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diff --git a/37672.txt b/37672.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04ecc72 --- /dev/null +++ b/37672.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7665 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of From School to Battle-field, by Charles King + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: From School to Battle-field + A Story of the War Days + +Author: Charles King + +Illustrator: Violet Oakley + Charles H. Stephens + +Release Date: October 9, 2011 [EBook #37672] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM SCHOOL TO BATTLE-FIELD *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + FROM SCHOOL TO BATTLE-FIELD + + + [Illustration: "Come down aff the top o' dthat harrse!"] + + + FROM SCHOOL TO BATTLE-FIELD + + A STORY OF THE WAR DAYS + + BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING, U.S.A. AUTHOR OF "TROOPER ROSS," ETC. + + + ILLUSTRATED BY VIOLET OAKLEY AND CHARLES H. STEPHENS + + + PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1899 + + + COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + + "COME DOWN AFF THE TOP O' DTHAT HARRSE!" + + ALMOST SENSELESS, TILL SHORTY STROVE TO LIFT HIS BLEEDING HEAD UPON + HIS KNEE + + "I COULDN'T STAND IT. I HAD TO GO" + + SHE WAS PERMITTED TO READ AND TO WEEP OVER SNIPE'S PATHETIC LETTER + + FIRST CAPTURE OF THE ADVANCING ARMS OF THE UNION + + "WHERE'D YOU GET THAT WATCH?" + + + + +FROM SCHOOL TO BATTLE-FIELD. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"If there's anything I hate more than a rainy Saturday, call me a +tadpole!" said the taller of two boys who, with their chins on their +arms and their arms on the top of the window-sash, were gazing gloomily +out over a dripping world. It was the second day of an east wind, and +every boy on Manhattan Island knows what an east wind brings to New York +City, or used to in days before the war, and this was one of them. + +"And our nine could have lammed that Murray Hill crowd a dozen to +nothing!" moaned the shorter, with disgust in every tone. "Next Saturday +the 'Actives' have that ground, and there'll be no decent place to +play--unless we can trap them over to Hoboken. What shall we do, +anyhow?" + +The taller boy, a curly-headed, dark-eyed fellow of sixteen, whose long +legs had led to his school name of Snipe, turned from the contemplation +of an endless vista of roofs, chimneys, skylights, clothes-lines, all +swimming in an atmosphere of mist, smoke, and rain, and glanced back at +the book-laden table. + +"There's that Virgil," he began, tentatively. + +"Oh, Virgil be blowed!" broke in the other on the instant. "It's bad +enough to have to work week-days. I mean what can we do for--fun?" and +the blue eyes of the youngster looked up into the brown of his taller +chum. + +"That's all very well for you, Shorty," said Snipe. "Latin comes easy to +you, but it don't to me. You've got a sure thing on exam., I haven't, +and the pater's been rowing me every week over those blasted reports." + +"Well-l, I'm as bad off in algebra or Greek, for that matter. 'Pop' told +me last week I ought to be ashamed of myself," was the junior's answer. + +And, lest it be supposed that by "Pop" he referred to the author of his +being, and thereby deserves the disapproval of every right-minded reader +at the start, let it be explained here and now that "Pop" was the +head--the "rector"--of a school famous in the ante-bellum days of +Gotham; famous indeed as was its famous head, and though they called him +nicknames, the boys worshipped him. Older boys, passed on into the cap +and gown of Columbia (items of scholastic attire sported only, however, +at examinations and the semi-annual speech-making), referred to the +revered professor of the Greek language and literature as "Bull," and +were no less fond of him, nor did they hold him less in reverence. Where +are they now, I wonder?--those numerous works bound in calf, embellished +on the back with red leather bands on which were stamped in gold ----'s +Virgil, ----'s Horace, ----'s Sallust, ----'s Homer? Book after book had +he, grammars of both tongues, prosodies likewise, Roman and Greek +antiquities, to say nothing of the huge classical dictionary. One could +cover a long shelf in one's student library without drawing upon the +works of any other authority, and here in this dark little room, on the +topmost floor of a brownstone house in Fourteenth Street, a school-boy +table was laden at its back with at least eight of Pop's ponderous tomes +to the exclusion of other classics. + +But on the shelf above were books by no means so scholarly and far more +worn. There they stood in goodly array, Mayne Reid's "Boy Hunters," +"Scalp Hunters," "The Desert Home," "The White Chief," flanked by a +dusty "Sanford and Merton" that appeared to hold aloof from its +associates. There, dingy with wear though far newer, was Thomas Hughes's +inimitable "Tom Brown's School-Days at Rugby." There was what was then +his latest, "The Scouring of the White Horse," which, somehow, retained +the freshness of the shop. There were a few volumes of Dickens, and +Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. There on the wall were some vivid battle +pictures, cut from the _London Illustrated News_,--the Scots Grays in +the melee with the Russian cavalry at Balaklava; the Guards, in their +tall bearskins and spike-tail coats, breasting the slopes of the Alma. +There hung a battered set of boxing-gloves, and on the hooks above them +a little brown rifle, muzzle-loading, of course. The white-covered bed +stood against the wall on the east side of the twelve-by-eight +apartment, its head to the north. At its foot were some objects at which +school-boys of to-day would stare in wonderment; a pair of heavy boots +stood on the floor, with a pair of trousers so adjusted to them that, in +putting on the boots, one was already half-way into the trousers, and +had only to pull them up and tightly belt them at the waist. On the post +hung a red flannel shirt, with a black silk neckerchief sewed to the +back of the broad rolling collar. On top of the post was the most +curious object of all,--a ribbed helmet of glistening black leather, +with a broad curving brim that opened out like a shovel at the back, +while a stiff, heavy eagle's neck and head, projecting from the top, +curved over them and held in its beak an emblazoned front of black +patent leather that displayed in big figures of white the number 40, and +in smaller letters, arching over the figures, the name, Lady Washington. +It was the fire-cap of a famous engine company of the old New York +volunteer department,--a curious thing, indeed, to be found in a +school-boy's room. + +The desk, littered with its books and papers, stood in the corner +between the window and the east wall. Along the west wall was a +curtained clothes-press. Then came the marble-topped washstand, into +which the water would flow only at night, when the demand for Gotham's +supply of Croton measurably subsided. Beyond that was the door leading +to the open passage toward the stairway to the lower floors. In the +corner of the room were the school-boy paraphernalia of the day,--a +cricket bat, very much battered, two base-ball bats that the boys of +this generation would doubtless scan suspiciously, "heft" cautiously, +then discard disdainfully, for they were of light willow and bigger at +the bulge by full an inch than the present regulation. Beneath them in +the corner lay the ball of the year 1860, very like the article now in +use, but then referred to as a "ten shilling," and invariably made at an +old shoe-shop at the foot of Second Avenue, whose owner, a veteran +cobbler, had wisely quit half-soling and heeling for a sixpence and was +coining dollars at the newly discovered trade. All the leading clubs +were then his patrons,--the Atlantics, the Eckfords, the Mutuals, the +Stars, even the Unions of Morrisania. All the leading junior clubs swore +by him and would use no ball but his,--the champion Actives, the Alerts, +the Uncas. (A "shanghai club" the boys declared the last named to be +when it first appeared at Hamilton Square in its natty uniform of +snow-white flannel shirts and sky-blue trousers.) Base ball was in its +infancy, perhaps, but what a lusty infant and how pervading! Beyond that +corner and hanging midway on the northward wall was a portentous object, +an old-fashioned maple shell snare-drum, with white buff leather sling +and two pairs of ebony sticks, their polished heads and handles +proclaiming constant use, and the marble surface of the washstand top, +both sides, gave proof that when practice on the sheepskin batter head +was tabooed by the household and the neighborhood, the inoffensive stone +received the storm of "drags," and "flams," and "rolls." Lifting the +curtain that overhung the boyish outfit of clothing, there stood +revealed still further evidence of the martial tastes of the occupant, +for the first items in sight were a natty scarlet shell-jacket, a pair +of trim blue trousers, with broad stripe of buff, and a jaunty little +forage-cap, with regimental wreath and number. Underneath the curtain, +but readily hauled into view, were found screwed and bolted to heavy +blocks of wood two strange-looking miniature cannon, made, as one could +soon determine, by sawing off a brace of old-fashioned army muskets +about a foot from the breech. Two powder-flasks and a shot-bag hung on +pegs at the side of the curtained clothes-press. A little mirror was +clamped to the wall above the washstand. Some old fencing foils and a +weather-beaten umbrella stood against the desk. An open paint-box, much +besmeared, lay among the books. Some other pamphlets and magazines were +stacked up on the top of the clothes-press. Two or three colored prints, +one of Columbian Engine, No. 14, a very handsome Philadelphia +"double-decker." Another of Ringgold Hose, No. 7, a really beautiful +four-wheeler of the old, old type, with chocolate-colored running gear +and a dazzling plate-glass reel, completed the ornamentation of this +school-boy den. There was no room for a lounge,--there was room only for +two chairs; but that diminutive apartment was one of the most popular +places of resort Pop's boys seemed to know, and thereby it became the +hot-bed of more mischief, the birthplace of more side-splitting school +pranks than even the staid denizens of that most respectable brownstone +front ever dreamed of, whatever may have been the convictions of the +neighborhood, for Pop's boys, be it known, had no dormitory or +school-house in common. No such luck! They lived all over Manhattan +Island, all over Kings, Queens, and Westchester counties. They came from +the wilds of Hoboken and the heights of Bergen. They dwelt in massive +brownstone fronts on Fifth Avenue and in modest wooden, one-story +cottages at Fort Washington. They wore "swell" garments in some cases +and shabby in others. They were sons of statesmen, capitalists, lawyers, +doctors, and small shopkeepers. They were rich and they were poor; they +were high and they were low, tall and short, skinny and stout, but they +were all pitched, neck and crop, into Pop's hopper, treated share and +share alike, and ground and polished and prodded or praised, and a more +stand-on-your-own-bottom lot of young vessels ("vessels of wrath," said +the congregation of a neighboring tabernacle) never had poured into them +impartially the treasures of the spring of knowledge. They were of four +classes, known as the first, second, third, and fourth Latin, +corresponding to the four classes of Columbia and other colleges, and to +be a first Latin boy at Pop's was second only to being a senior at Yale +or Columbia. As a rule the youngsters "started fair" together at the +bottom, and knew each other to the backbone by the time they reached the +top. Few new boys came in except each September with the fourth Latin. +Pop had his own way of teaching, and the boy that didn't know his +methods and had not mastered his "copious notes" might know anybody +else's Caesar, Sallust, or Cicero by rote, but he couldn't know Latin. +Pop had a pronunciation of the Roman tongue that only a Pop's bred boy +could thoroughly appreciate. Lads who came, as come in some rare cases +they did, from Eton or Harrow, from the Latin schools of Boston or the +manifold academies of the East, read as they had been taught to read, +and were rewarded with a fine sarcasm and the information that they had +much to unlearn. Pop's school was encompassed roundabout by many another +school, whose pupils took their airing under ushers' eyes, to the +howling disdain of Pop's unhampered pupils, who lined the opposite curb +and dealt loudly in satirical comment. There was war to the knife +between Pop's boys and Charlier's around the corner, to the end that the +hours of recess had to be changed or both schools, said the police, +would be forbidden the use of Madison Square. They had many faults, had +Pop's boys, though not all the neighborhood ascribed to them, and they +had at least one virtue,--they pulled well together. By the time it got +to the top of the school each class was like a band of brothers, and +never was there a class of which this could be more confidently asserted +than the array of some twenty-seven youngsters, of whom Snipe and his +smaller chum, Shorty, were prominent members, in the year of our Lord +eighteen hundred and sixty. + +Yet, they had their black sheep, as is to be told, and their +scapegraces, as will not need to be told, and months of the oddest, +maddest, merriest school life in the midst of the most vivid excitement +the great city ever knew, and on the two lads wailing there at the attic +window because their fates had balked the longed-for game at Hamilton +Square, there were dawning days that, rain or shine, would call them +shelterless into constant active, hazardous life, and that, in one at +least, would try and prove and temper a brave, impatient spirit,--that +should be indeed the very turning-point of his career. + +Patter, patter, patter! drip, drip, drip! the rain came pelting in +steady shower. The gusty wind blew the chimney smoke down into the +hollow of the long quadrilateral of red brick house backs. Three, four, +and five stories high, they hemmed in, without a break, a "plant" of +rectangular back-yards, each with its flag-stone walk, each with its +square patch of turf, each with its flower-beds at the foot of the high, +spike-topped boundary fence, few with visible shrubs, fewer still +diversified by grape arbors, most of them criss-crossed with +clothes-lines, several ornamented with whirligigs, all on this moist +November afternoon wringing wet from the steady downpour that came on +with the dawn and broke the boys' hearts, for this was to have been the +match day between the Uncas and the Murray Hills, and Pop's school was +backing the Indians to a man. One more week and winter might be upon +them and the ball season at an end. Verily, it was indeed too bad! + +With a yawn of disgust, the shorter boy at the open-topped window threw +up his hands and whirled about. There on the bed lay the precious +base-ball uniform in which he was wont to figure as shortstop. There, +too, lay Snipe's, longer in the legs by nearly a foot. "There's nothing +in-doors but books, Snipy. There's only one thing to tempt a fellow out +in the wet,--a fire, and small chance of that on such a day. We might +take the guns up on the roof and shoot a few skylights or something----" + +"Shut up!" said Snipe, at this juncture, suddenly, impetuously throwing +up his hand. "Twenty-third Street!" + +Shorty sprang to the window and levelled an old opera-glass at the +summit of an odd white tower that loomed, dim and ghost-like, through +the mist above the housetops quarter of a mile away. Both boys' eyes +were kindling, their lips parting in excitement. Both were on tiptoe. + +"Right! Down comes the lever!" was the next announcement. "Upper Fifth, +I'll bet a bat! Listen!" + +Suddenly there pealed on the heavy air, solemn and slow, the deep, +mellow tones of a great bell. Even as he counted the strokes each boy +reached for his cap. One--two--three--four! + +"Fourth!" cried Shorty. "Come on!" And, light as kittens, away scurried +the two, skimming down three flights of stairs, nearly capsizing a +sedate old butler, snatching their top-coats in the hall, letting +themselves out with a bang, leaping down the broad flight of brownstone +steps to the broader walk below, then spurting away for Union Square, +fast as light-heeled, light-hearted lads could run. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +A curious thing to look back upon is the old volunteer fire department +of New York as it was forty years ago. No horses, no fire-boats, few +steamers, no telegraph alarm-boxes, only a great array of practically +go-as-you-please companies, averaging forty or fifty men apiece, +scattered all over the inhabited parts of the island from Harlem to the +Battery. Sixty of these organizations, there or thereabouts, were hose +companies, each manning a light, high-wheeled, fancifully painted +carriage with its hose-reel perched gracefully above the running-gear, +decked out with fancy lamps and jangling bells,--a carriage so light +that a boy could start it on the level and a dozen athletic men could +make it fairly spin over the paved streets. Then there were fifty engine +companies, all but two or three specially favored bands "tooling" hand +machines, some of the old "double-deck" Philadelphia pattern, some with +long side levers, "brakes" they called them; others still with strange, +uncouth shapes, built by some local expert with the idea of +out-squirting all competitors. Down in Centre Street was the heavy +apparatus of the Exempt Company, only called upon in case of fires of +unusual magnitude. Near by, too, was stored a brace of what were then +considered powerful steamers, brought out only on such occasions; but +two companies that wielded strong political influence proudly drew at +the end of their ropes light-running and handsome steam fireengines, and +these two companies, Americus 6,--"Big Six" as they called her,--and her +bitter rivals of Manhattan 8, were the envied of all the department. Add +to these some nineteen hook and ladder companies that ran long, light, +prettily ornamented trucks, and you have the New York fire department as +it was just before the war. Famous men were its chiefs in those days, +and the names of Harry Howard and John Decker, of Carson and Cregier, +were household words among the boys at Pop's, most of whom were strong +partisans of some company on whose speed and prowess they pinned their +faith. Strange, indeed, to-day seems the system by which fire alarms +were communicated. There were no electric bells, no gongs, no telephones +in the various engine-houses, which were scattered all over the town, +generally in groups of two, an engine and a hose company being "located" +side by side, though a large number occupied single houses. On the roof +of the old post-office at Nassau Street, in a huge frame-work at the +rear of the City Hall, and in tall observation-towers of iron tubing or +wooden frame, placed at convenient points about the city, were hung big, +heavy, deep-toned bells that struck the hour at noon and nine at night, +but otherwise were used exclusively for the purpose of giving alarms of +fire. The city was divided into eight districts, and the sounding of the +tower bells of any number from one to eight, inclusive, meant that a +fire had been discovered within the limits of that district, and all +companies designated for service therein must hunt it up and put it out. +The seventh and eighth districts divided the lower part of the city, a +little below Canal Street, evenly between them. Then, as the city +broadened there, the great, far-spreading space between the East and +North Rivers, south of Twenty-second Street, was parcelled off into the +third, fourth, fifth, and sixth districts, beginning from the west. +These were quite narrow at the south, but flared out north and eastward. +Above them, on the east and west sides of the city respectively, lay the +first and second districts, the former extending almost