CHAPTER V.
CANDIDATE DODGE IS CRITICAL Both cadets had studied for ten minutes perhaps, when a knock sounded at their door.
The very unusualness of this caused both youngsters to look around, then at each other.
Had it been any cadet officer making an inspection--as was likely to happen at any minute of the waking day--he would have come straight into the room.

And any other cadet, after knocking, would have followed this by opening the door and stepping inside.
Rap-rap! sounded again.
"Oh, come in," called Dick.
The door opened.

Bert Dodge, dressed in the height of the prevailing fashion, looked inside.
"May I come in ?" he called, in what was meant for a cordial, friend-from-home voice.
"Oh, yes, come in," sighed Dick wearily.
"That's not quite the welcome I might have expected from you two," muttered Bert, as he opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Fellows, you're at West Point now," proceeded Bert Dodge pompously, "and this is a place where social points count tremendously, as I guess you've found out by this time.

Now, you two may be all right, and I guess you are," admitted Bert condescendingly, "but you're just the sons of commoners, while my father is a wealthy man, a banker and a leader in society.