The speaker kept a perfectly grave face, and the two girls looked aghast, felt so, all through the tunnel. But as they ran out in sight of Fort Montgomery and the tall outlines that rose up beyond, cadets (except Magnus) sunk down into very sublunary things. "Oh, well, Magnus isn't so," Rose said contentedly. "And we are not likely to see much of other cadets," Violet said, pressing close to her window. Mrs. Congressman watched them for a minute; the graceful heads, the fair, well-bred faces; but then she seemed to find something very amusing out of her own window, for she smiled to herself till they reached Garrisons. There might be several cadets, she thought, who would have a word to say to that statement. If Magnus had scanned the way over and up, because there was nobody there, for him, with what a difference the two young sisters watched every point where possibly he might be. Silently they followed their leader into the old omnibus, and noted every stone, stick, and leaf, that decked the road up the hill. Passing the Mess Hall came a new sensation; for the day was so warm that windows and doors stood wide open, and there was not only the usual tumult of voices, but also a tangle of heads, arms, and grey cloth in view from the omnibus. "The boys are at dinner," said Mrs. Ironwood. "Oh, and is Magnus there, too?" cried the girls. "Unless he's in the hospital." "In the hospital!" "He ought to be, if he's not eating his dinner. Might have sprained his ankle, dismounting too fast. Might have swallowed too much of Miss Somebody's cake." But both these ideas were summarily dismissed. "He is in there, of course," Rose said, her eyes full, and her heart wafting a blessing to the unseen brother; and with one consent the girls kissed their hands to the old grey building. "Now, children," said Mrs. Congressman as they jolted on, "I must tell you one thing. This is all very well, tucked away in the 'bus with me; but never do you kiss hands to anybody at West Point, under other circumstances. There are always cadets lurking round in the bushes, and they'll think you mean _them_." How the girls laughed! Whether because they had just been so near Magnus, or at this image of an ambush of other cadets, or the faint spice of danger in the air, or the general culmination; but even the quiet Rose came down from her dignity, and the omnibus rattled up to the hotel with a chorus of fun inside. The needs of life are helpful and calming. Washing the dust off quiets one down, and prosaic dinner brings back one's sober senses. It was an extremely demure pair of girls that followed Mrs. Congressman into the dining-room, and gave earnest heed while she ordered dinner, surveyed the guests, scolded the waiter, and praised the soup. "You must eat, girls," she said. "Build yourselves up for what's before you. I suppose this is the last quiet minute we shall have to ourselves till we go away." "What is to happen to us?" said Violet merrily.