MARK MEETS THE SUPERINTENDENT.
"Yes, colonel, the lad is a hero, and I want to tell him so, too!"
The speaker was a tall, gray-haired gentleman, and he whacked his cane
on the floor for emphasis as he spoke.
"It was a splendid act, sir, splendid!" he continued. "And I want to
thank Mark Mallory for it right here in your office."
The man he addressed wore the uniform of the United States army; he was
Colonel Harvey, the superintendent of the West Point Academy.
"I shall be most happy to have you do so," he replied, smiling at this
visitor's enthusiasm. "You have certainly," he added, "much to thank the
young man for."
"Much!" echoed the other. "Much! Why, my dear sir, if that daughter of
mine had been drowned I believe it would have killed me. She is my only
child, and, if I do say it myself, sir, the sweetest girl that ever
lived."
"Wasn't it rather reckless, judge," inquired the other, "for you to
allow her to go sailing alone?"
"She is used to the boat," responded Judge Fuller, "but no one on earth
could have handled it in such a gale. I do not remember to have seen
such a one in all the time I have lived up here."
"Nor I, either," said the superintendent. "It was so dark that I could
scarcely see across the parade ground. It is almost miraculous that
Mallory should have succeeded in finding the boat as he did."
"Tell me about it," put in the other. "I have not been able to get a
consistent account yet."
"Cadet Captain Fischer told me," responded the colonel. "It seems that
he and Mallory were just at the finish of a swimming race when the storm
broke. They caught sight of the boat with your daughter in it coming
down stream. The plebe turned, exhausted though he was, and headed for
it. It got so dark then that those on shore could scarcely see; but the
lad managed to catch the boat as it passed and climbed aboard. Just then
the boom swung round and flung the girl into the water. Mallory dived
again at once----"
"Splendid!" interrupted the other.
"And swam ashore with her."
"And then fainted, they say," the judge added.
"Yes," said Colonel Harvey. "Dr. Grimes told me that it was one of the
worst cases of exhaustion he had ever seen. But the lad is doing well
now; he appears to be a very vigorous youngster--and I've an idea
several of the yearlings found that out to their discomfort. The doctor
told me that he thought he would be out this morning; the accident was
only two days ago."
"That is fortunate," responded the other. "The boy is too good to lose."
"He appears to be a remarkable lad generally," continued the
superintendent. "I have heard several tales about him. Some of the
stories came to me 'unofficially,' as we call it, and I don't believe
Mallory would rest easily if he thought I knew of them. Young Fischer,
who's a splendid man himself, I'll tell you, informed me yesterday that
the plebe had earned his admission fee by bringing help to a wrecked
train and telegraphing the account to a New York paper."
"I heard he had been in some trouble about demerits," put in Judge
Fuller.
"In very serious trouble. I had to take a very radical step to get him
out of it. Every once in a while I find that some new cadet is being
'skinned,' as the cadets call it, demerited unfairly. I always punish
severely when I find that out. In this case, though, I had no proof;
Mallory would say nothing, though he was within five demerits of
expulsion. So I decided to end the whole matter by declaring a new rule
I've been contemplating for some time. I've found that new cadets get
too many demerits during the first few weeks, before they learn the
rules thoroughly. So I've decided that in future no demerits shall be
given for the first three weeks, and that delinquencies shall be
punished by extra hours and other penalties. That let Mallory out of his
trouble, you see."
"A very clever scheme!" laughed the other. "Very clever!"
It may be of interest to notice that Colonel Harvey's rule has been in
effect ever since.
There was silence of a few moments after that, during which Judge Fuller
tapped the floor with his cane reflectively.
"You promised to let me see this Mallory," he said, suddenly. "I'm ready
now."
By way of answer, the superintendent rang a bell upon his desk.
"Go over to the hospital," he said to the orderly who appeared in the
doorway, "and find out if Cadet Mallory is able to be about. If he is,
bring him here at once."
The boy disappeared and the colonel turned to his visitor and smiled.
"Is that satisfactory?" he inquired.
"Very!" responded the other. "And I only wish that you could send for my
daughter to come over, too. I hope those surgeons are taking care of
her."
"As much as if she were their own," answered the colonel. "I cannot tell
you how glad I was to learn that she is beyond danger."
"It is God's mercy," said the other, with feeling. "She could not have
had a much narrower escape."
And after that neither said anything until a knock at the door signaled
the arrival of the orderly.
"Come in," called the superintendent, and two figures stepped into the
room. One was the messenger, and the other was Mark.
"This," said the superintendent after a moment's pause, "is Cadet
Mallory."
And Cadet Mallory it was. The same old Mark, only paler and more weak
just then.
Judge Fuller rose and bowed gravely.
"Sit down," said he, "you are not strong enough to stand."
And after that no one said anything for fully a minute; the last speaker
resumed his seat and fell to studying Mark's face in silence. And Mark
waited respectfully for him to begin.
"My name," said he at last, "is Fuller."
"Judge Fuller?" inquired Mark.
"Yes. And Grace Fuller is my daughter."
After that there was silence again, broken suddenly by the excitable old
gentleman dropping his cane, springing up from his chair, and striding
over toward the lad.
"I want to shake hands with you, sir! I want to shake hands with you!"
he cried.
Mark was somewhat taken aback; but he arose and did as he was asked.
"And now," said the judge, "I guess that's all--sit down, sir, sit down;
you've little strength left, I can see. I want to thank you, sir, for
being the finest lad I've met for a long time. And when my daughter gets
well--which she will, thank the Lord--I'll be very glad to have you
call on us, or else to let us call on you--seeing that we live beyond
cadet limits. And if ever you get into trouble, here or anywhere, just
come and see me about it, and I'll be much obliged to you. And that's
all."
Having said which, the old gentleman stalked across the room once more,
picked up his hat and cane, and made for the door.
"Good-day, sir," he said. "I'm going around now to see my daughter.
Good-day, and God bless you."
After which the door was shut.
It was several minutes after that before Colonel Harvey said anything.
"You have made a powerful friend, my boy," he remarked, smiling at the
recollection of the old gentleman's strange speech. "And you have
brought honor upon the academy. I am proud of you--proud to have you
here."
"Thank you, sir," said Mark, simply.
"All I have to say besides that," added the officer, "is to watch out
that you stay. Don't get any more demerits."
"I'll try not, sir."
"Do. And I guess you had best go and join your company now if the doctor
thinks you're able. Something is happening to-day which always interests
new cadets. I bid you good-morning, Mr. Mallory."
And Mark went out of that office and crossed the street to barracks
feeling as if he were walking on air.