Professor Keene had no need to ask for attention when, the next day,
he was ready to announce the names of the committee. There was great
surprise and some disappointment among the officers when it was found
that only two of them were of the number, the other two being privates
of Company C. These last were Knox, one of the most troublesome fellows
in the battalion, and Carr, one of the most faithful and reliable.
Knox, after the first shock of surprise, was immensely elated at having
been selected. He would not have been quite so jubilant over it if he
had been present at a conference between the professor, Gordon and
Graham the night before.
Gordon’s whispered words to the professor had been a request for a
talk with him before the names of the committee should be announced,
a request which was readily granted. The hour that the two lads
spent at the professor’s house that evening had given him a clearer
understanding than he had had before of the state of affairs in
Company C, and indeed in the whole battalion. He saw that these
two boys had given very serious thought to the situation, and he
appreciated the wisdom of Gordon’s suggestion that Knox, who, though
one of the most troublesome in the company, was really one of the most
soldierly boys, and one who, if his enthusiasm could once be aroused,
might do perhaps more than any other to raise the standard of feeling
and purpose in the battalion, should be one of the visiting committee.
Carr was appointed partly to make it pleasanter for Knox than it would
have been had the other three been officers.
Graham had wanted very much to be on the committee, as, owing to the
trouble he had had with his company, he was extremely anxious to see
for himself if the new method was one likely to work well in the
high-school battalion; but he saw that it might not be best for three
out of a committee of four to be taken from Company C. So Hamlin and
one other captain were appointed.
There was a good deal of grumbling over the proposed innovation, and
many of the boys declared that they would not stay on if any such
scheme was carried out; but all the same, the four members of the
committee were regarded with not a little envy and scarcely a boy but
wished that he had been lucky enough to be selected, especially as the
fortunate four were to be excused from recitations and given perfect
marks for the time of their absence. Coyle and Griffin, even, would
have liked to visit that school, even though they scoffed at the idea
of the plan proposed.
Before the departure of the committee, Professor Keene wrote a long
letter to his friend, the principal, explaining to him the reason
for the sending of this committee, and for the selection of Knox
as a member of it, and asking him to give the boys every possible
opportunity to learn all about the working of the system under
consideration. Also he begged the principal to make the visit of the
boys as enjoyable as might be, and proposed that, a week or two later,
a similar committee from the military school be sent down to return
the visit. “And be sure and put on that committee some of your most
enthusiastic boys, who will talk the thing up, and make our boys wild
to try it,” the professor had added.
A royal good time indeed those four boys had during the two days they
spent at the Institute.
The principal was one who knew how to get hold of boys and win their
affection as well as secure their obedience. Understanding thoroughly
the situation of affairs at the high school, he told his boys just
enough to interest them, and incline them to further Professor Keene’s
plans. The boys needed only a hint. In the first place, they were
exceedingly proud of their school and their military discipline, and,
in the second, they were always ready to respond to any appeal from
their principal.
So they gave our committee of four a cordial, boyish reception that
swept away in a moment every shadow of stiffness or shyness. They
treated them like comrades and old friends, and took them into
class-room and drill, gave them a dinner, and, in short, filled every
hour of the two days with something that would please and interest
their guests. Of course, they interlarded all this with information
about their method of government and its eminently satisfactory
results, until even Knox, who had intended to have a good time on the
trip and laugh the new plan to scorn when he returned to the Central,
became so interested that he found himself asking eager questions, and
admitting to himself that perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad thing to try at
the Central, after all.
When, on the last day of the visit, the principal told the assembled
school of Professor Keene’s invitation, and asked those who would like
to accept it, and visit the Central school, to rise, instantly every
boy in the room was on his feet.
The principal smiled as he turned to Gordon, and said, “You have taken
the citadel by storm, you see. I think you will have to select your
committee for yourselves.”
“Very well, sir,” was Gordon’s quick response, “we shall be satisfied
if the committee includes all the gentlemen that are now standing.”
A cheer broke from the students at this reply, but at a sign from the
principal every boy took his seat, and in an instant the most perfect
order prevailed.
But nearly the whole school accompanied the high-school boys to the
station that night, and the cheers that followed them as the train
moved off could have been heard for a mile around.
The visitors supposed that was the end of it, but when they reached the
next station, there were a hundred or more students drawn up in line
on the platform. In perfect order they stood till the train started
on, when again the night resounded with the Central high-school cry,
followed by that of the Institute. That _was_ the end, for there was no
such short cut to the next station as there had been to this.
Was it any wonder that our committee returned overflowing with
enthusiasm for the methods that turned out such boys as these? Even
Knox gave up all thought of carping criticism and opposition, and
instead, gave his comrades such a glowing description of the drill he
had witnessed and the splendid results of the self-government plan,
as shown at the Institute, that they looked at him in amazement and
thought there “must be something in it to convert Knox so completely,”
and they began to look forward with eager curiosity and interest to the
coming of “those Institute chaps.”
So full of interest and enthusiasm was the committee of four, that
Professor Keene decided to have them give their report before the
entire school. At first the boys objected strongly to this. They did
not so much mind speaking before all the boys, but the girls too--that
was another thing!
But after all, it was not so bad, for their interest soon made them
forget the gentler portion of their audience, and when they had each
spoken of the points that had most impressed them, and told of the
cordial hospitality they had enjoyed--they could not help speaking of
that--the professor said that the committee would answer any questions
that might occur to any one.
A storm of eager questions followed, and not all of them were asked by
the boys.
Many of the pupils saw at once the advantages of the method proposed,
and many were eager to have it adopted, at least in the battalion, but
some still fought against it, and none more bitterly than Coyle and
Griffin.
