Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-10-27


knotted about his throat, and hurried
down % report 10 Mr.. Karl
In the Storage the naval cadets and
junior officers were lust finishing an
early breakfast. and the japanese sorS.
ants were hurryins tack and forth
with tempting dishes and steamins
puts II coffee. The cOckswain's knock
at the door brought the steerage
steward, and ia him Welch repeated
his message. HIS words were heard 10y
.he Youngsters at the table, and one OF
them sang out in clear. buyish tones
Come in. Welch. %
The cockswain. hat in hand, entered
the room aud found himself facing
Naval Cadet Karl, who Was making
short work of a regulation navy break
fast of bacon and eggs.
Il was ordered to report to you, sir.
said Wclch.
"All right, cockswain; come in here.
| want Ia see you a minute, ANA Karl,
jumping mp from the table, pushed open
the door Of his staterOOm and motlOnef
10 Welch to enter the little room where
the tumbled hunks and general untidy
appearance showed that karl's japanese
boy had not yet put this apartment IN
condition for inspection.
Such an unusual proceeding on the
part Of their messmate ~ &c invite
sailor into his stateroom made the eyes
Of the other young gentlemen ut the
table rrotrude from their sockets
Karl always was a genius in ccceu-
tricity, but this move beats me, " re-
marked one of the cadets.
Thera was hut one chair in the state
room. and in this Karl seated the sea
man as soon as the heavy drapery at
the door had fallen behind them.
''See here Andrew i Karl was visi.
blv excited and his voice trembed a
little AS he apOke-'you re- going with
me today into "a veritable he'll trap, and
before we 20 l want to tell you some
thing. Until after you had told the
Commandant Of cadets at the academy
that You were guilty CT 'guuglng AZ
that skinny exam. | never knew that
you cared anything fer my sister, |
acted like coward about that affair
and am willing to acknowledge 1t. |
permitted you TO take the whole blame
because | was too C0wardly 10 let CD
that | was the guilty person. asked
you to help me at that examination,
and you did it When Old Crook saw
on the floor that piece Of paper with
the skinny problem on it, which you
bad tried to pass to me, | should have
owned mp at once that the problem wac
intended for me and not for you. We'll,
didn't own mp to it, as should have
done karl's face was now flushed,
and he was raising his voice little.
"You were dismissed and never lispod
a word to any cody in the academy
about my treaChery.
"Ycu took my punishment. You were
disgraCed and your life was ruined.
You could have ruined me had you
been less Of Il man. No, no" --Welch
bad now jumped to his feet and was
trying to say something-'I say You
could have ruined me, but you took my
disgrace ard for my sake became a
homeless wanderer. After you were dis.
missed from the academy learned
that Nellie loved You. Yes; she wrote
me that she loved you. and, see, here il
the letter,
Karl drew from pigeonholo in his
desk dainty envelope and passed il &c
Welch, who sat with his hand shading
his eyes, as if dazed.
Then began TO zee how selfshly !
had behaved, Karl went on, when
you came on hoard this ship, an enlist
ed man, knew you at once in spite Of
your mustache and your changed APP
pearance, but Bill and the other fellows
didn't recognize you. have done what
| could for you here, hut il hasn't been
much that ! could do | knew You
would want to 20 on this cable cutting
trip, and asked the first huff to send
you with me in the cutter
II have kept my secret, but in this
letter. which | have Just written. |
have told thu fellows all about you ard
how you took my punishment like a
hero-yCs, that's the word, a hero, for
You are hero, Andrew. and m a con
founded rascal. If | don't got back
from this trip we are going on today,
the boys will find this letter in my
desk have written home, too and
karl's face became pale again, and be
uervously shuifled the papers in his
desk "Nelie will know about it too.
| have told her all in this letter.
The naval cadet and the seaman
faced each other in silence a moment,
then they separated, each to prepare
for the hazardous venture in which
they were ~ participate.
When WEIGH walked out through the
Storage country to the forecastle,
tightly clasping in his hand the dainty
envelope Karl had given him, his face
was paler than usual.
At II o'clock the battleship and the
Fest of the squadron IpOved in toward
the harbor and opened fire on the Span,
sh batteries, several miles distant
While the big guns roared and he
shells were flying toward the beac
sending the Spanish gunners scurrying
like frightened rats into their holes the
steam launch with the cutter in tcN
showed off from the battleship.
The location OF the cable was known,
and when tae cutter was mile from
shore the graphing irons were thrown
overheard, and the work was begun in
earnest The cutter cast adrift from
the launch, worked in toward the shore,
while the launch moved out into the
harbor and was out Of range when the
Spaniards opened fire.
Soon the water about the cutter fair.
ly sizzled with the rain CT rapid fire
pnjectles, but the Yankee tars, with
their faces hard set and their eyes fixed
on the two men handling the graphing
lines, pulled doggedly away at the oars.
| Karl md COcksWain Welch kent the