At the close of the evening meal the bell for attention was struck and all midshipmen waited for whatever notice or announcement was to be made. Himski then arose from his seat and called out:

“An important meeting of the first class will be held in the reading-room immediately after supper. Every first classman should be present.”

“What’s Himski going to spring on us?” asked Warren of Ralph later in the reading-room.

“Just wait till he tells you,” replied the latter. At this moment a party composed of Himski, Bollup, Creelton, Streeter and Hamm entered, and with them was the commandant. The latter carried under his arm a tin box and several towels. When inside the room he handed them to Himski and then quietly said, “Go ahead, Mr. Himski.” He then went to the rear of the room. Creelton seemed to hesitate, but Bollup with a firm grip on his arm half led, half dragged him to one end of the room where Himski had jumped on top of a table and had commenced speaking.

“Classmates,” he said, “we have all been conscious since we entered the Academy that there has been a thief in this building, and at different times many of us have had things stolen. I had feared the thief was a classmate. This idea was a horror, a nightmare, but until now I have had no evidence. But something happened this afternoon which points suspicion strongly toward Creelton. Billy Bacon came to me, grumbling that the thief had collared some new towels of his; but he said that though the towels were uncut he had stamped his name on the inside of each towel. Now I had suspected Creelton, for reasons I have not talked about, of being the thief; so I asked Streeter to go to Creelton and borrow some new towels. Bollup, Billy Bacon and I followed Streeter to Creelton’s room and saw Creelton in the act of handing Streeter these towels; just pass them about among you; you will see they are brand new, uncut, and you will find Billy Bacon’s name on each of them. I accused Creelton of having stolen them from Billy; he declared his innocence, said he had drawn these same towels from the store yesterday. I have his signed statement to that effect. I have here his requisition book, and find all he drew yesterday was a bottle of ink and six pairs of white gloves. I then searched his wardrobe and found this tin box which was covered with things and hidden from view. I took it to the commandant; Creelton was with me at the time, and until a few minutes ago it was in the commandant’s possession. Creelton cannot say that anybody has monkeyed with this box since it left his possession. It’s locked but I’m going to break it open.”

“I object,” rang out Creelton’s voice to which Himski paid no attention, for he was prying open the box with a steel chisel he had provided himself with, and he soon broke the lock.

The first classmen stood listening, spellbound. Himski had spoken in a perfectly natural way, without feeling, yet his words had carried conviction. All had known that a persistent thief existed at the Academy; many had uneasy feelings this might be a midshipman, and some had feared it was a classmate. A few had known of Ralph’s opinion of Creelton and perhaps were not surprised. Creelton, with deathlike pallor on his face, knowing in his heart that he had been discovered, that his crimes were now out, in awful fear and dismay looked the culprit he was; he did not dare to meet the indignant eyes that were now directed upon him.

Himski opened the box. “Hello,” he said, “here’s one mystery explained; here’s a watch, with an inscription on the inside,” and he commenced to read, “Ralph Osborn, from his uncle——”

“That’s my watch,” interrupted Ralph, shouting in his excitement, and full of delight he bounded toward Himski as if he had been fired out of a gun.

“And here’s several class rings,—Warren, Taylor,—come up and get them. Here’s a napkin ring. And here’s a watch and chain and several pins,—any of you fellows that have had any jewelry stolen from you come up and identify your property.”

Tremendous excitement now followed.

“Hold on, fellows, here’s a packet of letters. They are addressed to Creelton; he certainly is the thief we’re looking for but I don’t know that I have any right to read these letters.”

“Go on, read them, read them, go ahead,” came shouts from different parts of the room.

Himski paused, and then said looking to Creelton, “What do you say—do you object?”

Creelton threw open his arms in involuntary admission of complete surrender. Craven at heart, with no friend to encourage him, conscious of guilt and knowing he had been found out, he had no heart to attempt any defense. “Read them,” he said. “You’ll find out why I had to take Osborn’s watch; there’s somebody else as bad as I am.”

And Himski read letter after letter, the letters from Short which Creelton had saved for his own protection. There was but one burden, one theme to these letters; they were characterized by a malignant animosity toward Ralph Osborn that can be most expressively described as fiendish. Schemes were suggested, many of them never attempted, by which Ralph was to be disgraced and dismissed from the Academy. The theft of Bollup’s watch and the attempt to fasten it on Ralph, the writing on Professor Moehler’s blackboard, and the hazing of Mr. Chappell were all discussed.

In the earlier letters were forcible threats of what might happen to Creelton if the writer’s plans were not carried out, and the relations that existed between Creelton and the writer of the letters were clearly defined.

