"Well, Chérie, you see how it was. I have not been as bad as I might, nor anything like as good. They think me a pretty reliable fellow over there, but I'm not by any means what you would call a shining light. Six in studies, and one in discipline, and a double-first at all sorts of mischief." Cherry could not help smiling. "The very same boy you always were," she said. "Pretty much. Only this is mischief that tells. Chocolate parties in rooms after lights are out." "After lights are out?" "Supposed to be. Explosions on the area coming from nowhere and nothing; and post dogs, painted to admiration." "But, Magnus!" "What, my lady?" "_You_ do not do such things?" "I drank the chocolate--should have got skinned for it, too, only I stood behind something when Towser came in. And I looked at the dog. And I did not go out of my wits with astonishment at the explosions. Queer, too; for when you get together a bell button, a match, a white feather, a little powder, and a second classman, they make more noise than you would suppose possible." "I thought they kept such watch of you," Cherry said. "We have wasted a great deal of sympathy." "No you haven't, and yes, they do; that's the fun. Some of the men will tell you that breaking regulations is all the fun they have." "Not you, Magnus?" "No, not I exactly. I never can quite get rid of a certain respect for law and order. But you would laugh yourself; you couldn't help it, to see a solemn-looking Tac inspecting for apples, and know that they were within an inch of his nose, where he couldn't find them." "And you all kept grave?" "Stood attention, like the sweet boys we were, till he was gone,--and stood on our heads afterwards." Cherry did laugh, but rather doubtfully. "I suppose it must be fun," she said, "but I wish you would let the other boys have it." "That is not the only sort, by any means," said Magnus. "One day Miss Flirt had brought Crinkem a basket of pears. Well, he stored them skilfully in parts unknown, till friendly darkness should come to help; had to go to drill, and told Carr (who hadn't) to keep an eye on the basket. Which Carr did. Wasn't a pear there when Crinkem got back." "Who is Crinkem?" "First classman, then." "And who is Miss Flirt?" "A summer girl who stays all the time, and flirts with everybody." "With you?" "No, because she can't. She jeered me when I was a poor candidate, and I vowed revenge." "I should say revenge lay in the other direction," remarked Cherry. "Not for her. She's been on tiptoe to rope me in, ever since I wore chevrons. I did half think I would teach her a lesson when I got to be first captain." "Oh, Magnus, don't!" "Why not?" "Because she is a woman," said Cherry earnestly. "Oh, Magnus, help even the silly people, if you can. I've been thinking so much lately of the dear Lord's words: 'Ye are the salt of the earth.' Don't you know how salt gives strength and character to even things tasteless and ready to spoil?"