Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-13
CONTINUED FROM LAST SUNDAY
CHAPTER XIX
EXPLAINS THE APPEARANCE OF COM
MANDER BRANT.

MANDER BhANI. IL
@1F ALL the long series of surprises
tAYI of that eventful night, none operat-
ed with more effect upon the mutt.
(sAH neers than that of the sudden ap-
pearance of Commander Brant
alone and apparently without
knowledge of, or regard for, the comphca-
tions into which he had thrust himself
Brants heedlessness in pursuing the course
he did was, however, more apparent than
real. The Ventures rightful master was a
level-headed young man, and he was exceed
ingly wise in the ways of the Inischief-makerS
of Westbrook.
His present action had not been taken
without certain deliberation and calcula-.
tion of future chances, some of the elements
of which were, better appreciated by the
young commander than by the mutineers.
All this, however, does not serve to explain
how it was that Commander Brant happened
to arrive las he did, at the very instant that
the Venture was taking her departure from
the wharf in possession OF her captors. to
begin a runaway cruise. A return to West
brook, and to the moment when the fleeing
barge conveying the. eight mutineers from
the academy was hailed by the sentinel on
shore. is necessary to a complete understand
ing OF this happening.
The sentinel had sighted the barge, lying
inert on the rolling waves short distance
beyond the wharf, the minute he came up on
the shore end of the pier on his beat along
emtory hail elected no response, he had de-
tecteds the movement of the mutineers when
they bent to their oars, and pulled swiftly
away.
: Then it was that he sounded the alarm
which brought the officer of the day down
upon the scene at double-quick time
To the officer, the sentinel had only to
point out the boat-house, and everything be
came clear-at least so far as regarded the
probable number of the runaways and the
method of their escape
The officer, who never before in his ex-
perience as cadet had been confronted with
situation Of equal gravity, FASTENED at once
up to the barracks and aroused the COM
manding officer Of his company. A hurried
conference ensued, and right here occurred
the first blunder, which cost the authorities
Of Westbrook their opportunity to capture
the boys before they could obtain possession
of the schooi-boat and get under yay. An
effort was made to keep the escape of the
mutinous eight a secret.
Instead of sending out a general alarm and
drumming out every cadet in the building to
ascertain just who the missing eight were,
the officer dispatched messenger to the
snperintendent's house, in another part of the
grounds, and ordered out squad.
Then more time was lost In conference be-
tween the superintendent and the officers.
The problem debated was as to what we're
the plans and purposes Of the rebels.
To the superintendent's mind the break
ing away of so large a body betokened an
Illicit enterprise OF some moment.
The cadet officers believed that the mu-
tineers intended simply to pull across the
bay and take to the woods, as three Of their
familiars had done few days before, and
eluded pursuit.
There was one person in the academy who
could have set their doubts at rest on the
instant, but it was only after the lapse of
valuable moments that the superintendent
thought of consulting Brant.
The young commander, In addition to be
ing the Oldest pupil in the academy, was rec
ognized by all as a superior mind in dealing
with those complications in which "our fel
lows" figured
He had been one Of them once, but the
hard lessons of experience had thought him
how hard the way of the transgressor is
bound to become sooner or later, and he had
amended his ways. He was now as viglant
and earnest in his efforts to maintain disci-
pine at Westbrook as he had once been to
disturb it.
Within two minutes after the non-commis-
stoned officer, who had been sent TO summon
him, raped at his door, Commander Brant
was in the presence Of the superintendent
and the other cadet commanders, and he had
learned enough in the meantime to enable
him to pronounce, without hesitation upon
the plans of the runaways.
Before he left the barracks. Brant had gone