Mrs. Prescott passed quickly from the dining room, though her friends were close at her heels. So they all rushed in upon the solitary young cadet standing inside the parlor by a window.
As he heard them coming, Dick wheeled about. There was a tear in his eye, which deceived them.
Halting, a few feet away, these eager ones stared at him.
Dick tried to greet them in words, but he couldn't at first.
It was Laura who found her voice first.
"Dick! Tell us in a word!"
But Belle Meade gave Miss Bentley a somewhat vigorous push forward.
"Use your eyes, Laura!" rebuked Belle vigorously. "In the first place, Mr. Prescott is here. That means he's here by permission or right. In the second place, you ninny—-he still has the uniform on!"
"That's right," laughed Dick. "Yes, mother, and friends, the court-martial's finding was wholly favorable to me."
"Humph!" demanded Belle scornfully. "Why shouldn't it be? Wouldn't you expect thirteen old West Point graduates to know as much as four women from the country?"