THE WARD-ROOM HEARS REAL NEWS
Hurrying to the now empty office of the executive officer, Cantor
made correct entry of his return to ship on the record, then hurried
to his own quarters, and with almost the speed of magic, slipped
into his undress uniform, belted on his sword, and appeared smartly
on the quarter-deck.
For two minutes he paid no heed to Darrin, save to return the
salute with which the young ensign greeted his superior's return
to command of the deck.
Presently, however, Lieutenant Cantor stepped over to say in an
undertone:
"Darrin, you have made the wrong start, and I see that you are
bound to keep it up."
"I am trying to do my duty, sir," Darrin returned. "I could not
consent to make a false official return."
"Officers often have to do that for each other," Cantor went on,
in the same low tone, "and they do it willingly as between comrades."
It was on the tip of Darrin tongue to retort that he didn't believe
any true officer, being a man of honor, could stoop to making
a false official report. Yet he instantly thought better of it,
and forced back the sarcastic retort that rose to his lips.
"You're not going to succeed in the Navy, sir," Cantor continued,
then, seeing the young ensign's face still impassive, he added,
with a malicious leer:
"Since you are determined to make an enemy of me, Darrin, I shall
do my best to see to it that you have short shrift in the service."
"Of that I haven't a doubt," Dave returned, but he caught himself
in time and said it under his breath.
Then came the changing of the watch. Trent and Dalzell appeared
and went on duty.
Formally, Dave wished his division commander good night, Cantor
answering only with a grunt.
Returning to his stateroom, Dave threw off belt and sword, hung
up his cap, then sat down in his desk chair, leaning back and
steadily regarding the breech of the great gun.
"I wonder if any other young officer in the service is at the
mercy of such a brute," Darrin asked himself, wretchedly. "I
love good discipline, but there's one thing wrong with the service,
and that is, the ease with which a dishonorable officer can render
the life of his subordinate miserable. It ought not to be possible,
and yet I don't see any way of preventing it. I wish I could
talk with a gentleman like Lieutenant Trent, but he would only
regard me as a tale-bearer, and after that he would have no use
for me. One thing I can see clearly. Cantor is likely to have
me broken and kicked out of the service if I am forced to remain
in his division week after week."
Then, realizing that his time was slipping away, Darrin hastily
undressed and got into his berth. It was a long time, though,
before sleep came to him.
In the morning Lieutenant Cantor was obliged to listen meekly
to a long discourse by the executive officer on the virtue of
punctuality in a naval officer. The offender told of a car block
in New York that had made it impossible for him to return on time.
"Lieutenant Cantor," returned the executive officer, dryly, "a
careful officer will allow himself sufficient margin of time to
make it morally certain that he can be back to his duty on time.
Now, sir-----"
But at this moment an apprentice messenger, standing in the doorway,
his right hand drawn up in salute, attracted the gaze of Commander
Bainbridge:
"The captain" compliments, sir; will the executive officer report
to him at once."
"That is all---for the present---Lieutenant Cantor," said Commander
Bainbridge, rising from his chair and hastening out.
"And all this, on account of a puppy of a junior who will not
use sense and reason at the request of a superior officer!" ground
Cantor between his teeth. "I shall pay Darrin for this, and for
that greater insult, too."
Some minutes before the call to breakfast was due, Darrin and
Dalzell appeared from their quarters and walked aft to where a
group of the "_Long Island's_" officers stood. Three or four
of them had newspapers in their hands.
"It's time the government did something!" exclaimed one lieutenant
commander, testily.
"We're going to do something, soon," asserted another officer,
with a snap of his jaws.
"When?" demanded a third officer, while several men laughed derisively.
"We'll have to," continued the second speaker. "Every day the
Mexican situation becomes worse. The usurper, Huerta, is becoming
more of a menace all the time. He has no regard for the rights
of any one, but himself. And he is unable to do more, in the
field, than to accept defeat after defeat at the hands of the
rebels under that former bandit chief, 'Pancho' Villa. Both the
so-called Federals and the rebels, in Mexico, are doing their
best to make Mexico a hotbed of incurable anarchy. Scores of
American citizens have been murdered ruthlessly, and American
women have been roughly treated. British subjects have been shot
without the shadow of an excuse, and other foreigners have been
maltreated. This country claims to uphold the Monroe Doctrine,
which prevents European nations from interfering with force in
affairs on this continent. If that is the case, then the United
States must put an end to the numberless outrages against Americans
and Europeans that take place every week in Mexico. That once
orderly republic, Mexico, is now nothing better than a school
for instruction in wholesale murder and in the ruthless riding
over of the rights of all aliens residing or traveling in that
country. These aliens have every right to protection."
"Quite true," remarked another officer. "But what has that to
do with the United States? What has there been in our conduct
during the past three or four years to indicate that we would
take any strong-handed action to make life and property safe in
Mexico?"
"We shall soon interfere," predicted the former speaker, confidently.
"Affairs in Mexico are now nearing a crisis. The United States
will no longer be called a civilized and honorable nation if Army
and Navy men are not sent to Mexico to uphold our government and
the rights of American citizens living there."
"Do you think, Holton, that will happen before you and I have been
put on the retired list as white-haired rear admirals?" asked
another officer, half-jeeringly.
