So high is the standard of honor among Uncle Sam’s cadets that one’s
word is as good as his bond in all things, and a man who would go wrong
and do a despicable thing is despised and ostracised by his comrades at
once.
Instances are very rare in naval and military life where an officer
goes wrong, though now and then one does hear that a paymaster,
quartermaster, or commissary has gotten his accounts in a tangle, or
that some officer has been guilty of a “shady transaction” to get out
of debt; but, as I have said, the instances are so rare that when they
do occur they come as a shock upon the whole service, afloat and ashore.
In the little world, then, at the Naval School, the going wrong of
Barney Breslin was a blow to the cadets which all keenly felt.
It was like a disgrace upon them all to have one not only be guilty of
theft, but to try and place the dishonor of his act upon a fellow cadet.
The young sailors gathered about in knots and discussed the affair.
Not the shadow of a cloud rested upon Mark Merrill, but sympathy was
felt for him that he should have been the victim of the thief.
Breslin had sent out an explanation of his act after going to his room.
He had often borrowed the lucky coin and carried it for days, and that
day he had found it on the floor, where Clemmons must have dropped it,
and so had put it in his pocket, intending later to return it.
Not seeing Clemmons until they had met in the gymnasium, and then
learning about his supposed loss, he had said nothing about having it,
and in a spirit of fun had put it in Merrill’s pocket, intending to
explain the joke, as he called it, after it had been discovered who had
it.
But Merrill had accused him, Breslin, of being the thief, and so in his
anger he had resented it.
Such was Barney Breslin’s explanation, as written by him, and read to
the cadets by Scott Clemmons, who was inclined to accept it as the
truth.
But the cadets were not so lenient as was Scott Clemmons.
They knew that Breslin had certainly allowed the belief that Mark
Merrill was the thief, and he had offered no explanation then and there
of his conduct.
They received his lame explanation as that of a man who was drowning
“catching at a straw.”
They knew that Mark Merrill had reported himself as having struck a
fellow cadet a blow, and that he had doubtless given his reason for so
doing, which they adjudged a good one.
What the commandant would think remained to be seen.
The commandant’s orderly had been “seen in the land,” as they, the
cadets, expressed it, and, as a result, certain uniformed gentlemen
from the different classes were seen wending their way toward
headquarters.
Byrd Bascomb gave his version of the affair in the presence of several
officers of the academy, but with no cadet present other than himself.
The commandant’s secretary jotted down his testimony.
Then followed Herbert Nazro’s statement, Dillingham’s, and so on until
all had been heard, and no comment was made in the presence of the
cadets, but the officers were left to discuss the case among themselves.
In the meanwhile the door of Breslin’s room was closed against all
admission, except the well-known knock of Scott Clemmons.
That youth returned from making known his roommate’s “explanation” to
find him seated at his study table, writing.
Breslin was very pale and nervous, and Scott Clemmons wore a painfully
anxious look, too.
“Well?” said Breslin, as Clemmons entered.
The latter threw himself into his chair and said:
“It won’t go.”
“You read it?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s good.”
“That’s bad, for their silence is worse than their chin music.”
“Have you seen Merrill?”
“He is in his room under orders.”
“Well, what am I to do?”
“Resign, I should say, and at once.”
“I half thought of it, and, in fact, had written a letter to the
commandant; but then----”
“What?”
“My father will not let me come home.”
“Try your mother.”
“It will do no good, for the old man runs the house.”
“There is one thing certain.”
“What is that?”
“If you don’t resign, you’ll be dismissed.”
“Oh, Lord!”
“If you were not, the cadets would cut you dead, never speak to you
except officially, for they have got a standard of honor here which
only an angel could hope to attain to.”
“You had better resign, then, too.”
“Why?”
“You are no angel.”
“That’s rather good of you, Breslin; your trouble seems to have
sharpened your wit.”
“Well, if I resign you ought to do so too, or----”
“Or what?”
“I cannot go home.”
“Try it.”
“I will, but I know the old man.”
“Well, if you do not, get work and redeem yourself in his opinion.”
“I have no money, as you know, so if I go you must go, too, or----”
“Or what, Breslin?”
“Or support me,” and there was an ugly look came over the face of the
disgraced cadet.
“I do not understand,” faltered Scott Clemmons.
“Then I will make it so clear that you can grasp it. I said that if
I resign you must do the same, or you must support me until I get a
good position, when I can take care of myself. Do you understand now,
Clemmons?”
It seemed that Scott Clemmons did, for his face turned deadly pale at
the alternative given him by the cadet who now stood at bay.