Stonewell regarded him with his eyes full of sympathy. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Bob," he said; "I'm sure your father will get employment. But don't talk of resigning; you might find it very difficult to secure employment for yourself; you're too near graduation to resign, and after you graduate you will be in a position to help your father financially, if he needs it. It would distress him terribly if he thought for a moment you contemplated leaving the naval service. I'm going out for a while, Bob; now don't you feel sobadly; I'm sure matters will right themselves."
Stonewell left and Robert paced up and down the room with blurred eyes and a sad heart. The condition of his father and mother, ill and without resources, filled him with agony. He longed to relieve them from their troubles and anxieties; he dreaded the unfriendliness and coldness dealt to people without means, and thinking of the mental torture his father was in overwhelmed him with grief.
Stonewell went out into the city of Annapolis, direct to where the Blunts lived. Here he asked to see Captain Blunt and was soon closeted with that gentleman.
"Captain," he commenced, "you knew my roommate's father, didn't you, Mr. Drake? I believe he was graduated from Annapolis shortly after you were."
"Yes, indeed, he was a fine fellow, too; he had a splendid record in the navy, and it was a great pity he resigned. What about him, Mr. Stonewell?"
"Well, sir, Bob, my roommate, is in great trouble about his father and mother, and asyou and Mrs. Blunt are real friends of his I thought I'd talk to you about it. Of course Bob doesn't know I'm with you. His father has lost his position and has no income, and Bob thinks he ought to resign to go to Chicago. He feels his duty is to be with his father and mother. It would be such a pity for him to resign so near his graduation. I thought perhaps you might send for him and influence him more than I could. I'm sure he'll listen to you."
"By jingo, Stonewell," exploded Captain Blunt, "I'm detached from my ship and ordered to duty as secretary of the Light House Board, and only to-day received a letter asking me to recommend somebody, preferably one familiar with marine matters, to be chief clerk to the board. Drake's father would be just the man. He will get living pay and it's a life position. Let me have Mr. Drake's address; I'll write to him to-night."
Upon his return to Bancroft Hall Stonewell found Robert quiet and composed, but determined. "I've got to do it, Stone," said Robert handing his roommate an ominously official-looking paper. In it he had formallytendered his resignation as a midshipman. "It's a lifetime disappointment," he continued, "but I've got to go home to my people. They need me. Now I feel you're going to argue with me and I beg you not to attempt to dissuade me; nothing you or anybody could say would change my determination. I feel terribly about it and you would only make me feel the worse. Please don't, Stone. I must do my duty to my father and mother."
"I shall not attempt to dissuade you, Bob; I know exactly how you feel. But I'm going to ask you to do something for me. I feel as if it would break my heart if you were to resign. Now I'm going to ask you to let me lend you fifty dollars. You can send this to your father, and if he is in immediate need of money this will help out for a few days. And I want you to promise me you will delay your resignation for one week. Surely you can do this for me, and I have strong hopes that in a week's time you will feel there is no need in Chicago that would compel your resignation."
"That's awfully good of you, Stone, but can you spare the fifty dollars? I feel I ought to leave immediately, but if I could send fathersome money I might wait a week. The idea of resigning is like death to my hopes."
"Of course I can; you know I've plenty of money," replied Stonewell, jumping up enthusiastically. "I know something good is going to happen, Bob, and don't you worry; you're not going to resign."
Stonewell's happiness was infectious and Robert's heart seemed lightened from a heavy load. Stonewell had gained his point and he did not choose that Robert should learn from him what Captain Blunt had in his mind for Robert's father.
ROBERT GETS GOOD NEWS
The days following dragged slowly by for the apprehensive Robert. His mind was full of the needs of his father and mother and it took real effort on his part to attend to his duties and prepare his studies. He anxiously awaited each mail delivery, but not until Saturday morning after drill did any letters come from him. He and Stonewell entered their rooms together and Robert fairly pounced on the two letters that were awaiting him. Eagerly he tore open the letter in his father's well-known handwriting, and rapidly read it. Then he gave a shout of joy.
