Sam considered for a moment, gazed longingly off to the roof of barracks A, faintly visible above a rise of ground. Then, shouldering his ruined rifle, he began plodding up and down again, the rain beating on him in blinding, drenching sheets.

Every little while, he would glance hopefully toward the barracks, where he knew all hands were snug and dry in their white suits, perhaps having a good time. His discontent was added to when he heard the bugle blow for the midday mess.

"There, I'll lose my dinner," complained Hickey. "I knew something serious would happen before the day was over. I wonder if they have forgotten me?"

"They" had. But now the roll was being called as the apprentices formed for the mess. About that time the sun came out, and Sam discovered an officer in a rain coat rapidly approaching him. It was Lieutenant Commander Devall. The officer had his eye on the boy long before reaching him.

"What does this mean?" he demanded, gazing with surprise at the mud-covered, torn uniform and the twisted, ruined rifle on the shoulder of the plodding figure of Sam Hickey.

"My rifle was struck by lightning, sir," answered the lad, coming to a present arms.

CHAPTER VII-THE RED-HEADED BOY'S SURPRISE

"I should say it had!" exclaimed the amazed officer. "Let me see the rifle."

He examined the weapon critically, Sam standing at attention, expecting every moment to be severely rebuked.

"When did this happen?"

"About an hour ago, sir."

"You were hurt?"

"I don't know. I was laid out. I guess I would have drowned if I hadn't come to when I did," answered the lad, forgetting to add the "sir." The lieutenant commander appeared not to observe the slip.

"You regained consciousness, and have been on your extra duty tour ever since?"

"Yes, sir."

"Come with me."

Sam wonderingly followed his superior officer to barracks A. The officer led the way right into the mess hall. Looks of surprise greeted the appearance of the couple, which soon gave place to broad grins, for Sam Hickey at that moment was the most disreputable figure possible to imagine.

"Attention!" called the petty officer in charge of the mess when he saw the lieutenant commander entering.

Dan saw at once that something had happened, yet he could not understand it at all, unless Sam had been in a fight. That was the first thing that occurred to Davis.

All hands had risen to their feet, and had come to attention at command.

"Mr. Coda," said the lieutenant commander sharply, "you a.s.signed this man to extra duty, did you not?"

"Yes, sir," answered the quartermaster. "Acting on your command, as delivered to me by the man himself."

"Exactly. How long did he tell you he was to remain on duty?"

"Two hours, sir. I was to give him his orders when the tour of extra duty was ended, sir."

"Do you know how long he has been on duty?"

"About four hours, I think, sir."

"Exactly," answered the line officer dryly.

"The storm came on and I lost sight of this man. There were three other extra duty squads out in different parts of the grounds. These I rounded up, but I will confess that I entirely forgot the man Hickey, sir,"

continued the quartermaster, saluting as he spoke.

"After mess, report to my office. I have something to say to these men now."

"Are they to carry on, sir?"

"By no means until I direct them to do so. What I have to say should be heard standing."

"Very good, sir."

"Men," began the lieutenant commander, running his eyes over the brown faces of the apprentices, "I am very glad to be able to give you an object lesson. I hope every man of you will keep it in mind for the rest of his career in the Navy."

The officer paused, glancing at the attentive faces before him.

"It is in reference to this young man, Hickey. He was a.s.signed to extra duty for a slight offense. The offense, I am now satisfied, was without intent to violate any rule of discipline, and the punishment was intended more to point a moral than otherwise. Hickey was told to patrol his tour until relieved by the quartermaster. Those were your orders, Mr. Quartermaster, were they not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Hickey walked his tour over his time. A severe storm came up, but still he walked. He was obeying orders. Thunder and lightning even could not swerve him from doing that. Then Hickey was struck down by a bolt of lightning. You see his rifle, or what is left of it."

The lieutenant commander took Sam's gun from him, and, stepping over toward the others, held it out for their inspection. The boys looked at the twisted weapon, then at Sam Hickey. Amazement was written on their faces.

"Hickey was struck as well, as that mark on the left cheek will prove to you. He fell in a puddle of water, where he lay half-drowned, until finally he regained consciousness. I wonder how many of you here would not have started for cover as fast as he could run? I hope none of you would have done so. Hickey did not run, either. Instead, he straightened out his broken, ruined weapon as best he could, came to a right shoulder arms and began his tour of duty once again. I have not the least doubt that he would have continued all night had he not been relieved. He was obeying orders. As I have said before, not even lightning could swerve him from that. Young men, that is the kind of man the United States Navy wants-men who will obey orders, who will carry them out, no matter what may happen; who will do their full duty as long as there is a breath left in them. Quartermaster, are there any marks against this boy?"

The petty officer consulted the records.

"No, sir. He has been here a very short time, sir, hardly long enough to get any."

"Very good. You will see to it that his name is placed on record and read out in General Orders. Hickey, you will be appointed apprentice gunner's mate, your promotion to take effect immediately. It will not, however, continue after you go aboard a ship on a regular detail. The appointment is for the Training Station alone. It carries with it a slight increase in pay. You have made a good beginning, and I shall look for you to continue. Do so, and your rise in the United States Navy will be rapid. You are relieved from duty for the rest of the day. Carry on, men!"

Mess being over, the quartermaster, as directed, repaired to the office of the lieutenant commander to receive the reprimand that he supposed was in store for him. He was right. The lieutenant commander was very severe upon the quartermaster for the latter's failure to relieve Hickey at the proper time. The quartermaster, in his turn, had nothing but words of regret and apology, and was dismissed with a word of caution for the future.

CHAPTER VIII-ON THE RIFLE RANGE

Sam took his seat at the mess table mechanically. As a matter of fact he felt dazed. He had expected a rebuke and he had received a promotion instead.