LIEUTENANT TOPHAM FEELS QUEER
Yearling Kelton barely turned his head, but he caught sight of
the olive drab of the uniform of the Army officer within a few
feet.
Pretending not to have seen the officer, Cadet Kelton drew in
his breath with a sharp whistle. It was not loud, but it was
penetrating, and it carried the warning.
Swift as a flash Prescott caught upside-down Mr. Ellis, and fairly
rolled him out under the canvas edge at the back of the tent.
Greg instantly shoved the prostrate Mr. Briggs through by the
same exit.
Fortunately both plebes were too much astonished to utter a sound.
"Crouch and scowl at me, Greg---hideously whispered alert-witted
Dick."
As he spoke, Prescott swiftly crouched before Holmes. Dick's
hands rested on his knees; he stuck out his tongue and scowled
fiercely at Holmes, who tried to repay the compliment with interest.
Although all the yearlings in the tent had been "scared stiff"
at Kelton's low, warning signal, all, by an effort, laughed heartily,
their gaze on Prescott and Holmes.
"Yah!" growled Dick. "Perhaps I did steal the widow's chickens,
and I'll even admit that I did appropriate the pennies from her
baby's bank. But that's nothing. Tell 'em about the time you
stole the oats from the blind horse's crib and put breakfast food
in its place."
Everyone of the yearlings in the tent knew that trouble stood
at the door, and that they must keep up the pretence.
There was a chorus of laughter, and two or three applauded.
"I did---admit it," bellowed Greg. "But you stand there and admit
the whole shameful truth about the time that you-----"
"Attention!" called Kelton, turning, then recognizing Lieutenant
Topham and saluting. "The officer in charge!"
On the jump every yearling inside turned and stood rapidly at
attention.
"Gentlemen, I'm sorry to have spoiled the show," laughed Lieutenant
Topham. He had seen the shadows of Briggs and Ellis on the canvas,
and had expected to drop in upon a different scene. But now this
tac. was wholly disarmed. He honestly believed that he had stumbled
upon a party of yearlings having a good time with a bit of nonsensical
dialogue.
"Mr. Prescott! Mr. Holmes!"
"Sir?" answered both yearlings, saluting.
"I will suggest that you two might work up the act you were just
indulging in. You ought to raise a great laugh the next time a
minstrel show is given by the cadets."
"Thank you, sir"---from both "performers."
Lieutenant Topham turned and passed on down the company street.
The two expelled plebes, in the meantime, had a chance to slip
off silently. Even had Briggs and Ellis been inclined to "show
up" their hazers, they knew too well the fate that would await
such a pair of plebes at the hands of the cadet corps.
"That shows how easily a suspicious man's eyes may deceive him,"
mused Lieutenant Topham as he walked along.
Kelton now allowed his gaze to follow the retreating O.C., while
the yearlings in the tent stood in dazed silence. They were still
panting over the narrow escape from a scrape that might have cost
them their places on the roll of the battalion.
"Safe!" whispered Kelton. "You may thank your deliverers."
Then, indeed, the other yearlings pressed about Prescott and Holmes,
hugging them and patting them extravagantly.
When Lieutenant Topham returned to his tent, he found Captain
Bates there, with a visitor. By the time that he had stepped
inside, Topham also discovered the presence of the K.C. likewise
engaged.
"I've just had a good lesson in the pranks that a man's eyes and
ears may play upon him," announced Topham, unbelting his sword.
Then he related, with relish, the occurrence at Dunstan's tent.
"Humph!" grunted Captain Bates. "You say Mr. Prescott was there?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Then, Topham, you didn't really see very much of what happened,
after all," half jeered Captain Bates. "If Prescott was there,
the crowd had a plebe on hand, depend on it."
"But I would have seen the plebe."
"Not when you have to contend with a man like Mr. Prescott! If
he had a tenth of a second's warning it would be enough for him
to roll the plebe out at the back of the tent."
"Now, I think of it," confessed Lieutenant Topham slowly, "I think
I did hear a slight sound at the back of the tent."
"You didn't investigate that sound, Mr. Topham?"
"Why, no, sir. I thought I was looking at the whole show."
"Instead of which," chuckled Captain Bates, "you saw only the
curtain that had just been rung down, and the author of the piece
bowing to the audience."
"Well, I'll be---switched!" ejaculated Mr. Topham, dropping into
his chair.
"Mr. Prescott has the reputation of being the cleverest dodger
in the yearling class," declared the K.C., in a dry voice. "It
was Bates who first discovered that quality in Mr. Prescott, but
I must admit that he has convinced me. Tomorrow a new cadet corporal
will be appointed, and the fact published in orders. The new
corporal takes the place of Corporal Ryder, who has been busted
(reduced). Mr. Prescott would have been appointed corporal, but
for his reputation for dodging out of the biggest scrapes of his
class. So Mr. Dodge is to be the new cadet corporal."
"Oh, you sly old ramrod!" Dunstan was murmuring ecstatically,
back in that other tent. "When I think of all the yearlings who've
been dropped for hazing in past years! If each class had only had
a Prescott all of those yearlings would have been saved to the
service!"
But Dick, though he did not know it, had a reputation in the
tac. department which had just prevented his attaining to the
honor that he desired most---appointment as cadet corporal.