"Not in time to do me any good," replied Dick gloomily.
"Now what do you mean?"
But Dick closed his jaws firmly.
Greg knew better than to press his questioning further, just then. He contented himself with crossing the room, resting both hands on Dick's shoulders.
"Now, old ramrod, just remember this: Into every life a good deal of trouble comes. It is up to each fellow, in his own case, to show how much of a man he is. The fellow who lies down, or runs away, isn't a man. The fellow who fights his trouble out to a grim finish, is a man every inch of his five or six feet! The class is wild, just now, but on misinformation. Fight it out! Enemies of yours have brought you to this pass. Don't run away! All your friends are with you as much as ever they were."
Dick was a good deal affected.
"Believe me, Greg, whatever I decide on doing won't be in the line of running away. Whatever I decide upon will be what I finally believe to be for the best good of the service."
"Humph!" muttered Greg, looking wonderingly at his chum.
In the closing period of the next forenoon Dick's section did not recite. Greg's did. So Prescott was left alone in the room with his books.
Despite himself, Greg was so worried, during that recitation, that he "fessed cold"—-that is, he secured a mark but a very little above zero.