to Harlem, which +had on Mount Morris its own bell-tower and at its foot a little +department of its own. Night and day a single watcher was perched in the +glass-enclosed lookout at the summit of each lofty tower, his sole +communication with the world below being a speaking-tube to the +engine-house at the base and a single wire that connected his "circuit" +with the main office at the City Hall, a circuit so limited in its +possibilities that it could only administer a single tap at a time upon +the tiny gong-bell over the watcher's desk, and finally the big, booming +bell that, hanging midway down in the lofty structure, was yet so high +above the neighboring roofs and walls that its sound bellowed forth in +unimpeded volume. It was struck by a massive swinging hammer, worked by +a long steel lever aloft in the watch-tower, the entire apparatus being +the design, as were some of the strange-looking engines, of ex-Chief +Carson, and one of the greatest treats that Pop's boys could possibly +have was to be piloted of a wintry Saturday afternoon or summer evening, +by one of their number who had the _open sesame_, up, up the winding +stairway, up past the huge, silent monster that hung midway. (You may +venture to bet they wasted no time there, but scurried past him, full +tilt, lest an alarm should come at the instant and he should suddenly +boom forth and stun them with his clamor.) Once well past him, they +breathed freer, if harder, for the climb was long, and at last, tapping +on a little trap-door, were admitted to the sanctum at the summit, and +could gaze in delight and wonderment about them and over the busy, +bustling world far, far beneath. Once well above the low ground of Canal +Street, the city rose, and from the Hudson to the East River, along +about the line of Spring Street, the ground was high, and here was +established the inner row of Gotham's picket guards against fire: three +tall towers, one away over at Essex Market, on the far east side, +guarding the sixth district; one on Marion Street, guarding the lower +fourth and fifth; one over at McDougal Street, guarding the lower third. +The next post to the northward was at Jefferson Market, on Sixth Avenue, +a tall white wooden shaft that seemed to pierce the skies, so low were +all the surrounding buildings, and from his eerie at its summit +Jefferson's ringer watched over the upper third and fourth districts. +The next tower was Twenty-third Street, near First Avenue, an open +affair of iron, like that at McDougal, and here the guardian looked out +over all the lower first and upper fifth districts, as well as having an +eye on the northeastern part of the fourth. Then came Thirty-second +Street, far over near Ninth Avenue, another open cage; and in the cozy, +stove-warmed roost at the top of each, snugly closed against wind and +weather, day and night, as has been said, and only one man at a time, +the ringer kept his ceaseless vigil. It was his duty to be ever on the +alert, ever moving about and spying over the city. If an unusual smoke +or blaze manifested itself anywhere, he would at once unsling his +spy-glass and examine it. If it lay long blocks or miles away and closer +to some other tower, the unwritten law or etiquette of the craft +demanded that he should touch the key of his telegraph. This instantly +sounded the little bell in the other towers on his circuit, and called +upon his fellows to look about them. At no time could he sit and read. +He must pace about the narrow confines of his rounded den, or on the +encircling gallery outside, and watch, watch, watch. Whenever he +discovered a fire, the first thing was to let down his lever and strike +one round of the district in which it lay,--fast if the fire was near, +slow if at a distance. This was all the neighboring companies had to +judge by, as the first arrivals at the engine-house, or the loungers +generally sitting about the stove back of the apparatus, or the bunkers +who slept there at night, sprang for their fire-caps, raced for the +trumpet that stood on the floor at the end of the tongue, threw open +their doors, manned the drag-rope, and "rolled" for the street. No +company could speed far on its route before meeting some runner or +partisan who could tell the exact or approximate location of the fire. +The first round from the tower would start every machine in its +neighborhood. Then the ringer would spring to his telegraph and rapidly +signal to the City Hall two rounds of the district, then add the number +of his tower. Then back he would go to his lever and bang another round. +If the fire was trivial four rounds would suffice; if a great +conflagration ensued he would keep on ringing for half an hour, and if +it proved so great that the chief engineer deemed it necessary to call +out his entire force, word would be sent to the nearest tower, and a +general alarm would result,--a continuous tolling until signalled from +the City Hall to cease. Well did Pop's boys remember the one general +alarm of 1859, when the magnificent Crystal Palace at Sixth Avenue and +Forty-second Street went up in smoke; and all in half an hour! And +thrilling and interesting it was to the favored few of their number +permitted sometimes to stand watch of an evening with the ringer, and to +peer down on the gaslights of the bustling streets and over dim roofs +and spires and into many an open window long blocks away! It was joy to +be allowed to man the lever with the silent, mysterious hermit of the +tower and help him bang the big bell when the last click of the +telegraph from the City Hall announced that the second-hand of the +regulator at the main office had just reached the mark at nine o'clock. +It was simply thrilling to sit and watch the keen-eyed sentinel as he +suddenly and intently scanned a growing light about some distant dormer +window, reached for his glass, peered through it one instant, then +clapped it into its frame, sprang for the lever, and in another moment +three or four or five deep, clanging notes boomed out on the night air +from below. It was wild delight to lean from the gallery without and +watch the rush and excitement in the streets,--to hear the jangle of the +bells of the white hose carriage as "she" shot suddenly into view and, +with a dozen active dots on the drag-rope, went spinning down the +street, closely followed by her next-door neighbor, the engine, with a +rapidly growing crew. It was keen excitement to watch the bursting of +the blaze, the roll of the smoke from the upper windows, to see it wax +and spread and light up the neighboring roofs and chimneys with its +glare, to mark from on high the swiftly gathering throngs on the broad +avenue, and under the gaslight to see company after company come +trotting out from the side streets, curving round into the car-tracks, +and the moment the broad tires of their engine, truck, or carriage +struck the flat of the rails, up would rise a yell from every throat and +away they would go at racing speed. It was thrilling, indeed, to see two +rival companies reach the avenue at the same point and turn at once into +the tracks. Then to the stirring peal of the alarm the fiercely +contending bands would seem fairly to spurn the stones beneath their +flying feet, and carts, carriages, "busses," everything except the +railway-cars themselves, would clear the track for the rival racers, and +the air would resound with their rallying-cries. Time and again, it must +be owned, so fierce was the strain for supremacy, that furious rows +broke forth between the contestants, and that between many companies +there were for months and years bitter feuds that often led to war to +the knife, and a fire was sometimes left to look out for itself while +the firemen settled their quarrel with fists, stones, and "spanners." As +a rule, though, there were so many companies at each fire that there +were more than enough to fight the flames, for every company had to run +to two districts as well as cover its own neighborhood. Rowdyism was +rampant in some of the organizations, but then a benignant "Tammany" +guarded the interests of a force so strong in numbers, so potent a +factor in politics, and only when a company had become repeatedly and +notoriously negligent of its proper duties in order to indulge its love +for fight was it actually disbanded. Compared with the system of to-day +it was almost grotesque; but in the years when Pop's boys were in their +glory the old volunteer fire department was on its last legs, yet was as +ignorant of its coming dissolution as of the approach of the great war +that should summon so many of its members to meet a foe far harder to +down than the hottest fire they had ever tackled. They were still +monarchs of all they surveyed, those red-shirted, big-hearted roughs, +and many a company had a jolly word of welcome for Pop's boys, who more +than once had given some favorite company first notice--"a still +alarm"--of a blaze, and thereby enabled the "Zephyrs" of 61 Hose or the +"Pacifics" of 28 Engine to be first at the fire, getting a "scoop" on +their nearest neighbors of the "Lexington" or the "Metamoras," for every +company besides its number had its name, and every company, high or low, +its swarm of boy admirers, adherents, and followers, most of them, it +must be admitted, street _gamins_. + +And all this explanation as our two youngsters are scooting through the +dripping rain for Union Square. + +As they sped across Fifth Avenue a long white seam flashed into view +just beyond the Washington statue, and went like a dim streak sailing +away up Fourth Avenue. + +"There goes Twelve Truck!" panted Shorty, already half-winded in the +fierce effort to keep up with Snipe's giant strides. "Seven Hose must be +just ahead. Look out for Twenty-three now!" + +Yes, out from Broadway, as he spoke, a little swarm of men and boys on +the drag-ropes, another company came, hauling a bulky little red +hand-engine, and went tugging in chase of the lighter hook and ladder. A +minute's swift run brought the youngsters to the open square, another +around to the broad space in front of the Everett, and there the misty +atmosphere grew heavy and thick, and the swarm of scurrying men and boys +breathed harder as they plunged into a dense drift of smoke. Just as our +youngsters noted that the crowds were running eastward through +Nineteenth Street, the old rallying cry of another company was heard, +and a light hose carriage came bounding across the car-tracks from the +direction of Broadway. Snipe by this time was a dozen yards ahead, and +could not hear or would not heed the half-choking, warning cry of +puffing little Shorty. + +"Lay low, Snipe; that's the Metamora. Look out--look out for the----" + +Too late! Half a dozen young fellows were sprinting along beside their +pet hose carriage. No more were needed on the ropes, and as Shorty +rounded the corner into Nineteenth Street and saw the flames bursting +from the roof of a stable close to Lexington Avenue, he saw, too, with +bursting heart, three of those young flankers spring up on the sidewalk +in chase of long-limbed Snipe, saw one of them overtake him, lay sudden +hand on his shoulder on one side and hurl him violently to the left, +just in time to be tripped over the tangling foot of another and tumbled +headlong into the reeking gutter, there to lie, stunned and almost +senseless, till Shorty, raging, yet breathless and helpless, strove to +lift his bleeding head upon his knee. + +[Illustration: Almost senseless, till Shorty strove to lift his bleeding +head upon his knee.] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +Bigger crowds ran to fires, big or little, in those days than now. The +blaze which had well-nigh destroyed an old frame stable in Nineteenth +Street that rainy Saturday afternoon before a single fire company +reached the scene, and that drew to the spot in the course of half an +hour at least twenty companies,--engine, hose, or hook and +ladder,--would be handled now by one compact little battalion with +one-tenth the loss, with no more than forty men, without an unnecessary +sound, and in much less than half the time. Although aided by +sympathizing hands, Shorty had barely time to get Snipe on his shaky +legs and in the lee of a sheltering tree-box when another company came +tearing around from upper Fourth Avenue,--their old friends of Zephyr +Hose,--close followed by Engine 28, and Shorty lifted up his voice in a +yodel that instantly brought two or three panting young fellows to his +side,--big boys who had run with their pet company the half-mile from +Twenty-eighth Street. Instant suspicion, mingled with wrath, gleamed in +their eyes at sight of Snipe's pale face and bleeding temple. "Yes, the +Hulker fellows!" sobbed Shorty, now half mad with indignation and +excitement. "I saw just the two that did it. One of them belongs to the +first nine of the Metamoras,--the juniors,--and had a row with Snipe the +day of the match. Briggs was with them. Wait till we tend to Snipe, then +we can fix him." + +The youngster's heart was beating hard and savagely, for the outrage was +brutal. There had been angry words between the rival clubs, the Uncas +and the Metamora, the day of their great game, and hosts of other +juniors had gathered about the wrangling nines, not utterly displeased +at the idea of a falling out between two of the strongest and, as +juniors went in those days, "swellest" organizations on the list. Then, +as luck would have it, several of the older boys of both clubs were +devoted followers, even "runners," of two rival hose companies, the +Uncas almost to a man pinning their fortunes on the white Zephyr, whose +home was but three short blocks above Pop's school, and one of whose +active members, the son of a Fifth Avenue millionaire, was the biggest +and oldest--and stupidest--of Pop's pupils, though not in the classical +department. The Metamoras, in like manner, swore by the swell hose +company of that name, whose carriage was housed on Fifth Avenue itself, +diagonally over across the way from the impressively dignified and +aristocratic brownstone mansion of the Union Club. And what Pop's boys, +the First Latin, at least, were well-nigh a unit in condemning was that +just two of their own number, residents of that immediate neighborhood, +were known to be in league with the Metamora crowd, even to the extent, +it was whispered, of secretly associating with the Hulkers, and by the +Hulkers was meant a little clique led by two brothers of that name, big, +burly young fellows of nineteen and eighteen respectively, sons of a +wealthy widow, who let them run the road to ruin and bountifully paid +their way,--two young scapegraces who were not only vicious and +well-nigh worthless themselves, but were leading astray half a score of +others who were fit for better things. No wonder the hearts of the Uncas +were hot against them. + +Into the area doorway of a neighboring dwelling, with faces of gloom, +they had led their wounded comrade. Sympathizing, kind-hearted women +bathed his forehead and smoothly bandaged it, even as the uproar without +increased, and companies from far down-town kept pouring into the +crowded street. By this time half a dozen streams were on the blaze and +the black smoke had turned to white steam, but still they came, Gulick +and Guardian, hose and engine, from under the Jefferson tower, and natty +55 Hose,--the "Harry Howards,"--from away over near the Christopher +ferry, and their swell rivals of 38, from Amity Street, close at the +heels of Niagara 4, with her handsome Philadelphia double-deck engine, +and "3 Truck," from Fireman's Hall, in Mercer Street, and another big +double-decker, 11, from away down below the Metropolitan Hotel, raced +every inch of the mile run up Broadway by her east side rival, Marion 9. +Fancy the hundreds of shouting, struggling, excited men blocking +Lexington Avenue and Eighteenth Street for two hundred yards in every +direction from what we would call to-day a "two-hundred-dollar fire," +and you can form an idea of the waste of time, money, material, and +energy, the access of uproar, confusion, and, ofttimes, rowdyism, that +accompanied an alarm in the days before the war. Remember that all this, +too, might result from the mere burning out of a chimney or the ignition +of a curtain in a garret window, and you can readily see why tax-payers, +thinking men, and insurance companies finally decided that the old +volunteer department must be abolished. + +But until the war came on there was nothing half so full of excitement +in the eyes of young New York, and Pop's boys, many of them at least, +thought it the biggest kind of fun outside of school, where they had fun +of their own such as few other boys saw the like of. + +It was inside the school, however, on the following Monday morning, that +the young faces were grave and full of import, for Snipe was there, +still bandaged and a trifle pale, and Shorty, scant of breath but full +of vim and descriptives, and time and again had he to tell the story of +the Hulkers' attack to classmates who listened with puckered brows and +compressed lips, all the while keeping an eye on two black sheep, who +followed with furtive glances Snipe and Shorty wherever they went; and +one of these two was the Pariah of the school. + +The only son of a wealthy broker, Leonard Hoover at eighteen years of +age had every advantage that the social position of his parents and a +big allowance could give him, but he stood in Pop's school that saddest +of sights,--a friendless boy. Always immaculately dressed and booted and +gloved, he was a dullard in studies, a braggart in everything, and a +success in nothing. For healthful sports and pastimes he had no use +whatever. Books were his bane, and at eighteen he knew less of Latin +than boys in the fourth form, but Pop had carried him along for years, +dropping him back thrice, it was said in school traditions, until at +last he had to float him with the First Latin, where he sat week after +week at the foot of the class. It was said that between the revered +rector of the school and the astute head of the firm of Hoover, Hope & +Co. a strong friendship existed, but whatever regard "the Doctor" +entertained for the father he denied the son. Long years of observation +of the young fellow's character had convinced this shrewd student of boy +nature that here was a case well-nigh without redeeming feature. Lazy, +shifty, lying, malevolent, without a good word or kind thought for a +human being, without a spark of gratitude to the father who had pulled +him through one disgrace after another, and who strove to buy him a way +through life, young Hoover was, if truth were confessed, about as +abhorrent to the Doctor as he was obnoxious to the school. A plague, a +bully, a tyrant to the little fellows in the lower classes, a cheat and +coward among his fellows, filled with mean jealousy of the lads who year +after year stepped over his head to the upper forms, stingy though his +pockets were lined with silver, sneaking, for he was never known to do +or say a straightforward thing in his life, it had come to pass by the +time he spent his sixth year with Pop that Hoover was the school-boy +synonym for everything disreputable or mean. And, as though the +Providence that had endowed him through his father with everything that +wealth and influence could command was yet determined to strike a +balance somewhere, "Len" Hoover had been given a face almost as +repellent as his nature. His little black eyes were glittering and +beady, which was bad enough, but in addition were so sadly and +singularly crossed that the effect was to distort their true dimensions +and make the right optic appear larger and fuller than the left, which +at times was almost lost sight of,--a strange defect that even Pop had +had the weakness to satirize, and, well knowing that Hoover would never +understand the meaning, had in a moment of unusual exasperation referred +to him as "Cyclops," or Polyphemus, a name that would have held among +the boys had it not been too classical and not sufficiently +contemptuous. An ugly red birth-mark added to his facial deformity, but +what more than anything else gave it its baleful expression was the +sneer that never