CHAPTER VI
A QUEER CONVERSATION
"We were here all the time, Dick," said Ursula soon after the firstoutburst of joyful greeting had subsided, "and we all tried our levelbest to catch your eye but, goodness--you were so military you wouldlook neither to the right nor left," and she straightened her back andpuffed out her cheeks in comic imitation of her brother on parade.
"It is quite as well I didn't see you, for if I had, I'd have forgottenevery bit of military discipline I've absorbed since being here,"responded Dick, smiling good-naturedly at his sister's mockery; "as itwas I came near making a break when Hank Cabell pointed you out to me;but fortunately he grabbed me and saved my reputation as a marine."
"Is 'Hank,' as you call him, the boy about whom you wrote to us--theSoutherner?" inquired Dick's father.
"Yes, Dad, and I want you to meet him. He's a dandy chap and comes froma good family, though I believe they are very poor, and likewise veryproud."
"Sometimes that combination isn't all that could be desired as anasset," drily remarked Mr. Comstock.
"But he is all right, Dad," said Dick, quickly coming to the defense ofhis friend against any possible insinuation. "There he is now. I'llget him to come over here."
Suiting actions to his words Richard presently returned with Henry, andthe formality of introductions over, Mr. Comstock invited his son'sfriend to join them at luncheon and for the day. Henry's rather sombreface lighted up with pleasure.
"I should be very glad to go, sir, providing I can secure earlyliberty," he said.
"How about you, Dick, are you in the same boat as your friend Henry?"inquired his father.
"No, Dad; you see, when I told Colonel Waverly you were here he excusedme for the rest of the day," replied Richard, and turning to Henry hesaid, "Suppose you hurry up and get permission, Hank, while I go and putaway my implements of warfare."
"Implements of war, indeed!" laughed Ursula, pointing banteringly at thedrum slung over her brother's shoulder, "and are your weapons asdangerous as my brother's?" asked she, turning her questioning eyes onHenry.
"Mine consists of a brass trumpet," replied the boy with a smile, "butit has one advantage over the drum as a weapon, for it makes a handybludgeon in time of need."
"Run along, boys," cautioned Mrs. Comstock, "it is nearly noon and I forone am famished."
"I reckon it would be better for us to get permission to wear cits; itmight be less embarrassing for you all," and Henry looked inquiringly atRichard's parents.
"Not for me," interposed Dick, with some emphasis; "I'm in uniform, andI'm proud of it, and so are my people."
"I didn't mean it in that light," Henry replied, flushing at thesuggested rebuke. "I was merely thinking of your mother and sister andthe possibility of saving them embarrassment. You may not know this,but enlisted men in uniform are not greeted cordially everywhere, evenhere in Washington."
"Excuse me, Henry, for being so hasty; I had not thought of that side ofthe question," said Dick frankly, and he turned red himself because ofhis readiness to find fault with his chum's remark.
"Yes, Henry was quite right in what he said," stated Mr. Comstock. "Iread of many such incidents in the papers; but there are laws now whichslowly but nevertheless surely are making people understand that theenlisted man in uniform may no longer be treated with disrespect. Abetter class of men seem to be joining the colors these days, and theyare calling their defamers to a strict accounting. But this is notgetting something to satisfy our appetites. You boys hurry up now andget yourselves ready."
After a bountiful luncheon at one of the best hotels in the city a tourof the capital was proposed and an enjoyable afternoon of sightseeingfollowed. In Dick's spare moments during his stay in Washington he hadvisited nearly every one of the public buildings and he took greatpleasure in showing his sister about. The three young people evenclimbed the thousand steps of Washington Monument, scorning theslow-moving elevator which carried their elders up the five hundred feetwhich still left them fifty-five feet beneath the apex of the wonderfulshaft.
Ursula was enchanted with this superb view of the "magic city," as shewas pleased to call it, and for a long time they all enjoyed thepanorama of land and water, field and forest, country and city, spreadbefore them to the distant horizons.
After this they walked back to their hotel, and while Mrs. Comstockenjoyed a little rest before dinner and Mr. Comstock departed on abusiness engagement the trio of young people occupied themselves inanimated conversation in one of the ornate reception rooms.
Feeling that Ursula and Richard might appreciate being alone togetherfor a while, Henry excused himself, promising to return in time for theevening programme, which would not end until after the roof gardensupper following the theatre.
After his departure Ursula and Dick strolled over to one of the lowwindows and pushing aside the long curtains which reached to the floorthey stepped into the vacant space of a small narrow balconied windowledge and stood looking at the passing traffic. A group of palms, thehalf-closed blinds and the long curtains effectually concealed them fromthe view of people inside the room.
