"Won't do you any good here," said the other, shaking his head. "Name's got to go down in full, if it was Beelzebub Nebuchadnezzar. You'll be rechristened for common use." "Do they always do that?" said Magnus, looking grave. "Mostly." Magnus reddened. "I cannot see what the Faculty have to do with my name," he said. "It's not their business." "Not the Faculty, as you call them, at all," said the cadet, "but your beloved fellow-students. They will take almost as anxious care of you as will the Com." "Oh, the other cadets!" said Magnus loftily. "I'll take care of them." "I would," said the man in grey with dry emphasis. "Not too many at once. There's quite a few of them." Magnus sat studying the north view without seeing it. "But how is this?" he said suddenly. "You say your classmate has gone on furlough--why aren't you gone too?" The cadet shrugged his shoulders. "Some men leave their country for their country's good," he said, "and some stay in it, same at same. I lost my furlough. But anyhow Crinkem went ahead of time; folks sick at home. He's always in luck." "_Lost_ it," Magnus repeated. "How could you?" "Easy enough, if you run against the Tacs in a tight place. Lose anything here, except your heart and your appetite." But to these last words Magnus gave no heed; his whole soul was astir with this new idea. _Lose his furlough!_ Not go home even at the end of the two long years! "Can you do that?" he said. "Is it often done?" "Not so very. Oh, you can do it, fast enough, if you have a run of bad luck, as I did." "I don't believe in luck," Magnus answered him. "Don't you? Well, you will, when you've been here a month." And now a party of strollers came by the seat; another much-dressed young damsel, set in a framework of grey uniforms. As they passed, the lady bowed; Magnus's friend stood up and doffed his cap, the other cadets also touching theirs; and again (against his will) Magnus admired and envied the easy precision of every movement. He wondered if he could take off his hat with that peculiar swing?--and said no, to himself, at once. But he would have it before furlough--and how astonished Cherry would be! "Been round Flirtation?" demanded his new acquaintance abruptly, watching the three who went slowly on towards where the path left the brow of the hill, and ran down among the cedars. "Round flirtation!" The cadet laughed. "You needn't look so scared," he said--"it's only one of our walks. At least it isn't generally anything else. Come on, and I'll show it to you. I don't see what Fitch is after with that girl; cutting out poor little Day. And he can talk a dozen to Day's one. Come along." So they rose up, and stepped on at a good pace, till they had the others in full sight again; dropping then into the like easy saunter. At least it was easy to one, but for Magnus like being in bonds; and he was constantly getting ahead, checking himself, and falling back.