seemed to leave his mouth. The grin that sometimes, +when tormenting a little boy, distended that feature could never by any +possibility be mistaken for a smile. Hoover's white, slender, shapely +hands were twitching and tremulous. New boys, who perhaps had to shake +hands with him, said they were cold and clammy. He walked in his +high-heeled boots in a rickety way that baffled imitation. He never ran. +He never took part in any sport or game. He never subscribed a cent to +any school enterprise,--base ball, cricket, excursion, or debate. He +never even took part in the customary Christmas gifts to the teachers, +for in the days of this class of Snipe's and Shorty's and others whose +scholarly attainments should have won them first mention, there were +some beloved men whom even mischief-loving lads delighted to remember in +that way. One Christmas-tide Hoover had appeared just before the holiday +break-up, followed by a servant in dark livery, a thing seldom seen +before the war, and that servant solemnly bore half a dozen packages of +which Hoover relieved him one at a time, and personally took to the desk +of the master in each one of the five rooms, left it there without a +word of explanation, but with an indescribable grin, bade the servant +hand the sixth to the open-mouthed janitor, and disappeared. A +perplexed lot were Pop's several assistants when school closed that +afternoon. John, the janitor aforesaid, declared they held an informal +caucus in the senior master's room (Othello was the pet name borne at +the time by this gifted teacher and later distinguished divine), and +that three of the number, who had smilingly and gracefully thanked the +boys for the hearty little tribute of remembrance and good will with +which the spokesman of the class had wished each master a Merry +Christmas, declared they could accept no individual gift from any pupil, +much less Hoover, and that he, John, believed the packages had been +returned unopened. + +And this was the state of feeling at the old school towards its oldest +scholar, in point of years spent beneath its roof, on the bleak November +morning following Snipe's and Shorty's disastrous run to the fire, when +at twelve o'clock the First Latin came tumbling down-stairs for recess. +Ordinarily they went with a rush, bounding and jostling and playing all +manner of pranks on each other and making no end of noise, then racing +for doughnuts at Duncan's, two blocks away. But this time there was +gravity and deliberation, an ominous silence that was sufficient in +itself to tell the head-master, even before he noted the fact that +Hoover was lingering in the school-room instead of sneaking off _solus_ +for a smoke at a neighboring stable, that something of an unusual nature +was in the wind. + +"Why don't you go out to recess, Hoover?" said he, shortly. "If any lad +needs fresh air, it's you." + +No answer for a moment. Hoover stood shuffling uneasily at the long +window looking out on Fourth Avenue, every now and then peering up and +down the street. + +Impatiently the master repeated his question, and then, sullen and +scowling, Hoover answered,-- + +"I can have trouble enough--here." + +"What do you mean?" asked Othello. + +"They're layin' for me,--at least Snipe is." + +"By Snipe you mean Lawton, I suppose. What's the trouble between you?" +and the master sat grimly eying the ill-favored fellow. + +"It's not a thing--I want to speak of," was the answer. "He knows that I +know things that he can't afford to have get out,--that's all." Then, +turning suddenly, "Mr. Halsey," said he, "there's things going on in +this school the Doctor ought to know. I can't tell him or tell you, but +you--you ask John where Joy's watch went and how it got there." + +The master started, and his dark face grew darker still. That business +of Joy's watch had been the scandal of the school all October. Joy was +one of the leaders of the First Latin, a member of one of the oldest +families of Gotham, and this watch was a beautiful and costly thing that +had been given him on his birthday the year before. One hot Friday noon +when the school went out to recess, Joy came running back up the stairs +from the street below and began searching eagerly about the bookcases at +the back of the long school-room. A pale-faced junior master sat mopping +the sweat from his forehead, for the First Latin had executed its famous +charge but two minutes before, and he had striven in vain to quell the +tumult. + +"What's the matter, Joy?" he asked. "I _beg_ pardon. _Mr._ Joy, I should +say. I wonder that I am so forgetful as to speak to a young gentleman in +the First Latin as I would to boys in the other forms in the school." + +At other times when the weakling who had so spoken gave voice to this +sentiment it was the conventional thing for the First Latin to gaze +stolidly at him and, by way of acknowledgment of the sentiment, to utter +a low, moaning sound, like that of a beast in pain, gradually rising to +a dull roar, then dying away to a murmur again, accentuated occasionally +here and there by deep gutturals, "Hoi! hoi! hoi!" and in this +inarticulate chorus was Joy ever the fugleman. But now, with troubled +eyes, he stared at the master. + +"My watch is gone, sir!" + +"Gone, Mr. Joy? You terrify me!" said Mr. Meeker, whose habit it was to +use exaggerated speech. "When--and how?" + +"While we were--having that scrimmage just now," answered Joy, searching +about the floor and the benches. "I had it--looked at it--not two +minutes before the bell struck. You may remember, sir, you bade me put +it up." + +"I do remember. And when did you first miss it?" + +"Before we got across Twenty-fifth Street, sir." + +By this time, with sympathetic faces, back came Carey and Doremus and +Bertram and others of the First Latin, and John, the janitor, stood at +the door and looked on with puzzled eyes. It was not good for him that +valuables should be lost at any time about the school. All four young +fellows searched, but there was no sign. From that day to this Joy had +seen no more of his beautiful watch. Detectives had sought in vain. +Pawn-shops were ransacked. The Doctor had offered reward and Mr. Meeker, +the master, his resignation, but neither was accepted. + +And now Hoover, the uncanny, had declared he had information. It was +still over an hour before the Doctor could be expected down from his +morning's work at Columbia. The head-master felt his fingers tingling +and his pulses quicken. He himself had had a theory--a most unpleasant +one--with regard to the disappearance of that precious watch. He knew +his face was paling as he rose and backed the downcast, slant-eyed youth +against the window-casing. + +"Hoover," said he, "I've known you seven years, and will have no +dodging. Tell me what you know." + +"I--I--don't _know_ anything, sir," was the answer, "but you ask John. +He does." + +"Stay where you are!" cried the master, as he stepped to his desk and +banged the gong-bell that stood thereon. A lumbering tread was heard on +the stairway, and a red-faced, shock-headed young man came clumsily into +the room. Mr. Halsey collared him without ado and shoved him up +alongside Hoover. He had scant reverence for family rank and name, had +Halsey. In his eyes hulking John and sullen Hoover were about on a par, +with any appreciable odds in favor of the janitor. + +"Hoover tells me you know where Joy's watch went and who took it. Out +with the story!" demanded he. + +"I d-don't," mumbled John, in alarm and distress. "I--I only said +that--there was more'n one could tell where it went." And then, to Mr. +Halsey's amaze and disgust, the janitor fairly burst into tears. For two +or three minutes his uncouth shape was shaken by sobs of unmistakable +distress. Halsey vainly tried to check him, and angrily demanded +explanation of this womanish conduct. At last John seemed about to +speak, but at that moment Hoover, with shaking hand, grabbed the +master's arm and muttered, "Mr. Halsey,--not now!" + +Following the frightened glance of those shifting eyes, Halsey whirled +and looked towards the stairs. Then, with almost indignant question +quivering on his lips, turned angrily on the pair. With a queer +expression on his white and bandaged face, Snipe Lawton stood gazing at +them from the doorway. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +That famous charge of the First Latin is something that must be +explained before this school story can go much further. To begin with, +one has to understand the "lay of the land," or rather the plan of the +school-room. Almost every boy knows how these buildings facing on a +broad business thoroughfare are arranged:--four or five stories high, +thirty or forty or fifty feet front, according to the size of the lot, +perhaps one hundred to two hundred deep, with the rooms from basement to +attic all about of a size unless partitioned off on different lines. In +the days whereof we write Pop had his famous school in the second and +third floors of one of these stereotyped blocks. Two-thirds of the +second floor front was given up to one big room. A high wooden +partition, glazed at the top and pierced with two doors, divided this, +the main school-room, from two smaller ones where the Third and Fourth +Latin wrestled with their verbs and declensions and gazed out through +the long rear windows over a block of back-yards and fences. Aloft on +the third floor were the rooms of the masters of the junior forms in +English, mathematics, writing, etc. But it is with the second, the main +floor and the main room on that floor, that we have to do. This was the +home of the First Latin. It was bare as any school-room seen abroad, +very nearly. Its furniture was inexpensive, but sufficient. A big stove +stood in the centre of the long apartment, and some glazed bookcases +between the west windows and against the south wall at the west end. A +closet, sacred to Pop, was built against the north wall west of the +stairway, which was shut off by a high wooden partition, reaching to the +ceiling. A huge coat-rack stood in the southeast corner. A big open +bookcase, divided off into foot square boxes for each boy's books, +occupied the northeast corner, with its back against the northward wall. +Six or seven benches abutting nearly end to end were strung along the +south side, extending from the west windows almost to the coat-rack, the +farthermost bench being at an obtuse angle. The bookbox, doors, and +partitions were painted a cheerful lead color, the benches a deep dark +green. So much for the accommodation of the lads. Now for their masters. +On a square wooden dais, back to the light, was perched the stained pine +desk at which from one-thirty to three each afternoon sat glorified Pop. +Boy nor man ventured to assume that seat at other time, save when that +front, like Jove, gleamed above the desk to threaten and command, and +the massive proportions, clad in glossy broadcloth of scholarly black, +settled into the capacious depths of that wicker-bottomed chair. In +front of the desk, six feet away, the low stove, so often seasoned with +Cayenne pepper, warmed the apartment, but obstructed not his view. At an +equal distance beyond the stove was the table at which from nine A.M. to +three P.M. sat the master in charge of the room, and thereby hung many +and many a tale. It was a great big, flat-topped table, covered with +shiny black oilcloth, slightly padded, and was so hollowed out on the +master's side that it encompassed him round about like some modern boom +defence against torpedo attack, and many a time that defence was needed. +From the instant of the Doctor's ponderous appearance at the door law +and disciplined order prevailed within this scholastic sanctuary, but of +all the bear-gardens ever celebrated in profane history it was the worst +during the one hour in which, each day from eleven to twelve, Mr. Meeker +imparted to the First Latin his knowledge of the higher mathematics and +endeavored to ascertain what, if any, portion thereof lodged long enough +to make even a passing impression on the minds of that graceless +assembly. There were other hours during which the spirit of mischief had +its sway. There were other masters who found that First Latin an +assemblage of youths who made them wonder why the Doctor had, after +long, long years of observance, finally banished forever the system of +punishment which was of the breech--the _vis a tergo_ order, that was +the mainstay of grammar-school discipline in Columbia's proud past; but +it was left to Mr. Meeker to enjoy as did no other man the full +development of a capacity for devilment, a rapacity for mischief never +equalled in the annals of the school. + +Whenever the class was formed for recitation it took seats on those +northward-facing benches, the head of the class in a chair, with his +back to the avenue window, close by the westernmost bench. The others of +the "Sacred Band," as that guileful First Latin had once been derisively +named, strung out in the order of their class rank along the benches, +with Hoover, nine times out of ten, alone at the bottom. The system of +recitation was peculiar to the school, and proved that the "copious +notes," so often scornfully, yet enviously, referred to by outsiders, +were only blessings in disguise. It might be that Virgil was the subject +of the hour, the lesson say some fifty lines in the third book, and in +this event Beach, not Meeker, was in the chair, a man of firmer mould, +yet not invulnerable. One after another, haphazard, the youngsters were +called upon to read, scan, translate, and at the very first slip in +quantity, error in scanning, mistake of a word in translation, the +master would cry "Next," and the first boy below who could point out the +error and indicate the correction stepped up and took his place above +the fellow at fault. A perfect recitation was a rarity except among the +keen leaders at the head, for no error, big or little, was ever let +pass. It was no easy thing for the average boy to read three lines of +the resounding dactylic hexameters of "P. Virgilius Maro" according to +the Columbia system of the day without a slip in quantity. Scanning, +too, was an art full of traps for the unwary, but hardest of all for one +of Pop's boys was it to translate. No matter how easy it might be by the +aid of the oft-consulted "pony" to turn the Latin into English, it was +the rule of the school that the Doctor's own beautiful rendition should +be memorized word for word wherever it occurred, and the instances, like +the notes, were all too copious. At the word "Enough" that checked his +scanning the boy began to translate, and having given the poetic and +flowery version of the great translator, then turned to and, word by +word, followed with the literal meaning. Then came the prodding +questions as to root, verb, subject, etc., and lucky was the youngster +who, when he took his seat, found himself no more than half a dozen +places below where he started. At the end of the hour the marks were +totted up, and he who had the highest number marched to the head of the +class, the others being assigned according to their score. It was all +plain sailing when the Doctor himself was in the chair. Few boys +ventured on fun with him. On the other hand, few other masters could +maintain order on a system that gave such illimitable possibilities for +devilment. To illustrate: It is a brisk October morning. School has +"been in" an hour. The First Latin is arrayed for recitation in the +AEneid, and the boys have easily induced an Italian organ-grinder to +come, monkey and all, to serenade them, and to the lively notes of +"Patrick's Day in the Morning" one of the confirmed scamps of the class +is called upon to begin. He himself was the heaviest subscriber to the +fund which secured the services of the dark-eyed exile and his agile +monkey. Bliss knows nothing whatever of the lesson and is praying for +the appearance of the red-capped simian at the window. The janitor has +been sent down to bid the organ-grinder go away, but the boys have +blocked that game by bidding higher, and the Italian is warned to pay no +attention to such orders, but to hold his ground,--the neighborhood +approves of him and he'll be short a quarter if he goes. John comes +panting up-stairs to report his ill success, and meantime the recitation +cannot go on. Bliss is finally told to pay no attention to "Patrick's +Day" and to push ahead on the most beautiful lines in the book, + + "_Non ignara mali, miseris succerere disco_," + +and Bliss slips on the quantity of the first syllable of the third word, +is promptly snapped up by Doremus, next below, who tallies one on his +score and jumps above him. Bliss shuts his book despairingly. "Mr. +Beach," he begins, in tones of deepest injury, "I know that just as well +as anybody else; but I protest, sir, I'm so distracted by that grinding +I can't do myself justice--or the subject either." And if the astute +Beach had any lingering doubt as to whether the boys worked that game +themselves or not the doubt is banished now. Bertram, Doremus, Snipe, +Shorty, all are on their feet and pleading with the master to have that +impudent music stopped. Mr. Beach vainly warns them to their seats and +commands silence. + +"Mr. Beach, let me go down and drive him away,--I can do it," implores +Beekman, the pigmy Gothamite. It is three minutes before the master can +compel silence in the class, so great is its sense of the outrage upon +its peace and dignity. + +"Mr. Beach, let me fetch a policeman," cries Shorty, who knows there +isn't a blue-coat nearer than the Harlem depot at Twenty-sixth Street, +and is spoiling for a chance to get out-of-doors. + +"The next boy who speaks until bidden will have five marks struck off," +says Beach, and with one accord the First Latin opens its twenty-seven +mouths, even Hoover swelling the chorus, and, as though so many +representatives in Congress assembled were hailing the chair, the +twenty-seven ejaculate, "Mr. Beach, nobody's got five yet." Then little +Post jumps up, in affected horror, and runs from his seat half-way to +the master's table. "Mr. Beach!" he cries, "the monkey!" + +"Aw, sit down, Post," protests Joy, in the interest of school discipline +and harmony. