Captain De Long, the commander of the cruising ship Constellation,
was seated in his cabin smoking his cigar before retiring, when Cadet
Midshipman Mark Merrill requested an interview, which was at once
granted by the genial commander.
“Well, Mr. Merrill, did you enjoy your run ashore?”
“Yes, sir, with the exception of an unfortunate meeting with Barney
Breslin, which I desire to report to you.”
“Ah! have you had trouble with him?”
“Yes, sir, I regret to say, too, that it was in a public place. Another
cadet and myself went to the Astor House for dinner, and met Breslin
and a friend coming out. The former stepped in front of me, and asked
if I recognized him and meant to cut his acquaintance. I responded
that I certainly did, when he aimed a blow at me, which I parried, and
at the same time knocked him down. My cadet friend drew me out of the
quickly gathering crowd, and we had our dinner, sir; but I deemed it
best to report the affair to you.”
“You did right, Mr. Merrill, but who was your comrade?”
“Must I make known his name, sir?”
“He was not involved in the affair?”
“No, sir.”
“Then tell me his name.”
“It was Mr. Perry.”
“That will do, Mr. Merrill,” and Mark saluted and retired from the
cabin.
The captain still continued his cigar, until a second interruption came
in a request from another cadet to see him.
It was Scott Clemmons, his face flushed from the wine he had been
drinking.
“Well, Mr. Clemmons, you have just come off from shore leave, I
believe?”
“Yes, sir, and I desire to report to you, sir, an occurrence ashore
which may not reach your ears otherwise, but which, for the good of the
ship’s name, I deem it my duty to make known.”
“I am ready to hear you, Mr. Clemmons,” said the captain blandly.
“I went to dine at the Astor House, sir, and met there Barney Breslin,
who begged me for a loan, for he has gone utterly to the bad, I fear.
As I was talking to him two cadet midshipmen came in and one of them
jostled up against Breslin, who had been drinking, and a disgraceful
knock-down followed, in which I was seized by a policeman as the one
who made the assault. Of course Breslin cleared me of the charge, and I
make this report, sir, in case, should it reach your ear, that you may
understand my position in the affair.”
“Who were these cadets, Mr. Clemmons?”
“Do you command me to answer, sir?”
“I do.”
“Cadet Midshipmen Perry and Merrill, sir.”
“Which one of the two struck the blow?”
“Cadet Midshipman Mark Merrill, sir.”
“That will do, Mr. Clemmons.”
The next morning Bemis Perry was ordered to report in the captain’s
cabin.
He did so, and Captain De Long said:
“You were ashore yesterday, Mr. Perry?”
“Until six bells, yes, sir.”
“Who was your companion?”
“Mr. Merrill, sir.”
“You dined ashore?”
“Yes, sir, with Mr. Merrill at the Astor House.”
“Did you see any cadets there?”
“Mr. Clemmons, sir.”
“Who was he with?”
“Some friend, sir; not a cadet, however.”
“Did you know him?”
“Yes, sir,” said Perry hesitatingly, for he, like Mark Merrill, did not
care to say aught against Clemmons.
“It was the youth who was dismissed from the academy, was it not?”
“Yes, sir; Breslin.”
“What did Merrill pick a quarrel with him for?”
“Merrill pick a quarrel with Breslin, sir?” asked Perry, in amazement.
“Yes.”
“It was the opposite way, sir, for Merrill sought to avoid him; but
Breslin stepped directly in his path, and demanded to know if he knew
him and meant to cut his acquaintance. Mr. Merrill responded in the
affirmative, and Breslin struck at him, but missed, and went down with
a suddenness and force that made his teeth rattle. I drew Mr. Merrill
quickly away, and that ended it, sir.”
Captain De Long was silent for fully a minute.
He seemed to be arguing in his own mind the pros and cons of the case.
At last he said:
“That is all I wished to know, Mr. Perry.”
The young sailor bowed, and was disappearing up the companionway when
Captain De Long called out:
“Send Mr. Clemmons to me, Mr. Perry.”
“Ay, ay, sir,” and with another salute Bemis Perry departed from the
cabin.
He at once went in search of Scott Clemmons, and found him pacing to
and fro amidships, looking a little the worse for his dissipation
ashore the day before.
“Mr. Clemmons, Captain De Long wishes to see you.”
Scott Clemmons started.
“The captain wishes to see me?”
“So he informed me, sir, a minute ago.”
“I say, Perry, do I look as though I had been going it rather deep?”
“You look a trifle bilged, Clemmons.”
“You do not know what he wants with me?”
“No.”
“Has he gotten hold of that row of Merrill’s ashore, I wonder?”
“What row of Merrill’s ashore?”
“When he ran afoul of that beat Breslin.”
“Ah, your friend Breslin, whom he knocked down, as he should have done;
but then Breslin was well tanked up after his dinner with you, and lost
his reckoning so far as to run across Merrill’s course, and foundered
under the blow; but when you have seen Captain De Long, Mr. Clemmons, I
desire a word with you,” and Bemis Perry went on his way, while Scott
Clemmons sought the cabin of Captain De Long.