had been marked.
"Mr. Prescott!" the instructor then called d.i.c.k rose, standing by his seat.
"Mr. Prescott, did you work out your problem for today unaided?"
"I had a little aid, last night, sir, from Mr. Anstey."
"But you had no aid in the section room today?"
"No, sir," replied d.i.c.k, feeling much puzzled.
"You understand my question, Mr. Prescott?"
"I think so, sir."
"In putting down your demonstration on the blackboard today you had no aid whatever?"
"None whatever, sir."
"At one stage, Air. Prescott, you hesitated, waited, then asked permission to erase? After that erasure you went on with hardly a break to the end of the blackboard work."
"Yes, sir."
"And, at the time you hesitated, before securing leave to erase, you did not consult any aid in your work?"
"No, sir."
"This piece of paper," continued Captain Abbott, lifting the slip, "fell from your handkerchief when you drew it out, just as you left the blackboard. That was why I asked you to bring it to me, Mr. Prescott. This paper contains all the salient features of your demonstration. Can you explain this fact, Mr. Prescott?"
The astounded yearling felt as though his brain were reeling.
He went hot and cold, all in a flash.
In the same moment the other men of the section sat as though stunned. All lying, deceit and fraud are so utterly detested at West Point that to a cadet it is incomprehensible how a comrade can be guilty of such an offence.
It seemed to Prescott like an age ere he could master his voice.
"I never saw that paper, sir, before you asked me to pick it up!"
"But it dropped from under your handkerchief, Mr. Prescott. Can you account for that?"
"I cannot, sir."
Captain Abbott looked thoughtfully, seriously, at Cadet Richard Prescott. The instructor had always liked this young man, and had deemed him worthy of all trust. Yet what did this evidence show?
In the meantime the cadets sat staring the tops of their desks, or the covers of their books. The gaze of each man was stony; so were his feelings.
Prescott, the soul of honor, caught in such a sc.r.a.pe as this!
But there must be some sensible and satisfactory explanation, thought at least half of the cadets present.