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself making such a fuss +about a monkey." Snipe and Carey seize the first weapons +obtainable--the sacred ruler and the Japan tray on the Doctor's +desk--and make a lunge for the windows. + +"Lawton--Carey! Back to your seats!" orders Beach. + +"We only want to drive the monkey away, sir," protests Snipe, with +imploring eyes. "Post'll have a fit, sir, if you let the monkey stay. +He's subject to 'em. Ain't you, Post?" + +"_Yes_, sir," eagerly protests Post, on the swear-to-anything principle +when it's a case of school devilment, and two minutes more are consumed +in getting those scamps back to their places and recording their fines, +"Ten marks apiece," which means that when the day's reckoning is made +ten units will be deducted from their total score. The settlement, too, +is prolonged and complicated through the ingenuity of Snipe and the +connivance of Bagshot and Bertram, who have promptly moved up and +occupied the place vacated by their long-legged, curly-pated, brown-eyed +comrade, and who now sturdily maintain that Snipe doesn't know where he +belongs. As a matter of fact, Snipe doesn't; neither does he greatly +care. He's merely insisting on the customary frolic before the class +settles down to business, but to see the fine indignation in his +handsome face and listen to the volume of protest on his tongue you +would fancy his whole nature was enlisted in the vehement assertion of +his rights. + +Mr. Beach fines Snipe another five for losing his place, and then +stultifies himself by ordering Bertram and Bagshot back to their +original station, thus permitting Snipe to resume his seat, whereupon he +promptly claims the remission of the fine on the ground that he himself +had found it, and Bertram, a youth of much dignity of demeanor, gravely +addresses Mr. Beach, and protests that in the interests of decency and +discipline Lawton should forfeit his place, and to prove his entire +innocence of selfish motive offers to leave it to the class, and go to +the foot himself if they decide against him, and the class shouts +approval and urges the distracted Beach to put Snipe out forthwith. Then +somebody signals "Hush!" for Halsey, the head-master, the dark Othello, +has scented mischief from afar, and is heard coming swiftly down from +the floor above, and Halsey is a man who has his own joke but allows no +others. Bliss is the only boy on his feet as the stern first officer +enters and glances quickly and suspiciously about him. + +"Go on with the recitation, Mr. Beach," he says. "That Italian was +doubtless hired by these young gentlemen. Let them dance to their own +music now, the eloquent Bliss in the lead. Go on with your lines, +Bliss." + +And as this is just what Bliss can't do, Bliss is promptly "flunked" and +sent to the foot, where Hoover grins sardonically. He's ahead of one +fellow anyhow. Just so long now as that organ-grinder does must Halsey +stay--and supervise, and scorch even the best scholars in the class, for +well he knows the First Latin and they him, and their respect for him is +deeper than his for them, despite the known fact that Pop himself looks +upon them with more than partial eyes. The class is getting the worst of +it when in comes an opportune small boy. "Mr. Meeker says will Mr. +Halsey please step into the Fourth Latin room a minute," and Halsey has +to go. + +"If those young gentlemen give you any trouble, Mr. Beach, keep the +whole class in at recess," he says, and thereupon, with eyes of saddest +reproach, the class follows him to the door, as though to say, How can +such injustice live in mind so noble? But the moment Halsey vanishes the +gloom goes with him. Beach's eyes are on the boys at the foot of the +class, and with a batter and bang the Japan tray on the Doctor's desk +comes settling to the floor, while Joy, who dislodged it, looks straight +into the master's startled eyes with a gaze in which conscious +innocence, earnest appeal, utter disapprobation of such silly pranks, +all are pictured. Joy can whip the bell out from under the master's nose +and over the master's table and all the time look imploringly into the +master's eyes, as though to say, "Just heaven! do you believe me capable +of such disrespect as that?" Three boys precipitate themselves upon the +precious waiter, eager to restore it to its place, and bang their heads +together in the effort. Five marks off for Shorty, Snipe, and Post. +Bagshot is on the floor, and announces as the sense of the First Latin +that a boy who would do such a thing should be expelled. Mr. Beach says +the First Latin hasn't any sense to speak of, and tells Bagshot to begin +where he left off. Bagshot thereupon declares he can't remember. It's +getting near the "business end" of the hour, and the whole class has to +look to its marks, so it can't all be fun. Thereupon Beach, who is +nothing if not classical, refers to Bagshot's lack of acquaintance with +the Goddess of Memory. "Who was she, Bagshot?" "Mnemosyne." "Very good; +yes, sir." ("Thought it was Bacchante!" shouts little Beekman. "No, sir. +Five marks off, Beekman. No more from you, sir.") "Now, Bagshot, you +should be higher than ten in your class to-day, and would be but for +misbehavior. What was the color of Mnemosyne's hair?" Bagshot glares +about him irresolute, and tries the doctrine of probability. + +"Red!" + +Beach compresses his lips. "M--n--no. That hardly describes it. Next." + +"Carnation," hazards Van Kleeck. + +"Next! Next! Next!" says Beach, indicating with his pencil one after +another of the eager rank of boys, and, first one at a time and +distinctly, then in confused tumbling over each other's syllables, the +wiseacres of the class shout their various guesses. + +"Vermilion!" + +"Scarlet!" + +"Carrot color!" + +"Solferino!" + +"Magenta!" + +"Pea-green!" + +"Sky-blue!" + +"Brick-red!" (This last from Turner, who makes a bolt for a place above +Bagshot, and can only be driven back and convinced of the inadequacy of +his answer by liberal cuttings of ten to twenty marks.) Then, at last, +Beach turns to Carey, at the far head of the class, and that gifted +young gentleman drawls,-- + +"Fl-a-a-me color." + +"Right!" says the master, whereupon half a dozen contestants from below +spring to their feet, with indignation in their eyes: + +"Well, what did I say, sir?" + +"That's exactly what I meant, sir." + +"I'll leave it to Bliss if that wasn't my answer, sir." + +And nothing but the reappearance of Othello puts an end to the clamor +and settles the claimants. Shorty submits that his answer covered the +case, that Mnemosyne herself couldn't tell carrot color from flame, and +is sure the Doctor would declare his answer right, but is summarily +squelched by Mr. Halsey, and he has the "_nous_" to make no reference to +the matter when the Doctor comes. The hour is nearly over. Only three +minutes are allowed them in which to stow their Virgils in the big open +bookcase and extract their algebras. Halsey vanishes to see to it that +the Third Latin goes to the writing-room without mobbing the Fourth. The +marks of the First are recorded, not without a volume of comment and +chaff and protest. Then silence settles down as the master begins giving +out the next day's lesson, for the word has been passed along the line +of benches, "Get ready for a charge!" A moment later the janitor sounds +the bell on the landing without, and twenty-six young fellows spring +into air and rush for the bookcase. Not a word is spoken,--Hoover, +alone, holds aloof,--but in less time than it takes to tell it, with +solemnity on every face except one or two that will bubble over in +excess of joy, the First Latin is jammed in a scrimmage such as one sees +nowadays only on the football field. The whole living mass heaves +against those stout partitions till they bend and crack. From the +straining, struggling crew there rises the same moaning sound, swelling +into roar and dying away into murmur, and at last the lustier fight +their way out, algebras in hand, and within another five minutes order +is apparently evolved from chaos. + +In such a turmoil and in such a charge Joy's watch disappeared that +October day, and the school had not stopped talking of it yet. + +It has been said that two boys were the observed of gloomy eyes the +Monday following Snipe's misfortune. One, Hoover, of course. The other a +fellow who in turn had sought to be everybody's chum and had ended by +being nobody's. His name was Briggs. He was a big, powerful fellow, +freckle-faced, sandy-haired, and gifted with illimitable effrontery. He +was a boy no one liked and no one could snub, for Briggs had a skin as +thick as the sole of a school-boy's boot, and needed it. One +circumstance after another during the previous year had turned one boy +after another from him, but Briggs kept up every appearance of cordial +relations, even with those who cold-shouldered him and would have naught +to do with him. During the previous school-year he had several times +followed Snipe, Shorty, and their particular set, only to find that they +would scatter sooner than have him one of the party. He had been denied +admission to the houses of most of the class. He had been twice +blackballed by the Uncas, and it was said by many of the school when +Briggs began to consort with Hoover that he had at last found his proper +level. One allegation at his expense the previous year had been that he +was frequently seen at billiard-rooms or on the streets with those two +Hulkers, and even Hoover had hitherto eschewed that association. Perhaps +at first the Hulkers would not have Hoover. The class couldn't tell and +really didn't care to know. One thing was certain: within the fortnight +preceding the opening of this story Briggs and Hoover had been together +more than a little and with the Hulkers more than enough. + +"Are you sure of what you say?" both Carey and Joy had asked Shorty that +exciting Monday morning, as the eager youngster detailed for the tenth +time the incidents of the assault on Snipe. + +"I'm as sure of it as I am of the fire," said Shorty, positively. "Jim +Briggs was with the Metamora crowd, running in the street. He looked +back and laughed after he saw Snipe down." + +But when confronted with this statement by the elders of the "Sacred +Band" Briggs promptly and indignantly denied it. + +"I never heard of it till to-day!" said he. "'Spose I'd stand by and see +one of my class knocked endwise by a lot of roughs? _No_, sir!" + +It was a question of veracity, then, between Briggs and Shorty, the +class believing the latter, but being unable to prove the case. Snipe +himself could say nothing. Being in the lead, he had seen none of the +runners of the Metamora except the heels of a few as they bounded over +him when he rolled into the street. There was an intense feeling +smouldering in the class. They were indeed "laying" for Hoover as they +had been for Briggs when they tumbled out for recess. The latter, with +his characteristic vim and effrontery, denied all knowledge of the +affair, as has been said, and challenged the class to prove a thing +against him. The former, as has been told, lurked within-doors. What had +he to fear? He was not at the scene of the fire and the assault. He +never had energy enough to run. There was some reason why he shrank from +meeting or being questioned by the boys. There was some reason why Snipe +Lawton should have left them and returned to the school, and was +discovered standing there at the doorway, looking fixedly at the +head-master's angered face as it glowered on Hoover and the tearful +John. Whatever the reason, it could not well be divulged in the presence +of Mr. Halsey. Hoover stood off another proposed demonstration in his +honor after school at three o'clock by remaining behind, and only coming +forth when he could do so under the majestic wing of the Doctor himself. +Pop looked curiously at the knots of lingering First Latins, and raised +his high-top hat in response to their salutations. Hoover huddled close +to his side until several blocks were traversed and pursuit was +abandoned. Then he shot into a street-car, leaving the Doctor to ponder +on the unusual attention. And so it happened that while the class was +balked for the time of its purpose, and the victim of Saturday's assault +was debarred from making the queries he had planned, Mr. Halsey was +enabled to pursue his bent. Just as the little group of five, gazing in +disappointment up the avenue after the vanishing forms of the Doctor and +Hoover, was breaking up with the consolatory promise that they'd +confront Hoover with their charges first thing in the morning, the +open-mouthed janitor came running. + +"Oh, Lawton!" he panted, "Mr. Halsey says he wishes to speak with you, +and to please come right back." + +"I'll wait for you, Snipe," said Shorty. "Day-day, you other fellows." +And wait he did, ten, twenty minutes, and no Snipe came, and, wondering +much, the smaller lad went whistling down the avenue, forgetful, in the +fact that he still wore the jacket, of the dignity demanded of a lad of +the First Latin and full sixteen. He wondered more when eight o'clock +came that evening and without Snipe's ring at the door-bell. He wondered +most when he saw Snipe's pallid, sad-eyed face on the morrow. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +There was something in the friendship between those two members of the +First Latin not entirely easy for the school to understand. In many ways +they were antitheses,--Snipe, over-long; Shorty, under-sized; Snipe, +brown-eyed and taciturn, as a rule; Shorty, blue-eyed and talkative +(Loquax was Pop's pet name for him); Snipe was studious; Shorty quick to +learn, but intolerant of drudgery. Both loved play, active exercise, and +adventure. Both took naturally to everything connected with the fire +department, but in addition the smaller boy had a decided love for the +military, and was a member of the drum corps of a famous organization of +the old State militia, and vastly proud of it. Snipe loved the +fishing-rod, and Shorty had no use for one. Shorty loved drill, Snipe +couldn't bear it. Take it all in all, they were an oddly assorted pair, +but when forty-eight hours passed without their being in close +communion something had gone sadly amiss; and that was the case now. + +Everybody knew that Snipe Lawton had little or no money of any kind, but +few knew why. His own father had been dead many years. His mother had +remarried when he was twelve years old, and between the boy and his +step-father there was no love whatever. Nor was this the boy's fault. +Open-hearted, affectionate, and of gentle nature, he had really tried to +like and to win the regard of the man who had won his mother's heart and +had given her an attractive, even a beautiful, home. But there are men +who have no sympathy whatever with boys. Mr. Park was one of these, and, +after two years of experiment, gave up trying to understand his +step-son, and declared that the boy must be sent away to school. It is +needless to describe what those two years were to the mother or to the +son. Both welcomed the decision, though it cost the former many tears. A +younger sister was married and living in New York City. Mr. Park was a +Columbiad and a fervent admirer of the great Doctor. It was arranged +that the boy should have his home under the roof of his aunt, Mrs. +Lawrence, and his lessons under Pop. He grew rapidly, and his clothes +were generally short for him. He was shy, sensitive, and hated to ask +for money from home, because it had to come from his step-father. Time +and again he could not go to the little social gatherings of his +schoolmates, with whom he became popular almost from the start, solely +because of his outgrown coat and trousers. His aunt had a houseful of +company much of the time; her husband's kindred were numerous and +prevalent, and, to tell the truth, she was a little ashamed of the tall, +shy, sometimes awkward, if not gawky, boy, whose wrists were always in +evidence and whose trousers were so short and shabby. And so it resulted +that poor Snipe had his little bedroom in her garret, which the servants +soon learned they could neglect with impunity, and a place at her table +when they were not entertaining company; but home, he really had none. +Breakfast was served at the Lawrences' at nine o'clock, but before that +time Snipe was expected to come down to forage for himself and be off to +school and out of the way. Luncheon he could take with him, if he chose +to put it up and carry it, but as none of the other boys did this Snipe +soon ceased, and one of Duncan's doughnuts was the mid-day sustenance, +washed down by a glass of what the Doctor referred to as "copious cold +Croton" (the Doctor loved that word copious), and on this rather meagre +diet Snipe worried through the day till dinner-time, which with Uncle +and Aunt Lawrence was half-after six, and a very hungry boy was he who +silently, even humbly, took his seat among the lively, chattering party +(there were always six or eight in the family circle), and, as soon as +his appetite was appeased, was permitted to withdraw, presumably, to his +studies, though the fact that he was at Shorty's home was always +comforting to Aunt Lawrence, for she had great regard for certain +feminine relatives of the smaller boy, and believed that wherever they +presided her nephew could not possibly get into mischief. It is not that +Aunt Lawrence was either knowingly neglectful or actively unkind. She +was a busy woman, a fashionable woman, a woman full of pleasant impulse. +She had told George to be sure and come to her whenever anything went +wrong, when he needed advice or aid, or--rather vaguely--anything else. +She had told the butler to be sure to see that Master George had coffee +ready every morning at quarter-past eight, and the seamstress was +ordered to keep his wardrobe in repair, and for a month or so both did +as they were bid, and then let Master George look out for himself. Mr. +Park had requested Mr. Lawrence to see that George was given fifty cents +each Saturday for his spending money, out of which he was to provide his +own shoes and gloves. This was Park's own allowance in the old days when +he was a boy at the grammar school and Columbia was away down-town, +about on line with the City Hall, and the boys lunched sumptuously at +Shaddle's for thrippence; but Park had not to buy his shoes in those +days, though he said he bought his gloves out of his little sum. He +simply argued that it would be good discipline for his step-son to learn +to economize. Gloves and shoes cost much less in the ante-bellum days +than now, and less in Park's school-days than in those of his step-son. +George took what was given him silently and without appeal, and during +his three years at Pop's that was every cent of money he received from +home. But gloves, he said, he had no use for, and boots were far beyond +him. Furthermore, low shoes, summer and winter both, were best to run +in, and not another boy at the Doctor's dreamed of the true state of the +case, unless it was little Shorty, for to that boy the hungry heart of +the lonely fellow seemed to go out from the start. He, too, was an +alien; he, too, had left the mother wing to find a nest in the great, +thronging city; he, too, was probably not a little in the way, but for +him at least there was warmth and interest and sympathy and kindliness, +and many a time and oft did Snipe roost all night long in that snug +white bed of Shorty's, with no one "at home" the wiser. And many and +many a time had he been made welcome at the bountiful board where Shorty +sat among an affectionate kindred, and the tall boy's soft brown eyes +seemed mutely to thank each member of the big family circle for every +pleasant word. They had grown to like him, despite his silence, or +perhaps because of it and its contrast with Shorty's chatter. They took +no note of his short-sleeved, skimpy sack-coat or the low shoes at which +Briggs had sneered and other fellows at school had levelled their +witticisms until they saw it hurt, and then, wonder of wonders, the +latter quit it. With all their impulse for fun and frolic and mischief, +Pop's boys had the leaven of gentlemen. Even Hoover had never twitted +Lawton on the evidences of his poverty, and there were others of that +immortal twenty-seven little better off than he. In all the First Latin, +Briggs had been the only one to continue the torment after the discovery +that it brought pain and distress, and even Briggs no longer dare +attempt it when certain of the class were near, for Julian, overhearing +him one day, had called him aside at recess and told him that only a +mean-spirited whelp would be guilty of such a thing, slapped his face, +and invited him into a neighboring stable to fight it out, which +invitation Briggs declined. Even little Shorty, overhearing Briggs one +day, had flown at him like a young bull-terrier and drawn blood from +Briggs's nose before they could be separated. The class stood up for +Snipe most loyally in these days of his early tribulations, and by the +time Second Latin year was over no one seemed to think of his worn and +undeniably shabby garb. Snipe himself was "all right," said they. But +there was lingering venom in the soul of Briggs, and as for Hoover, his +soul was that of Ishmael and his hand against everybody, and when these +two crabbed natures drifted together in alliance, offensive and +defensive, it meant trouble for somebody, and there was no fun in the +First Latin when Tuesday came, for to one and all it was plain that +Snipe Lawton's heart was heavy, and his big brown eyes were full of +nameless misery. + +Twice that morning had Shorty tried to get him aside with sympathetic +question, but the elder shook his head. There was no time. At recess, +when Shorty counted on seeing his chum and hearing the whole story, +Lawton never came out at all. John, the janitor, said he was having a +talk with Mr. Halsey, trying to get him not to report something to the +Doctor, but John himself seemed ill at ease and anxious to avoid +question. The class communed together and instinctively connected Briggs +and Hoover with the mystery, but