But youth, and health, and the long journey, and even sorrow, quite upset his calculations. When the hop men turned in, Magnus hardly roused up enough to give a short answer to some details; and when the sharp voice of the reveille gun spoke in his ear, it was as clear a wake-up--and alas! as disgusted a one--as Cadet Kindred had ever known. But breaking camp at least would be welcome: hard work suited his mood just now much better than play. Yet before the hour drew on, he strolled out towards the visitors' seats; the exquisite morning, the dainty wreaths of mist, and the sweet, pure air, making him so homesick that he craved even a chatter of tongues that should stop his thoughts. The seats were a waving line of colour. Hats turned up, and hats turned down; bonnets too small to be seen, and hats like umbrellas; ribands, laces, streamers of every kind. Plenty of grey coats, too; first classmen and yearlings in their glory, with other disconsolate furlough men, searching the crowd for a friend, if possibly such a thing remained to them east of the Rockies, or north of Mason and Dixon's line. Everywhere a busy chatter, with introductions, greetings, inquiries, and much swinging of cadet caps. Sugar-plums abounded. On the grass a group of children sunned themselves in front of the grown-up people, sometimes aping their ways. Magnus was taken possession of rapturously,--had to touch a half-dozen gloves in as many seconds. "And where have you been all summer, Mr. Kindred?" Miss Fashion inquired in gracious tones. "In a much better place than this old camp, Miss Fashion." "That goes without saying," chimed in Miss Saucy. "Any place where _you_ were, would of course overtop the rest of the world." "It might," Magnus answered, thinking of the oak shadows where he had sat with Cherry. I am not so sure that he heard Miss Fashion's next words, looking over her head towards the Western sky. The West! The West! "And of course your desire for study is immense," the young lady went on, a little louder. "Quite insatiable!" "Oh, you're too good to be true!" said Miss Saucy. "But don't you feel all out of training?" said another girl. "I should think it would come awfully hard at first." "On the contrary, I feel in better training than ever in my life before." "But that is _awful_!" said the Kitten. "Back from furlough 'in training'? Why, Magnus, you'll come out blue." "I expect it," said Magnus, with a bow. "That is what I am aiming for." "Now _that_ I call mean," said the young lady; "taking one up so. How sharp you have grown all of a sudden!" "Best let him alone, Puss," said Miss Saucy, "or you'll cut your fingers. He's been at the seaside, eating razors." "Using 'em, too," said the Kitten, gazing at Magnus. "Didn't it go to your heart to cut off your moustache?" "Everything goes to my heart. That is my weak point." "What was the last arrival?" demanded Miss Saucy.