"What do you think, Stone?" he cried. "Here's the happiest news in the world. Father writes me that Captain Blunt has secured a splendid position for him, chief clerk of the Light House Board. Isn't that just splendid? All of my worries are over; and father returns the fifty dollars I sent him.I'm so happy, it seems as if a ton had been lifted from me. I do hope I'll be able to convince Captain Blunt of my gratitude to him. What a wonderful thing to have such a friend, Stone. But how did he come to do it?" Robert paused a moment and then added: "Stone, did you tell him of the trouble I was in?"
"Bob, I told him you felt it was your duty to resign, and I told him why. I wanted an older friend than myself to advise you. It was a liberty; but, by George, I can't feel it's a case for an apology. I am just as happy as you are, Bob. Jingo! but Captain Blunt is a fine man."
"I do wish I could do something to show him how much I appreciate what he has done for me!" exclaimed Robert.
"You can," rejoined Stonewell. "There's his son Harry. You can try to help him out of trouble; he's pointed for a lot of it. There are rocks and shoals ahead of him, and he's pretty certain to get bumped hard."
"I can't do anything for that youngster, Stone," replied Robert. "Positively he never loses an opportunity of cheeking me."
"You may have the chance, Bob; but why don't you read your other letter?"
"I forgot I had another letter. Hello, this is from Stanton; let's see what he says."
"What! Stanton!" queried Stonewell. "Do you mean last year's five striper?"
"Yes; what a splendid fellow he is. He says he is having a fine time aboard the 'Paul Jones,' a torpedo boat destroyer, and he's learning a lot. He says his ship made a good record at the last target practice but it will do much better next time. His captain is devising a new sight for the six-pounder gun; the one now attached to that style of gun is very poor. Stanton says that anybody can get up a better sight, and now the Navy Department is allowing officers to make improvements on the guns they are going to fire at target practice. That's what our instructor in gunnery said last October, don't you remember?"
"Yes, and by the way, Bob, now that your mind is easy about everything you had better get busy if you expect your company to win the flag this year. You've got a good company, but so has Blair, and he's red hot after the flag. He'll wipe your eye, Bob, if youdon't hustle. And it's getting late in the year."
"That's right. I'll get busy next week. Let's see, now my company does well in infantry and artillery; I ought to beat Blair in those subjects."
"Yes, but Blair's company is pretty sure to get first place in seamanship, and on the whole his company is better, more numerously represented in the different forms of athletics than yours is. As an offhand guess I would say the second company has a better show for the flag than yours has. You see the total possible multiple for the entire brigade is 3,000. Blair will probably get fifty points in fencing, and he has a lot of fellows on the track and field teams; he'll probably get 100 points there; and the best gymnasts of the Academy belong to his company; besides, the second company is certainly as well represented as the first company in the football and baseball squads and in the crew. You may make it, Bob, but you won't if you don't get your company stirred up."
"By George, Stone," cried Robert, "I'd rather win that flag than have five stripes.My company is all right; we will average just as well in drills and in athletics as the second company. We haven't done much talking of what we're going to do, but don't imagine we've forgotten about the flag. We are after it, hard and strong."
"If you do win it, I'll wager a hundred dollars to an onion that you'll deserve to win. Blair is not to be easily beaten," replied Stonewell.
"Let's go out and call on the Blunts," suddenly proposed Robert. "I want to thank the captain."
"Don't say another word, Mr. Drake," Captain Blunt was saying to Robert later the same day; "your feeling for your father is natural and does you credit. I was really glad to be of service to him and to you; but aside from all that, the Light House Board is glad to get your father for its chief clerk; he is just the man we need. So we are all pleased. How is my boy Harry coming along? By George! I could have sworn I saw him ahead of me on Maryland Avenue to-day; you don't think Harry is Frenching, do you?"
"I hope he isn't, captain. I should be inexpressibly sorry if he were and I had to report him for it. You know he is in my company."
"If you find him Frenching I want you to report him," savagely rejoined Captain Blunt. "Don't have any false notions on that subject, Mr. Drake."
"That is a matter of great concern to me, captain," replied Robert in tones of anxiety. "I'd almost prefer to bilge than to report your son for a serious matter. He is a splendid fellow; everybody likes him and admires him. But he is undoubtedly reckless and careless. The great trouble to me is that he won't let me speak to him except officially. He is impatient of advice and won't listen to any from me."
