Mark Merrill’s first act was to go at once to the officer of the day
and report the occurrence at the gymnasium.
Accompanied by Cadet Captain Byrd Bascomb, Herbert Nazro and Winslow
Dillingham, who were there to vouch for the affair as stated, the
officer of the day suggested that the young cadet go immediately to the
commandant, and he would give no order of arrest against Barney Breslin
until he heard from headquarters.
It was decided then that Mark should go alone to the commandant and
tell his story, while the three cadets whom he had as witnesses would
hold themselves in readiness to be called upon for their version of the
affair.
“There will be plenty more of us, Merrill, never fear, to report the
affair as it occurred,” said Byrd Bascomb.
“Yes, all there knew that you were attacked by Breslin, which was
reversing the old saying and adding injury to insult, to attempt to
annihilate you after he had accused you of stealing; but, great Scott!
what a knock-down you gave him,” said Nazro, while Dillingham responded:
“Oh, yes, Merrill can do it, as I have cause to remember--he tumbled me
into the drink,” and all three laughed at the remembrance.
“It will go hard with Breslin even if he escapes arrest for stealing,
for Clemmons gave him an awful ugly look when he saw that he was the
thief--that it was his room mate who had robbed him,” said Dillingham.
So Mark wended his way to headquarters, and the commandant granting him
an interview, he made a clean breast of the whole occurrence.
The commandant listened with an attention that revealed the deepest
interest, for it was something so thoroughly out of the usual run for
one who was to become an officer in the navy to be accused of theft.
Mischief untold, hazing, and even insubordination, might be charged
against the jolly young tars, but anything against their honor was a
stigma too serious to be lightly thought of.
At last the commandant spoke, and in a low, earnest tone:
“You requested Cadets Nazro and Dillingham to watch Breslin’s
movements?”
“I did, sir, as his actions toward me were curious, and I caught him
trying to slip something in my pocket. It was done so slyly that had I
not been on the watch I would not have known it, but both Cadets Nazro
and Dillingham saw him do it, and, of course, when I was challenged to
do his feat I accepted and the coin rolled out.”
“Did he challenge you?”
“No, sir, Clemmons did.”
“And who accused you?”
“I continued my hand-walk around the track, sir, and Cadet Clemmons
asked me to explain how it was I had his luck coin.”
“And your answer?”
“I told him that I had no claim to it, as Breslin had stolen it from
him and slipped it into my pocket, a fact corroborated by Cadets
Dillingham and Nazro.”
“And he attacked you?”
“Yes, sir, and I knocked him down.”
“And then?”
“He arose and rushed upon me again.”
“No one interfered?”
“Yes, sir; but his movements were very quick, and----”
“Contrary to his usual manner,” dryly said the commandant.
“As he rushed upon me a second time, sir, some one struck my hand
upward, and he grasped me, so I had to throw him, and I did so with a
force which I intended should prevent a continuance of the fracas.”
“Then you acted only in self-defense?”
“Yes, sir.”
“How many cadets were in the gymnasium at the time?”
“About one-third of the corps, I should say, sir.”
“Name others who were there?”
Mark did so, while the commandant jotted down the names, until he had
fully a score on the list, men from the various classes, and some of
them cadet officers, who had witnessed the affair.
Then, after a few moments of silence, the commandant said:
“Merrill, in what way have you ever offended Breslin?”
“I was not aware that I had done so, sir.”
“Yet he has never been friendly toward you?”
“No, sir.”
“You have done nothing to anger him?”
“I have seldom spoken to him, sir.”
“Did it ever strike you that he was one of your persecutors when the
demerits rolled up against you in the earlier part of the year?”
“I have no evidence that he was.”
“And in what way have you wronged Clemmons?”
“I prefer not to speak of what occurred prior to my coming to the
academy, sir.”
“You admit that there was trouble between you?”
“Yes, sir, we had some trouble one day.”
“I desire to hear your statement of it.”
“It was of little moment, sir; but one day I went up from my home to
B---- to sell a toy ship I had made, to get money needed for my mother,
who was ill. Clemmons and a few of his mates, in a spirit of amusement,
set upon me, and my ship was broken. This angered me, and I used my
fists, and we were arrested.”
“With what result?”
“A seaman had taken my part, and he was also arrested by the constable;
but the judge made the lads pay me for my toy ship, and released the
sailor and myself.”
“I am glad to see, Merrill, that you have told a very modest and
uncompromising story of the affair, for I have here a letter from a
witness, and he is not as lenient toward the lads who assailed you,”
and in a quick glance at a letter which the commandant turned back over
a file to find, Mark saw the name of “Jack Judson.”
Then the commandant continued:
“I have received several other letters from your old home, all of
them compromising, but as they were anonymous I simply retain them
for reference, as only a coward will refuse to put his name to an
accusation against one he maligns. You can go to your quarters now, to
await further orders.”
Mark saluted and departed from headquarters, when the commandant
summoned an orderly and gave him the list of the cadets whose names he
had taken down, ordering their presence before him.