Prescott walked between Mrs. Bentley and Laura, while Greg came along with Belle just behind them.
"Are you taking me to the hop tonight, Mr. Holmes?" asked Belle with her usual directness.
Poor Greg, seasoned cadet though he was, flushed uncomfortably.
"I should be," stammered Greg, "but it happens that I am already engaged to drag—-to escort a young lady to tonight's hop."
"I like that word 'drag' better than 'escort'," laughed Belle.
"But Mr. Anstey, our tentmate, is to escort you tonight," Greg made haste to explain.
"That is the first I have heard of it," replied Belle, with an odd smile. "Does Mr. Anstey know about it, either?"
"Don't make fun of me," begged Holmes quickly. "Miss Meade, there are many customs here that are strange to outsiders. But they are very old customs."
"Some of them, I suppose," laughed Belle, "so old that they should be forgotten."
"All cadets are regarded as gentlemen," hurried on Greg. "Therefore, any cadet may be a suitable escort for a young woman. If one cadet has two young lady friends coming to the hop, for instance, he asks one of his comrades to escort one of his friends. Why, a cadet who, for any reason, finds himself unable to attend a hop, after he has invited a young lady, may arrange with anyone of his comrades to call for the young lady in his place."