"Mr. Drake, I desire and expect you to report him when you ought to do so. Don't worry about that."
Helen, growing impatient at this long conversation, said suddenly, "Robert, I made some fudge this morning; won't you come back in the pantry with me and help me bring it out?"
As soon as they were out of hearing, she said in a low voice: "Harry is up-stairs again, and he can't come down to get away without father seeing him. What shall I do? Harry is terribly afraid of his father."
"The only advice I can give you, Helen, is to tell your father he is there. You can't cover up his tracks, and I don't know anybody except his father who can influence him."
This advice to Helen seemed too explosive, and she felt she could devise some way herself to protect Harry, and she must make him feel that he must never, never do it again. So she remained silent.
When they returned to the drawing-room Robert felt ill at ease. Mrs. Blunt, always sympathetically friendly to him, engaged him in talk; but after a few minutes Robert got up to take his leave, accompanied by Stonewell.
"Weren't you in a bit of a rush, Bob?" inquired Stonewell, glancing keenly at his roommate.
"Perhaps," replied Robert uncomfortably.
"Perhaps you found young Blunt eating pie in the pantry," remarked Stonewell.
"Not that close, Stone, but I guess he wasin the house. Now what am I to do? I can just see that before long I'll be in a fix where I'll have to report young Blunt for a bilging offense, the son of the man that has every claim to my gratitude—or else I'll have to go back on the strongest principles I possess. What am I to do, Stone?"
"That's a hard problem; we'll think about it, and perhaps we may be able to intimidate Blunt. Perhaps I may find a means to influence him. By the way, did you know that the first class has late liberty to-night? Penfield is going to play Richard the Third at the Colonial Theatre. It's a great opportunity. I went to the commandant, and our class is going to have eleven-thirty liberty. It's Penfield's best play; and I already have our tickets. Aren't you pleased, Bob?"
Robert looked at his roommate in sheer astonishment. "Well, of all things!" he said. "To think of your knowing that for hours and never mentioning it. Why, I was talking with Mrs. Blunt and Helen about the play and wishing I could go. I'm immensely pleased. But why didn't you speak of it before, Stone?"
"Oh, I just didn't. In fact I haven't told anybody. The news will be announced at supper formation, so you know it sooner than anybody else does. And we'll have a glorious time."
"I'm delighted," cried Robert. "Stone, this is just fine. Bully for old Dalton. He's a daisy commandant."
"THREE GROANS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT"
Great was the delight of first classmen at the privilege of theatre liberty, a rare privilege for midshipmen; and loud and deep were the indignant murmurs of midshipmen other than first classmen to whom this privilege was not accorded.
"There's no reason, no reasonable reason why the second and third classmen should not go," protested Third Classman Blunt at supper. "I'm in favor of the whole third class going in a body; we'll show the authorities what we think of the commandant's ridiculous treatment——"
"Mr. Blunt, you are called to order," rang out the sharp, dictatorial voice of Cadet Lieutenant Drake, sitting at the head of the table. "You are inciting mutiny and speaking disrespectfully of your superior officers."
Harry Blunt was plainly cowed and subsided for a time; but later said in a low toneto a classmate sitting on his right: "I'm going out anyway; it won't be the first time I have gone over the wall."
"You'd be recognized at the theatre and spotted, and you'd be missed at taps inspection; you had better not try it," was the reply.
"I guess you're right," grumbled Harry, "but I've a pretty good trick up my sleeve, and I may work it."
Later, when the first classmen were all gone and the corridors were deserted, Third Classman Blunt might have been seen to slip into room number 23, the divisional officers' room. And in a few minutes he came out looking perplexed and worried.
The Colonial Theatre was a gay sight that Saturday night. All of society Annapolis was present, the ladies beautifully gowned, and the men in correct evening dress. Annapolis prides itself on being as strict in such matters as Newport. Interspersed throughout the audience were to be seen many navy uniforms; and well toward the front and centre, in seats reserved for them, were seated as fine a body of young men as had ever been brought together, the senior class of midshipmen.
It seemed more like a friendly party than an ordinary audience, for everybody knew everybody else, and before the curtain rose there were innumerable greetings and much pleasant talk.