Hoover had disappointed everybody by +remaining away from school that day, and as for Briggs, he was in +everybody's way. Wherever he saw a group in low-toned conference he +would make for it, and by his very presence and loud-voiced questions +and conjectures put an end to their confidences. Everybody seemed to +feel that when the Doctor came down that afternoon there would be a +sensation of some kind, and school reassembled after recess and the +First Latin went to its benches without even accidentally upsetting one +of them. Snipe was sitting at the end of the upper bench looking +drearily out on the avenue, and Mr. Halsey, with darker face than usual, +had taken his accustomed place. + +A spiritless recitation was begun, Snipe losing his head and memory and +place after place. There were boys who knew the answers to questions at +which he only shook his head and who presently refused to speak and go +above him. Halsey's face grew darker and darker at these evidences of +sympathy. The "next! next! next!" became incessant. Up even towards the +head of the class, above the seat to which the sad-eyed fellow had +drifted, there was no animation. The leaders gave their answers in low +tones, as though to say, "We've got to go through with this, but we've +no heart in it. Snipe's proper place is up here among us." It was +actually a relief to everybody when at last, towards the close of the +hour, the Doctor's heavy tread was heard, slow and majestic, ascending +the wooden stairs. + +It was his custom to halt at the doorway, and from that point of view +survey his waiting scholars, the foot of the class coming in for +invariable comment. I can see him now, portly, erect, scrupulously neat +and exact in dress from the crown of his deeply weeded high top hat to +the tip of his polished shoes. Clean shaved, the wide upper lip, the +broad massive chin, the great sweep of jaw. Collar, cuffs, and +shirt-front immaculate; coat, waistcoat, and trousers, and the broad +stock of flawless black. The gold seal dangling from his watch ribbon +the only speck of color, the gold top of his stout, straight, black cane +concealed in his hand. Under their shaggy brows the deep-set gray eyes +twinkle, as slowly he lifts the long ferule and points it at the +luckless wight on the lowermost bench; then with inquiring gaze sweeps +the line of intent young faces, looking for some one. + +"What!" he says. "Another occupant! Where, then, is the + + '_Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum_'?" + +And at any other day the class, barring Hoover, would have shouted with +appreciative joy; but not to-day. Despite Hoover's absence a cloud has +lowered over their house. They cannot laugh, even in counterfeited glee, +and the Doctor's face changes on the instant as he steps within. He has +noted Lawton's unusual position and his strange, white face. + +"Anything wrong, Mr. Halsey?" + +The head-master rises and turns to his revered senior. In low tone he +says, so that only one or two can catch the words, "A matter I'll have +to tell you after school, sir." And school must last over an hour +longer. Silently the class exchanges the text-book for Xenophon. The +Doctor's own hour has come, sacred to Greek, and silently the boys +retake their places. But the occasion weighs upon the Doctor's mind. +Something tells him there is worry ahead, and the sooner it is met the +better. One expedient never fails him. "How have they done to-day, Mr. +Halsey?" + +The head-master purses up his lip. He knows that since recess at least, +so far as recitation is concerned, they have done unusually ill; but he +knows what the Doctor desires. + +"_Behaved_ rather better than usual, sir." + +"One good turn deserves another," says Pop. "How many young gentlemen of +the First Latin deserve half holiday? All hands up!" And up go the +hands, but with only half the usual alacrity. + +"The ayes have it. The class may retire." + +And slowly the First Latin finds its legs and lingers, for Halsey +whispers to Pop, and the latter, with somewhat grayer shade to his face, +says, "Lawton will remain." + +The boys dawdle unaccountably about the big bookcase, glancing over +their shoulders at Lawton, who sits with drooping head and downcast eyes +opposite Halsey's table. Briggs, panting a little, slinks through the +silent group to the doorway, and scuttles quickly down the stairs. When +Joy and Beekman reach the street he is peering round the stable at the +corner, but slips out of sight an instant later. Three or four of the +class, Shorty among them, still hover about the coat-rack. Shorty says +he can't find his overshoes, which is not remarkable, as he did not wear +them. Halsey is nervously tapping his desk with the butt of his pencil +and glancing at the dawdlers with ominous eyes. At last the Doctor +uplifts his head and voice. He has been looking over some papers on his +desk. + +"Those young gentlemen at the coat-rack seem reluctant to leave school, +Mr. Halsey. Hah! Julian, cestus bearing! Dix, ecclesiasticus! Et tu, +puer parvule, lingua longissima!" He pauses impressively, and, raising +hand and pencil, points to the door. "If one of 'em comes back before +to-morrow, Mr. Halsey, set him to work on Sallust." + +And then the three know enough to stand no longer on the order of their +going. Their faces are full of sympathy as they take a farewell peep at +Snipe, and Shorty signals to unseeing eyes "I'll wait." And wait the +little fellow does, a long hour, kicking his heels about the cold +pavement without, and then the Second Latin comes tumbling down-stairs, +scattering with noisy glee, and marvelling much to see Shorty looking +blue and cold and mournful. He will not answer their questions; he's +only waiting for Snipe. And another quarter-hour passes, and then for an +instant the boy's eyes brighten, and he springs forward as his tall chum +appears at the doorway, cap downpulled over his eyes, coat-collar +hunched up to his ears, a glimpse of stocking between the hem of his +scant trousers and those inadequate shoes. But the light goes out as +quickly as it came, for with Lawton, similarly bundled up and well-nigh +as shabby, is the head-master, who silently uplifts his hand and warns +Shorty back; then, linking an arm in one of Lawton's, leads him away +around the corner of Twenty-fifth Street. + +It is more than the youngster can stand. Long-legged Damon, short-legged +Pythias, the two have been friends since Third Latin days and chums for +over a year. Shorty springs after the retreating forms, but halts short +at sound of his name, called in imperative tone from above. At the open +window stands the Doctor gazing out. He uses no further words. His right +hand is occupied with his snowy cambric handkerchief. With his left he +makes two motions. He curves his finger inward, indicating plainly +"Come back!" and then with the index points down the avenue, meaning as +plainly "Go!" and there is no cheery, undignified whistle as Shorty +hastens to tell his tale of sorrow to sympathetic ears at home. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +There were three more school-days that week, and they were the quietest +of the year. On the principle that it was an ill wind that blew nobody +good, there was one instructor to whom such unusual decorum was welcome, +and that was poor Meeker, who noted the gloom in the eyes of most of the +First Latin, and responsively lengthened his face, yet at bottom was +conscious of something akin to rejoicing. His had been a hapless lot. He +had entered upon his duties the first week in September, and the class +had taken his measure the first day. A better-meaning fellow than Meeker +probably never lived, but he was handicapped by a soft, appealing manner +and a theory that to get the most out of boys he must have their +good-will, and to get their good-will he must load them with what the +class promptly derided as "blarney." He was poor and struggling, was +graduated high in his class at college, was eager to prepare himself for +the ministry, and took to teaching in the mean time to provide the +necessary means. The First Latin would have it that Pop didn't want him +at all, but that Meeker gave him no rest until promised employment, for +Meeker had well known that there was to be a vacancy, and was first to +apply for it. But what made it more than a luckless move for him was +that he had applied for the position vacated by a man Pop's boys adored, +"a man from the ground up," as they expressed it, a splendid, +deep-voiced, deep-chested, long-limbed athlete, with a soul as big as +his massive frame and an energy as boundless as the skies. He, too, had +worked his way to the priesthood, teaching long hours at Pop's each day, +tutoring college weaklings or would-be freshmen in the evenings, +studying when and where he could, but wasting never a minute. Never was +there a tutor who preached less or practised more. His life was a lesson +of self-denial, of study, of purpose. Work hard, play hard, pray hard, +might have been his motto, for whatsoever that hand of his found to do +that did he with all his might. Truth, manliness, magnetism, were in +every glance of his clear eyes, every tone of his deep voice. Boys +shrank from boys' subterfuges and turned in unaccustomed disgust from +school-boy lies before they had been a month in Tuttle's presence; he +seemed to feel such infinite pity for a coward. Never using a harsh +word, never an unjust one, never losing faith or temper, his was yet so +commanding a nature that by sheer force of his personality and example +his pupils followed unquestioning. With the strength of a Hercules, he +could not harm an inferior creature. With the courage of a lion, he had +only sorrow for the faint-hearted. With a gift and faculty for +leadership that would have made him a general-in-chief, he was humble as +a child in the sight of his Maker, and in all the long years of his +great, brave life, only once, that his boys ever heard of, did he use +that rugged strength to discipline or punish a human being, and that +only when courtesy and persuasion had failed to stop a ruffian tongue in +its foul abuse of that Maker's name. It was a solemn day for the school, +a glad one for the church militant, when he took leave of the one to +take his vows in the other. There wasn't a boy among all his pupils that +would have been surprised at his becoming a bishop inside of five +years,--as, indeed, he did inside of ten,--and the class had not ceased +mourning their loss when Meeker came to take his place. "Fill Tut's +shoes!" said Snipe, with fine derision. "Why, he'll rattle around in 'em +like shot in a drum." No wonder Meeker failed to fill the bill. + +And yet he tried hard. Something told him the First Latin would decide +whether he should go or stay. Halsey had not been consulted in his +selection, or Halsey would have told the Doctor in so many words that it +took a man of bigger calibre to handle that class. Beach had not been +consulted. He had known Meeker in undergraduate days and thought him +lacking in backbone. Pop had "sprung" him, so to speak, upon the +school, as though he really felt he owed his boys an apology, and, with +the ingenuity of so many unregenerate young imps, the First Latin set to +work to make Meeker's life a burden to him. + +It was one of the fads of the school that the individual slate should be +used in mathematical hour instead of a wall slate or blackboard. It was +one of the practices to give out examples in higher arithmetic or +equations in algebra and have the pupils work them out then and there, +each boy, presumably, working for himself. Meeker introduced a +refinement of the system. He announced one example at a time, and +directed that as soon as a pupil had finished the work he should step +forward and deposit his slate, face downward, on the corner of the +master's table. The next boy to finish should place his slate on top of +that of the first, and at the end of five minutes the pile of slates +thus formed was turned bottom side up. All boys who had not finished +their work in the given time--four, five, six, or eight minutes, +according to the difficulty of the problem--were counted out. All whose +work proved to be incorrect were similarly scored, while those who had +obtained by proper methods the right result were credited with a mark of +three, with an additional premium for the quickest, the first boy +counting six, the second five, the third four. Meeker introduced the +system with a fine flourish of trumpets and marvelled at its prompt +success. Even boys known to be lamentably backward in the +multiplication-table were found to present slates full of apparently +unimpeachable figures in cube root or equations of the second degree, +and the whole twenty-seven would have their slates on the pile within +the allotted time. "Of course," said Meeker, "it is beyond belief that +young gentlemen of the First Latin would be guilty of accepting +assistance or copying from a competitor's work," whereat there would be +heard the low murmur, as of far-distant, but rapidly approaching, +tornado, and the moan would swell unaccountably, even while every pencil +was flying, every eye fixed upon the slate. This thing went along for +two or three days with no more serious mishap than that twice, without +an apparent exciting cause, while Meeker would be elaborately explaining +some alleged knotty point to Joy or Lawton, the half-completed stack +would edge slowly off the slippery table and topple with prodigious +crash and clatter to the floor. Then Meeker bethought himself of a +stopper to these seismic developments, and directed that henceforth, +instead of being deposited at the corner, the slates should be laid +directly in front of him on the middle of the desk. This was most +decorously done as much as twice, and then an extraordinary thing +occurred. It had occasionally happened that two or even three of the +boys would finish their work at the same moment, and in their eagerness +to get their slates foremost on the stack a race, a rush, a collision, +had resulted. Then these became surprisingly frequent, as many as four +boys finishing together and coming like quarter horses to the goal, but +the day that Meeker hit on the expedient of piling the slates up +directly in front of him, and at the third essay, there was witnessed +the most astonishing thing of all. Snipe was always a leader in +mathematics, as he was in mischief, and he, Carey, Satterlee, and Joy +were sure to be of the first four, but now, for a wonder, four, even +five, minutes passed and not a slate was in. "Come, come, gentlemen," +said Meeker, "there's nothing remarkable in this example. I obtained the +result with the utmost ease in three minutes." And still the heads bent +lower over the slates and the pencils whizzed more furiously. Five +minutes went by. "Most astonishing!" said Meeker, and began going over +his own work to see if there could be any mistake, and no sooner was he +seen to be absorbed thereat than quick glances shot up and down the long +bench-line and slates were deftly passed from hand to hand. The laggards +got those of the quicker. The experts swiftly straightened out the +errors of the slow, and some mysterious message went down from hand to +hand in Snipe's well-known chirography, and then, just as Meeker would +have raised his head to glance at the time and warn them there was but +half a minute more, as one boy up rose the twenty-seven and charged upon +him with uplifted slates. Batter, clatter, rattle, bang! they came +crashing down upon the desk, while in one mighty, struggling upheaval +the class surged about him and that unstable table. + + "But those behind cried 'Forward!' + And those before cried 'Back!'" + +Turner, Beekman, Snipe, and Shorty vigorously expostulating against such +riotous performances and appealing to their classmates not to upset Mr. +Meeker, who had tilted back out of his chair only in the nick of time, +for the table followed, skating across the floor, and it was "really +verging on the miraculous," said he, "that these gentlemen should all +finish at the same instant." But that was the last of the slate-pile +business. "Hereafter, young gentlemen," said Meeker, on the morrow, "you +will retain your seats and slates, but as soon as you have obtained the +result hold up your hand. I will record the name and the order and then +call you forward, as I may wish to see your slates." This worked +beautifully just once, then the hands would go up in blocks of five, and +the class as one boy would exclaim "Astonishing! Miraculous!" Then +Meeker abandoned the speed system and tried the plan of calling up at +thirty-second intervals by the watch as many boys as he thought should +have finished, beginning at the head of the class. And then the First +Latin gave him an exhibition of the peculiar properties of those +benches. They were about eight or nine feet long, supported on two +stoutly braced "legs," with the seat projecting some eighteen inches +beyond each support. Put one hundred and forty pounds on one end of an +eight-foot plank, with a fulcrum a foot away, and the long end will tilt +up and point to the roof in the twinkling of an eye. Meeker called his +lads up three at a time, at the beginning of the next new system, and +smiled to see how smoothly it worked and how uncommonly still the lads +were. Then came exhibit number two, and in the most innocent way in the +world Doremus and Ballou--the heavy weights of the class--took seats at +the extreme lower end of their respective benches. The sudden rising of +the three other occupants when called forward resulted in instant +gymnastics. The long bench suddenly tilted skyward, a fat young +gentleman was spilled off the shorter end, vehemently struggling and +sorely bruised, and then back the bench would come with a bang that +shook the premises, while half the class would rush in apparent +consternation to raise their prostrate and aggrieved comrade. Hoover's +bench was never known to misbehave in this way, for he had it usually +all to himself, except when some brighter lad was sent to the foot in +temporary punishment. But no matter how absurd the incident, how +palpable the mischief, it was apparently a point of honor with the class +to see nothing funny in it, to maintain an expression of severe +disapproval, if not of righteous indignation, and invariably to denounce +the perpetrators of such indignity as unworthy to longer remain in a +school whose boast it was that the scholars loved their masters and +would never do aught to annoy them. The most amazing things were +perpetually happening. Meeker's eyes were no sharper than his wits, and +he could not understand how it was that Snipe and Joy, two of the +keenest mathematicians in the class, should so frequently require +assistance at the desk, and when they returned to their seats, such +objects on his table as the hand-bell, the pen-rack, or even the +ink-stand, would be gifted with invisible wings and whisk off after +them. Nothing could exceed Snipe's astonishment and just abhorrence when +it was finally discovered that a long loop of tough but almost invisible +horse-hair was attached to the back of his sack-coat, or the +condemnation in the expressed disapprobation of the class when Joy was +found to be similarly equipped. Then Meeker's high silk hat, hung on a +peg outside Pop's particular closet, began to develop astonishing powers +of procreation, bringing forth one day a litter of mice, on another a +pair of frolicsome kittens. Meeker abandoned the hat for a billycock as +the autumn wore on, and the class appeared content; only the Doctor was +allowed a high hat. But Meeker was of nervous temperament, and started +at sudden sounds and squirmed under the influence of certain others, +noting which the class sympathetically sprinkled the floor with +torpedoes and jumped liked electrified frogs when they exploded under +some crunching heel, and the fuel for the big stove presently became +gifted with explosive tendencies that filled Meeker's soul with dread, +and the room with smoke, and the breasts of the First Latin with amaze +that the janitor could be so careless. Then there was a strolling +German band, with clarinets of appalling squeak, that became