HARRY BLUNT IS REBUFFED

Helen Blunt was grieved and hurt at Robert's strange action. It was incomprehensible to her. The others expressed much surprise at his sudden leaving. After a few minutes Helen got the refreshments, but she was much subdued for the rest of the evening, and it was only too evident that the pleasure of the day had gone for her.

Robert hurried back to the Academy and was soon in his room.

"I can't report him," he reflected. "I know I'm going back on my rank, on my duty, on my principles, on what I've preached ever since I've been at the Academy. The contemptible hound! He ought to be kicked out! It's a shame that such a despicable person should have such a fine father and mother—and—and sister. It's outrageous that he should remain here. But his father saved my father—I can't report him; it would utterly disgrace Captain Blunt—I'm full of gratitude to him—I suppose I have no right to let that gratitude interfere with my duty; but I can't help myself."

For the next hour Robert indulged himself in many bitter reflections, but his conclusions were unchanged, and he deliberately determined to keep to himself what he had learned, neither to report Harry Blunt nor to tell even Stonewell what he had seen.

Stonewell came in a little before ten o'clock. "What's the matter with you, Bob?" he asked almost roughly. "Do you think you treated the Blunts very politely? You spoiled Helen's evening, and I could see Captain and Mrs. Blunt were concerned; they must have thought you acted very queerly, to say the least."

"I'm sorry, Stone—I couldn't help it. Please don't talk about it to me."

Stonewell glanced keenly at his roommate's worried face. "Look here, Bob, when you went out to the pantry did you see young Blunt? Has that scamp been Frenching again?"

"Stone, except once, you have practically never discussed your personal matters with me; I never insist on it, intimate as we are. Now this is a personal matter of a kind that I just can't talk about; please don't expect me to."

"All right, Bob; but it's my opinion you feel you ought to report Blunt for Frenching and you feel you can't because you're under obligation of lasting gratitude to his father; and so you feel you're going back on your principles, and so forth. Now you were not on duty; no reasonable man would expect you to violate your own feelings to that extent. So cheer up, Bob; I'll tell you right now that if when I'm not on duty I find young Blunt Frenching in his father's house, I most certainly shall not report him."

To this Robert made no comment, but in his heart thought that if his roommate knew what a scoundrel Blunt was, that Stonewell would be the very first to report him.

Taps soon sounded, and before long Robert was in bed; but long hours passed before sleep came to him. "What a lot of terrible rogues I've been mixed up with," was one of the thoughts that came to his mind; "there was Hillman, Ramsay, Williams, and now this detestable Blunt. And of them all I fear Blunt is the worst."

The next afternoon Stonewell went to Blunt's room and found that young man there alone. "Hello, Stone," greeted Blunt; "but now that football is over perhaps I should say Mister Stonewell to the five striper."

"Never mind the 'Mister,' Blunt. I thought I'd drop around to tell you that I think you are an unintentional cad."

"Your words are offensive, sir," cried Harry, getting angry immediately; "I'm not aware of any Naval Academy regulation that permits the cadet commander to insult a third classman."

"I don't wish to insult you, Blunt, and I admit my words require explanation. The point is just this: Bob Drake, your company commander, is entirely upset about something. He will not talk about it to me, and has no idea of my seeing you about the matter. He was out at your father's house last night, and I've a notion you were Frenching out there and he saw you. You probably know he has very strict notions of duty. My idea is that he feels he should report you or else go back on every principle he ever had. And for a particular reason he cannot report you."

"Oh," replied Harry disdainfully, "if the reason is that he is currying favor with Helen most people would say Drake is the cad."

"It isn't your sister, Blunt. It's your father, whom he owes a debt of gratitude to."

"Why should Drake be grateful to my father?" exclaimed Harry in evident surprise.

"For personal reasons. I don't feel at liberty to talk about them, except to say that a couple of weeks ago a kind action on your father's part saved Drake from resigning. You see Drake cannot report your father's son; and come now, wouldn't a man be a cad to force a man like Drake to go back on his principles?"

"Good old dad," cried Harry impulsively; "I was a cad, but I'm glad you said unintentionally so. I'd have had no use for Drake if it had been on Helen's account. But really I didn't know Drake saw me last night. Are you sure he did?"

"I have just imagined so; you ought to know whether he did or not. He was at your house last night; at half-past eight he went out in the pantry to get something and all of a sudden bolted out of the house. He won't speak of the matter even to me, but he has been miserable ever since."

