A half hour later, he saw the party coming, and discreetly took himself out of sight.
"I can play my cards at the hop," he muttered.
The over to Cullum Hall, through the dark night, the little party strolled, one of many similar parties.
Once inside Cullum Hall, Prescott and Anstey, looking mightily like young copies of Mars in their splendid dress uniforms, conducted the ladies to seats at the side of the ballroom.

Dick and Anstey next took the ladies' light wraps and went with them to the cloak room, after which they passed on to the coat room and checked their own caps.
Laura and Belle gazed about them with well-bred curiosity---Mrs.
Bentley, too---at the other guests of the evening, who were arriving rapidly.

The scene was one of animated life.

It would have been hard to say whether the handsome gowns of the young ladies, or the cadet dress uniforms, gave more life and spirit to the scene.
As Prescott and Anstey returned across the ballroom floor the orchestra started a preliminary march.

Both young cadets fell unconsciously in step close to the door, and came marching, side by side, soldierly---perfect! "What splendid, manly young fellows!" breathed Laura admiringly to Belle.