But to the "costume de rigeur" so faithfully observed by the Annapolitans, there was one exception. In a back seat of a box, on the right of the stage (a public box where seats were sold separately) sat a man dressed in defiance of social custom. He was simply clothed in a sack coat, and trousers of dark material. He wore a heavy moustache and full pointed beard. However, he didn't seem to know anybody and none appeared to notice him or worry over his unconventional attire.
Penfield had an appreciative audience that night. Never had anything so fine been given at Annapolis, and enthusiastic delight was repeatedly expressed.
At twenty minutes before ten the bearded man in the box suddenly left and once outside of the theatre he started at a dead run toward the Academy grounds. A convenient negro made twenty-five cents by boosting him over the wall. The bearded man rushed onthe Chesapeake Bay side of the Armory and Bancroft Hall, ran over the terrace, and bolted into the open window of room 23. The five minutes' warning bugle was soon heard, to be followed by the call for taps. And in Bancroft Hall was to be heard the measured tread of the midshipmen on duty making the ten o'clock inspection of rooms.
Hardly had this ceased when the bearded man emerged from Bancroft Hall by the same way he had entered it. He was off on a bound and ran through the grounds unobserved. The wall presented no difficulty to him, and he was soon back in his seat in the theatre box.
"What luck," he said to himself, with great satisfaction. "I got out in the first place, got back again, was in my bed at taps inspection, and now I'm back here and have missed only a little of the play. And nobody saw me or knows anything about it."
The play proceeded. At a little before eleven, near the end, while some scenery was being changed, the manager of the theatre stepped out on the stage and called:
"Is Midshipman Stonewell present?"
"I am he," replied Stonewell, rising in his seat.
"I'm sorry, but the superintendent of the Naval Academy has just telephoned me to have Midshipman Stonewell send in all midshipmen on the run." Before Stonewell had a chance to reply or give an order, and before the look of dismay and disappointment had disappeared from his classmates' faces, everybody in the theatre was startled by a loud cry in harsh, strident tones of:
"Midshipmen and everybody else, attention!"
An intense breathless stillness followed. Everybody looked to the direction from where the cry had come. There, in the front of the right hand box, stood a tall athletic looking man. Now a brown slouch hat was pulled down on his forehead; his face was covered with a dark beard. He wore a sack coat buttoned tightly over his chest.
By this penetrating voice everybody's attention was attracted. An expectant hush fell upon the audience. Every eye was upon the bearded stranger.
From the lips of the interrupter came a defiant call of:
"Three groans for the superintendent of the Naval Academy and the commandant. Oh—oh—oh."
Without a moment's hesitation came ringing orders from Stonewell:
"First classmen, rise! March out on the double. Form in two ranks outside."
There was no hesitation or delay in obeying Stonewell's order. Swiftly they ran out of the theatre and halted on the walk outside. And almost immediately they were put in motion by Stonewell's order of "First classmen, forward, double time-march," and away they sped. Soon fire-bells were heard ringing and the siren in the Academy grounds was emitting long, terrifying blasts.
"Something's afire in the Naval Academy, Bob," cried Stonewell; "hurry." The first classmen dashed to the Maryland Avenue gate and here were met by streams of lower class midshipmen, starting to drag out the different hose reels. The first classmen immediately assumed charge of their various commands.The fire proved to be in the carpen-ter's shop, and in a very few minutes it was put out.
After the midshipmen were back in their quarters the one topic of conversation was the startling event in the theatre.
The next morning was Sunday. Shortly after ten o'clock, when the commandant had finished his inspection of rooms, Cadet Lieutenant Drake appeared at the door of Midshipman Blunt's room and said: "Blunt, report to the commandant's office immediately."
Harry Blunt clutched the table as if for support, and with pallid face and in trembling tones he asked: "What does he want me for?"
"You'll know when he tells you," and Robert walked out. It was not with his usual debonair manner that Harry Blunt entered the commandant's presence. In fact it was a very scared youth who confronted Commander Dalton. Fear and apprehension were plainly depicted in his face.
"Mr. Blunt," commenced the commandant, "your father, mother and sister are to dine at my house to-day, and I want you to come too. Your father tells me he hasn't seen much ofyou of late; you are not on the first conduct grade, are you? If you are not I'll dispense with the regulation and grant you special permission to dine with an officer to-day."
