CHAPTER XXIV
IT WAS STONEWELL
"Good-morning, Mr. Drake," said the commandant, pleasantly enough. "I'msurprised that you haven't been to me with a report before now--that is,unless Grice has made some great mistake. He has told me that you and hecaught two midshipmen last night attempting to steal an examination--hesays he knows who they are, but seems afraid to give their names. Whoare they, Mr. Drake?"
Commander Dalton was grave and impassive. He spoke to Robert as oneofficer might to another on an official matter; his manner betokened anexpectation on his part of receiving an absolutely frank report from thecadet lieutenant.
Instead of making any reply Robert approached the desk at which thecommandant was sitting and handed him a folded sheet of paper.
"Who were the midshipmen, Mr. Drake? Or did you fail to recognizethem?" And then after a pause, with a trace of annoyance in his voicedue to Robert's backwardness in answering his questions, "Or is Grice'sreport incorrect?"
He looked at Robert with surprise as the latter made no effort whateverto reply. He then opened the paper and cried out in amazement: "Youtender your resignation as a midshipman? What does this mean, sir? Ihave asked you certain questions which you do not answer, and then youresign. Come, Mr. Drake, explain yourself, sir! First tell me if Grice'sstatement is correct. Do you refuse to answer, sir?"
Still Robert was silent; he looked at the commandant with gloomy,troubled eyes.
"Mr. Drake, are you aware of what you are doing? Don't you know thatpersistence in this course will cause your summary dismissal?"
"Don't dismiss him, capting," cried out old Grice, now in great troubleabout Robert. "He's a fine young gemman, 'deed he is, suh. I'll tell yo'who dese young gemmen wuz; he doan' want to tell yo', but I'll tell yo',capting, suh; dey wuz Mistah Stonewell and Mistah Harry Blunt, suh. Iseed 'em, suh, and Mistah Drake seed 'em, and Mistah Drake doan' wantter tole yo', suh, becase----"
The commandant jumped from his chair as if he had been shot. "What areyou talking about? You're demented!" he roughly cried. "Do you know whoyou are talking about? Do you know that Mr. Stonewell is cadetcommander? Grice, you must be crazy!"
"Yes, suh, capting, suh; beggin' yo' pardin, suh, dat's why I didn'ttole yo' befoah, suh. I knowed you'd say ole Grice wuz surely crazy; butde fax am, capting, that Mistah Stonewell, in his unerform--I counted defive gold stripes on his sleeve, suh, at de time--and Mistah HarryBlunt, the son of de ole commerdan', at 'bout 'leven 'clock las' nighttried to steal a zamnation. I seed dem try, and Mistah Drake, he seen'em try ter steal it. An' ef yo' doan' believe me, capting, yo' askMistah Drake; he knows Mistah Stonewell tried to steal the zamnation'kase he seen him. Yo' ask Mistah Drake, capting."
"Mr. Drake," cried Commander Dalton, "you have heard this monstrouscharge; I'm waiting for your indignant denial! Why are you silent? Areyou mute, when you hear the character of the first midshipman of histime so shamefully assailed? You shall answer me! Do you understand thatthis negro says that you and he together saw Mr. Stonewell and Mr. Bluntattempt to steal an examination last night? Do you hear that, and areyou silent, sir?"
Commander Dalton's manner was vehement and intimidating. "What have youto say, sir?" he thundered, slamming a clinched fist with a bang on hisdesk.
With parched lips and in trembling accents Robert commenced to speak.Four years of the strictest training urged him to yield to thecommandant's order; but Robert had expected this and had tried toprepare himself for it.
"As I have handed in my resignation, sir," he faltered, "I respectfullyrequest that I be not asked any questions. This is all I can say, sir."The commandant dropped into his chair; he looked sorrowfully at Robert,and then in an altered tone said:
"Mr. Drake, you and Mr. Stonewell are close friends, are you not?"
"He has been more to me than a brother could have been, sir," repliedRobert, in a broken voice. And then in an effort to control his feelingshe turned his back on the commandant and with blinding tears in his eyeslooked through the window in front of him at the mournful, steady rainwithout.
Captain Dalton picked up a telephone and said, "Central, give me numbertwenty-seven. Hello, is this Captain Blunt?"
"Yes, the commandant of midshipmen."
"Blunt, can you come to my office immediately? A most serious charge hasbeen made against your son."
Then he rang for his orderly and said: "Tell the officer-in-charge Iwon't inspect this morning, and tell him to send Midshipman Blunt to myoffice immediately."
When Harry Blunt walked in the office, instead of his usual debonairmanner, there was a look of worry and anxiety on his face.
"Wait a few minutes, Mr. Blunt. Beckwith, excuse me while I writesomething."
Harry Blunt glanced at Robert and at the others; several times he lookedas if he were about to say something, but he did not.
It was not long before Captain Blunt appeared; he jumped out of anautomobile that had stopped before the Academy steps, and fairly ran upthem and into the commandant's office. Commander Dalton rose to greethim with a worried expression.
