A HAPPY SURPRISE
Robert and Stonewell spent the first day of their return in getting
settled and in seeing the football coaches and talking about the
football material of the new fourth class. A number of the regular
players had already returned, and the afternoon train brought in about
twenty midshipmen who had been in the squad the previous year, all of
whom were now eager to commence practice.
"We'll start in to-morrow, fellows, good and hard," said Stonewell; "be
on the field at eight in the morning; we'll get the whole fourth class
out later, after they've finished their morning drill, and we'll size up
and pick out the likely ones and give them a tryout. Come on, Bob, let's
go to quarters. Come along with us, Farnum, if you're walking that way."
The three walked toward Bancroft Hall together. "What do you think of
the fourth class, Stone?" asked Farnum. "Are there any good men in it?"
"There are indeed, I should say, from just looking at them, but we will
know better to-morrow, after we've given them a try on the field.
There's a plebe named Bligh who has told me he expects to make the
team."
Farnum laughed. "He told me the same thing. I hope he'll make good; if
he does we'll pardon his freshness. What do you hear of West Point? No
midshipman now at Annapolis has ever seen the Academy beat West Point at
football. George! I do hope we'll win; we ought to, we have twice as
many men here as there are at West Point."
"It would seem so. And yet when we had many less midshipmen than there
were cadets at West Point we used to beat them right along, and since we
have had more West Point has beaten us. You can depend on one thing,
both academies will have strong teams this year and both will make
strenuous efforts in the great battle to be fought in Philadelphia next
fall. I hope you'll make the team this year, Farnum; you tried hard
enough last year," added Stonewell kindly.
"I'll get it if desperate work on my part will bring it to me."
Neither Farnum nor Robert addressed remarks directly to one another, and
after a while the three midshipmen had reached the steps leading to
Bancroft Hall.
"Let's see if there are any new orders posted," suggested Robert, and
the three young men directed their steps toward the bulletin-board. In
an instant Robert set up a great shout. "Hooray," he cried, "Stonewell
has five stripes." Robert had looked no further than the head of the
list and was wild with unexpected happiness. Then he suddenly grabbed
Farnum by the arm and said: "Stone told me that I wasn't fair to you;
that you were a better man than I took you to be; that the first thing
you would do when you got to Annapolis would be to go to the commandant
and report yourself for that affair of last summer. Did you do that?"
Farnum looked pleased. "Yes, Drake, I did, but it makes me feel mighty
good that Stone thought well enough of me to predict that I would. I'd
rather have that confidence on his part than five stripes, any day of
the week."
"Farnum, I'm not as wise as old Stone; I apologize to you for my unkind
judgment and for not taking your hand in the train. I hope you will
forgive me and accept my friendship," and a warm handclasp and a happy
reconciliation followed.
"Why don't you chaps read the rest of this list, and see who the
remaining cadet officers are?" asked Stonewell.
"They're just the same as in the list we saw published, aren't they?"
queried Robert.
"Well, Farnum gets the first battalion----"
"Good, I'm delighted," burst out Robert.
"They've a good man commanding the first company, haven't they?"
continued Stonewell.
"Yes, Blair is one of the best men in the class; he'll make a splendid
three striper; he----"
"Oh, it isn't Blair; take a look for yourself, Bob."
Robert glanced at the written order assigning the brigade officers.
"Drake, cadet lieutenant, commanding first company."
Robert's heart commenced to thump, the blood rushed to his head and he
felt a surging of happiness within that seemed almost overwhelming. He
was like a thirsty man in a desert unexpectedly finding water. Until
this moment he had never known how much cadet rank meant to him.
"Oh, Stonewell," he cried, "I can't believe it; isn't it likely to be a
mistake?"
"Not a bit of it. The superintendent's name is signed to it. This is
better news to me than the five stripes, even," rejoined Stonewell.
"Bob, I'm pleased beyond expression."
"I'm delighted, Bob," cried Farnum.
It was indeed a happy trio that congratulated each other and tried to
realize their good fortune.
"Come on, Bob," said the practical Stonewell at last, "let's go to our
room and straighten it up a bit. Will you come along, Farnum?"
"No, I've my own room to fix up. Bob, old chap, you're my senior three
striper, and I'm ever so glad of it," and Farnum's expressive eyes
confirmed this feeling.
