"People who would be ashamed not to know something about St.Peter's, at Rome, or the London Tower, are not quite sure what the purpose of the United States Military Academy is." Yet, though some people annoyed him with their foolish questions, he was heartily glad to be back, for the summer, in the dear old home town.

So was his chum, Greg Holmes, also a West Point cadet, and, like Prescott, a member of the new second class at the United States Military Academy.

Both young men had now been in Gridley for forty-eight hours.

They had met a host old-time friends, including nearly all of the High School students of former days.
Readers of "_Dick Prescott's First Year at West Point_" and of "_Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point_," are familiar with the careers of the two chums, Prescott and Holmes, at the United States Military Academy.

The same readers are also familiar with the life at West Point of Bert Dodge, a former Gridley boy, but who had been appointed a cadet from another part of the state.