Harry Blunt suddenly sat down on a chair behind him. He was momentarily speechless.
"Sit down, Mr. Blunt," smiled the commandant. Then Harry stood up.
"Wa-wa-was that all you wanted to see me for?" he stammered.
"Yes; we dine at half-past one."
"Thank you, captain; I'll be delighted to dine with you and be with my father. This is awfully kind of you, captain. Oh, thank you; yes, indeed, I'll be there—I don't believe I've ever called on you, captain, but—"
"Well, well, Mr. Blunt," interrupted the commandant, "what is the matter with you? At first when you came into my office you seemed to be bereft of speech, and all of a sudden you talk with such a rush that you can't stop yourself. Perhaps you thought I was going to talk about something else," and Commander Dalton glanced keenly at Harry.
"Be at my house by half-past one," repeated the commandant, dismissing Harry, and the latter left. He took several deep breaths when out of the commandant's office.
"By George," he said, almost aloud, in tones of great relief, "I feared I was up against it. I was never so scared in all my life."
ROBERT MAKES A DISCOVERY
"Pete," said Robert a few days later, "let's go to the gun shed."
"All right," replied the amiable Peters, "come along; but what are we to do there? I don't know of any more uninteresting place in the whole Academy."
"You know that our company is going to try hard to win the flag, don't you?"
"Of course we are. And so is every other company. Don't think for a minute, Bob, that you're the only cadet lieutenant who has picked out the girl who's going to present it. But what has the gun shed to do with our company winning the flag?"
"It all counts, Pete; you know part of the grand multiple each company makes is made up of its record at target practice with six-pounder guns, don't you?"
"Of course."
"Well, I received a letter from Stanton lastweek; he says the sights of this gun are very poor. Now in our gunnery sections we were all encouraged to make improvements. You see gunnery in the navy is now a matter of terrific competition; it is ship against ship and gun against gun. At each target practice the ship that does the best carries the gunnery trophy for a year, and big money prizes are won by the best gun crews. And officers in command of different guns are encouraged to make improvements. Why, just before the Spanish war the twelve-inch guns of the 'Texas' could only shoot once in five minutes, and then the shots didn't hit often. On her last target practice those same guns fired once a minute and hit the target almost every time. And the improvements were all made by officers aboard the ship."
"Well, Bob, here is your six-pounder gun; just take a look at it. I don't imagine you will be allowed to do much tinkering with it. You don't know a great deal about the gun—not nearly so much as the men who designed and built it—and here you are talking about improving it. You would probably injure rather than improve it."
"I know how to work it, anyway, and I have fired a six-pounder a number of times," replied Robert, rapidly throwing down a couple of clamps, and turning the gun on its pivot.
"I have no notion of touching the mechanism of the gun; but Stanton says the gun sights are poor; that anybody could put better sights on the gun."
Robert now put himself at the rear of the gun, assuming the prescribed position of the man who fired it, holding it securely by the shoulder and hand of his right arm, his left hand being at the trigger. He ran his eye over the gun sights, and moved the gun up and down, and from side to side.
"Pete," he remarked, "look at this rear sight; it's an open sight—just a mere notch, a groove. And the forward sight is just a sharp point. If I screw my eye up or down, or from side to side, I might think there were many different places the gun would shoot to. When the gun is fired in this exact position the shot is going in only one direction, but I bet you if ten different fellows should aim along these sights as the gun is now and saywhere the shot was going to hit you would find there were ten different opinions."
"Of course there would be," replied Peters in a superior tone; "there always are with open sights; professional marksmen always use peep-sights."
"Pete, you're a treasure," cried Robert in enthusiastic approval; "we'll fit peep-sights to this gun, but we'll keep it a dead secret, and when we come to fire our string of shots we'll use our own peep-sights."
"How are you going to fit peep-sights to this gun and not have everybody else know about it?" asked Peters dubiously. "And we only practice with this gun; we will actually fire one of the 'Nevada's' six-pounders,—and probably the sight you fitted to this gun wouldn't fit the 'Nevada's.'"
"Let's go aboard the 'Nevada'; she's alongside the 'Santee' wharf, and we'll talk to the captain. I know him, and we'll ask him to let us fit up the six-pounder we're going to use. There's a gunner's mate named Lenn aboard that ship who is a great friend of mine; he's awfully handy with tools, and he'll help me."
