"Dick & Co. always were a close corporation," laughed Hazelton. "And I hope the time will never come when we can't tell our secrets to each other."
"I am sorry you fellows have so short a leave," murmured Dick.
"Why, What would you want us to do!" queried Tom.
"Greg and I would be tickled to death if you were going to be here all summer," Dick answered. "In the first place, just for the sake of having your company. In the next place, we'd think it great if you could go back to West Point with us when our furlough is over. If you could be there, over a Saturday and a Sunday, we'd have time to show you a lot about the life there. You'd feel acquainted from the start, for lots of the fellows of our class have heard about you. You'd get a great reception."
"Gridley must seem dull, after your life in the West," mused Cadet
Holmes.
"Oh, I don't believe there's any place where you get excitement all the time," declared Tom. "And there's no place so dull that it doesn't have a little excitement once in a while."
Bang! bang! bang! sounded several sharp explosions of firearms out in the street.
"There's some, right now!" muttered Greg, jumping up. "Come along!"
Bang! bang! bang!
As they ran forward toward the door of the ice cream place the young men saw people fleeing in frantic haste along Main Street.