"Not exactly, Ruth. More than likely we'll go home with the girls and spend some time with our mothers. They probably feel pretty lonely now that our dads have gone to Europe."
"You girls ought to come down with Mary and Martha."
"We're talking of doing that," put in May Powell. "You see, we wanted them to come up to my house first, and then Ruth wanted them. But as their mothers are now all alone in New York they thought it best that we should spend the time down there. We could have something of a house party, and that would help cheer the older folks up."
"A good idea!" came from Fred. "Do it by all means!"
"Yes, you girls can have a fine time in New York during the winter holidays," added Randy.
"I suppose you boys will want to go off hunting," said May, pouting a little. "I wish I was a boy and could do that!"
"Gee! I wish we could go off hunting, like we did that time at Snowshoe Island," cried Randy wistfully. "Such an outing would suit me right down to the ground."
"Gif Garrison said something a few days ago about going off on a hunt," remarked Fred. "He says his father some years ago bought a place known as Cedar Lodge. He didn't tell me very much about it. In fact, he acted quite mysteriously."
"I suppose he didn't want to hurt your feelings, Fred," returned Jack. "More than likely he knew you would feel bad to have him going off for a good time up in the woods and have you and the rest of us staying at home."
Two days passed, and the young cadets were so busy getting ready for the examinations previous to the midwinter holidays that they had no time to pay attention to anything else. They heard that Bill Glutts was openly boasting that the _Yellow Streak_ could beat any bobsled in that vicinity and that the _Blue Moon_ had won the contest by a foul. But to this just then they paid no attention.
"I'll get at Bill later--just wait!" was the way Jack expressed himself, and the others knew that the young captain would keep his word.
On Wednesday the boys received letters from home stating that word had come in that their fathers were still in the trenches in France. No serious fighting had so far taken place in their sector, and none of them had been wounded and all were in the best of health.