Captain Bates had followed the only trail at which he could guess, and had learned nothing.
* * * * * * * * "Mr.Prescott and Mr.Holmes both have the usual excellent reputation of cadets for truthfulness, haven't they, Captain ?" asked Colonel Strong.
"Yes, Colonel." "Then I am afraid we shall get no further in this investigation." "Unless, sir, my questions were so badly put as to give them a chance of shielding themselves without giving untruthful answers.
I shall sleep on this matter tonight, Colonel.

I don't want these young men to think they can put such an easy one right over my head." "I wish you luck, Bates.

But I'm afraid you've shot off your only round of ammunition, and have found it a blank charge.

Good night." "Good night, sir." "Mr.Prescott was clever enough to prevent my pouncing on Mr.
Holmes at the reveille gun tonight," mused the O.C.

"I can hardly suspect Mr.Prescott of untruthfulness, but I wonder whether he has been clever enough to baffle me in this monument affair, without telling an absolute untruth ?" For nearly a half an hour the O.C.lay awake, reviewing the method he had followed in questioning Cadet Prescott.
In the morning, after breakfast, there were a few minutes of leisure in camp before the squads or platoons marched away for the first drills.
"You were on the grill, last night, old ramrod ?" asked Furlong, in a chuckling whisper.
"Yes," Dick nodded.
"You couldn't tell anything ?" "I knew less than nothing to tell." "You didn't see us, last night, as we slipped away from the monu-----" "Shut up, you sun-scorched idiot!" cried Prescott sharply, under his breath.