“These letters are all signed T. G. S.,” said Himski, “which may stand for Thomas G. Short. Do they?” he suddenly asked Creelton.

“Yes,” replied the latter.

“Well, fellows,” continued Himski, “Creelton is the thief we’ve been looking for; he’s a disgrace to our class and to the uniform he wears; I’m thankful enough he has finally been found out even if it has taken four years. I don’t know that I have anything more to say, except that reports will be made immediately and of course the authorities will take action—I’m glad the commandant has been with us to-night; he knows as much about it now as any of us do.”

Himski’s talk, and his reading of the letters, had created a most intense excitement. The world of these young men was very small and this matter was tremendously personal to every one of them. An all-powerful indignation now possessed them and undoubtedly wild disorder was about to ensue. A dozen were on their feet and had commenced shouting, when suddenly Himski’s clear voice in vibrating tones called out, “Attention,” and the commandant’s tall form was seen to approach Himski. The midshipmen all subsided and military order was once more in complete control.

“Mr. Creelton,” asked the commandant, “do you admit the truth of Mr. Himski’s charges?”

Creelton made no reply; he did not raise his eyes to the commandant’s face. There was no fight in him; his one ambition now was to escape. He knew there was no hope of any possibility of defense and in fact he had as much as admitted his guilt.

“Mr. Bollup, take Mr. Creelton to the officer-in-charge in close arrest. I will give orders about him later.” The miserable young man jumped up with alacrity, glad to hurry away from an atmosphere charged to the saturation point with indignation and contempt for him. He now feared bodily injury, not knowing to what extent the angry feelings of his classmates might dominate them. He concerns this narrative no further. It is enough to say that before nine o’clock, during a temporary absence of the midshipman in charge of the floor from his post, Creelton escaped from his room and from the building and was never seen again at Annapolis; but later, although not present, he went through formal dismissal, and a most scathing letter expelling him, written by the Secretary of the Navy, was published to the battalion.

The commandant was speaking when Bollup returned to the class meeting.

“Gentlemen,” he began, “you have witnessed an astonishing thing; it does not seem possible that such a criminal could have lived among you for four years and have escaped detection in all of this time. However, with Mr. Himski and with you all, I am but too thankful that this thief has at last been unmasked. I wish to thank Mr. Himski for the way he has handled this matter; you made no mistake when you elected him your class president. I have known of his suspicions for some time but until to-day there has been positively nothing to work on.

“You are all feeling badly about this; you feel it is a smirch on your class name. But don’t think of it in that way; it’s not your fault if the laws and the authorities introduce a thief among you. None of you helped to make him a midshipman. But as I see the indignation on your faces that such a character should have been a classmate, what would your feelings be”—and here the commandant’s voice rang out in intense tones that reached the heart of every midshipman before him—“what would your feelings be if this thief after stealing Mr. Bollup’s watch had put it on your chain, so as to have you accused of the theft? What would your feelings be if you were denounced to the superintendent in an anonymous letter for being a cheat, for gouging? But for Mr. Himski, I much fear I would have assisted in having Mr. Osborn dismissed because of the words the thief cleverly wrote on Mr. Osborn’s blackboard in Professor Moehler’s section room. And finally we dismissed Mr. Osborn because of the evil machinations of these unscrupulous villains.”

The commandant paused for a moment, and then, with evident emotion, said, looking over to where Ralph stood drinking in his every word:—“Mr. Osborn, I can but apologize to you for the part in which I was made a tool of. It is hard for these other young men to have had a thief for a classmate, but they can have no conception of the fearful trials you have passed through. Your honor has been called into question, you have had repeated dastardly attempts made upon you by an unknown foe, your very roommate; and you actually went through the form of dismissal. All that I can say, is, that I now know, that instead of the last, you deserved the first consideration at the hands of the authorities, and that the unadorned coat sleeve of yours is a monument to my own lack of discernment; I will say but one thing more; gentlemen, I can assure you that if cadet officers of your class were to be made to-morrow, Mr. Osborn would have four stripes where now he has nothing. Would you like to say anything, Mr. Osborn?”

Ralph arose, his face aglow with happiness. “Thank you, sir,” he said; “I’m much obliged to you and to Mr. Himski. A year ago I was worrying about having the right to wear the uniform—I have always been perfectly satisfied with my position in the battalion, and now that I’ve got my watch I’m feeling pretty good all around; it was from an uncle I’ve never seen. It’s an awful nice watch; I’ve wound it up and it’s going all right; wouldn’t you like to look at it, captain?”

