Prescott stated that he had remained over night with the village clergyman, giving his wet, icy clothing a chance to dry.
It was when asked how he came to fall from the rear platform of the car that the cadet hesitated.
"I thought I was thrown from the platform, sir," Dick replied in each case.
"Who was on the platform with you ?" "No one, sir, an instant before." "Did you see any one come out of the car ?" "No, sir." "Did you recognize any assailant ?" "No-o, sir." "Have you any good reason to suspect any particular person ?" "No _good_ reason, sir." "Could any one have come out of the car, unless it had been a tactical officer, a cadet or a railway employee ?" "No, sir." That was as far as the questioning went, for both the adjutant and the commandant of cadets believed that Dick had been pitched from the rear platform by some sudden movement of the car.

No other belief seemed sane enough to be considered.
It was the commandant of cadets who suggested: "If you feel the slightest need of it, Mr.Prescott, you may go at once to cadet hospital, and be examined by one of the surgeons.
We don't want you coming down with illness later, on account of a neglected chill." "I am very certain I don't need a medical officers attention, sir," replied Cadet Prescott, with just the trace of a smile.
"The Rev.Dr.Brown and his wife were about the most attentive people I ever met.

I was pretty cold, sir, when I reached their house.

But inside of five minutes they had me rolled up in warm blankets and were dosing me with ginger tea.

Afterwards they gave me a hot supper.