"But, Bob, a captain isn't going to let amidshipman monkey with the guns of his ship."
"The 'Nevada' is in reserve with a crew of only thirty-five men on board; she's here for the instruction of midshipmen, and besides, we're not going to make any permanent change; we're going to invent a new six-pounder gun sight; we'll just take off the old sights and put in our own peep-sights; the captain can put the other ones back if he wants to."
"You talk as if you had already invented your peep-sights and all you had to do was to put them on. Now let me tell you, Bob, it isn't so all-fired easy. This gun isn't fitted for peep-sights. Another thing, the rear sight is attached here to a graduated bar; it moves up and down according to the distance of the target you are firing at, and it also moves from side to side, to allow for the speed of the ship. Now you're going to have a good deal of trouble to arrange an entire new kind of sights for this gun."
"Pete, those are problems that I'm sure can be solved. I don't pretend to say I know just how we can make the change, but I'm goingto study the question, and I'm going to get expert help. Now let's go over to the 'Nevada' and talk with Captain Brice; we've got to get his consent first; and then I'll get that smart gunner's mate, Lenn, to help me; he's a very inventive chap. Come along."
Before long the two midshipmen were aboard the monitor "Nevada" and were talking with Captain Brice. At first the latter was utterly opposed to any "monkeying," as he expressed it, with one of his guns. Finally he became interested in Robert's earnestness, and relented to the extent of the following ultimatum:
"Now, Mr. Drake, I'll allow you to remove the present sights of one of my six-pounders; the sights are kept out of the gun, anyway, for that matter; and in their places you may put in new sights. But you are not to alter the gun in any way; you must fix it so that any sights you put in can be immediately replaced by the regular sights. I'll send for the man you want, Lenn, and tell him to give you a hand."
Chief Gunner's Mate Lenn soon appeared, and he and the two midshipmen repaired tothe forward starboard six-pounder on the superstructure deck, where Robert explained what he wanted. Lenn grasped the idea with avidity.
"Why, Mr. Drake," he said, "we can fix up what you want with no trouble at all. A sight is a simple thing—the principle is that the centre line of the gun's bore must be exactly parallel to the line of sight at point-blank range with no speed allowance. Now you want a peep-sight. We'll get a hollow cylinder, say an inch in diameter, and an inch or two long; we'll plug the end and drill a fine hole in the end of your plug. There's the peep. And the forward sight will be a ring with cross wires in it. Now your line from the peep-hole to the cross wires must be parallel to the axis of the gun. And while I think of it the rear and front sights should be as far apart as possible; I'll tell you what we'll do; we'll carry the sight at the end of a long piece of brass pipe; I've just the stuff in my storeroom. I'll fit a Y piece to where the present front sight is, pivot it there and hang the forward part of the pipe in its gimbals. I'll just run a quarter-inch pin through thepipe; and I'll drop the rear end of the brass pipe on this rear sight—I'll have to make a slight alteration in this rear sight——"
"You can't change a thing, Lenn, you mustn't," interrupted Robert. "Captain Brice will not allow any changes of the gun——"
"Oh, I've an old condemned rear sight below; I'll use that," smiled Lenn. "Now we'll fasten our new front cross wire and rear peep-sights to the ends of our brass pipe—why, anybody can see at a glance it will be a far better arrangement than the present poor system."
When Robert and Peters left Lenn said: "Come aboard the 'Nevada' in two days from now and you'll find your new sights on this gun ready for business."
On the following Saturday, after supper, Robert and Stonewell were enjoying a pleasant call at the Blunt household. Captain Blunt was telling Stonewell of the last target practice his ship had gone through. "Why, sir," he said, "if my six-pounders had not done so poorly I would surely have won the trophy; my six-inch guns averaged seven hits aminute, each of the best guns making ten hits. If we had had decent sights for our six-pounders the 'New Orleans' would have made the best record of any ship of her class in the navy."
Robert was eagerly listening, and was much interested, but Helen Blunt wasn't.
"Father," she interrupted, "you talk of nothing but guns, guns, guns and hits per minute. Now that isn't nearly so interesting to midshipmen as ice-cream and cake. Robert, come along to the pantry with me and help me get some."
