They need me. Now I feel you're going to argue with me and I beg you not to attempt to dissuade me; nothing you or anybody could say would change my determination. I feel terribly about it and you would only make me feel the worse. Please don't, Stone. I must do my duty to my father and mother."

"I shall not attempt to dissuade you, Bob; I know exactly how you feel.

But I'm going to ask you to do something for me. I feel as if it would break my heart if you were to resign. Now I'm going to ask you to let me lend you fifty dollars. You can send this to your father, and if he is in immediate need of money this will help out for a few days. And I want you to promise me you will delay your resignation for one week. Surely you can do this for me, and I have strong hopes that in a week's time you will feel there is no need in Chicago that would compel your resignation."

"That's awfully good of you, Stone, but can you spare the fifty dollars?

I feel I ought to leave immediately, but if I could send father some money I might wait a week. The idea of resigning is like death to my hopes."

"Of course I can; you know I've plenty of money," replied Stonewell, jumping up enthusiastically. "I know something good is going to happen, Bob, and don't you worry; you're not going to resign."

Stonewell's happiness was infectious and Robert's heart seemed lightened from a heavy load. Stonewell had gained his point and he did not choose that Robert should learn from him what Captain Blunt had in his mind for Robert's father.

CHAPTER X

ROBERT GETS GOOD NEWS

The days following dragged slowly by for the apprehensive Robert. His mind was full of the needs of his father and mother and it took real effort on his part to attend to his duties and prepare his studies. He anxiously awaited each mail delivery, but not until Sat.u.r.day morning after drill did any letters come from him. He and Stonewell entered their rooms together and Robert fairly pounced on the two letters that were awaiting him. Eagerly he tore open the letter in his father's well-known handwriting, and rapidly read it. Then he gave a shout of joy.

"What do you think, Stone?" he cried. "Here's the happiest news in the world. Father writes me that Captain Blunt has secured a splendid position for him, chief clerk of the Light House Board. Isn't that just splendid? All of my worries are over; and father returns the fifty dollars I sent him. I'm so happy, it seems as if a ton had been lifted from me. I do hope I'll be able to convince Captain Blunt of my grat.i.tude to him. What a wonderful thing to have such a friend, Stone.

But how did he come to do it?" Robert paused a moment and then added: "Stone, did you tell him of the trouble I was in?"

"Bob, I told him you felt it was your duty to resign, and I told him why. I wanted an older friend than myself to advise you. It was a liberty; but, by George, I can't feel it's a case for an apology. I am just as happy as you are, Bob. Jingo! but Captain Blunt is a fine man."

"I do wish I could do something to show him how much I appreciate what he has done for me!" exclaimed Robert.

"You can," rejoined Stonewell. "There's his son Harry. You can try to help him out of trouble; he's pointed for a lot of it. There are rocks and shoals ahead of him, and he's pretty certain to get b.u.mped hard."

"I can't do anything for that youngster, Stone," replied Robert.

"Positively he never loses an opportunity of cheeking me."

"You may have the chance, Bob; but why don't you read your other letter?"

"I forgot I had another letter. h.e.l.lo, this is from Stanton; let's see what he says."

"What! Stanton!" queried Stonewell. "Do you mean last year's five striper?"

"Yes; what a splendid fellow he is. He says he is having a fine time aboard the 'Paul Jones,' a torpedo boat destroyer, and he's learning a lot. He says his ship made a good record at the last target practice but it will do much better next time. His captain is devising a new sight for the six-pounder gun; the one now attached to that style of gun is very poor. Stanton says that anybody can get up a better sight, and now the Navy Department is allowing officers to make improvements on the guns they are going to fire at target practice. That's what our instructor in gunnery said last October, don't you remember?"

"Yes, and by the way, Bob, now that your mind is easy about everything you had better get busy if you expect your company to win the flag this year. You've got a good company, but so has Blair, and he's red hot after the flag. He'll wipe your eye, Bob, if you don't hustle. And it's getting late in the year."

"That's right. I'll get busy next week. Let's see, now my company does well in infantry and artillery; I ought to beat Blair in those subjects."