"You will find," insisted Lieutenant Holton, "that we shall soon
be listening to the thunder of our American naval guns at Vera
Cruz, Tampico, or some other port on the shores of the Gulf of
Mexico."
"Hurrah!" came from the throats of a dozen officers, but the cheer
was not a very confident one. Too long had the United States
been patient in the face of one insult or injury after another.
General Huerta, in Mexico City, and Carranza and Villa, in the
west and north of that country, had headed factions, neither of
which seemed to care about Mexico's good name in the world at
large. Maltreated Americans demanded punishment of the Mexican
offenders, but the United States had been engaged in patiently
waiting and watching, only once in a while sending a feeble protest
either to the Federal or the Constitutionalist leaders in that
murder-ridden country of Mexico.
Mess-call sounded to breakfast. The officers filed into their
places at table; then, on observing that the executive officer
was not in his place at the head of the table, they remained standing
by their chairs.
A minute afterward Commander Bainbridge entered with brisk stride,
going to his place and giving the seating signal as he said:
"Pardon my tardiness, gentlemen; the captain detained me on a
most urgent matter."
After that the buzz of conversation broke loose. Breakfast orders
were taken by the white-coated, noiseless Filipino servants. When
all had been served, the executive officer glanced up, then rose.
"The attendants will withdraw," he ordered. "Orderly!"
"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the marine orderly on post just inside
the door.
"As soon as the attendants have gone outside, orderly, you will
chose the door from the outside, and remain there to keep any
one from entering the room."
"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the orderly, who then followed the
last attendant outside, closing the door after him.
"Gentlemen," continued the executive officer, remaining standing,
"Captain Gales sent for me this morning, to make a most important
communication. With his approval I am going to tell you something
of what he said. In a word, then, this ship is ordered to be
fitted for a cruise to Mexico in the shortest time possible.
Within three or four days we must be on our way to Mexican waters.
"We are to go with bunkers filled with coal. We are to carry
abundant clothing supplies for tropical service. We are to carry
all the large and small arms ammunition that we can stow away.
We are to take on food supplies to our fullest commissary capacity.
In a word, we are to go prepared for any emergency.
"Now, gentlemen, on account of our departure at the earliest moment,
every officer will be needed on board all the time. Unless for
some extraordinary reason, shore leave will not be granted to
any officer. The watch-word will be 'hustle.' Thank you, gentlemen,
for your attention."
In an instant there was clamor in the wardroom. Twenty officers
spoke at once, then subsided. Finally only the voice of Lieutenant
Commander Denton was heard as he inquired:
"Sir, are we entitled to ask any questions?"
"I will answer any questions that I may properly," smiled the
executive officer.
"We are going to Mexico, sir, in fighting trim, are we not?"
"I think what I have already said will indicate that," came Commander
Bainbridge's reply.
"Has anything happened in Mexico," continued Denton, "which makes
it imperative for us to fight there?"
"Nothing, so far as I know," answered the executive officer, "other
than the usual daily outrages that are disgracing the fair name
of Mexico."
"Then nothing of unusual importance has happened, which would
make us sure that we are heading for Mexico on a definite fighting
errand?"
"I have no knowledge that we are actually going to fight in Mexico,"
replied Commander Bainbridge. "It has occurred to me that this
ship, and others of the line, are being ordered to Mexico as a
hint to Federals and rebels alike that the United States possesses
force enough to bring all Mexicans to their senses."
Having made this last reply, Commander Bainbridge touched a button.
The ward-room door was thrown open, and the mess-servants once
more entered.
But now a new note crept into the talk. The fact that the "_Long
Island_" was to carry to Mexican waters full supplies of all kinds,
including small and large ammunition, was enough to satisfy these
officers of the Navy that the government at Washington had an
important move on hand, and that move was expected to bring about
armed conflict between the two countries.
"Now, am I a dreamer?" demanded Lieutenant Holton of those about
him.
The two most excited officers present were also the newest on
hoard the "_Long Island_." At the thought of active service against
an enemy, Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell fairly tingled.
"This is the greatest news we could possibly get," beamed Danny
Grin, turning to his chum.
"It seems too great to be true," replied Ensign Darrin. "Danny,
the Mexicans have been boasting that we don't _dare_ tackle them and
stir up that Mexican hornet's nest. If we get a chance, the American
Navy will show them---and the world---something well worth
remembering!"
Both Darrin and Dalzell had already been notified that they were
detailed to "day duty" for that day. This meant that they would
have no watch duty to stand, but would be employed through the
day, while watch duty fell to the lot of others.
While Dalzell was to go below, with Trent, aiding in the storage
of shells in the magazine, Darrin was ordered to report to Lieutenant
Cantor to supervise the oiling of mechanisms of the guns of Cantor's
division, and, later, to perform other important duties.
"Your face is flushed," sneered Cantor, when he found an opportunity
to speak aside with Dave. "You are dreaming of active service in
war, perhaps."
"Yes, sir," said Dave, simply.
"Look out that war service doesn't bring you disgrace, instead of
honor or glory," warned Cantor, darkly.
"What do you mean, sir?"
"You have made me your enemy, and I am a good hater," retorted
Lieutenant Cantor.
"You will be under my orders, and I may find a chance-----"
Lieutenant Cantor finished only with an expressive shrug of his
shoulders.
Though Dave Darrin felt a tremor of uneasiness, his eyes flashed
back honest indignation and contempt for so unworthy a superior
officer.