"Why?"
"The boys will be back then. Vacation will be over."
"I'm glad of it," commented Dick, and then, with pain in his heart, he wondered if the coming term would bring him more fellowship than had the preceding one.
Major Webster was among the first of the instructors to arrive, in anticipation of the return of the students, and to him Dick showed the medal.
"Why, yes; that's one given out years ago, at Fort Laramie, Wyoming," he said. "I can send it to a friend of mine for you, if you like. Possibly they may be able to trace the illegible name from the fort records."
"I wish you would," said Dick. "Maybe I can get a trace of Captain Handlee's son for him."
"I doubt it," replied the major, shaking his head. "I tried all the sources of information I knew, and it was useless. Still you may have better luck."
The medal was sent off, but, fearing nothing would come of it, Dick did not say anything to Captain Handlee about it, though he wrote to the veteran in answer to a letter the old soldier sent him.
The holiday vacation came to a close, and, one morning Dick awoke to a realization that, on that day, the cadets would come pouring back.
It was nearly noon when the first of them arrived. Among them was Paul Drew.