"Good-evening, Mrs. Gresham," said another voice, and Cadet Main (alias Mean) came up and shook hands. "What work of charity have you in tow now?" "Mr. Kindred has been telling me about the many regulations," said Mrs. Gresham. "Oh, regulations!" said Main. "Yes, there's quite a little many of 'em. Keeps a fellow busy to break 'em all; but some of us max it, every time." "Break them? You mean 'keep them,'" said Mrs. Gresham. "No I don't--not I!" said Main, laughing. "You'd better believe I don't. Why, the only fun I have in life is breaking regulations." "Breaking them?" repeated Mrs. Gresham, looking bewildered. "But you will get yourself into trouble, so, Mr. Main." "Will, shall, have, and expect to," said Main. "I'm bound to get some fun out of this old prison." "Suppose the walls open, rather suddenly, and let you out." "Make my best bow, and go. It'll be a great loss to the service. But you should talk to Lorenzo here, Mrs. Gresham; he's played good boy ever since he came. Regular pet of the Com.'s, he is. Why, he won't even help carry off Sammy from the Mess Hall." "And pray how comes 'Sammy,' as you call him, to need carrying off?" demanded Mrs. Gresham severely. But that brought such a chorus of laughter from the whole group of cadets (several more had gathered round), that Mrs. Gresham let her question drop. "We'll run it up to the hotel some day, and present him, Mrs. Gresham," said Main. "If you 'run it'--to anywhere I am, I'll not see you," said the lady. "Why, you _can't_ keep all the regulations," said Devlin. "Not if you did your level best. You just _have_ to break them." "Then what is it all for--this Blue Book you tell of?" "Light reading for the Academic Board," suggested Mr. Sharpless. "Skinning made easy," said Main. "Every new Tac makes a new rule and tacks it on. They'll bring it up to a thousand presently." They had made the circuit of the camp, and now came round once more to the open space before the lights, with its shadowy border where the motley groups paused, moved on, went in and out. The camp points of flame flickered, and peered into the dusk; contesting now with a nobler light their right of search. For in the east the moon was rising; lifting her fair face above the hilltops, and pouring a flood of summer glory over river and plain. "Just so she will be rising at home," Magnus thought. "With the girls all sitting on the steps, and mother in her rocking chair in the porch." It is well for the homesick cadet that his surroundings are so fine, beguiling him with their beauty; but it is also a good thing that he never can do much "mooning" at once. Before Magnus had got to the middle of his third sigh came the sharp voice of the drum, calling him to order. And yet "sharp" is hardly the word; only neglected duty takes on that tone, but the drum-call was brisk, imperative, unmistakable. Yet fine, as well, and stirring; as duty attended to always is.