CHAPTER VI
THE GATES FORWARD PASS
The commandant was inclined to make little of the incident of thatFriday night. "Just a midshipman's joke," he said next morning to theofficer-in-charge.
"I don't feel that way at all," replied that officer. "I don't believeanybody could have simulated the horror of those tones. I confess I haveno theory about the matter and I'm at an utter loss in attempting toaccount for the way the cry descended from the upper to the lower floor,for it certainly did do that. It couldn't have been anybody runningdownstairs, for the midshipmen in charge of floors were at their desksat the foot of the stairways, and they say that nobody except Mr.Stonewell and Mr. Drake came down, and it wasn't either of them."
"Oh, I'll tell you how it was done," said Commander Dalton. "Some jokersgot some rubber hose in some way and fixed up a plant to bewilder theofficer-in-charge. I can imagine sections of hose were led to thedifferent floors and were triced up overhead and acted as speakingtubes. You didn't think to look overhead, did you?"
"No, I didn't, but I don't think that could be the explanation."
"Perhaps not, but some joking midshipman was at the bottom of it. If ithappens again just look overhead."
For several days following Stonewell appeared much preoccupied and wasto be seen wandering about the corridors in the central part of thearmory wing. Facing the corridors were long lines of midshipmen's rooms;the only communication between the floors were the stairways, two toeach floor. Finally Stonewell went to the top floor and after lookingabout, disappeared into a small doorway leading to the tower, where theventilating blower was in operation. This was on Wednesday afternoonjust after study hours were over. At this time Robert Drake was standingby the stairway of the ground floor, leading to the basement. HarryBlunt came by and said: "Hello, Drake, come along, if you're going tofootball practice to-day; Stonewell said he wanted us on the field asearly as we could get there."
"I'm just waiting for Stone; he's gone up to the fourth floor, and saidhe would be down directly."
Then to Robert's great surprise, Stonewell came up the stairway from thebasement.
"How in the world did you get into the basement?" he exclaimed. "I sawyou start for the top of the building and you came out of the bottom.How did you do it?"
"I'll let you know later, Bob," Stonewell said quietly, and Robert knewhe didn't care to talk before Blunt. "Come along, fellows."
They started off at a brisk pace; near sick quarters, Stonewell said:"I'm going to drop in to see Farnum; an operation was performed on himSaturday afternoon, and Dr. Pickron said I might see him to-day. He isgetting along finely."
"That's splendid news," exclaimed Robert; "just tell him how sorry weall are that he has been sick."
"May I see Mr. Farnum for a few minutes?" asked Stonewell of Dr.Pickron, in sick quarters.
"Yes, top floor back on the right. Don't stay too long with him."
"Thank you, doctor, I'll only be with him a moment."
Stonewell found Farnum lying in bed with his head bandaged. "Hello,Stone," cried the latter happily, as Stonewell came in, in a differenttone of voice than Farnum had had for some weeks. "By George, Stone, I'mfeeling a lot better; I've got rid of that miserable feeling I had forsuch a long time. Dr. Pickron is all right; he cut my head open and I'mgoing to be well and out in ten days or two weeks. I knew there wassomething wrong with me, but Dr. Pickron has fixed it all right. I'dbeen in bad shape ever since that Bucknell game."
"I'm delighted, old fellow," replied Stonewell enthusiastically; "thatwas a hard bump you got that day, but you're looking ever so muchbetter. Everybody will be awfully glad to hear you are getting along sonicely; the squad, particularly."
"I'm afraid I'll play no more football this year."
"Don't worry about that, Farnum. You played a slashing game, and hadmuch to do in getting that six against Bucknell; but you played toohard, as I was afraid you would. Say, old chap, you were pretty sick thenight I brought you over here, weren't you? Do you remember much aboutit?"
"I've been worrying about that, Stone; I remember coming over with you,but I'm a good deal bewildered as to what happened before I saw you. I'dbeen feeling sick all day and turned in early. I went to sleep and had ahorrible nightmare; I hate to think about it."
"Where were you when you woke up?"
"That's what has been bothering me. Stone, I found myself in thebasement. How in the world I got there, what I was doing, I have noidea. I woke up with the most awful feeling of terror a man ever had,and I didn't know where I was. If it hadn't been that young Bligh wasdown there I'd have lost my grip; I didn't have much of one as it was.Bligh saw I was in bad shape, and grabbed me and half carried me to thefloor above."
"What was Bligh doing there at that time?"
"I don't like to say, Stone; you must remember he did me a good turn."
"Well, I know what he was doing, he was breaking training; I suspectedthat; I detected the odor of tobacco on him that night, and I've hadthis same notion before. If I learn that he's breaking training I'llfire him off the team. Do you know, Farnum, I've heard you were seengoing up on the fourth floor a little before ten that night. Have youany recollection at all of that, any dream even?"
"None except a most horrible dream; I shudder to think about it. Say,Stone, I hope you won't talk about this; I'd hate to have the notion getamong the fellows that I had been crazy."
