AN ILL-FAVORED, RED-BEARDED ROGUE
"Bob, I think I've got the flag this year," remarked Cadet Lieutenant
Blair, to his fellow three striper, Robert Drake; "everybody says my
company is better than yours in artillery; I've an even chance with you
at infantry--members of my company have had part in baseball and
football games, fencing, rowing, tennis, gymnasium and all other
contests. The second company, I think, will get the most points in
seamanship, and I have more trained marksmen than you have. I've got you
beaten, Bob, old boy."
"Don't you be too sure of that, Sam; the first company has a notion it
wants to carry the colors next year; and look here, Sam, I'll put you on
to something if you'll agree to keep quiet about it."
"What is it, Bob? I'll keep mum," replied Blair expectantly, impressed
by Robert's earnest manner.
"The first company is going to try to win the flag, and I'm going to
spring a big surprise on you."
"Pshaw! Is that your news? Perhaps I'll spring a surprise on you."
"Go ahead if you can, Sam, but I warn you now that I have done something
toward winning the flag that you don't know anything about. It's in line
with advice that was given to all of us months ago, and what I've done
is perfectly proper and legitimate. I'll tell you frankly that because
of special preparation I have made, I expect the first company will have
a higher final multiple than your company will have."
"What was the advice you refer to, Bob? I don't recall any."
"By the way, haven't you been doing some special stunts in seamanship?
Haven't some old boatswain's mates been giving your men some extra drill
in handling sail?"
"Never mind about that, Bob; if I have done special work in seamanship
I'm not bound to tell you what it is. But what was the advice you spoke
of?"
"Sam, we'll be on the square with each other. I learned accidentally
that you were getting specially coached in seamanship; well, I'm doing
special work in gunnery. It's a fair field and no favor, and may the
best company win."
"Good. Some of the fellows have been figuring up the points already
known to be credited to the different companies; more than half of the
points are already made, you know, and as it happens both the first and
second companies are so far pretty close together; we're within ten
points of each other to-day and no other company is within twenty points
of either of us. Either you or I will win the flag, that is certain.
And, Bob, if you win it I'm going to lead the cheering for the winning
company."
"I appreciate that sentiment, Sam, and if you win the flag I will lead
the cheering."
"Say, Bob, have you read about that kidnapping case in Baltimore? Some
rascals have stolen a little boy named Georgie Thompson."
"No, I hadn't. Jingo! I hope they catch the scoundrels and get the boy
back."
The two young men shook hands in the heartiest fashion and separated.
There was intense personal rivalry between them, far more than their
words expressed; it was a commendable rivalry; each was determined to
make every effort to win the great prize, but each had a high personal
regard for the other.
This meeting was on one of the Saturdays in May. Robert was now highly
elated with the efficiency of his six-pounder crew. It drilled every
day. Dummy six-pounder shells were thrown into the gun with tremendous
speed and remarkable precision. There were now no slips, no jams. While
this was proceeding Robert would be at the shoulder-piece, his eye at
the peep-sight, aiming at some boat in the river. This was the nearest
approach possible to actually firing the gun. And every man of the gun's
crew was enthusiastically confident.
"Stone," said Robert, after dinner this Saturday, "I've permission to
use a steamer this afternoon and I've got up a party to go up the Severn
River."
"I'll bet Helen is in the party," replied Stonewell, smiling at his
roommate.
"Of course she is; Mrs. Blunt is coming, and Glassfell and Farnum. Now
we want you too."
"I wish I could go, but I can't," replied Stonewell, decidedly. "I've an
engagement I can't break."
"Oh, rats, chuck your tailor for once--your measure will keep. But now
I'll give you some information that will bring you along with us--Nellie
Strong is with the Blunts; she arrived this morning and is going to stay
over for graduation. Now will you come?"
"I can't, Bob, but I'll be out to the Blunts' house to-night."
"Pshaw, I counted on your going--what is your engagement; can't you put
it off?"
"I really wish I could, but it's imperative; there's nothing pleasant
about it--I may tell you about it later--I can't now."
"It seems to me you've been getting an extra lot of letters lately,
Stone."
"Yes, more than I wish for," rejoined Stone rather bitterly.
"Helen and I went walking that Sunday afternoon, the Sunday you and I
had intended going across the river. First Helen had an errand to do on
Conduit Street and right ahead of us you were walking along. You went
into a big yellow house."
Stonewell gave a start. "Well," he said, "what of it?"
"Look here, Stone, old chap, you have something on your mind that's
bothering you terribly. Is there no way I can help you; will it do you
no good to talk things over with me?"
"Bob, I can't talk; I don't pretend I'm not worried, but I just can't
unburden my mind, not even to the best friend a man ever had," replied
Stonewell huskily, with almost a break in his voice. He walked away from
his roommate with agitated face, and gloomily looked out upon the waters
of Chesapeake Bay.
Loud were the expressions of disappointment from Robert's friends when
he told them Stonewell could not join them on their trip. They all got
aboard the steam launch, which immediately started up the Severn River;
the day was pleasant and all were in high spirits. The Severn River is
most picturesque in its scenery. High, densely-wooded banks, irregular
in outline, line its shores, and there are many indentations of little
bays that lead into the river. Three miles above its mouth the Severn
widens into Round Bay, a sheet of water several miles in diameter. And
above this and emptying into it is a narrow stream, which is still
called Severn River.