The mere fact of being together was happiness in itself for these twodevoted young people and gradually a silence fell upon them as theystood absorbed in the scenes outside.
A subdued murmur of voices came from the room behind them, and Dickheard someone say:
"Here is a quiet place where we may talk freely."
Glancing over his shoulder the boy saw three men seating themselves anddeliberately placing their chairs near the window where he and hissister were standing. He was wondering why they took such care with thechairs, when again the same voice gave him the reason.
"We can see from here whomever comes into the room, gentlemen, and it iswell to observe caution while discussing this question."
"Shall we speak in German, Senor?" brusquely inquired a heavily builtman whose blond hair stood up in short stiff bristles on his head.
"Si, Senor," deferentially replied the third member of the party, aslender, black-haired man whose dark skin announced him a resident ofsome Latin-American country, and from then on they spoke in the tongueagreed upon, and so quietly that Dick could not overhear. Knowing thathe was an unintentional eavesdropper he turned back again to the streetfeeling it was unnecessary to move from the window, for unless he madean especial attempt the words of the speakers were inaudible to hisears. A little time passed in this way, when suddenly Dick placed hishand over Ursula's mouth, for she had turned, meaning to address him.At the same moment he motioned her to be silent.
To both Richard and Ursula Comstock the German spoken language was anopen book, for Mrs. Comstock had employed German nursemaids to attendthem when they were little tots, and until Ursula was twelve years ofage she had had a German governess. Even the cook, a family retainerfor years, was a native of Cologne. In consequence the loud remarkwhich Dick heard from the room behind was as significant as if spoken inEnglish. He knew that the big foreigner from across the ocean haduttered it. There was no mistaking the deep, abrupt, explosive voice.
"The United States can do nothing! Germany can whip her any day!Germany can whip the whole world; and some day she will!"
The speaker had risen and the others now pushed their chairs back andstood beside him. Their voices came distinctly to the ears of the boyand girl tensely listening in the shadow of the blind.
"Well, I should not go so far as that, you know!" protested the tall manwho had led them to the window for their talk and whom Dick decided wasan Englishman.
"Maybe you wouldn't, but it's so," reiterated the German, using hiswords as a ruffian would a cudgel. "Now, Senor, I must have yourdecision regarding this canal business at once, or it will be too lateto be of any use to us. If your revolution in Nicaragua is a success,will the man you put in the presidential chair grant Germany the canalright-of-way or not?"
"I cannot
tell you, Senor. It is a question which must be placed beforethe committee. I am only empowered to offer you the things alreadymentioned in return for financing our uprising. The United States has aconcession, I believe--had it as far back as eighteen eighty-two. Theywould not permit us to agree to your proposal."
"I tell you that you are wrong. The United States never made any treatywith Nicaragua. Your government granted a concession to a privatecorporation in 1897 to build a canal, and they bluffed for a while atdigging it on the Atlantic side. The United States also sent acommission down to Nicaragua several times, but nothing came of it. Thenthey forced Panama into revolt against the Colombian Government, andmade her give them the present location. Therefore if you want ourmoney and our secret aid your candidate must agree to Germany's terms."
"Suppose we give Senor Cabanas a few days to consult with hiscommittee," suggested the Englishman in his mild voice.
"The committee knows it already," exclaimed the exasperated Teuton."The subject was thrashed out in Leon while I was there six months ago.I tell you it is subterfuge, pure and simple. They know what we want,and they should have deputized their man to grant our demands."
"Pardon me again, Senor," came the suave voice of the little man, yethis eyes must have flashed ominously at the brutal pounding of theGerman's heavy voice, "I assure you that this is absolute news to me."
"It shouldn't be! Your committeemen are a set of vacillating fools;that is all, and the best I can say of them. Go back to them andarrange it; but I warn you--not a mark,--not a single mark, unless----"
"Be careful, Mein Herr, here comes the house detective--they are allsecret service men in Washington. We had best postpone this and meetagain."
It was the Englishman who gave the warning, and with the words the threeconspirators moved towards the door leading to the hotel lobby.
Behind the curtains Richard and Ursula still stood, hardly daring tobreathe for fear of disclosing their presence. Every word uttered bythe plotters since Dick placed his hand over Ursula's lips had beendistinctly heard and understood by both, and they realized the import ofthe information they had obtained so unintentionally.
Barely had the three men disappeared when Dick, exclaiming, "Wait for mehere!" was running towards the door in pursuit.
