“There’s the carriage; it’s stopping,” said Bollup to Ralph, as the two lads emerged from the woods. “Let’s hurry; we’ll get in it and out of this rain.” And Bollup started on a run. Ralph was behind and to his left. It was at this moment that Lambo had jumped to the carriage seat. Bollup yelled at him; Lambo turned half around and perceiving Bollup shouted back at him defiantly and fired his pistol at him, driving rapidly at the same time. The desperate negro did not see Ralph, nor did he know, when he had turned around and was threatening the two girls inside, that hanging on the rear axle of the old carriage was a determined, broad-shouldered youth with an ominous looking baseball bat clutched along the axle. Ralph was soon standing on the axle, and peering over the top of the carriage at this lawless negro, who was now lashing his horses into a dead run. Ralph quickly scrambled on top of the carriage, bat in hand. The noise attracted the negro who turned around and saw a determined, powerful avenger raising a club with both hands high over his head. With a howl of rage and fright he started to aim his pistol at Ralph, but in the same instant the club came down with deadening force on the negro’s head, sending the pistol off at the same time. Lambo rolled off the carriage in a heap; his skull was cracked, and the bullet from his own pistol had gone through his heart. Without concerning himself with Lambo’s fate Ralph clambered to the driver’s seat, reached down and gathered up the reins, and soon had the old horses slowed to a trot. Looking back he saw, some distance behind, Bollup and a negro, evidently James, bending over a man’s body lying face down in the road. He then stopped the horses and assured the girls: “You’re safe, girls; everything is all right. Tom is beckoning me to come back; I’m going to turn the horses around.”

He turned around and started back. At a little distance Bollup came running up. “Bully for you, Os,” he cried; “the scoundrel is dead,” he added lowering his voice; “let me get in, and drive quickly by where he is lying; I don’t want the girls to see him.”

Ralph stopped long enough for Bollup to jump inside, and then drove off rapidly, and in half an hour the carriage was back at Hampden Grove. It was raining furiously now, not a propitious time for conversation, nor did Ralph attempt any through the aperture to the brother and sisters in the carriage. He was utterly drenched, and when the horses stopped in front of the house, he jumped to the ground and said: “I’ll get you an umbrella and then will change into dry clothes.” He dashed into the house and returned in a moment with two umbrellas which he handed to Bollup who was assisting the two girls out of the carriage, and then Ralph bounded up to his room.

Bollup rushed in a few moments later. “You killed him, Os,” he cried; “how did you get his pistol?”

“I didn’t have his pistol; I hit him with the ball club just as he fired at me,” explained Ralph.

“He killed himself then,” said Bollup. “By George, old man, I can’t express my feelings. When I saw that villain drive off with my sisters, and saw you climbing up on top of the carriage I was wild with fear and anxiety. I was afraid he would shoot you. The very happiest instant of my life seemed to last ages and ages; it was when you were bringing the club down on the rascal’s head. By gracious, but that was well done! And I’m thankful the fellow did his own dirty work. I’m glad he spared some white man the duty of killing him. Come down quickly; father is wild to see you. Mother is pretty much upset, but you’ll find you own Hampden Grove and all that’s in it.”

When Ralph went down-stairs, Mrs. Bollup came to him, and said: “My dear boy——” and then the thought of the danger all of her children had just passed through almost overcame her, and tears flowed from her eyes. “My dear Ralph, I shall always love you,” she said, and then bent forward and kissed him.

“What a hero you are, Mr. Osborn,” said Dorothy; “I am so glad to know a real hero.”

Gladys thanked Ralph quietly, but with a deep sincerity and appreciation that went straight to that young man’s heart. There was much excitement in the family, and Ralph received unmeasured praise and admiration for his timely action.

The few remaining days of his September leave drew rapidly to a close. Surrounded by the love and sympathy of this delightful family it had indeed been a happy visit for him. He was “Ralph” to all of them now, and when he and Bollup left for Annapolis, on the last day of September, it was with a full understanding that he would visit them the next year.

Most of Ralph’s second class year at the Naval Academy can be briefly told; all but the final catastrophe which caused his expulsion and brought such bitter sorrow to himself and his friends; because the act he committed was so utterly foolish, and of his guilt there was no question.

That Ralph would stand first in his class for this, the third year, was a foregone conclusion. Until near the end of the year it was a happy time for him, full of hard work which was well appreciated. At the end of the first month he led his class in all of the studies; mathematics, engineering, electricity, seamanship, navigation and gunnery, all yielded to his bright mentality and presented no difficulty to him. He did equally well in recitations and in examinations, and in his outdoor drills he took great zest. He no longer had a hidden enemy to fear; there was not a question in his mind as to who had been guilty of the shameful acts against him, and knowing it was Creelton, he disdained him. He continually felt it was a great pity that that vicious youth could not be exposed and dismissed, but beyond Ralph’s and Himski’s suspicions there was no tangible evidence to connect Creelton with those crimes.

Creelton had no intention whatever of attempting to injure Ralph further, and he was much relieved that he had successfully defied Short. Creelton feared Ralph and kept away from him. For a while Creelton avoided the temptation to steal, but after he became easy in regard to Ralph he again occasionally gave play to his old thieving habits. He didn’t take anything very valuable, but took a delight in stealing stamps and towels and small articles whenever he was certain he would not be detected.