The launch steamed through Round Bay, and then entered this narrow
stream. "Isn't this beautiful?" cried Robert. "Just look at this winding
little river; I wonder how far up we can go. Say, coxswain, how far up
this river can we steam?"
"If I knew the channel I could take you up to Indian Landing, sir,"
answered the coxswain; "some of our steamers have been up that far; but
I don't know the channel, sir; I'm afraid we'll go aground at any
minute."
"Well, can't you follow that gasoline launch ahead of us? The fellow in
it probably knows the channel."
"Yes, sir, I can do that."
A covered gasoline launch was a quarter of a mile ahead. "Give me all
the speed you can," called out the coxswain to the engineer; "I want to
catch that boat ahead; this river has so many little turns that I'll
have to keep close to that chap ahead." The engineer of the launch
turned on a steam jet in the smokestack to force the draft and the
little boat instantly responded and made a great fuss in increasing the
speed of the engine.
"Why don't we catch up?" asked Robert, in a few minutes; "we are surely
going much faster than we were."
"Because he has nearly doubled his speed, Mr. Drake," replied the
coxswain.
"Hurrah, it's a race!" shouted the midshipman; "now let's see who will
win."
The steam launch commenced to gain on the gasoline boat. The coxswain
had been looking at the latter through a pair of binoculars; after a
time he quietly remarked to Robert, "This isn't a race, sir; those men
in the boat ahead of us think we are chasing them, and if I ever saw a
pair of precious rogues in my life I'm looking at them now. Take a look
at them, Mr. Drake."
"Well, no one would ever say they were pretty," remarked Robert after a
good look at them through the glasses. "We are catching up with them
now. Hello, they've stopped."
In a short time the steam launch was abreast of the gasoline boat. In
the latter but one man was to be seen, and an ill-favored man he was.
"My! What a brutal-looking fellow," remarked Nellie Strong with a
shudder.
"What do you want?" demanded the man, in a surly, sullen way.
"We were stealing pilotage from you, that's all," replied Robert. "We're
going up this river and don't know the channel and are afraid of going
ashore. Is there danger of that if we keep in the middle of the stream?"
"I hope you'll strike a shoal and stay there till the crack of doom.
You've no business to go running after another boat that way."
"What's the matter with you?" called out Robert; "and why don't your two
friends show themselves? It looks to me as if you're afraid of the
police."
The man made an angry exclamation and the steamer passed ahead. "What an
ill-tempered man," said Helen Blunt to Robert; "I wish he'd cut off
that red beard of his; he wouldn't look so much like a pirate then."
"We won't worry about that fellow. Now I'm going up in the bow with a
boat-hook to take soundings; we'll run slow and keep right in the middle
of the river. But isn't it beautiful around here. Just look how the
little river twists and winds about and how irregular the shore is; and
there are lots of little creeks running into the river and little bays
stretching out from it."
"And isn't it lonely?" rejoined Helen. "There is hardly a house or a
clearing to be seen; it's a regular wilderness."
Robert went to the bow of the steamer, and taking a boat-hook thrust it
in the water; it was quite deep enough, so he felt reassured about the
boat's not going ashore.
"There's Indian Landing ahead of us," called out the coxswain. "I don't
think we had better go much further; we've got eleven miles to run
before we get back, and I'm afraid of getting low in coal."
"All right, put aback and return." And soon the steamer was headed down
the river.
"Where's that gasoline boat; can you see her anywhere?" asked Robert, a
few moments later.
"No, sir, we would have met her by this time if she had followed
straight up the river. And that's odd, too. Indian Landing is the only
place boats ever come to up here--she must be hidden in one of those
lonely creeks."
"That's it, I imagine. There's something queer about that boat; it
certainly had three ugly-looking men in it, and two of them didn't want
to be seen. That bearded chap was a fierce-looking specimen."
"Say, Bob," called out Glassfell from aft, "mess gear is spread and
we're waiting for you to pipe us to dinner, but we won't wait
long--you'd better get here in a hurry."
Robert lost no time and immediately joined the others. An attractive
lunch had been spread and was now attacked with energy; in the launch
was a party of good friends, all in gay spirits. The day was delightful
and when they finally reached the "Santee" wharf and left the launch it
was unanimously agreed that a most enjoyable afternoon had been spent.
Early this afternoon Stonewell left his room, and unaccompanied went out
in the city of Annapolis. He walked rapidly and before long was in
Conduit Street, and without stopping to wait for admittance, entered a
large yellow house. Two hours later he left and hastened to a telegraph
office.
But Stonewell was not the only visitor that day who entered this large
yellow house on Conduit Street. For at about eight o'clock that evening
a man in civilian garb, wearing a moustache and heavy pointed beard,
with a brown slouch hat drawn low over his forehead, and in closely
buttoned sack coat, went to the same house, and without hesitation,
opened the door by a pass key and passed inside.