At the close of the evening meal the bell for attention was struck and
all midshipmen waited for whatever notice or announcement was to be
made. Himski then arose from his seat and called out:
“An important meeting of the first class will be held in the
reading-room immediately after supper. Every first classman should be
present.”
“What’s Himski going to spring on us?” asked Warren of Ralph later in
the reading-room.
“Just wait till he tells you,” replied the latter. At this moment a
party composed of Himski, Bollup, Creelton, Streeter and Hamm entered,
and with them was the commandant. The latter carried under his arm a
tin box and several towels. When inside the room he handed them to
Himski and then quietly said, “Go ahead, Mr. Himski.” He then went to
the rear of the room. Creelton seemed to hesitate, but Bollup with a
firm grip on his arm half led, half dragged him to one end of the room
where Himski had jumped on top of a table and had commenced speaking.
“Classmates,” he said, “we have all been conscious since we entered the
Academy that there has been a thief in this building, and at different
times many of us have had things stolen. I had feared the thief was a
classmate. This idea was a horror, a nightmare, but until now I have
had no evidence. But something happened this afternoon which points
suspicion strongly toward Creelton. Billy Bacon came to me, grumbling
that the thief had collared some new towels of his; but he said that
though the towels were uncut he had stamped his name on the inside of
each towel. Now I had suspected Creelton, for reasons I have not talked
about, of being the thief; so I asked Streeter to go to Creelton and
borrow some new towels. Bollup, Billy Bacon and I followed Streeter
to Creelton’s room and saw Creelton in the act of handing Streeter
these towels; just pass them about among you; you will see they are
brand new, uncut, and you will find Billy Bacon’s name on each of
them. I accused Creelton of having stolen them from Billy; he declared
his innocence, said he had drawn these same towels from the store
yesterday. I have his signed statement to that effect. I have here his
requisition book, and find all he drew yesterday was a bottle of ink
and six pairs of white gloves. I then searched his wardrobe and found
this tin box which was covered with things and hidden from view. I took
it to the commandant; Creelton was with me at the time, and until a few
minutes ago it was in the commandant’s possession. Creelton cannot say
that anybody has monkeyed with this box since it left his possession.
It’s locked but I’m going to break it open.”
“I object,” rang out Creelton’s voice to which Himski paid no
attention, for he was prying open the box with a steel chisel he had
provided himself with, and he soon broke the lock.
The first classmen stood listening, spellbound. Himski had spoken in
a perfectly natural way, without feeling, yet his words had carried
conviction. All had known that a persistent thief existed at the
Academy; many had uneasy feelings this might be a midshipman, and some
had feared it was a classmate. A few had known of Ralph’s opinion of
Creelton and perhaps were not surprised. Creelton, with deathlike
pallor on his face, knowing in his heart that he had been discovered,
that his crimes were now out, in awful fear and dismay looked the
culprit he was; he did not dare to meet the indignant eyes that were
now directed upon him.
Himski opened the box. “Hello,” he said, “here’s one mystery explained;
here’s a watch, with an inscription on the inside,” and he commenced to
read, “Ralph Osborn, from his uncle----”
“That’s my watch,” interrupted Ralph, shouting in his excitement, and
full of delight he bounded toward Himski as if he had been fired out of
a gun.
“And here’s several class rings,--Warren, Taylor,--come up and get
them. Here’s a napkin ring. And here’s a watch and chain and several
pins,--any of you fellows that have had any jewelry stolen from you
come up and identify your property.”
Tremendous excitement now followed.
“Hold on, fellows, here’s a packet of letters. They are addressed to
Creelton; he certainly is the thief we’re looking for but I don’t know
that I have any right to read these letters.”
“Go on, read them, read them, go ahead,” came shouts from different
parts of the room.
Himski paused, and then said looking to Creelton, “What do you say--do
you object?”
Creelton threw open his arms in involuntary admission of complete
surrender. Craven at heart, with no friend to encourage him, conscious
of guilt and knowing he had been found out, he had no heart to attempt
any defense. “Read them,” he said. “You’ll find out why I had to take
Osborn’s watch; there’s somebody else as bad as I am.”
And Himski read letter after letter, the letters from Short which
Creelton had saved for his own protection. There was but one burden,
one theme to these letters; they were characterized by a malignant
animosity toward Ralph Osborn that can be most expressively described
as fiendish. Schemes were suggested, many of them never attempted,
by which Ralph was to be disgraced and dismissed from the Academy.
The theft of Bollup’s watch and the attempt to fasten it on Ralph,
the writing on Professor Moehler’s blackboard, and the hazing of Mr.
Chappell were all discussed.
In the earlier letters were forcible threats of what might happen to
Creelton if the writer’s plans were not carried out, and the relations
that existed between Creelton and the writer of the letters were
clearly defined.