Henry Cabell, returning from his self-imposed absence, came around thecorner of the entrance at that identical moment, and the lads collidedforcibly. The delay caused thereby was sufficient to enable the quarryto efface themselves and though Dick made a careful search his effortswere futile.
Returning, he found Ursula excitedly relating their experience to Henry.They both looked up expectantly at Dick's entrance.
"Did you catch them, Dick?" his sister inquired breathlessly. "Did youhave them arrested?"
"No, I lost them," announced Dick in a disgusted tone; "I couldn't havethem arrested anyway on the little we know; this is a free country. ButI sure would have liked to see their faces. All the time they had theirbacks towards us, and I merely glanced at them when they first came in.I do wish I'd been more observing."
"What would you have done had you caught them?" asked Ursula.
"I'm sure I don't know; only I'd have pointed them out to that housedetective, for one thing."
"Could you identify any of them if you saw them again?" asked Henry.
"I'd know that big brute of a German by his back, in a million, but I'mnot sure of the others,--yes, I believe I could tell the Englishmantoo."
"I should know him if I ever saw him again," said Ursula. "I nevershould forget that peculiar suit of clothes he wore, nor----"
Both the boys broke into a shout of laughter at this remark and Dicksaid:
"That's like a woman; noticing the dress first of all."
"Oh, you need not laugh, Dickie dear; I do not doubt that he has otherclothes, but the chief thing I should recognize him by was a peculiarpatch of white hair on the right side of his head behind his ear, andalso half the middle finger of his left hand was missing."
"We apologize most humbly for our premature expression of opinionregarding your powers of observation," said Dick, bowing low to Ursulawith mock deference, "but now the question is,--what shall we do withthis information we have acquired?"
"Here is Father; let us ask him," and Ursula ran to greet Mr. Comstockwho at that moment approached them.
After hearing of the episode, Mr. Comstock advised Dick to write out allthe details as he and Ursula remembered them, and he, Mr. Comstock,would see that the report was placed in proper hands.
"I believe you have discovered a very pretty plot, which would seriouslydamage us if carried to an ultimate conclusion," said Dick's father."We all know that Germany is expanding her trade lines enormously andmaking greater strides in systematic foreign commercialism than anyother nation, but I can hardly conceive she would dare to finance such arisky venture with the canal right-of-way as her only payment."
"Would Uncle Sam permit Germany or any other country to build a canalacross Nicaragua now that the Panama Canal is almost completed?" askedHenry.
"I doubt it so much that I feel perfectly safe in saying, mostemphatically,--No!"
"The United States would never allow any country to acquire territory inthe Western Hemisphere--it would be contrary to the provisions of theMonroe Doctrine," said Dick. He leaned over and picked his campaign hatfrom the floor, then pointing to the small metal object thereon, hecontinued:
"This little insignia of the marines tells its own story; this is theWestern Hemisphere; across it the anchor and above the eagle withspreading wings, holding a ribbon on which is inscribed the motto of ourCorps. It is our part to look out for these little countries, andaccording to history the marines have been doing it mighty effectuallysince the United States became a nation. And I guess we can keep up thegood work."
"With the able assistance of one Drummer Richard Comstock, U.S.M.C.!"slyly interposed Ursula, and Dick joined in the laughter which followedher remark.
"The thing I can't figure out," said Henry, "is what the Englishman ismixed up in it for! Do you reckon England is joining hands withGermany?"
"No, I doubt anything of that nature," answered Mr. Comstock. "Theinterests of England and the United States are too closely allied forher to risk rupturing them by any such hazardous undertaking."
"I would not trust an Englishman as far as I could see him! I cannotbear them!" exclaimed Ursula, vehemently.
"Why do you feel so bitter against our mother country?" asked Henry, whowas surprised at her outburst. "Is that the general feeling up North?For I am quite certain it is not in the South."
"Ursula's feeling is largely due to local influences," answered herfather. "In our home town the English have never been popular since theday during the Revolutionary War one of their officers, a major, afterhaving received the surrender of our brave Colonel Ledyard at the Battleof Groton Heights, took that officer's proffered sword and ran himthrough the heart and then commanded his troops to massacre thesurviving gallant defenders of the fort, who were drawn up, unarmed, inone of the bastions. That same day our city was burned to the ground bythe traitor, Benedict Arnold."
"The brute! Why! I'd rather be Benedict Arnold than that Englishman,"and Ursula's pretty face looked very stern and her hands clenched inanger.
"It was fortunate you both understood German," said Henry a little laterin the evening. "I never could bear the study of languages, though Idid struggle along for a year or two with Latin at school."
