Just before three o'clock every man of the first class turned out through the north sallyport in the full equipment of a cavalryman. Here they halted before barracks.
Dick caught sight of four figures standing hardly more than across the road. A swift glance at the time, and Prescott stepped over the road.
"Good afternoon, mother. Good afternoon, Mrs. Bentley. And Laura and Belle—-oh, how delighted I am to see you both here!"
Genuine joy shone in this manly cadet's eyes; none could mistake that.
"You did not know that Greg had invited me to the graduation ball, did you?" asked Belle Meade.
"I did not," Dick answered truthfully. "Yet I guessed it as soon as I saw you here. And you have been at the Annapolis graduation, too?"
"Why, of course!" exclaimed Belle, almost in astonishment. "And
Laura went with me. That's something else you didn't know, Dick."
"I've been through the course at West Point," laughed the cadet, "and by this time I am not astonished at the number of things that I don't know."
"Dave and Dan said they had seen you only a few days ago, but they sent their love again," rattled on Miss Meade. "But I'm taking up all of the talk, and I know you're dying to talk to Laura."
Belle accompanied her words with a little gesture of one hand that displayed the flash of a small solitaire diamond set in a band of gold on the third finger of the left hand.