That young man was on the point of asking Captain Blunt a question about six-pounder gun sights, but Helen was already on her way toward the hall; so he thought his question could wait, and he started to join Helen. She had gone to the rear of the house, to the pantry next the kitchen. The passageway was dark, but Robert knew the way, and he hurried after Helen, and soon ran right into her.
"You are a regular blunderer, aren't you, Robert?" she laughed. "I am trying to turn on the light but can't find the key. What a bother it is that in Annapolis all the servantsgo home at night—and there goes the doorbell. I'll have to go see who it is. Now try to find the switch; it's somewhere near on this wall. Just feel about and you'll find it. I hope you're not afraid to be left in the dark," was her parting shot, "but the kitchen door is locked, so that no burglars can get in." And Helen ran away.
Robert groped about, but could not find the switch to the electric light, and while he was fumbling his ear caught the noise of a click in the kitchen, as if a door had been unlocked. A moment later he heard a door opened, and with it he felt the draft blow on him.
"Some one has let himself into the kitchen," thought Robert. He kept quite still, wondering who it might be. Then he heard footsteps on the kitchen floor; they seemed quite close to him and he felt confident there was an intruder there. He peered through the open door of the pantry into the kitchen, but in the dark could see nothing; suddenly an electric light in the kitchen was turned on, and Robert, himself unseen, looked with fascination on the person he saw.
There standing by a table was a man with abrown slouch hat drawn down over his eyes, a man with a heavy moustache and dark pointed beard; he was dressed in a dark sack coat, buttoned closely across his chest and wore trousers of a dark material.
Robert felt his breath come quickly.
"What can this man be doing here?" he wondered. "I know him; he's the scoundrel who called for three groans for the superintendent and commandant."
Robert had a confused idea that the stranger might be a thief and he was wondering what he had best do, when suddenly a feeling of dismay and horror swept over him. The stranger threw off his hat, and with a quick movement of each hand unhooked from around his ears the support of what was evidently a false beard. And the merry face of Harry Blunt was revealed.
It is difficult to analyze Robert's feelings, but chief among them was an utter detestation for Harry. That a midshipman, himself the son of a splendid officer, should be the miscreant who had so wantonly, so publicly, insulted the highest officers at the Naval Academy, filled Robert with disgust.
THE STRANGER THREW OFF HIS HAT
For a midshipman to take unauthorized leave was a common offense, so also was it for a midshipman to have civilian clothing in his possession. Such offenses were committed at great personal risk and when detected brought down upon the offender's head severe punishment, and if repeated it meant dismissal. But reprehensible from a military view-point as it was, such an offense was not dishonorable.
Since the event at the Colonial Theatre none at Annapolis had ever had the slightest notion that the perpetrator of the insult of that night could be a midshipman; such an idea never was suggested, never even entered any person's mind. And so to Robert, his recognition of Harry Blunt as the culprit was as astounding as it was painful. He loathed Harry as an utterly unfit, dishonorable person, who had done shameful wrong to the Naval Academy. And immediately there arose in Robert's mind the knowledge that it was his duty to report Harry to the commandant, to report the son of his benefactor.
In agonized perplexity Robert turned and quietly walked through the dining-room to the hall.
"Did you find the cakes and things in the pantry, Robert?" cried Helen seeing him, "or did you get tired waiting for me? Mr. Farnum called, and he comes so seldom I felt I couldn't run away from him. Why, Robert, what's the matter? You have such a strange look on your face. What is it?"
"I—I couldn't find the light, Helen, I——"
"Oh, come back and try it again. But what is the matter, Robert? I'm sure something's the matter."
"I'm not feeling well, Helen. I—I—have to go—I can't stay,—please say good-night to your father and mother—I really must go," and with utter misery showing in every feature, Robert grabbed his hat and bolted out of the house.
HARRY BLUNT IS REBUFFED
Helen Blunt was grieved and hurt at Robert's strange action. It was incomprehensible to her. The others expressed much surprise at his sudden leaving. After a few minutes Helen got the refreshments, but she was much subdued for the rest of the evening, and it was only too evident that the pleasure of the day had gone for her.
Robert hurried back to the Academy and was soon in his room.
