An amused light came into Robert's eyes. "Do you know," he replied, "it's seemed to me the same way. If I get her to myself for a minute, you make it your business to join us. This morning, now,--I was there first, wasn't I?" The Ensign's clouded face cleared. "I guess you were," he said slowly; "honestly, do I do that?" "I should say you did," answered Forsyth, with unexpected spirit. "Since she moved away from Aunt Eleanor's, I haven't seen her alone for ten minutes." Ronald laughed heartily as the ludicrous element of the situation dawned upon him. "I say, old man," he began, "we'll have to fix it some way--divide her up into watches, you know, or something like that." Forsyth did not relish the way Ronald expressed it, but he caught the idea and nodded. "How'll we do it?" continued the Ensign. "We can't take her into our confidence." "Don't know," returned Robert, dully. "It doesn't make any difference, really, for I haven't a chance with you." "Cheer up--you'll never get her if you mourn all the time. A girl likes to have things lively. I know how you feel--I've often felt that way myself; but I try to keep things going just the same. You have to attract a woman's attention--it doesn't much matter how." "I surmised you thought that this morning," remarked Forsyth, with veiled sarcasm. He failed to mention the fact that, although he loved Beatrice, her evident displeasure had made him unspeakably glad. Ronald's face bronzed, but he seldom admitted the possibility of his making a mistake. "We'll say," he began, "for the hypothesis, that our chances are equal. Since she moved over to the Captain's you've lost your unfair advantage. She goes across the river, of course, but we'll set against that the fact that she's in the Fort the rest of the time. Now, suppose we divide the day into three parts--morning, afternoon, and evening. It's morning till noon, afternoon till six, and evening till midnight. She mustn't lose her sleep, or she'll be cross. We'll take turns. For instance, if I have the morning, you get the afternoon, and I'll take the evening. The next day it will be your turn in the morning and evening, and mine in the afternoon--see?" "Suppose she doesn't come out?" "That's as it may be. The fellow whose turn it is takes the risk. She can do as she pleases--we simply agree to leave the field for the other at the times specified, military and educational duties to the contrary notwithstanding. That's fair, isn't it?" "Yes, I think it is. Anyhow, it's better than we've been doing--it will lessen the possibility of friction." "Good thing," commented Ronald. "Many a time I've felt like taking you by the collar and shaking you as a terrier shakes a rat." "Me, too," laughed Forsyth. "Whose turn is it this afternoon?" "I think it's mine. We were both there this morning, but you've intimated that I didn't leave a pleasant impression, and I ought to have a chance to set myself right, don't you think?"