speedily +possessed of the devil and a desire to "spiel" under the school windows +just after the mathematical hour began, and Meeker's voice was uplifted +from the windows in vain protest. The band was well paid to come and the +policeman to keep away. I fear me that many a dime of poor Snipe's +little stipend went into that unhallowed contribution rather than into +his boots. All this and more was Meeker accepting with indomitable +smiles day after day until the sudden withdrawal of George Lawton from +the school,--no boy knew why, and all the fun went out of the hearts of +the First Latin when they heard the rumor going round that Pop himself +had written to his old pupil, Mr. Park, suggesting that his step-son +would better be recalled from a city which seemed so full of dangerous +temptation to one of George's temperament, and yet Pop had really seemed +fond of him. + +The whole thing was unaccountable. The most miserable lad in school, +apparently, was Shorty. He had gone to the Lawrences to inquire for his +chum right after dinner that Tuesday evening, and the servant checked +him when he would have bolted, as usual, up the stairs to George's room. +Mrs. Lawrence was entertaining friends at dinner, but had left word that +if Master Reggie came he was to be told that George could see no one +that evening, that Mrs. Lawrence would explain it all later. Shorty +went there Wednesday on his way to school, and the butler said Master +George was still in his room, and that he was not to be disturbed. +Wednesday at recess the leaders of the class held a council and +determined to appoint a committee to ask an explanation of the Doctor, +since not a word could be extracted from Halsey or Beach, and the +committee called right after recitation and "rose and reported" within +two minutes. Pop silently pointed to the door. Then seeing that Shorty +and Joy still lingered, half determined, supplemented the gesture by +"Young gentlemen, pack yourselves off! When I am ready to tell you, +you'll hear it and not before." + +But the woe in Shorty's face was too much for him, after all. He knew +the lads and the friendship they bore each other. + +"Here you, sir!" he cried, with affected sternness, "sit there till I +want you," and he pointed to a bench, even while frowning at the others +of the disheartened delegation, who scuttled away down-stairs in dread +of the Doctor's rising wrath. When all were gone and the big, bare +school-rooms were still, Pop looked up from a letter he was writing, +beckoned with his long forefinger, then reversing the hand, pointed +downward at the floor beside his desk, and Shorty, recognizing the +signal, with leaping heart and twitching lips, marched up and took his +stand, looking dumbly into the Doctor's pallid face. The great man +shoved his gold-rimmed spectacles half-way up across the expanse of +forehead the lads had likened to "a ten-acre lot," folded his hands +across the voluminous waistcoat, and leaned back in his chair. Then his +eyes swept downward. + +"Has our friend Snipe often been in need of money?" he asked. + +"He had hardly any at all, sir," blurted Shorty, with something like a +sob. "There are holes in the soles of his shoes and corresponding holes +worn in his stockings, and the skin of the soles of his feet'll go next. +He never had enough to get a decent lunch with, and couldn't join our +first nine last year because he hadn't the uniform and wouldn't ask for +one. The Club subscribed and bought it,--he was so bully a player. All +the----" + +The Doctor knows that Shorty is not named because of brevity in speech, +and upraises a white hand. "Did he owe any of the boys,--Hoover, for +instance?" + +"He wouldn't borrow," said Shorty, indignantly; "last of all from +Hoover. None of us ever owe _him_ anything except----" And Shorty gulps, +and the tears that were starting to his eyes burn out before the sudden +fire of his wrath. + +"Except what?" asks Pop, deliberately. + +"A lickin'," says Shorty, with reddening face, whereat the Doctor's head +tilts back and the great stomach heaves spasmodically. The grim lines +about the wide mouth relax. It is his way of laughing and he enjoys it, +but Shorty doesn't. + +"I wish you'd tell me what's the trouble with--with Lawton, sir," he +almost sobs again. "They won't let me see him, and the boys say it's all +a----" But here Shorty breaks off, which is unlike him. + +"Yes," suggested Pop, "they say it's all a--what?" + +"Shame," said Shorty, well knowing that that shame is mentally qualified +by a most unqualified adjective. + +Pop ponders a moment. "Has none of the boys missed anything besides +Joy,--no trinkets, rings, anything?" + +"Hoover and Briggs are always missing something, sir, and Seymour lost a +gold pencil." + +"But Lawton never borrowed and didn't owe anybody,--in school, I mean?" +asks Pop. + +"Didn't owe anybody _anywhere_ that I know of!" protests Shorty. "He +says it makes him sick to owe anything. If Hoover says anything +different, he's lying. That's all." + +"What's the reason Hoover isn't at school?" asks Pop, and while his face +does not change the eyes study closely. + +"He's afraid of trouble because some of that Metamora set tripped and +hurt Snipe, running to a fire last Saturday." + +"That's what you get for running to fires, sir. Young gentlemen have no +business mingling with crowds and rowdies. That's why you lost the head +of the class in Latin three weeks ago. You spent hours at that big fire +down-town when you should have been at your Virgil." + +Shorty reddens, but attempts no defence. He knows it is so. He knows, +furthermore, that if the bell were to strike the next minute he'd be off +like the wind,--Latin, and even Snipe, to the contrary notwithstanding. +What he doesn't understand is how the Doctor knows all about it. + +"Youngster," says the Doctor, after a moment's reflection, "I want +Hoover back at school at once, and there must be no harming him in any +way. What's more, I have told Lawton to stay away until I send for him. +There are reasons for this, and you can say so to the class. To-night +you will see him yourself, and he will tell you the whole story. Now, I +must write to Hoover _paterfamilias_. Run along!" + +But Pop is mistaken in one matter. Shorty does not see Snipe that night, +nor the next day, nor the next. He waits vainly until late in the +evening, then goes to the Lawrences', and Mrs. Lawrence, with scared +face, comes down to ask what he means. George had asked permission soon +after dark to go and spend one hour with his friend and chum and tell +him his troubles. It is now ten o'clock. He has not been there, and he +has not returned. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +Forty-eight hours passed without a trace of George Lawton, and they were +the saddest two days the First Latin ever knew. "All the life went out +of the school with Snipe," was the way Joy expressed it, though no +fellow in the whole establishment was credited with more mischief than +the speaker. Lessons and recitations, despite the best efforts of Halsey +and Beach and the lamb-like bleatings of Meeker, seemed to fall flat. +Even the leaders went through with them in a style more dead than alive, +and at every sound upon the stairs all eyes would be fixed on the +doorway and matters would come to a stand-still in the class. It was +plain that every boy was thinking only of the missing comrade and +praying for tidings of him. The masters, too, were weighed down with +apprehension--or something. Othello's dark face wore a yellowish hue, +and Meeker looked the picture of nervous woe. His complexion, always +pallid, now seemed ashen, and he started at every sudden sound. Thursday +went by without a word of any kind of news. The class huddled together +at recess, taking no notice whatever of Hoover, who skulked away for his +smoke, followed by many unloving eyes but without audible comment, for +Shorty had conveyed Pop's dictum to the class, and when Pop took his +boys into his confidence, as, through some one or two of their number he +sometimes did, and told them thus and so, there was no question. That +class at least observed his wishes to the letter. Hoover had been told +to return to school and no questions asked, and the First Latin was +virtually pledged to the arrangement. + + "_Aut impendere viam, aut poscere causas._" + +But a wretched-looking Hoover it was that emerged from the Doctor's +closet at two that afternoon and slunk back to the accustomed place at +the foot of the room. Even Briggs had steered clear of him, and every +one noted how Briggs flitted about from group to group during recess, +his old-time "cheek" apparently vanished, his effrontery replaced by +nervous appeal. He had seized on Shorty, as the boys turned out for +recess, with eager question about Snipe, but the youngster impatiently +shook him off and shot away, light of foot as he was heavy of heart, and +the eyes of the others followed him as he turned into Twenty-fourth +Street, for all seemed to know he was using his half-hour to speed to +the Lawrences' for news of Snipe. Before the bell recalled them he was +back, mournfully shaking his head, and they trooped up-stairs, +low-voiced and disconsolate, Hoover slinking in alone, last of all, his +hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched, his eyes flitting nervously +about. All through the half-hour the talk had been as to the possible +cause of Snipe's mysterious withdrawal from the school and later and +more mysterious disappearance. Everybody felt that John, the janitor, +could tell something, even if it were only a lie--or a pack of lies, for +John's veracity was a thing held up to scorn at the end of a hair. But +John kept under the wing of some teacher and could not and would not be +approached, and John looked white and scared. The Doctor came at the +usual time, made the usual impressive pause at the doorway, pointed, as +usual, to the usual foot of the class, who blinked and shifted rather +more than ever. Then Pop removed his hat and strode with his usual +deliberation to the closet, hung it on its peg, produced his gold-rimmed +spectacles, and, as usual, wiped the glasses with his spotless cambric +handkerchief as he looked over the notes and letters on his desk, while +in subdued, half-hearted way the recitation went on. Then, with only a +glance along the line of young faces, all studying him and none +regarding Halsey, who at the moment had little Beekman on the rack, he +signalled to Shorty, and the boy sprang to his side. + +"Hear anything?" he asked, in undertone, as though he needed not to be +told that Shorty had gone to inquire. + +"No news, sir," said Loquax, with lips that twitched alarmingly. "Mrs. +Lawrence will be here right after school." + +"Then you stay. I may need you," said the Doctor, and pointed to the +bench. + +Five minutes later, after rapidly reading the brief missives on his +desk, the Doctor arose, signalled to Hoover, ushered him into the +lead-colored closet, followed and shut the door, from which quarter of +an hour later Hoover emerged, as has been said, looking limp and +woe-begone, and the moment school was over slunk away homeward without a +word. By this time the First Latin was half mad with mingled curiosity +and concern, when an elegantly dressed woman, followed by a manservant +with a compact little parcel under his arm, appeared at the Fourth +Avenue entrance, where the group still lingered, waiting for Shorty, and +the whisper went round that it was Mrs. Lawrence, Snipe's aunt. The +excitement rose to fever heat. Doremus and Satterlee, scouting about the +avenue an hour later, declared that she had been crying when she came +forth again and walked away to Twenty-fourth Street. Friday came. Shorty +was ten minutes late at first recitation and failed in every lesson, yet +not a word of rebuke came from any one of the masters. Halsey merely +inclined his dark head, and with a tinge of sympathy in his tone, +wherein they had long known only cutting sarcasm or stern admonition, +said, "Never mind going further to-day." At recess, again, the boy +bounded away to the Lawrences' and came back five minutes late, with +face as hopeless as before, but he bore a note, which he laid upon the +Doctor's desk, and without a word accepted the "ten marks off" for his +delay, which at any other time would have caused a storm of protest. Pop +arrived three minutes ahead of time, saw at a glance that little Pythias +was down near the foot of the class, and made not the faintest allusion +to it. He had barely taken his seat and looked over the two or three +notes when a heavy tread was heard upon the stair, and despite Halsey's +efforts the recitation hung fire, and every boy stared as a tall, +grim-visaged, angular man of middle age stepped within the door, and in +another moment was clasping hands with the Doctor, who left his dais to +greet him. There was a brief, low-toned exchange of words, then Halsey +and the new-comer caught each other's eye, despite the former's effort +to stick to his work, and, faintly flushing, Halsey arose, and they too +shook hands. + +"How have they done to-day, Mr. Halsey?" promptly queried the Doctor; +and as nobody had done well or behaved ill, Halsey hesitated. He could +not dissemble. Pop saw the hitch and cut the Gordian knot. + +"Gentlemen of the First Latin," he said, "the school is honored by a +visit from one of Columbia's most distinguished alumni. Shall we give +him an exhibition performance in the Anabasis or--take half holiday?" + +The class would rather stay but not exhibit; and so in five minutes the +decks are clear, and, next to Beekman, the shortest boy in the highest +class is being presented to the tall graduate. Before the name was +mentioned he knew that it must be Lawton's step-father, Mr. Park. + +First there has to be another conference of some ten minutes' duration +between the Doctor and his visitor, who had taken the youngster's hand +and looked down into his anxious face with solemn, speculative eyes and +without the ghost of a smile. Shorty feels his soul welling up in +mightier sympathy with Snipe. There is not a thing in Park's manner to +invite a boy's trust or confidence. Then the two turn to Shorty, and he +is summoned to rejoin them. + +"The Doctor tells me you have been my--er--young Lawton's most intimate +friend,--that most of his hours out of school have been spent with you. +I had heard as much before through his mother and his aunt, whom I +believe you know,--Mrs. Lawrence." + +The boy looks up, unspeaking, his blue eyes clouded. It needs but faint +encouragement, as a rule, to relax his tongue; but neither in word nor +manner does he find encouragement here. He looks, and his gaze is +fearless, if not a little defiant, but he answers never a word. + +"What I wish to know is something of your haunts, occupations, etc. We +supposed that when in your company and in the home of such eminent +persons as your grandparents our boy would be safe." + +Shorty reddens. Many a time when Snipe would have studied he has coaxed +him out for a run afar down-town, a visit to some bell tower or some +famous fire company, where they were never without kindly welcome. + +"I gather," continues Park, "from what has been told me at his aunt's, +that your associates were not always of the better class of boys." + +Shorty turns redder still. Many a time when he would have been glad to +spend an evening at the home of Joy or Beekman, Doremus or Satterlee, +Snipe had held back. "You go," he said: "I'll stay here and read," and +it wasn't long before Shorty fully understood the reason. Snipe could +not bear to go in such shabby attire, but he had no better, and could +get none without importuning his mother. No one in the houses of the +fire department looked or said critical things about his clothes. Snipe +was just as welcome as Shorty, and the rough fellows of the red shirts +seemed to enjoy explaining everything about the different styles of +engines and all the intricacies of their running rules to the brown-eyed +boy, who seemed to ponder over what he was told and to remember +everything. And so it had resulted that whenever a cold or rainy +Saturday came round and they couldn't play ball, big Damon and little +Pythias had spent many an hour going from one engine-or hose-house to +another, studying the different "machines," learning to know the foremen +or leaders of the rival companies, and often climbing to the tall +perches of the bell towers and gazing out through the watcher's long +glass over the far-spreading city, the smoky shores of Jersey or Long +Island, the thicket of masts bordering the rivers, and the distant +glimmering bay. It was all of vivid interest. True, they heard language +that was eminently unclassical. They penetrated into sections of the +great city where the fashionable garments of their wealthier schoolmates +would have become the target for the satire of the saloons and the +missiles of the street Arabs. They saw and heard all manner of things at +which Aunt Lawrence would have shrunk in dismay, and concerning which +Shorty's own people were sometimes apprehensive. But as neither boy +cared to imitate the language or the manners thus discovered, it was +held that no great harm resulted. That they might have been far better +employed every right-thinking moralist will doubtless declare, and that +they would have been better employed even Snipe, down in the bottom of +his heart, would have admitted--but for his clothes. It is astonishing +how much one's garb has to do with one's goodness, even among +school-boys. + +And all this was passing through Shorty's mind as the steely blue eyes +of Mr. Park were searching his flushing face, and more things, too. With +all her ambition and moderate wealth, Mrs. Lawrence occupied a social +position just a plane below that on which moved Shorty's kith and kin. +Beautiful old homes on the lower avenue and around Washington Square +where they were welcome knew not Mrs. Lawrence. She had encouraged, +unquestioning, Snipe's growing intimacy with his little friend, because +it "brought the families together," as she once gushingly explained to +Shorty's favorite aunt, and, as she confided to her husband, might lead +to even more. Much, therefore, did she question Snipe as to what took +place at table, in the parlor and music-room of the big household in +Fourteenth Street, and, in the engrossing interest she felt in the +doings of certain of its elder inmates, lost all thought of those of the +boys themselves. Not until within the past few days had she been +required to give an account of her stewardship, and now the butler's +revelations, gathered mainly, as he stated, from market conferences with +the magnate who presided over the board at Shorty's, had filled her with +dismay. + +"Them boys, ma'am," was that dignitary's comprehensive summing up, "do +be seeing the worst society in New York, 'stead of rejoicin' in the +best--with their relatives." + +"You do not answer," at last says Park. "Could you find no better way of +spending your play hours than going around among low firemen?" + +"We spent 'em at base ball when the weather was good," says Shorty, +shortly, and there is glowing temper in the tone which the Doctor knows +of old, and he sees it is time to interpose. + +"I have never said anything to you about this, my young friend," says +he, "because I found that your relatives knew all about it, and thought +you capable of keeping out of trouble; but I did not know Lawton was so +often with you. What Mr. Park wishes to know is why you spent so much +time among the firemen and so little among your classmates?" + +Shorty turns to the Doctor fearlessly. Him he knows and trusts. Twice +for boyish misdemeanors has the great teacher bidden him take his books +and leave the school, and both times has he reinstated him, as he had +others, within twelve hours. "I don't care for these Sammy-go-softly +boys," he had confided to Shorty. "I don't mind a little fun, but it +must not take the form of impertinence to teachers or disobedience of +their orders. If they are unjust, I'll straighten it out myself, but +don't you try." Like most of the boys in the First Latin, Shorty knows +he has the Doctor's sympathy and friendship, and