One morning in February Ralph overslept himself; he didn’t hear the six o’clock gun or the reveille of the bugle; Himski was on duty in charge of a floor, so he had left Ralph at a quarter before six. As a result Ralph received ten demerits; and then as ill luck would have it, he was also reported twice that month: once for “visiting during study hours,” and also for “room out of order at inspection”; and so for the month of March, Ralph was in the second conduct grade and deprived of many Saturday privileges.

On the last Saturday in March Bollup came to Ralph and said: “Os, I wish you could come out in town with me to-day. I’ve met a fine lot of fellows that came down from New York in a private car; I’d like to have you know them.”

“I’d like to, Tom; bring them in the yard, can’t you?”

“They were in here this morning and have asked some people out to see them this afternoon. I don’t suppose they’ll come in the yard again. I’m awfully sorry you’re on the second conduct grade. Well, so long; I’ll see you at supper.”

Several hours later Bollup joined Ralph as the latter was waiting for the call to supper formation. Bollup was flushed in face, talked loudly, and laughed boisterously at nothing. Ralph was startled and dismayed. He knew what the trouble was; he had once or twice, though not to the same extent, seen symptoms of the same thing after Bollup had taken mint juleps at Hampden Grove. But whereas there they might be harmless, at the Naval Academy drinking them or any kind of liquor would cause a midshipman to be dismissed.

And so Ralph watched Bollup with keen anxiety, hoping no notice would be taken of his condition.

“I’m having a bully time, Os, Os, Os, Os, you good old Os, the bulliest time a midshipman ever had, had, had. And I’m going out to dinner with my chums. I’ve permission to fall out after formation.”

The bugle call now sounded for formation and all midshipmen fell into ranks, and all talking stopped. Fear gripped Ralph’s heart; he did not know what might happen to Bollup, and he himself was powerless to avert the evil.

After supper he hung around Maryland Avenue gate, questioning different midshipmen returning from liberty if they had seen or heard anything of Bollup.

“Why, yes,” at last said a third classman, “I heard Bollup had been taken sick, and was left at the Maryland Hotel by some New York friends of his who have just left town,” and the third classman smiled knowingly at Ralph.

Ralph was now desperate. Bollup was probably unable to take care of himself; perhaps he was in a deep sleep. He would be reported at ten o’clock taps inspection for being out of his room and it was absolutely certain that discovery of his condition would result. This meant but one thing—Bollup’s dismissal from the Academy. And in Ralph’s mind rose a picture of the grief and shame that would assail the dear family in Hampden Grove, and of the blasting of his best friend’s career. It was now nearly nine o’clock. These thoughts crowded through Ralph’s mind, and willing to sacrifice almost anything for Bollup, he shot through the gate and ran down Maryland Avenue.

“Hold on, Osborn, you’re on the second conduct grade; you can’t go out,” called out the midshipman officer of the day at the gate. But Ralph heeded him not and ran on. He well knew he would be reported for “absenting himself from academic limits without authority”; “but I can better take fifty demerits and a month’s restriction than have Bollup bilged,” he said to himself. At the corner of Prince George Street he met the man he most wanted to see, his roommate Himski. In a few excited sentences he explained the state of affairs to him, and both hurried to the hotel. Ralph here learned the number of the room Bollup was in, and after ordering a closed carriage found Bollup who was in a very sad condition. Himski and Ralph in the meantime had decided upon a plan and lost no time. They hustled their insensible classmate into the carriage and quickly drove to Boucher’s boat house. Here they hired a rowboat, deposited Bollup in it, and then each took a pair of oars, the boatman steering, and vigorously pulled around the city front to the Academy sea-wall.

They hurried Bollup, half supporting him, over the grounds and got into main quarters and into his room unperceived; undressed him and put him to bed, finishing this at “warning bell,” five minutes before ten. Himski and Ralph then rushed to their own room.

“You have certainly saved Bollup from dismissal, Os,” remarked Himski, after taps inspection had been made. “He would have been reported absent from quarters to-night, an investigation would have followed and nothing could have saved him. By the way, you had to take French leave, didn’t you? I hope you’re not spotted for that, old chap.”

“But I am, Himski; Coleman was on duty at the gate and called to me as I went through. He’ll report me all right. But I could better take fifty demerits and restriction than have good old Bollup bilge.”

“Certainly, I would have done the same thing; a man must sacrifice something for his friends.”

“Look here, Himski,” said Ralph after a pause, “I’ll be reported to-morrow; now if Bollup knows I’m being punished for helping him he will immediately report himself to try to have my punishment lightened. He’ll do that regardless of what it might mean to himself; he’s just that kind of a fellow. Now he doesn’t know what’s happened, no one else does; suppose we keep this matter entirely to ourselves; if he should find out why I’m reported our good work will all go for naught. Let’s keep mum.”

“You’re right, Os. Poor old Bollup! I hope he’ll take a brace; he’ll be full of remorse to-morrow.”

The next day Bollup had an aching head and an ashamed soul. He had no recollection of what had happened after eight o’clock of the night before. He was then engaging in a mad, reckless frolic with his friends in their private car. After that things were mixed up and confused, and his mind was entirely bewildered as to just what had happened. It seemed to him he had taken a rapid journey, that he had been on the water, and that his two best friends had been with him. He had not the faintest recollection of how he had got to his bed, and as his roommate Streeter was in sick quarters, he had no one to tell him.

The next morning Himski and Ralph greeted him naturally as if nothing had happened. It was on Bollup’s tongue to ask some questions but he didn’t know what to ask, and was so full of genuine heartfelt remorse that he hated to bring the subject up; and so he made no inquiries, and for many months was in ignorance of just what had been done for him.