A week or two later, a delegation came from the Institute, and the four
members of the committee had an opportunity to return the hospitality
that had been shown them; an opportunity which they were not slow
to improve. Either there was an exceptionally fine class of boys at
the Institute, or else the principal had shown great wisdom in his
selection, for they made friends of everybody, from Professor Keene
down to the roughest and rudest boys in Company C. Even Coyle and
Griffin were forced to acknowledge that they were “good fellows enough.”
But amid all the good times crowded into these two days, the boys did
not forget the purpose of their coming. They were always ready to talk
self-government to anyone who was interested, but they did it so wisely
that nobody was bored or offended, while most were so convinced of
the advantages of the system that, to the great satisfaction of the
Institute boys, the battalion voted by a large majority to try the plan
for the remainder of the year.
Of course, the entire battalion escorted their guests to the depot
when the visit was ended, and though they could not be in waiting at
a station further on, they did the best they could. They engaged a
brass-band to meet the committee at the station nearest the Institute,
and give the boys a welcome home with all the martial music that they
could render.
It is needless to say that the most friendly relations continued
between the two schools from this time on, each manifesting a strong
interest in the doings of the other.
At the Central, after a spirited meeting, an election was held,
resulting in the appointment of Gordon as judge, with a jury of twelve
boys, two from each company.
Singularly enough, the first offender brought before this court
was Coyle himself, and his disgust at this was in no wise lessened
by the knowledge that he himself had actually been the one largely
instrumental in bringing this new court of justice into being, in the
Central.
Coyle had deteriorated steadily as the weeks passed. He was a thorn
in the flesh to Gordon, Hamlin and Clark, for his frequent failures
in class brought down the record, in spite of the good work of the
majority. Coyle rejoiced that this was so. In no other way could he
have so effectually annoyed and tormented these three, whom he hated
more and more as he saw how their influence was growing in the school.
They had even succeeded in arousing a feeble ambition in Barber, and
consequently, Barber was “no fun at all,” these days. He insisted on
pegging away at his lessons, and wouldn’t, half the time, help Coyle
“make things a bit lively in class.” In short, Coyle considered himself
decidedly aggrieved because the boys of section D were working for
honors, or for solid acquirements, this year, instead of wasting their
time in foolish tricks, or idling the hours away without accomplishing
anything. True, there were still in Company C a few jolly chaps who
went in for good times, but most of the fellows had taken up with that
fol-de-rol about self-government, and wouldn’t so much as wink or
“crack a smile” in drill, nor answer back, no matter what ridiculous
order an officer might give them. All this was contrary to Coyle’s
ideas, and he came to the conclusion at last that he would let them
all see that he, for one, had a little spirit and independence, and
didn’t choose to be ordered about by any of them. Wasn’t he battalion
quartermaster, ranking as high as any of the captains? Long he pondered
and planned, but he could not hit upon any way of asserting his
independence and humiliating his brother officers at the same time.
He not only neglected his studies and fell steadily behind the class,
but he attended so poorly to his duties as quartermaster that Gordon
was finally obliged to speak to him on the subject, and though he took
pains to speak privately, and in the most courteous way possible, Coyle
was very angry, and answered so insolently that Gordon had hard work to
control his temper.
A few days after this, the quartermaster’s accounts were sent to Gordon
for approval, and finding several errors in them, he sent them back
for correction. Without stopping to look over the accounts, Coyle went
directly to Gordon and angrily accused him of picking flaws in the
accounts on purpose to bring him--Coyle--into disgrace.
“The accounts are right to a penny, and you know it,” he shouted
furiously. “You’ve been trying to find something against me all this
year, and now you’ve hatched this up. If there is any error in the
books you’ve changed the figures yourself, that’s all.”
Gordon turned fairly white in the strong effort he made to control
himself, while Hamlin started to his feet with an indignant
exclamation, and another officer who was standing by clenched his fists
and took a step forward, looking as if he longed to knock the impudent
fellow down.
There was a moment of silence, then Gordon turned to his adjutant, and
said very quietly, “You will consider Mr. Coyle under arrest.”
“I’d like to see you try to arrest me,” blustered Coyle, who had lost
all control of himself by this time. As he spoke, Prof. Keene entered
the room.
“What is that, Coyle?” he said, sharply, “please repeat what you said.”
Coyle shrank a little before the professor’s stern eyes, but he
repeated still angrily, “I said that I’d like to see Gordon arrest me.
He’s finding fault with me about--”
“Silence, sir,” interrupted the professor; “if _Major_ Gordon has
ordered you under arrest, he must have had good reasons for so doing,
and your case will be tried by court-martial.” And without another
word, the professor left the room.
So it came about that Coyle was the first offender tried and sentenced
under the new rules. Prof. Keene was not present during the trial, but
a full account of the proceedings, in shorthand, was submitted to him,
and he fully approved the sentence, which was that Coyle be degraded
to the ranks or permitted to resign, whichever he chose. He chose the
latter, and did not appear again in the school, which was altogether
the most satisfactory ending to the matter, since, with such a boy,
there was no hope of any real reform.
This affair of Coyle’s had a good effect upon the worst element in
the battalion. The boys saw that the majority were determined to put
down disorder and insubordination, and that Prof. Keene was ready to
second their efforts at reform. They did not want to be suspended from
the battalion or the school, or told that their permanent absence was
desired--and so they concluded that it would be wisest for them to obey
orders and do their best, instead of worst, in drill and class-room,
and the result was soon seen in better recitations, and much more
orderly class-rooms, and a steady improvement in the drill.