"I won't speak of it, old chap, to anybody; but I can tell by your veryappearance you're going to have no more trouble. Say, our next game iswith the University of Virginia, and after that we play Harvard; byGeorge, I hope we make a good showing. Good-bye, old chap; I'll drop into see you every day or so until you're back with us."
On his way out Stonewell stopped in to see Dr. Pickron. "Doctor," hesaid, "Farnum is doing well. What was the operation you performed?"
"We trephined his skull. He received a hard blow on the right side ofhis head in the Bucknell game; this caused a rupture and resulted in ahemorrhage or blood clot, which was formed between the membranes of thebrain and the skull; and there was a slight depression of the skull overthis area. I wanted to operate at the time he was first hurt, but theblood clot was mostly absorbed, and apparently Mr. Farnum regained hisnormal condition. But actually there remained a thickening of themembrane over this area, and this, with the slight depression of theskull, caused a constant pressure. This resulted in a certain form ofepilepsy, which was his condition when you brought him over last Fridaynight."
"Doctor, while in this condition could Mr. Farnum have walked about,unaware of what he was doing, as if he were asleep, and later knownothing about what had happened?"
"Yes, indeed; it's quite likely that very thing happened to Mr.Farnum."
"Thank you very much, doctor," and Stonewell left and went to theathletic field, where football practice had already commenced.
"Bligh," called out Stonewell sharply, "I believe you've been breakingtraining. I give you fair warning that if you are caught at it you'll bekicked off the team without ceremony."
Bligh looked uncomfortable and commenced to bluster. "Who says I'vebroken training; just let me know who it is! Don't I play quarter wellenough for you, Mister Stonewell?" he continued sneeringly.
"Blunt can take your place any time," replied Stonewell shortly. "He'splaying better every day, and your playing is at a standstill. Now getbusy."
"Oh, you're one of the mighty Stonewell's pets," muttered Bligh to HarryBlunt. "Your bootlicking begins to draw interest."
This uncalled for and unexpected insult was too much for Harry Blunt'suncertain temper; full of rage he jumped at Bligh and struck him heavilyin the face. The two lads clinched, but were immediately separated,Harry's face aflame with angry indignation, and Bligh furious withmortification. Stonewell called them sternly to time, threateningsummarily to dismiss both from the team if they didn't bury theirpersonal differences: nor would he listen to any explanation fromeither.
"Shut up, both
of you, and get to work," he ordered peremptorily.
After this the rivalry between Bligh and Blunt became bitter. Bluntsecretly was tremendously encouraged by Stonewell's remark that he couldtake Bligh's place any time. In the next game, against the University ofVirginia, Blunt was put in at quarter, and won golden opinions. Virginiawas beaten 10 to 0, and there were many that now openly said: "Blunt isevery bit as good as Bligh, and with another season's experience he willbe better."
Bligh was aware of this sentiment, and it exasperated his already bitterfeeling against his rival; he had much enjoyed the reputation of beingthe Naval Academy's best quarter-back. He showed this bitterness by asullen behavior that was evident to everybody and which brought downupon him severe criticism and reprimand. But he did not change.
On the next Wednesday, Annapolis was matched against Harvard. Thewearers of the crimson came to the field smiling and confident, but itwasn't long before they commenced to look worried. Annapolis immediatelycommenced to tear great holes for steady gains through the Harvard line.To the enthusiastic midshipmen on the bleachers it seemed like a regularwalk down the field. When ten yards from Harvard's goal, Lumsden, asecond classman, took the ball. No one knew just how it happened, butthe ball slipped from Lumsden's grasp, and quick as a flash the Harvardcaptain emerged from the scuffle with the ball under his arm and anapparently clear field before him. Robert Drake downed him on theAnnapolis fifteen yard line.
Harvard now tried rushing tactics, but to her dismay could make noheadway, and on the third down kicked a goal from the field. From now onAnnapolis played with wild desperation. Chances looked bright for them,but without realizing it the team was exhausting itself. Toward theclose of the second half Annapolis had the ball seventeen yards from theHarvard goal line, and now Stonewell realized, too late, that his menwere exhausted, that Harvard had better staying powers. Twice Stonewellthrew the entire strength of his team against Harvard, but the latterstood the shock easily. The midshipmen were worn out. And then on thethird down, Stonewell whispered to Bligh, the quarter-back, to try agoal from the field. "Our best and only hope is to tie the score," hesaid.
Once more the two teams were lined up, Annapolis bracing itself for afinal effort, Harvard doggedly determined. And then Bligh gave thesignal.
"Thirteen, twenty-one, ninety-seven, forty-six."
"Time, time," called Stonewell, suddenly, running out and holding up hishand. "Blunt, oh, Blunt!" he shouted to the side lines.
"Get off the field, you hound," Stonewell said in tones of contempt toBligh.
The latter had given the signal for the Gates forward pass.