Ralph’s last remark was so utterly inconsequential and seemed so ridiculous after the intense feelings all had so recently undergone that it was followed by wild screams of laughter in which the commandant and later Ralph himself joined. This was a happy relief to everybody, and for a few moments the room fairly shook with the peals of laughter that came from everybody present; after this the commandant said: “Good-night, gentlemen; I am glad everything has ended so happily.” And he left the room.

He was followed by Himski and Bollup. And the latter said: “May we have a private talk with you, sir?”

“Certainly; come to my office.”

They both entered with him and remained in earnest consultation for nearly an hour. When the three left the office together the commandant said: “Well, we’ll go to the superintendent’s house right away; you’ve convinced me though I was against it at first as I’m sure he’ll be, but I’m now in favor of it.”

The superintendent was surprised that after nine o’clock the commandant and two midshipmen should enter his house, but he received them cordially nevertheless. After listening for a while the superintendent expressed emphatic disapproval of the proposition made him, and yet he was impressed and commenced to ask Bollup some keen personal questions. That young gentleman had a very uncomfortable time of it for a few moments, and then, after some more talk, both midshipmen were sent to their quarters.

“Good gracious, Himski, it’s after eleven o’clock; where in the world have you been?” demanded Ralph when his roommate entered, long after taps had sounded.

“Calling on some friends.”

“I’m afraid you’re reported for being out of the building after taps,” said Ralph much concerned.

“Not this time,” laughed his friend. “I was with the commandant.”

At supper formation the next evening, Ralph was in ranks as usual. The companies were mustered, then aligned, and then, when each cadet lieutenant stood in front of the center of his company, the battalion adjutant, Himski, reported to Cadet Lieutenant-Commander Bollup: “Sir, the battalion is formed.”

“Publish the orders, sir,” replied Bollup.

Ralph was now immensely startled to hear Himski call out, “Midshipman Osborn, fall out of ranks and report to the battalion adjutant immediately.”

“What’s up now?” wondered Ralph, yet not worried. He had not the faintest conception of what was about to happen. He left his place in ranks and went directly to where Himski was standing, in front of and facing the battalion. He saluted Himski. The latter motioned Ralph to one side, and then called out: “Attention to orders.” He unrolled some papers he had in his hands and read as follows:

Himski then read another paper.

Ralph instantly understood what had been done by his friends, but he felt dazed and stunned; a mist swam before his eyes and feelings difficult to control poured from his heart. He was almost unaware of the little ceremony that now was taking place. As soon as Himski had read the last order, he and Bollup went to Ralph. Bollup tore off the braid carrying four stripes on his sleeve. Each braid, specially prepared for this occasion, was held by but a thread, and in less than a moment they were pinned to Ralph’s sleeves. Not a word was spoken. Bollup now saluted in a natural manner, came to an about face, and marched to the company Ralph had left.

Ralph faced the battalion now as commander where but a moment before he had been but a private in ranks. He looked at the stripes on his sleeves. His heart was full of emotion.

“The battalion is ready to be marched to supper, sir,” reported Himski, in his adjutant voice.

“Give the order, I—I cannot,” replied Ralph brokenly, not trusting himself to speak further.

“Battalion, fours right, march!” snapped out the adjutant and several hundred silent, erect young men swung into the march to the mess hall.

Ralph hesitated a moment, then went to the officer-in-charge who had purposely absented himself when Bollup had pinned his stripes on Ralph’s sleeves.

“May I absent myself from supper, sir?” he asked, in a husky voice; “I don’t feel as if I could go into the mess hall to-night.”

“Certainly,” was the reply.

And Cadet Lieutenant-Commander Osborn went to his room, his mind stirred with conflicting emotions. He had had strange vicissitudes and marked triumphs at the Academy, but best of all were the friendships he had made.

He most heartily wished Bollup had kept his stripes; he would have vehemently protested against this change had he known of it in time, yet he realized there was nothing now for him to do but accept his new status. It cannot be said that Ralph took any elation in his promotion. The year was nearly over; the time was too short for him to have any effect upon the battalion. Yet, knowing how Bollup prized these stripes, Ralph was touched to the core at his classmate’s action, and the realization of what Bollup had given up, not what Ralph had received (which now he did not value highly), was what affected him. He had been delighted to get his watch back, but these stripes were but an empty, valueless honor to him. But as a measure of Bollup’s friendship and in this respect only, to Ralph they were of enormous value. And with this striking evidence of that dear friendship Ralph could not but be very happy.