We'll get the game if it's in any way possible," Darrin assured his questioner.
"Are the bonfires back in Annapolis all ready to be lighted to-night ?" inquired Fields smilingly.
"They must be." "What a lot of unnecessary labor," laughed the West Point man.
"Why ?" challenged Dave.
"Because the Army is going to win again." That "again" caused Dave Darrin to wince.

"We win almost every time, you know," Fields explained.
"Almost every time ?" challenged Dan Dalzell, joining the pair.
"Are you sure of your statistics ?" "Oh, I have the statistics, of course," Fields answered.

"That's why I speak so confidently." At this point three more West Point men approached.
"Hey, fellows," called Fields good-humoredly.

"Do you know of an impression that I find to prevail among the middies to-day ?" "What is that ?" inquired one of the gray-clad cadets, as the newcomers joined the group.
"Why, the middies seem to think that they're going to take the Army's scalp to-day." "Is that really your idea of the matter ?" asked one of the gray-clad cadets.
"So Mr.Fields has said," Dave answered.
"But what do you say ?" "About the most that I feel like saying," Darrin answered as quietly as ever, "is that the Navy prefers to do its bragging afterwards." "An excellent practice," nodded one of the cadets.

"You've acquired the habit through experience, I presume.