"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!