"Yes, but Blair's company is pretty sure to get first place in seamanship, and on the whole his company is better, more numerously represented in the different forms of athletics than yours is. As an offhand guess I would say the second company has a better show for the flag than yours has. You see the total possible multiple for the entire brigade is 3,000. Blair will probably get fifty points in fencing, and he has a lot of fellows on the track and field teams; he'll probably get 100 points there; and the best gymnasts of the Academy belong to his company; besides, the second company is certainly as well represented as the first company in the football and baseball squads and in the crew.

You may make it, Bob, but you won't if you don't get your company stirred up."

"By George, Stone," cried Robert, "I'd rather win that flag than have five stripes. My company is all right; we will average just as well in drills and in athletics as the second company. We haven't done much talking of what we're going to do, but don't imagine we've forgotten about the flag. We are after it, hard and strong."

"If you do win it, I'll wager a hundred dollars to an onion that you'll deserve to win. Blair is not to be easily beaten," replied Stonewell.

"Let's go out and call on the Blunts," suddenly proposed Robert. "I want to thank the captain."

"Don't say another word, Mr. Drake," Captain Blunt was saying to Robert later the same day; "your feeling for your father is natural and does you credit. I was really glad to be of service to him and to you; but aside from all that, the Light House Board is glad to get your father for its chief clerk; he is just the man we need. So we are all pleased.

How is my boy Harry coming along? By George! I could have sworn I saw him ahead of me on Maryland Avenue to-day; you don't think Harry is Frenching, do you?"

"I hope he isn't, captain. I should be inexpressibly sorry if he were and I had to report him for it. You know he is in my company."

"If you find him Frenching I want you to report him," savagely rejoined Captain Blunt. "Don't have any false notions on that subject, Mr.

Drake."

"That is a matter of great concern to me, captain," replied Robert in tones of anxiety. "I'd almost prefer to bilge than to report your son for a serious matter. He is a splendid fellow; everybody likes him and admires him. But he is undoubtedly reckless and careless. The great trouble to me is that he won't let me speak to him except officially. He is impatient of advice and won't listen to any from me."

"Mr. Drake, I desire and expect you to report him when you ought to do so. Don't worry about that."

Helen, growing impatient at this long conversation, said suddenly, "Robert, I made some fudge this morning; won't you come back in the pantry with me and help me bring it out?"

As soon as they were out of hearing, she said in a low voice: "Harry is up-stairs again, and he can't come down to get away without father seeing him. What shall I do? Harry is terribly afraid of his father."

"The only advice I can give you, Helen, is to tell your father he is there. You can't cover up his tracks, and I don't know anybody except his father who can influence him."

This advice to Helen seemed too explosive, and she felt she could devise some way herself to protect Harry, and she must make him feel that he must never, never do it again. So she remained silent.

When they returned to the drawing-room Robert felt ill at ease. Mrs.

Blunt, always sympathetically friendly to him, engaged him in talk; but after a few minutes Robert got up to take his leave, accompanied by Stonewell.

"Weren't you in a bit of a rush, Bob?" inquired Stonewell, glancing keenly at his roommate.

"Perhaps," replied Robert uncomfortably.

"Perhaps you found young Blunt eating pie in the pantry," remarked Stonewell.

"Not that close, Stone, but I guess he was in the house. Now what am I to do? I can just see that before long I'll be in a fix where I'll have to report young Blunt for a bilging offense, the son of the man that has every claim to my grat.i.tude--or else I'll have to go back on the strongest principles I possess. What am I to do, Stone?"

"That's a hard problem; we'll think about it, and perhaps we may be able to intimidate Blunt. Perhaps I may find a means to influence him. By the way, did you know that the first cla.s.s has late liberty to-night?

Penfield is going to play Richard the Third at the Colonial Theatre.

It's a great opportunity. I went to the commandant, and our cla.s.s is going to have eleven-thirty liberty. It's Penfield's best play; and I already have our tickets. Aren't you pleased, Bob?"

Robert looked at his roommate in sheer astonishment. "Well, of all things!" he said. "To think of your knowing that for hours and never mentioning it. Why, I was talking with Mrs. Blunt and Helen about the play and wishing I could go. I'm immensely pleased. But why didn't you speak of it before, Stone?"

"Oh, I just didn't. In fact I haven't told anybody. The news will be announced at supper formation, so you know it sooner than anybody else does. And we'll have a glorious time."

"I'm delighted," cried Robert. "Stone, this is just fine. Bully for old Dalton. He's a daisy commandant."

CHAPTER XI