"By Jove!" ejaculated Harry. "Perhaps he saw me in the cit's clothes; that would be a bilging spot,[2] wouldn't it?"

"I shouldn't wonder," remarked Stonewell, drily.

"Stonewell, I'm obliged to you, and I'll tell you right now I won't give Drake another chance to report me for Frenching; I'm awfully sorry the thing happened. I'll tell him I'll do the square thing hereafter."

In the meantime Robert and Peters had gone aboard the "Nevada"; Lenn saw them coming. "Come up above," he said to them; "I've something to show you." When Robert saw what this something was he was delighted. Lenn had fitted up the forward starboard six-pounder gun with the gun sights they had talked about.

"I've bore sighted the gun, Mr. Drake. Just train the gun on that white stone on the shore over there; look through your peep-sight and get the gun exactly on it. All right. Now shift your eye to the bore; the bore sights are in the gun. Now what do you say?"

"It's wonderful," cried Robert; "are these bore sights in the exact centre of the gun?"

"Within a hair's breadth."

"Both the new gun sights and the bore sights are pointing at the white stone. The stone is over half a mile away. That means the line of the gun sights is parallel to the axis of the gun, doesn't it?"

"It does, indeed," replied Lenn, much pleased with Robert's enthusiastic approval.

"Let me see," insisted Peters, pushing Robert away from the breech of the gun. "Gee, but this is splendid," he called out a moment later. "Say, Bob, if you keep this quiet you'll make the gunnery record next June."

"Lenn, can we prevent people from seeing these sights?"

"Surely. I'll take them down when you leave; it only takes a minute to take them off the gun. I'll keep them in my storeroom when you're not using them; but, Mr. Drake, if you expect to make a good target record you'll have lots of work to do. You'll have to get your crew here day after day, for at least half an hour's drill. I'll be here to help you."

"Good. And thank you, Lenn; I'll start to-morrow." And the two midshipmen left the ship.

"Now, Pete," said Robert, "we must organize to win the flag. Our company is well represented in all forms of athletics; we have football and baseball stars in it; now you and I and Glassfell and a couple of others will quietly drill with this gun. And at target practice we'll spring a great surprise on everybody. Whom had we better put in the gun's crew with us?"

"Well, let's see. There's young Blunt, he's a——"

"Don't speak of that fellow to me," interrupted Robert savagely.

"Why, Bob, what has he done; why are you so down on him?" inquired Peters, utterly surprised at Robert's vehemence.

"I want nothing to do with him. I don't wish to talk about him."

"All right, old man, I'll think of some one else. Will see you later."

As soon as Robert saw his roommate later in the day, he began eagerly to tell him of his plans. "I'm going out to win the flag, Stone. My company stands as good a chance, better, I believe, than any other company to win it. But I'm going to make sure of it. Now you drill with my company, and what you individually do will count."

"Of course. And I'll do all I can. I want you to come out for the crew, Bob; you've pulled in two winning races——"

"I can't, Stone; now just listen to what I've done," and Robert told Stonewell of the new six-pounder gun sights and of what he expected to accomplish. "You see I'll not be able to come out for racing shell practice, and besides, you don't need me—my company is well represented in all athletics and if we win at target practice we'll get the flag."

Here the door was thrown open and Harry Blunt entered. Robert jumped to his feet, and with flashing eyes and in angry tones asked: "What do you want, sir?"

"Why, Drake," replied Harry, completely taken back by this hostile reception, "I just thought I would tell you that if any act of mine has disturbed you, if I have forced you in a false position, I extremely regret it; I hope you will have no further concern because of me."

"Mr. Blunt, will you please leave my room? I despise you and I want nothing whatever to do with you."

"This is decent of you, Blunt, and I thank you for coming in," suddenly interposed Stonewell. "I know your motive, and it's all right!"

Harry Blunt stood in the doorway utterly chagrined. Tears came into his eyes and his chin quivered. Then without comment he left the room. Stonewell was extremely provoked. "He came in at my suggestion," he angrily said.

"I believe you," replied Robert calmly.

"I don't like the way you have acted. I don't understand you."

"Stone, I despise Blunt. There is a reason. You think you know it, but you are mistaken. Now, old friend, I cannot talk this matter over with you; I can but ask you to trust me, also to avoid discussing that young man when I am around."

Stonewell was not inclined at first to be satisfied with this, but he soon decided to drop the matter; and several months passed before Midshipman Harry Blunt was discussed between them.