“These letters are all signed T. G. S.,” said Himski, “which may stand
for Thomas G. Short. Do they?” he suddenly asked Creelton.
“Yes,” replied the latter.
“Well, fellows,” continued Himski, “Creelton is the thief we’ve been
looking for; he’s a disgrace to our class and to the uniform he wears;
I’m thankful enough he has finally been found out even if it has taken
four years. I don’t know that I have anything more to say, except that
reports will be made immediately and of course the authorities will
take action--I’m glad the commandant has been with us to-night; he
knows as much about it now as any of us do.”
Himski’s talk, and his reading of the letters, had created a most
intense excitement. The world of these young men was very small
and this matter was tremendously personal to every one of them. An
all-powerful indignation now possessed them and undoubtedly wild
disorder was about to ensue. A dozen were on their feet and had
commenced shouting, when suddenly Himski’s clear voice in vibrating
tones called out, “Attention,” and the commandant’s tall form was seen
to approach Himski. The midshipmen all subsided and military order was
once more in complete control.
“Mr. Creelton,” asked the commandant, “do you admit the truth of Mr.
Himski’s charges?”
Creelton made no reply; he did not raise his eyes to the commandant’s
face. There was no fight in him; his one ambition now was to escape. He
knew there was no hope of any possibility of defense and in fact he had
as much as admitted his guilt.
“Mr. Bollup, take Mr. Creelton to the officer-in-charge in close
arrest. I will give orders about him later.” The miserable young man
jumped up with alacrity, glad to hurry away from an atmosphere charged
to the saturation point with indignation and contempt for him. He now
feared bodily injury, not knowing to what extent the angry feelings
of his classmates might dominate them. He concerns this narrative
no further. It is enough to say that before nine o’clock, during a
temporary absence of the midshipman in charge of the floor from his
post, Creelton escaped from his room and from the building and was
never seen again at Annapolis; but later, although not present, he went
through formal dismissal, and a most scathing letter expelling him,
written by the Secretary of the Navy, was published to the battalion.
The commandant was speaking when Bollup returned to the class meeting.
“Gentlemen,” he began, “you have witnessed an astonishing thing; it
does not seem possible that such a criminal could have lived among you
for four years and have escaped detection in all of this time. However,
with Mr. Himski and with you all, I am but too thankful that this thief
has at last been unmasked. I wish to thank Mr. Himski for the way he
has handled this matter; you made no mistake when you elected him your
class president. I have known of his suspicions for some time but until
to-day there has been positively nothing to work on.
“You are all feeling badly about this; you feel it is a smirch on your
class name. But don’t think of it in that way; it’s not your fault
if the laws and the authorities introduce a thief among you. None of
you helped to make him a midshipman. But as I see the indignation on
your faces that such a character should have been a classmate, what
would your feelings be”--and here the commandant’s voice rang out
in intense tones that reached the heart of every midshipman before
him--“what would your feelings be if this thief after stealing Mr.
Bollup’s watch had put it on your chain, so as to have you accused of
the theft? What would your feelings be if you were denounced to the
superintendent in an anonymous letter for being a cheat, for gouging?
But for Mr. Himski, I much fear I would have assisted in having Mr.
Osborn dismissed because of the words the thief cleverly wrote on Mr.
Osborn’s blackboard in Professor Moehler’s section room. And finally
we dismissed Mr. Osborn because of the evil machinations of these
unscrupulous villains.”
The commandant paused for a moment, and then, with evident emotion,
said, looking over to where Ralph stood drinking in his every
word:--“Mr. Osborn, I can but apologize to you for the part in which
I was made a tool of. It is hard for these other young men to have
had a thief for a classmate, but they can have no conception of the
fearful trials you have passed through. Your honor has been called
into question, you have had repeated dastardly attempts made upon you
by an unknown foe, your very roommate; and you actually went through
the form of dismissal. All that I can say, is, that I now know, that
instead of the last, you deserved the first consideration at the hands
of the authorities, and that the unadorned coat sleeve of yours is a
monument to my own lack of discernment; I will say but one thing more;
gentlemen, I can assure you that if cadet officers of your class were
to be made to-morrow, Mr. Osborn would have four stripes where now he
has nothing. Would you like to say anything, Mr. Osborn?”
Ralph arose, his face aglow with happiness. “Thank you, sir,” he
said; “I’m much obliged to you and to Mr. Himski. A year ago I was
worrying about having the right to wear the uniform--I have always been
perfectly satisfied with my position in the battalion, and now that
I’ve got my watch I’m feeling pretty good all around; it was from an
uncle I’ve never seen. It’s an awful nice watch; I’ve wound it up and
it’s going all right; wouldn’t you like to look at it, captain?”