Once in their room Robert was in no hurry to do anything but talk.
Boisterous jubilance exuded from his every movement and every
expression. "Stone, the first company is going to win the flag this
year," he suddenly exclaimed. "We're going to have the best drilled, the
best all around company of the brigade. Just keep your eye on the first
company this year, old fellow."
"Bully for you, Bob, I believe you'll win it," replied Stonewell. "Now I
wonder," he continued with a laugh, "if you have already decided which
pretty girl you will ask to present the flag to your company after you
have won it."
Robert's face reddened, and then he said, smiling happily, "We'll talk
about that later."
The young men now busied themselves in unpacking their trunks and
stowing their clothes in their wardrobes, placing aside their civilian
clothing to be sent to the basement. After this was finished they
commenced to talk. "This is a fine room, Stone," commented Robert.
"Here, out of this window, is Chesapeake Bay, and from the other we can
look over at the Armory across the lawns, and into the city of
Annapolis. I tell you, it's worth while to room with the five striper.
And it's worth while to be a five striper, too. You can visit during
study hours, you can come and go as you please; no officer would ever
think of questioning the cadet commander. You'll have a good brigade,
Stone; discipline here depends pretty much on the cadet officers, and
every one of us will do his level best that your brigade shall be the
best of our time."
"That's right, Bob, we'll all do our best. We'll try to make every man
feel that what he does is important. If all the units are earnest the
grand result is bound to be satisfactory."
"Stone, you and I are the best of friends, aren't we?"
"That's been my idea, Bob, for several years."
"Well, I've been thinking it's surprising that in spite of our intimate
friendship I should know so little of your family; you know all about
mine."
"Why, Bob, what's put that into your head. You've been to my home in
Chicago and have met my people--and they think everything of you."
"Well, it just came over me that you never speak of them. Do you
remember three years ago, at about this time, how you Frenched from the
'Santee' and how I followed you out into Annapolis, and how Captain
Blunt caught us and reported us?"
"I do indeed; pretty hard luck, wasn't it? Say, Captain Blunt is a fine
fellow, isn't he? I've just read that his ship, the 'New Orleans,' now
on the Asiatic station, is to come home in a few months. I trust his
hopeful son will not be bilged by that time; that young man is in
constant danger of getting into trouble." Stonewell picked up his cap
and continued, "I'm going down the corridor; I'll be back in a little
while."
"Hold on, Stone, I want to talk about that time we Frenched. Now I've
never asked you any particulars; you told me you had to go out to see a
brother who was in some terrible trouble, and you've never said a word
about him since--and I've never asked you. Now can't you tell me
something about him, Stone? It isn't mere idle curiosity, but you are
so much in my thoughts that I can't help but be interested in your
brother. Is he like you?"
Stonewell sat down, saying: "Bob, you were very good to me at that time
and were most considerate then and have been ever since in not asking
questions. I went out that night to see my brother Frank. Frank is
entirely unlike me in character, though people say we resemble one
another very much in appearance; from his earliest boyhood he has
constantly been getting into scrapes, and some of these have been
serious. He is wild and impulsive. Frank wouldn't intentionally do a low
or a wrong thing, but has done some crazy acts which have resulted
badly.
"Now, the day I Frenched, when you followed me, I had received word that
Frank had passed a forged check, and the same day I learned he was
hiding in Annapolis; I was beside myself. You see I didn't know but what
if it was true. Well, it came out all right. Frank hadn't passed a bad
check, but an older man with whom he spent much time had, and Frank's
name was brought in. He was badly scared; he was only sixteen at the
time, and he came here to me. You see there was no real occasion for his
being scared and coming here or for my being so upset. But I didn't know
how bad it was and I was nearly crazy until the next morning, when I
received word that everything was all right. Still, it isn't a very
pleasant recollection, and I have never felt inclined to talk about it.
Now, Bob, I think I've answered your question. Do you want to know
anything more about Frank?"
"Yes, where is he now?"
"He's a sophomore at Princeton," returned Stonewell.
"Well, you are the greatest fellow, Stone; if I had a brother at
Princeton I couldn't help but talk about it; all my friends here would
know it."
Stonewell smiled. "Come on, Bob," he said, picking up his cap again.
"Let's go out and see what fellows have come back. The entire squad
should be here by this time."