"I can't report him," he reflected. "I know I'm going back on my rank, on my duty, on my principles, on what I've preached ever since I've been at the Academy. The contemptible hound! He ought to be kicked out! It's a shame that such a despicable person should have such a fine father and mother—and—and sister. It's outrageous that he should remain here. But his father saved my father—I can't report him; it would utterlydisgrace Captain Blunt—I'm full of gratitude to him—I suppose I have no right to let that gratitude interfere with my duty; but I can't help myself."
For the next hour Robert indulged himself in many bitter reflections, but his conclusions were unchanged, and he deliberately determined to keep to himself what he had learned, neither to report Harry Blunt nor to tell even Stonewell what he had seen.
Stonewell came in a little before ten o'clock. "What's the matter with you, Bob?" he asked almost roughly. "Do you think you treated the Blunts very politely? You spoiled Helen's evening, and I could see Captain and Mrs. Blunt were concerned; they must have thought you acted very queerly, to say the least."
"I'm sorry, Stone—I couldn't help it. Please don't talk about it to me."
Stonewell glanced keenly at his roommate's worried face. "Look here, Bob, when you went out to the pantry did you see young Blunt? Has that scamp been Frenching again?"
"Stone, except once, you have practicallynever discussed your personal matters with me; I never insist on it, intimate as we are. Now this is a personal matter of a kind that I just can't talk about; please don't expect me to."
"All right, Bob; but it's my opinion you feel you ought to report Blunt for Frenching and you feel you can't because you're under obligation of lasting gratitude to his father; and so you feel you're going back on your principles, and so forth. Now you were not on duty; no reasonable man would expect you to violate your own feelings to that extent. So cheer up, Bob; I'll tell you right now that if when I'm not on duty I find young Blunt Frenching in his father's house, I most certainly shall not report him."
To this Robert made no comment, but in his heart thought that if his roommate knew what a scoundrel Blunt was, that Stonewell would be the very first to report him.
Taps soon sounded, and before long Robert was in bed; but long hours passed before sleep came to him. "What a lot of terrible rogues I've been mixed up with," was one of the thoughts that came to his mind; "therewas Hillman, Ramsay, Williams, and now this detestable Blunt. And of them all I fear Blunt is the worst."
The next afternoon Stonewell went to Blunt's room and found that young man there alone. "Hello, Stone," greeted Blunt; "but now that football is over perhaps I should say Mister Stonewell to the five striper."
"Never mind the 'Mister,' Blunt. I thought I'd drop around to tell you that I think you are an unintentional cad."
"Your words are offensive, sir," cried Harry, getting angry immediately; "I'm not aware of any Naval Academy regulation that permits the cadet commander to insult a third classman."
"I don't wish to insult you, Blunt, and I admit my words require explanation. The point is just this: Bob Drake, your company commander, is entirely upset about something. He will not talk about it to me, and has no idea of my seeing you about the matter. He was out at your father's house last night, and I've a notion you were Frenching out there and he saw you. You probably know he hasvery strict notions of duty. My idea is that he feels he should report you or else go back on every principle he ever had. And for a particular reason he cannot report you."
"Oh," replied Harry disdainfully, "if the reason is that he is currying favor with Helen most people would say Drake is the cad."
"It isn't your sister, Blunt. It's your father, whom he owes a debt of gratitude to."
"Why should Drake be grateful to my father?" exclaimed Harry in evident surprise.
"For personal reasons. I don't feel at liberty to talk about them, except to say that a couple of weeks ago a kind action on your father's part saved Drake from resigning. You see Drake cannot report your father's son; and come now, wouldn't a man be a cad to force a man like Drake to go back on his principles?"
"Good old dad," cried Harry impulsively; "I was a cad, but I'm glad you said unintentionally so. I'd have had no use for Drake if it had been on Helen's account. But really I didn't know Drake saw me last night. Are you sure he did?"
"I have just imagined so; you ought toknow whether he did or not. He was at your house last night; at half-past eight he went out in the pantry to get something and all of a sudden bolted out of the house. He won't speak of the matter even to me, but he has been miserable ever since."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Harry. "Perhaps he saw me in the cit's clothes; that would be a bilging spot,[2]wouldn't it?"