Ralph’s last remark was so utterly inconsequential and seemed so
ridiculous after the intense feelings all had so recently undergone
that it was followed by wild screams of laughter in which the
commandant and later Ralph himself joined. This was a happy relief to
everybody, and for a few moments the room fairly shook with the peals
of laughter that came from everybody present; after this the commandant
said: “Good-night, gentlemen; I am glad everything has ended so
happily.” And he left the room.
He was followed by Himski and Bollup. And the latter said: “May we have
a private talk with you, sir?”
“Certainly; come to my office.”
They both entered with him and remained in earnest consultation for
nearly an hour. When the three left the office together the commandant
said: “Well, we’ll go to the superintendent’s house right away; you’ve
convinced me though I was against it at first as I’m sure he’ll be, but
I’m now in favor of it.”
The superintendent was surprised that after nine o’clock the commandant
and two midshipmen should enter his house, but he received them
cordially nevertheless. After listening for a while the superintendent
expressed emphatic disapproval of the proposition made him, and yet he
was impressed and commenced to ask Bollup some keen personal questions.
That young gentleman had a very uncomfortable time of it for a few
moments, and then, after some more talk, both midshipmen were sent to
their quarters.
“Good gracious, Himski, it’s after eleven o’clock; where in the world
have you been?” demanded Ralph when his roommate entered, long after
taps had sounded.
“Calling on some friends.”
“I’m afraid you’re reported for being out of the building after taps,”
said Ralph much concerned.
“Not this time,” laughed his friend. “I was with the commandant.”
* * * * *
At supper formation the next evening, Ralph was in ranks as usual.
The companies were mustered, then aligned, and then, when each cadet
lieutenant stood in front of the center of his company, the battalion
adjutant, Himski, reported to Cadet Lieutenant-Commander Bollup: “Sir,
the battalion is formed.”
“Publish the orders, sir,” replied Bollup.
Ralph was now immensely startled to hear Himski call out, “Midshipman
Osborn, fall out of ranks and report to the battalion adjutant
immediately.”
“What’s up now?” wondered Ralph, yet not worried. He had not the
faintest conception of what was about to happen. He left his place in
ranks and went directly to where Himski was standing, in front of and
facing the battalion. He saluted Himski. The latter motioned Ralph to
one side, and then called out: “Attention to orders.” He unrolled some
papers he had in his hands and read as follows:
“_Order_:
“The superintendent accepts the resignation voluntarily offered, as
cadet lieutenant-commander, by Midshipman Bollup. Midshipman Bollup
returns to ranks with the entire esteem of the authorities.”
Himski then read another paper.
“_Order_:
“Midshipman Ralph Osborn of the first class is appointed cadet
lieutenant-commander and commander of the battalion of midshipmen,
vice Bollup, resigned.”
Ralph instantly understood what had been done by his friends, but
he felt dazed and stunned; a mist swam before his eyes and feelings
difficult to control poured from his heart. He was almost unaware of
the little ceremony that now was taking place. As soon as Himski had
read the last order, he and Bollup went to Ralph. Bollup tore off
the braid carrying four stripes on his sleeve. Each braid, specially
prepared for this occasion, was held by but a thread, and in less than
a moment they were pinned to Ralph’s sleeves. Not a word was spoken.
Bollup now saluted in a natural manner, came to an about face, and
marched to the company Ralph had left.
Ralph faced the battalion now as commander where but a moment before
he had been but a private in ranks. He looked at the stripes on his
sleeves. His heart was full of emotion.
“The battalion is ready to be marched to supper, sir,” reported Himski,
in his adjutant voice.
“Give the order, I--I cannot,” replied Ralph brokenly, not trusting
himself to speak further.
“Battalion, fours right, march!” snapped out the adjutant and several
hundred silent, erect young men swung into the march to the mess hall.
Ralph hesitated a moment, then went to the officer-in-charge who had
purposely absented himself when Bollup had pinned his stripes on
Ralph’s sleeves.
“May I absent myself from supper, sir?” he asked, in a husky voice; “I
don’t feel as if I could go into the mess hall to-night.”
“Certainly,” was the reply.
And Cadet Lieutenant-Commander Osborn went to his room, his mind
stirred with conflicting emotions. He had had strange vicissitudes and
marked triumphs at the Academy, but best of all were the friendships he
had made.
He most heartily wished Bollup had kept his stripes; he would have
vehemently protested against this change had he known of it in time,
yet he realized there was nothing now for him to do but accept his
new status. It cannot be said that Ralph took any elation in his
promotion. The year was nearly over; the time was too short for him
to have any effect upon the battalion. Yet, knowing how Bollup prized
these stripes, Ralph was touched to the core at his classmate’s action,
and the realization of what Bollup had given up, not what Ralph had
received (which now he did not value highly), was what affected him. He
had been delighted to get his watch back, but these stripes were but an
empty, valueless honor to him. But as a measure of Bollup’s friendship
and in this respect only, to Ralph they were of enormous value. And
with this striking evidence of that dear friendship Ralph could not but
be very happy.