"Bracing up" is often so useful a process that one must not be too hard upon the agents that oblige us thereto; and this time the agents were very comely. A cluster of young girls, clad in all the pretty frippery of the day, came giggling along the walk towards the flagstaff. It was not, Say something and laugh at it--or, Say something to make the others laugh; but there was a chronic state of giggle, as if life were such a very droll thing that no occasional outburst could do it justice. The walk passed the flagstaff with some little green space between; and they came flickering along (I am really at a loss for a word); changing places, pulling each other, pushing each other, whispering, sometimes half-dancing, down the walk. It is needless to say that Magnus "braced up" immediately; and still leaning against the flagstaff, watched them from under his hat. These were not his fair foes of the ferryboat, whom he had supposed were rare specimens: now he was to learn that the species is widespread and common, in June. Again he heard the obnoxious word, "candidate." "Holding up the flagstaff, as usual," said the leading girl. "I do verily believe they think that's what they come for." "Hush!" said another. "Don't talk so loud. He might hear." "He'll hear worse than that, before he's been here many days," said the first. "I'll just break it to him by degrees. Say, girls, let's go and give him his 'technical,' and get the start of Devlin Fritz." "_Do_ be quiet!" said a third. "No wonder they all call you 'Miss Saucy.'" "It's something to have them _all_ call you anything," returned the young lady with much content. "Oh, that's true!" said another. "I declare, girls, I think it's too bad. Here I've spent ten pounds of candy since I came, and I haven't got one special cadet yet." "Huyler's?" demanded Miss Saucy. "Huyler's." "Get Dulce to hand you over Mr. Day. She bores the poor boy to death. I know he'd be glad of almost any change," said Miss Flirt. "Or she might try a 'candied date,'" suggested Miss Saucy with a sideway gesture. In the small babel of words and laughter that followed this, the girls drifted away out of hearing, and the sweet summer air was silent again. The leaves clapped hands softly, the folds of the beautiful flag curled and played as before over the head of the young candidate. But in the heart of Magnus himself, just now, the summer grace and peace found no foothold. Rather, his thoughts were like a November gale, with the air full of dust and rubbish.