"Captain Blunt," he began, "a week ago Mr. Drake reported to me thatGrice informed him two midshipmen were planning to steal an examinationin mathematics; I told Mr. Drake to ascertain who these midshipmen wereif he could. This morning Grice reported to his department head,Beckwith, that he and Mr. Drake had caught two midshipmen in the act ofstealing this examination. Grice was afraid to tell who they were; hesaid Mr. Drake could. I sent for Mr. Drake and asked him who they were,and if Grice's statement was true. Instead of replying Mr. Drake handsme this paper. Read it. Then Grice made the most astounding statement Ihave ever heard. He says the midshipmen were Mr. Stonewell and Mr. HarryBlunt."
"Impossible!" exclaimed Captain Blunt.
"And when Grice made this statement Mr. Drake remained silent, and hestill remains so."
"Impossible!" again exclaimed Captain Blunt, in an agony of spirit."Harry, my boy, say it is false."
"He cain't, Capting Blunt, he cain't, becase I seed him; an' MistahDrake, he seed him too, suh," broke in old Grice, feeling that he had tosubstantiate his charge. "Mr. Stonewell was in unerform, suh. Mr. HarryBlunt wuz in citerzens' close; he had on an ole brown hat and he worewhiskers, but I knowed him; I done seen Mr. Harry afore in dem sameclose."
"When and where?" demanded Commander Dalton.
"In Capting Blunt's kitchen, suh; I wuz er passin' by the house at nightwhen all midshipmen is supposed to be studyin', and I seed a man in thekitchen. I seed him take off dem whiskers and de hat an' I seed it wuzMr. Harry Blunt. Yo' ask him, suh. An' I seed him 'nother time, suh.Capting, yo' 'member that time at de theatre, heah, when a man stood upin a box an' says, 'Three groans for de superintendent an' commandan''?Dat wuz Mistah Harry Blunt too, suh; I wuz dar. I didn't know it at detime, but when I seen Mistah Harry in Capting Blunt's kitchen I knowedit then, 'cose he had on de same hat an' coat an' whiskers. Ef yo' doan'believe me yo' ask him, suh; an' las' night Mistah Stonewell calls himHarry. I heard him an' Mistah Drake heard him. An' ef yo' looks inMistah Harry Blunt's room I spect yo'll find them whiskers an' coat."
Beads of perspiration burst out on Captain Blunt's forehead. He tried tospeak, but his voice choked in his throat. That this disgrace was tocome upon him after a lifetime of honorable service in the navy washard, but that the pride and hope of his life, his son Harry, could beguilty of so vile an act, was an unbearable thought; he looked at Harry.Frightened and appealing, the latter cried: "Father, I deny that----"
"Keep still; don't say a word," called out Captain Blunt; then turningto the commandant he said: "My son is in a terrible position, Dalton; hemight be tempted to falsehood. I want to save him from that, at least.Before we go any further I want to ask you to have his room searched--Iwould like to be present when it is."
The commandant sent for the officer-in-charge, and directed him to takea cadet officer and search Harry Blunt's room. Captain Blunt left withthe officer-in-charge. It was not long b
efore they returned, and thecadet officer carried with him a bundle composed of a citizen's coat,hat and trousers, and a false beard.
"Put them on," ordered Captain Blunt, harshly, to his son. The latterdid so mechanically.
"Will you please send for some midshipman who was at the theatre thatnight?"
"All of the first class were there, and most of the officers. I'll sendfor Mr. Farnum and Mr. Blair."
When these two midshipmen came in, Captain Blunt said: "Take a look atthis man; have you ever seen him before?"
Blair and Farnum recognized him immediately. The heavy dark pointedbeard and moustache once seen were not likely to be forgotten,particularly when seen under such startling circumstances as they firsthad been at the theatre on the night Penfield played Richard the Third.
"He's the man who gave three groans for the superintendent andcommandant," cried Farnum, excitedly.
"He's the man, sir; there is no doubt of it," said Blair.
"That will do, gentlemen," returned the commandant; "you will not speakof this to any one."
Captain Blunt sat up straight and rigid in his chair; his face hadturned an ashen gray. The greatest sorrow of his life was upon him. "Mr.Drake," he said after a moment, "have you ever seen my son in thisdisguise? Did you detect him trying to steal an examination? I wish adirect answer." His voice sounded strange and harsh.
"I have resigned, sir; I request to be excused from answering anyquestions," was Robert's reply.
Commander Dalton looked sorrowfully at his brother officer, but made nocomment, while Harry Blunt regarded Robert with intense surprise,stupefaction, fear and amazement.
Robert, inert and dull, gazing idly out of the window, suddenly gave astart and looked up with interest and expectancy as the office doorwas opened, and a midshipman entered.
_"THAT WILL DO, GENTLEMEN"_]
"Good-morning, sir," said the newcomer; "I have to report my return fromtwo days' leave."
The midshipman was Stonewell.