"We neither of us have studied German, merely picked it up as children,and we always use it talking to the cook. But I like French and had itthree years at school, but really no practise in it," said Dick.
They were at the theatre and Dick sat next to his father, which affordedthe two many opportunities to converse during the vaudeville acts.
"I am glad, Dick, that you keep writing to your mother regularly," saidMr. Comstock; "it is a fine habit to form and to stick to. If every boywr
ote home at least once a week, I believe the world would be a betterplace. So many boys grow careless and after a while lose touch with thehome ties and associations. Then, too, besides being a good thing foryou personally, you have no idea what those letters mean to yourmother."
"I like to get letters, and unless I wrote them on my part my mail wouldbe pretty slim," replied Dick. "I have seen already how the men welcomethe sight of the mail orderly, and some who never get mail envy thosewho do. Some of our boys never receive home news, and they must behomesick and heart-sick at times the way they sort of hang around andlisten when some fellow happens to read out a few of the things thathappen back in the home town. I know I'd be, were I in their place."
"You will never regret being thoughtful when it comes to giving yourmother a little line or two of written happiness. But in your letters Ihave noticed an absence of complaints. Is it because you have none tomake or that you didn't want us to feel bad by recounting them?"
"I haven't a single kick coming, Dad, for we are treated splendidly.Good food and well cooked, good clothes, fine beds and healthy work. Ionly wish it was more strenuous than it is. I spend a lot of time inthe gym and playing ball. I did hope we musics would get more militarydrill than we do, but outside of a little marching and physical drillsand a 'hike' across the river into Maryland, we do nothing of realsoldiering. One of the privates has taught me the manual of arms andbayonet exercises, so I'm not wasting my opportunities. I think that ina year more I can get my rank changed to a private, then I shall be inline for promotion to corporal."
"Time enough, my boy. It is better to make haste slowly and thoroughly,for I don't doubt you will have to be very thorough if you are tosucceed. Have you any idea what books you will require?"
"Well, I'm studying the U.S. Army Guard Manual, which the marines haveadopted, and there is a book called 'Landing Force and Small ArmsInstruction' for the Navy which is just filled with meat and will takesome time to digest. I shall have no difficulty in getting the books asI need them, and my high school education was along the lines that wouldhave helped me most at Annapolis--physics, chemistry, astronomy,surveying and so forth. All these are sure to be valuable, to saynothing of the mathematics up to trig."
"It pleases me to hear you like the life," said Dick's father. "That ismore than half the battle always,--the interest and liking we have forthe task at hand. No man ever became successful without being inperfect harmony with his work and his environments, no matter what hiswalk in life."
Richard's mother was more solicitous regarding her son's creaturecomforts, and the following day she insisted on making a visit to thebarracks and seeing with her own eyes exactly how and where her boylived. The manner of her request so enchanted Colonel Waverly when sheasked to be taken around the post that he volunteered to act as herescort, nor was her New England sense of cleanliness and order onceoutraged with what she saw.
They visited the living quarters, offices, mess hall, auditorium,storerooms and galley, and she even tasted with approval the food inpreparation for the noonday meal. A youthful Lieutenant of Marines,accompanying the party, insisted on presenting Ursula with several pairsof N.C.O. dress chevrons and trumpet cords from the Quartermaster'sstores, with which she might decorate a sofa pillow, and not to beoutdone in gallantry, Henry Cabell, on seeing these evidences of theofficer's regard for the charming sister of his friend, made a dash forthe post canteen before its closing hour and purchased for her a daintylittle gold and silver pin, a miniature of the Marine Corps emblem, forwhich he required her to give him a copper in payment.
Dick and Henry had not been included in the inspection tour but theylater accompanied their visitors to the train which carried them awaythat beautiful Sunday afternoon back to New England.
"These two days have been, sure enough, the happiest days I have spentsince leaving home," remarked Henry as the boys retraced their way tothe barracks. "I didn't half thank your folks for the great pleasurethey have given me."
"It was fine, wasn't it?" said Dick simply, for his mind still dwelt onthe last proud look his father had given him; the suspicion of tearsbravely suppressed in Ursula's eyes and voice; and thenever-to-be-forgotten good-bye kiss from his mother's trembling lips.
Yes, it was fine indeed!
And how fortunate this visit was, for two weeks later came orderssending aboard the cruiser _Denver_ a detail of marines to replace menwhose tour of sea-duty had expired, and with that detail went RichardComstock and Henry Cabell, Drummer and Trumpeter.