so the answer comes +pat. "The reason was because he had no money and was ashamed of his +clothes." + +Mr. Park is severely judicial. School-boy impetuosity must not be +permitted to ruffle him. With great dignity he begins,-- + +"I do not approve of young lads having unlimited pocket-money or +fashionable clothes, much less so in the case of a lad who must make his +own way in the world, as George will have to do." + +"That's what Snipe said," was Shorty's quick reply. "Most of the class +have both, however; and as he had neither and I only a little, we +couldn't keep up with the crowd, so we spent our time together." + +"I am amazed that your grandparents should approve of such pernicious +association for so young a lad as you," says Park, shifting the point of +attack, for he feels that a revelation is imminent, and doesn't care to +have the rector know how little he gave and how much he demanded. But it +is bad fencing, for Shorty "disengages" with equal skill and follows +with a palpable hit. Ignoring Park's comment, he faces the Doctor again. + +"You know, sir, that there isn't another boy in the class has to get his +boots and gloves and pay his way on fifty cents a week." And Pop, +inwardly convulsed, feels compelled to reprove. + +"Tut, tut!" he says. "These are matters for parents and guardians to +settle. Little boys must hold their tongues." And when Pop means to be +especially crushing he "little boys" the First Latin. + +"Any proper and necessary expense incurred by George would have been +promptly allowed," says Park, loftily, "had he seen fit to confide in me +or in his mother." + +"He _couldn't_ tell his mother, even when he was nearly barefoot," +blurts out Shorty. "She wrote him last year she'd rather sell her watch +than ask you for money for him!" And now Park, too, reddens, for he +realizes that the statement is probably true. Hastily he returns to the +charge. This boy knows and talks too much. It isn't safe to allow him +the floor. Pop turns away, with evidences of earthquake-like +disturbances underneath that silken waistcoat. + +"Then this is the excuse," says Park, severely, "for his resorting to +pawnbrokers--with stolen property." + +And Shorty bursts out indignantly, "He never stole a thing, or sold it +either!" And now his eyes look pleadingly to the Doctor as though to +say, "You know this can't be so! Why do you let him lie?" + +And as though to answer the appeal and come to the rescue of a maligned +and beloved pupil, Pop turns instantly, every sign of merriment gone. + +"Surely you are misinformed, Park," he says. "There was nothing but some +last year's books and his father's old shotgun. He told us everything." + +"He didn't tell you everything," answers Park, with emphasis. "How much +of this is due to evil associations you can judge better than I; but +look here," and from a bulging pocket of his overcoat he produces a +package wrapped in a red silk handkerchief. A minute later and he lays +upon the desk Seymour's handsome gold pencil-case, an old-fashioned +watch and chain, such as women wore twenty years earlier, and some +cameo earrings, with breastpin to match. "These," says he, solemnly, +"were recovered this morning. They represent only a small portion of +what his aunt, his benefactress, has found to be missing from her box of +disused trinkets and heirlooms. The boy was shrewd enough to confine his +stealings to things that wouldn't have been missed for weeks or months, +perhaps, had not a faithful domestic's suspicions been aroused. This +will be a sore blow to his poor mother. It has almost prostrated his +aunt, and I dare say we don't begin to know the worst. Has nothing been +missed by his classmates here at school?" + +There are beads of sweat on the Doctor's pale forehead as he turns away, +Joy's watch instantly occurring to him. As for Shorty, in distress and +consternation, mingled with vehement unbelief, for once in his life he +is dumb. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Another week began. Pop's boys gathered on Monday morning, and the first +question on every lip was for Snipe, and all in vain. He had disappeared +as from the face of the earth. Shorty looked an inch shorter and several +pounds lighter. His chatter was silenced, his young heart heavy as lead. +He had had two miserable days, and there were more before him. He had +been closely questioned, both at home and at the Lawrences', over and +over again, as to all their haunts and habits, which he and poor Snipe +had shared in their leisure hours, and stoutly he maintained that never +had Snipe entered a pawnshop while they were together,--never had he +mentioned such a thing. The one piece of information he could give, that +went to confirm the suspicions attaching to the missing boy, was that +during the three weeks previous to his disappearance George had seemed +to have much more money than usual. He had ordered a new pair of shoes, +had bought some collars and neckties, had "stood treat" two or three +times, and had got Shorty to go with him to a great clothier's, much +affected by the school, to try on some overcoats. He had totally +outgrown the one he brought from home two years previous, and was going +without one, and seemed divided in his mind whether to buy a new one for +winter or a new suit of clothes. Another thing Shorty had to tell was +that of late Snipe had missed several evenings when Shorty expected him, +or had come very late and said he had been of an errand. Of course, it +was now apparent to poor Mrs. Lawrence that her nephew's suddenly +discovered crimes were all due to her intrusting him entirely to Shorty +and his kindred, and Mr. Park was oracularly severe in his comments on +youthful depravity of so glaring a character that it could be satisfied +with no association less disreputable than that of the rowdies of the +fire department. He went so far as to make some such assertion to +Shorty's uncle, who was called into a conference, and this was lucky for +Shorty,--one of the few lucky things that happened to him that sorrowful +winter. Ordinarily he would doubtless have been made the recipient of +several lectures of the same tenor as Mr. Park's, only less radical, but +the moment Park ventured to assert that his step-son had been led +astray, and that Shorty's kindred had shut their eyes to the boys' +misdoings and let them go their wicked ways, he stirred up the whole +tribe and put them on the defensive. Uncles and aunts might even have +thought somewhat as did Park, but not after he laid his accusation at +their door. Shorty submitted his whole cabinet of possessions to prove +that nothing of his was missing, except one pair of gold sleeve-links, +which he had lent Snipe, and gladly lent him. "If Snipe ever stole, why +didn't he steal my watch?" he chokingly asked. "It was as good as Joy's, +and hadn't any name on it, as his had, and he could have sold it +easier." All the evidence in creation couldn't make that butt-headed boy +believe that Snipe was a thief. What he probably _had_ stolen, since +they were missing from his room, were his school-books of previous +years, a set of Marryat's novels that had belonged to his father, and +his father's old shotgun, which he had brought to New York with him, and +had no use for whatever. Perhaps he was thinking, poor fellow, of +selling his father's old watch, a bulky, yellow "turnip," too big for +him to wear, in order to get the money to buy those sorely needed +clothes. Shorty well remembered Snipe's story of how his mother cried +during that summer's vacation because she could give him so little when +he needed so much; but Park's dominion was absolute. "That boy must +learn the value of money," he constantly said. "He must know as I knew +what it is to plan and contrive to make five cents do the work of +twenty-five. _Then_ he may amount to something." Park said the boy's +clothes were better than he wore in his school-days, when he had to +sweep shop and make the fires and sleep in an attic, without a curtain +to his window or a rag to the floor. Shorty began to realize at last how +great must have been Snipe's temptations, and still he wouldn't believe +he stole. Even the sight of Seymour's pencil failed to convince +him,--even the fact that Snipe had certainly run away, if indeed he had +not made away with himself. + +But in the class there was gloom and sadness almost equal to Shorty's, +and by Monday noon all the story was out and much besides. Nothing could +exceed the virtuous amaze of Briggs. He always had suspected Lawton, +"but you fellows would not believe." Nothing more sardonic than Hoover's +grinning face could be imagined. His blinking eyes seemed fairly to snap +with comfort over the contemplation of Lawton's turpitude. By this time +it was being asserted that Snipe had stolen his aunt's diamonds, Joy's +watch, and every missing item, big or little, that had disappeared +during the three years of his membership in the school. John, the +janitor, was overhauled, questioned and cross-questioned. He dodged, +parried, broke away, but by implication confessed that he found out that +Lawton was going to a certain pawnshop on Third Avenue, and had been +there two or three times within the previous month. Park paid the school +another visit that afternoon and had brief conference with the Doctor, +looked steadily and with stern disapproval at poor Shorty, sitting +midway down the line and drifting gradually towards the foot. The First +Latin took Park's measure, as they had Meeker's, and disapproved of him. +They wondered would he attempt to address them. If he did, not one +applauding hand could there be, except Briggs's or possibly Hoover's, if +he referred to Snipe's to-be-expected fall. Snipe might have fallen, but +if ever a boy was pushed and driven over a precipice he was, said they, +and, take them by and large, the First Latin would have gone out of +their way to shake hands with Snipe or to avoid shaking hands with his +step-father. Park left before school closed, but to Joy's request of the +Doctor, in the name of the class, for news of Snipe, the answer was +given that they still had nothing authentic, though they thought they +had a clue. He had once spent a month with some kinsfolk of his poor +mother's in Pennsylvania, and Park opined that he would presently be +heard of there, where his peculations, he might hope, had not yet become +known. + +There were half a dozen of the boys walking together down the avenue +that afternoon, Shorty in their midst. They were plying him with +questions and conjectures. No, he was not going to the Lawrences', he +said. He would never, probably, go there again. No, he hadn't been +around among the engine-houses. He didn't at all believe in Snipe's +guilt, and wouldn't believe he was hiding on that account. How did he +account for Seymour's pencil? He couldn't account for it. All he could +say was, that he'd bet anything he owned that Snipe wasn't a thief, and +some day they'd find it out, and find out who was. It so happened that +Briggs had gone on ahead with Hoover, the two lads with their heads +close together in eager conference, but at Eighteenth Street he held +back and stood waiting for the little knot of excited boys. Bertram and +Joy were of the lot, tall young fellows on whose upper lips the down was +sprouting and who on Sundays went to church in their first tophats. They +were the elders, the senate of the school, and at sight of Briggs they +muttered malediction and cautioned silence. + +"Say, Shorty!" cried the pachyderm, as Pop had named him, "twice last +week I went to your house and asked for you, and the man said you +weren't home. You were up in your room with Snipe Lawton, and I know it. +I watched, and saw you come out with him half an hour later. What you +'fraid of? Think I was policeman with a search-warrant?" + +The little fellow's blue eyes blazed up, but Bertram grabbed him and Joy +turned savagely on the leering tormentor. "Shut up! you sneaking whelp!" +he cried, "or I'll smash you here and now!" And glaring and red-faced in +his wrath, Joy looked fully capable of doing it. + +"Why, what have I done?" sneered Briggs. "He's the fellow that stood by +the thief that's been robbing us right and left, and didn't dare let his +own classmate come up in his room." + +"You used to ring the bell and bolt up there the moment the door was +opened, you cad!" answered Joy, "just as you did at my house and others +until orders had to be given not to let you in. Get out of the way! No +one in this party wants to be seen in the same street with you." + +"Oh, all right," snarled Briggs. "If you want to run with thieves and +pickpockets you're welcome. I don't." + +But now there was a crash on the broad flagstones as the red-labelled, +calf-bound, tightly-strapped volumes of Virgil and Xenophon went +spinning to the curb, and, wrenching himself free from Bertram's +relaxing grasp, Shorty flew at Sandy Briggs like a bull terrier at some +marauding hound. Quick, alert, active, the surest-footed boy in the +school, there was no dodging his spring. The whack of the leather on the +flagging was echoed on the instant by the biff-bapp of two knotty fists, +and Briggs reeled back before the sudden storm and tumbled into the +gutter. Instantly the others threw themselves on Shorty or between the +two. Briggs bounded up in a fury, the blood streaming from his nose, +rage and blasphemy rushing from his swelling lips. He was ready enough +to fight a boy so much smaller, and disdained Julian's prompt proffer of +himself as Shorty's substitute. A policeman at the Everett corner came +sprinting across at sight of the swift-gathering crowd. Joy and Julian +saw him, and grabbing Briggs, darted with him down the stairway to the +Clarendon's barber-shop. Bertram, Beekman, and Gray snatched up Shorty +and Shorty's books and fled with him eastward towards Lexington Avenue. +The row was over as quick as it began, but not, alas! the results. "I'll +pay that blackguardly little cur for this,--you'll see if I don't!" +shrieked Briggs at his captors, and they all knew that even as he could +dissemble, that fellow could hate. + +Late that afternoon the Doctor sat in the midst of his books and +manuscripts in the solemn library, the sanctum in which he rarely +permitted himself to be disturbed, yet he lifted his massive head and +listened eagerly as a servant entered with a message. + +"Send him right in here," said he, throwing down his pen, and the words +were hardly out of his mouth when in came Shorty, bounding, breathless, +excited, and with snapping eyes. "Ha, lad! So you've heard from Lawton! +What does he say?" And trembling, rejoicing, triumphing, yet troubled, +the youngster read from a letter in his hand. + + DEAR SHORTY,--I couldn't stand it. I had to go, and, please + God, I'll never come back, only I want you to know the reason + and you won't blame me much. I begged Halsey not to tell the + Doctor or anybody what that low sneak of a janitor told him. + It's no disgrace to be so poor that a fellow has to pawn his + old books and things to get shoes, and you know how I was + fixed; you know that I was on my bare feet, almost, and that my + clothes wouldn't cover me. I couldn't ask a penny of Aunt + Lawrence, and they didn't seem to see or care how I looked. I + couldn't worry mother any more, so what _was_ there to do? They + gave me a shilling apiece for the school-books, and then I took + over my Marryats--I hadn't even read some of 'em--and got + twenty cents apiece, and finally father's old shotgun. It was + mine; mother had given it to me. It was no use to me. Why + shouldn't I sell it and buy clothes? I didn't know it was so + costly and valuable, but Aunt Lawrence says now it was worth + one hundred and fifty dollars. It came from London. I thought I + was lucky to get seven dollars for it. Of course old Binny saw + me one night ["Binny is the butler," explained Shorty. "He + hated both of us, I suppose, having to answer door so + much,--Aunt Lawrence wouldn't let Snipe have a key"], and I + guess he must have sneaked after me; but when Halsey told me it + was known I visited the pawnbroker's (it wasn't a pawnbroker's. + It was just a second-hand store), and demanded to know what I'd + sold, and talked of the disgrace and all that, and hinted + things about Joy's watch and other missing items I never even + heard of, I told him the whole thing, and begged him not to + make trouble for me,--I had enough. But he said the Doctor must + know, and the Doctor sent me round with him and I showed him + the shop, and he rowed the man in charge and said my aunt must + be told at once. You never heard such a row as she made,--the + shame and the disgrace I'd brought on them all. She could never + show her face in society again. Selling my father's books! my + father's beautiful gun, that my poor mother had so proudly + intrusted to me! Why, Shorty, she drove me nearly mad. Even + Halsey tried to stop her after a while, and to say it didn't + begin to be as bad as she made it, but she ordered me to my + room, and then came up and jawed until I was near crazy, and + then when she'd talked herself out up comes Cousin Maud, and + she just belched fire and brimstone for an hour; and after + dinner that night Uncle Lawrence,--why, he never so much as + noticed me generally, and you know how he used to pass us on + the street and never see us,--he went on at a perfectly + infernal rate. I was an ingrate and a thief and a consorter + with the lowest order of humanity (rough on _you_ that was, + Shorty), and when he got through I'm blessed if they didn't + wind up by sending my little cousin, Queenie,--I always liked + her,--but she went on and preached about disgrace and shame + just like Aunt Lawrence, and how good they'd all been to me, + and how shocking was my ingratitude! She supposed I spent the + money in liquor and cigars for my rowdy friends (I did stand + treat to milk and custard pie as much as twice); and then Aunt + Lawrence comes up again, and read me what she'd written to + mother, and that was the last pound. I had five dollars left + that I was saving for some clothes, and planning to sell the + old watch and get the rest of the money I needed, but she took + that away, lest I should steal that too, she said, and I was to + be sent back to Rhinebeck as soon as mother could be heard + from. She'd been to the Doctor and told him I don't know what, + and came back and said the Doctor and teachers as much as + declared they thought me the thief that stole Joy's watch. She + told me to go and say good-by to you and confess everything, + but I shall never disgrace the home where I was so kindly + welcomed by setting foot inside its doors again. I've started + out for myself, Shorty, dear old boy, and I'll make a living, + never you fear, and I'll write to you sometimes when I can do + so without being followed or found out. Don't let the fellows + think too mean of me. Here's the one thing I've got to confess, + and you tell it to Seymour. I found his pencil under the fourth + bench that afternoon Beach kept me in two hours for welting + Beekman with a putty-ball, and instead of giving it to Beach, + as the rule is, I stuck it in my pocket and never thought of it + again until next morning, just as I got to school and saw + Seymour. I hunted in my pocket and it was gone. I ran home at + recess and hunted everywhere, and asked the girl who makes + believe do up my room, but couldn't find a trace of it. That + was two weeks ago, and all this time I've been hoping to find + it, or when I got the money on the watch to buy him another and + tell him the whole story. Now I can't do either. + + Good-by, Shorty, dear old fellow! Say good-by to Bonner and + Hank and Keating and Joe Hutton. Forty's boys were always kind + to us, weren't they? And if any of the class feel that I am not + altogether a disgrace to them, give them a bit of love, from + yours till death. + SNIPE. + +[Illustration: "I couldn't stand it. I had to go."] + +The little reader was almost sobbing when he got through, but the Doctor +was on his feet and listening in undisguised interest and sympathy. + +"But that pencil was found among those things Mr. Park brought to the +school!" he exclaimed. Then, as a sudden light seemed to flash over the +case, he took the missive in his big, white hand and pored over the last +two of its many pages. "You have shown this to----?" he began. + +"Nobody, sir. Nobody was at home. I brought it right to you." + +"Then leave it with me and say nothing about it till I tell you. I will +see your grandfather to-morrow." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +A week later the First Latin was divided against itself,--a most unusual +thing. That it generally despised Hoover and hated Briggs was an old +story. These two of the twenty-seven had long been excluded from the +fellowship of the twenty-five; but that twenty-five was now reduced to +twenty-four by the loss of Snipe, and the twenty-four was split, much to +the comfort of the two outsiders. A grievous burden had been imposed on +Shorty when the Doctor bade him tell no one about Snipe's letter,--that +he had good reason and desired to investigate on his own account. Shorty +couldn't listen to an insinuation of any kind against his chum, and +there were members of the class who now couldn't help entertaining +suspicion and saying so. Shorty's intentions of observing the Doctor's +caution were of the best, but indignation would find vent, and so would +the boy nature that impelled him to say that he had information when +Snipe's accusers had not. Then he had to lose a point and admit that +his knowledge was of such a character that it must be kept concealed +awhile, which statement many of the class decided to accept, but not a +few to deride. Turner was one of the latter, and at recess one day +openly taunted Shorty with professing what he couldn't prove. Briggs was +on the outskirts of the knot of excited lads at the first sign of +trouble. He was still raging in his heart against Shorty because of the +stinging blows that sent him reeling into the gutter the previous Friday +afternoon. Here was a chance for vicarious vengeance. Shorty was half a +head smaller than his long-armed accuser. Briggs knew that Joy, Julian, +any of the bigger members of the class, would pounce on him if he dared +lay hand on the "little 'un," but Turner was nearer the youngster's +weight. Those were the days when Heenan and Sayers were the models of +the fistic art, when Charlier's boys at Wood's gymnasium or Pop's at +Ottignon's were accustomed to putting on the gloves with the master, and +school affairs were settled in the neighboring stable after the manner +of Tom Brown and Slogger Williams in "School-Days at Rugby." Cooler +heads in the little crowd counselled peace and strove to stem the angry +torrent of words between the boys. Even Turner himself, seeing Shorty's +rage, would probably have been willing to take back what he had said, +but Briggs had other plans. Stooping underneath the elbows of the boys +at Turner's back, he suddenly straightened up, giving Turner a powerful +shove that sent him lunging against his fuming little antagonist, and +like a flash came the first blow, the counter, an instant's clinch, and +then, as the boys broke away, two stinging whacks before the elders +could interpose. "Come round to the stable and finish it!" yelled +Shorty, in his fury. "Come on yourself!" shouted Turner; and, despite +the pleadings of those who hated to see class harmony destroyed, away +went the excited crowd, Hoover and Briggs leering and grinning after +them, while John, the janitor, bolted miserably up-stairs to give +warning to Othello, who had determined there should be no more +stable-fights, and who came breathless into the arena just as the +combatants had shed their coats and collars and, with clinched fists and +flashing eyes, were facing each other for business. The ring broke and +scattered pell-mell at sound of Halsey's voice, but the principals were +caught. Recess was ordered suspended. The bell summoned the class +in-doors, and, in sullen silence, slowly the boys obeyed. Shorty's +prominent nose had suffered in the preliminary skirmish, and he had to +go and stanch the blood. Turner, scowling, was sent to the foot of the +class, where Hoover welcomed him with a malignant grin, and there, along +its accustomed line, sat the First Latin in gloom and despond, while the +head-master penned brief memoranda of the circumstance. Everybody felt +there would be tragedy when the Doctor came. "The next boys I hear of as +fighting around school," he had said the week before, "I'll pack 'em +home to their parents." And yet the First Latin had reason to believe +the Doctor had nothing but disdain for boys who quarrelled and called +names and perhaps cuffed, scratched, or kicked, and couldn't or wouldn't +fight "fair and square." Only a few months before, just at the close of +the school-year, when the twenty-seven were still the Second Latin, +there had been a laughable scuffle between two big, lanky lads in the +senior class. Full ten minutes had they clinched, wrestled, slapped, and +sparred in the vestibule, many of the Second Latin looking--and +egging--on and indulging in satirical comment, until Beach swooped upon +the surging crowd and ordered DeForest and Dominick, the principals, to +their benches. The classes recited together then in Latin Prosody, a +Second Latin boy many a time "taking a fall" out of the First and +getting the head of the combined array. There was no love lost between +the two. Pop was unquestionably partial to the juniors, and had frequent +occasion to torment the seniors with satire over the fact that the +youngsters knew better Latin, if not more, than did the other class. He +listened to Beach's report of the affair with frowning brows, until it +transpired that full ten minutes were consumed before the combatants +were separated. Then his broad features expanded in a smile of +amusement. "What!" he exclaimed, as he studied the crestfallen faces of +the culprits. "Ten minutes' battling and not a scratch to show for it! +Scandalous! _Et tunc pugnabant pugnis_---- Hold! Young gentlemen, +there's a capital start on a fine, sonorous line, dactylic hexameter. +Half-holiday to the class that first completes it! Half-holiday except +to those wielders of the wind-stuffed cestus. Set your wits to work--and +your pencils." With that he seated himself in his chair of state, his +fine cambric handkerchief came forth to mop his glowing face, and, still +chuckling with suppressed merriment, the massive rector looked down +along the crowded ranks of his boys, forty-five in all, and then he +wiped his gold-rimmed spectacles and laid them on his desk, and then +little Beekman darted up to his side, a scrap of paper in his hand, and +gave it hopefully to the magnate in the chair. The Doctor glanced over +it, shook his head, and frowned. "No, no," said he. "What we want is +sound and sense combined. You've only got the sound, like the blows of +our gladiators. There's nothing behind them. The words mean nothing. +Mark the rhythm and majesty of mine. _Et tunc--pugna--bant pug_---- All +spondaic. And then--they were--fighting--with fists---- Come, come, +gentlemen, that line needs appropriate close. Ha! the versatile Second +Latin again tenders a contribution!" and the big Doctor took the next +youngster's slate, leaned back in his chair, read, a beaming light shot +into his eyes; then the eyes closed, the massive head fell back, the +capacious waistcoat began to heave and shake from internal convulsion, +and the whole array of boys looked up expectant. For a full minute Pop +lay back in his big chair in solitary enjoyment of his fun, and at last, +bubbling over with merriment, he straightened up and began, "Listen, +young gentlemen of the First Latin, to the satire of the Second. +Triumph, gentlemen of the Second, in the victory of your laureate. + + '_Et tunc pugnabant pugnis sine sanguine nasi._' + +"And then they were fighting with fists (full ten minutes understood) +and not a drop of blood was drawn from the nose. Poetic license set at +naught! Stern facts related! Half-holiday to the Second Latin! Take your +books and go rejoicing! Gentlemen of the vanquished First, remain where +you are." + +That episode widened the breach between the classes and strengthened the +conviction that Pop was "down on" bloodless encounters. Pop was +thorough, argued the boys. He wanted no quarrelling, but if quarrels +came, they were soonest ended when fought to a finish on the spot. + +And so despite the frown on Halsey's dark face most of the First Latin +hoped that when the Doctor came he would look with leniency on the +misconduct of the belligerents. Hoover, defrauded of his smoke, pleaded +for permission to go to Duncan's to get his fine silk handkerchief, +which he claimed to have dropped during their brief ten minutes of +recess. This was killing two birds with one stone. He needed his +cigarette, and he hoped to create the impression that he was not among +the crowd at the stable. There had been a solemn conference between the +Doctor and Hoover senior, and solemn warning to the young man on part of +both, and Hoover junior felt that he could risk nothing with the rector +in his present frame of mind. The head-master, with doubtful glance in +his eyes, said go, and not three minutes later wished he hadn't. There +was a sound of angry altercation below-stairs. John's whining voice was +uplifted in protestation. At any other time the class would have had fun +out of it, but the class was in no mood for frolic now. + +"Stop that noise and come up here at once!" ordered the master from the +head of the stairs, and sullen and swollen-faced, the janitor came. + +"I couldn't help it, sir," he began at once. "I ain't going to be cursed +for obeying orders by any such sneak as that." + +And when Halsey could check the angry torrent of his words, it +transpired that Hoover had taken occasion, with much blasphemy and bad +language, to abuse him for having told about the fight. Hoover came in +ten minutes later, glancing shiftingly around. "Say, did that cur tell +on me?" he whispered to Turner, as he sidled into his seat, and Turner +turned his back and bade him go to Halifax, but Briggs nodded yes. It is +an ill wind that blows nobody good. The Doctor came with gloom in his +eye and thunder on his tongue. Things had been going amiss. Not another +word had been heard of Snipe. A favorite pupil had disappeared because +of troubles brought to light at school, and the Doctor felt that his +system, his methods, his discipline and supervision were all being +challenged and dissected by his rivals and opponents, and, like every +successful man, he was the target for the shafts of all the envious. A +high authority at faculty meeting that day had demanded news of the +missing boy and particulars as to the causes of his going, had intimated +that such things ought not to be in a well-regulated school, and the +rector came down ruffled and wrathful. The first thing to attract his +eyes was the sight of Shorty sitting ruefully on the "mourners' bench," +as the boys called the settee at the foot of the class. Hoover, Turner, +and Briggs were the other occupants. + +"Hiyee!" he exclaimed, as he halted at the doorway. "The lad of the long +tongue has let it run away with him again, I suppose! What's he been +saying, Mr. Halsey?" + +"Nothing, sir," said Halsey, briefly. "Fighting again." + +"What! And after my prohibition! Here, you, sir!" he exclaimed, with +indignation in his tone. "Take your books and pack yourself out of +school, at once!" + +Slowly Shorty found his legs and, uttering no word, went drearily to the +bookcase, obeying the pointing, menacing cane in the rector's hand, and +trembling and with heavily beating heart began to gather and strap his +few possessions. For a moment there was dead silence. Pop still +standing at the doorway, glaring at the culprit, perhaps wishing the boy +would speak. But Shorty's spirits were crushed by the sorrows of the +past ten days, and he didn't much care what happened. It was Bertram who +broke the silence. + +"May I say a word, sir?" he asked, as he rose respectfully. + +"Not unless you wish to quit the school the same way, sir. Young people +will speak when spoken to and not before. Come, you, sir," he continued, +turning again on Shorty, "I am waiting for you to go." + +"So'm I, sir," said the youngster, desperately, "but I can't--till you +get out of the way." + +For an instant the silence was intense. The Doctor stared, then dropped +his threatening cane, closed his eyes and began to shake. In another +instant the room rang with a shout of laughter, even the saturnine +features of Halsey relaxing in a grin. + +"Who's the other belligerent, Mr. Halsey?" asked Pop, as soon as he +could regain severity of mien. "The illustrious Turner, I apprehend. +What did you wish to say, Bertram?" + +"Nothing, sir, in view of the penalty," was the prompt answer. + +"It wasn't his fault, I suppose you wish to imply," said the Doctor. "Go +back to the bench, sir," was his stern order to Shorty. "Remain after +school, both of you, until I investigate this and send you home with a +letter apiece. Any other enormities to report, Mr. Halsey?" + +"Yes, sir,--Hoover. The janitor says that he cursed and abused him at +recess for obeying your orders." + +The Doctor's face had mellowed a moment before; now it hardened. He +stood with his cane tucked under his arm, his top-hat in one hand, the +polishing handkerchief in the other, flicking away the dust and +smoothing the glossy crown. Foul language on part of boy or man was +something he abhorred, and Hoover had been reported more than once. For +John, the janitor, the Doctor had but faint regard. He was a blundering +booby, said he. But that in no wise relieved Hoover. Watching his +angering face, the silent boys could almost foretell the words they saw +framing on his compressed lips. "Out of my school, sir," were beyond +doubt the first he would have spoken, but there sat two other culprits +who deserved the temporary expulsion that was at the time his favorite +method of punishment. If Hoover went, they too must go, or Hoover senior +would hear and ask the reason, and the Doctor hated to be +cross-questioned about his school. His methods were his own; one might +almost say the boys were too. + +"Using blasphemous and profane language again!" he finally began, as he +stood and glared at the scowling pupil. "Gentlemen never abuse a servant +for obeying orders. Gentlemen avoid the use of profanity. We must have a +new name,--a more descriptive title for our _monstrum horrendum_, our +roaring Polyphemus. What say you, Bertram, Imperator? What say you, Joy? +Come, wake your nimble wits, young gentlemen. The astute head of the +class is silent, the second is dumb, the third sits mute," and now the +great but shapely white hand, with its taper index, points to one after +another, "the fourth, the fifth, the sixth. What? Have we no wits left +to-day? You, Beekman; you, Satterlee; the iconoclastic Bagshot, the +epicurean Doremus" (a titter now, for Doremus's taste for cream-puffs is +proverbial). Speak up, Van Sandtvoordt. Gihon, Post, Dix, Bliss, +Seymour, Grayson, next, next, next; the late belligerent Mr. Turner, the +benignant Briggs, Hoover we'll skip, and now the other gladiator, +Loquax. _What?_" + +"Polyblasphemous!" says Shorty, with twitching lips, the Irish in him +coming to the top despite his weight of woe. + +An instant of silence, then, shaking from head to foot, the tears fairly +starting from his eyes, unable for the moment to speak at all, laughing +himself to the verge of apoplexy, the Doctor motions the youngster from +the foot to the head of the class, and it is a full minute before order +is restored and the laughter of the First Latin subsides. Even then, +every little while some boy bursts out into a chuckle of merriment, and +Hoover glares at him with new malevolence. Every little while the Doctor +settles back in his chair and shakes anew. That _jeu d'esprit_ saves +three culprits from deserved suspension and brings sunshine through the +storm-clouds for the day at least. But it thickens the hide of Hoover's +hate. + +"You think you were smart this afternoon" (with an adjective to the +smart), sneers Hoover to the youngster after school. "You'll find out +where the smart comes in before you're a month older, young feller." + +And Hoover means it. + +[Illustration: She was permitted to read and to weep over Snipe's +pathetic letter.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +Another month had come and not another word from Snipe. All the Doctor's +explorations were in vain. There was grief at the Lawrences', for the +poor mother had been visiting her sister, imploring full particulars in +one minute and denouncing her informants in the next. The most yielding +and self-forgetful of women ordinarily, she had risen in rebellion +against those whom she believed had wronged her boy. There was a rupture +at Rhinebeck, where George Lawton's step-father was given to understand +by George Lawton's mother that she would never believe that her boy had +stolen. That he had sold the books and the gun and might have sold the +watch was probably true. He had to do it to buy even the coarsest +clothes to hide his nakedness. She had come to Shorty's home, and, with +that sad-hearted youngster as her guide, had been conducted to the +Doctor's study, and there she was permitted to read and to weep over +Snipe's pathetic letter. She drew from Shorty all the details of the +boy's effort to get along on his scanty allowance, to spare her, and to +make his worn shoes and shabby, outgrown garments answer for another +year. The interview between the now roused and indignant woman and her +husband on her return to Rhinebeck must have been a source of amaze to +him as well as discomfiture. In forty-eight hours she was back at Mrs. +Lawrence's. "Do not put yourself out for me any more than you did for +George," she said to her sister, with a tinge of irrepressible +bitterness. "I will sleep in his little hall bedroom and sit at his +corner of your table--when you are not entertaining." And Mrs. Lawrence +made no reply. She knew well there had been much to warrant the mother's +accusation. George might indeed be the culprit her husband, her +brother-in-law, and her butler asserted, but he might not, probably +would not, have been but for the indifference or neglect which had been +his portion. Down at the bottom of her heart Aunt Lawrence was a +sympathetic woman, and not entirely unjust, for after the first few days +of excitement, at which times those at fault are sure to strive to fix +the blame on others, she realized that what she had said of George's +playmate and his people, even of George's misguided methods of spending +his recreation hours, was something she would gladly recall. + +But all this time the search for the absent boy had gone on +unremittingly. Shorty had promised faithfully that if another letter +came from Snipe he would bring it to the mother at once, and Pop had +given his sanction. He refused to promise to come every day to see her, +as she had at first almost demanded. He told her frankly that after what +Mrs. Lawrence had said of him and his leading George astray, he couldn't +come. The Doctor had certain theories about the missing jewelry, and +had, on his own account, employed detective aid, and abandoned his +theory more perplexed than ever. Privately he let it be known to the +police that he would pay a handsome reward for the recovery of Joy's +watch and information that would lead to the apprehension of the thief, +but not a trace of it had been found. School work had to be kept up, but +Shorty's standing suffered. The weekly reports that so often bore in +Pop's remarkable chirography the word "_Imperator_," in Halsey's big, +round hand the inscription "_Nulli Secundus_," and over the sign manuals +of the other teachers some tribute to his scholarship and industry, now +spoke of him as "falling off," "losing ground," etc., and a gentle hand +was laid on his troubled head at home ere it signed the receipt, and +kind and sympathetic words would send him hurrying away to his own +little den, there to give way to a passion of tears. It was bad enough +to lose Snipe. It was cruel to think of the boy's loneliness and +suffering, but it was getting to be worst of all at school, where, true +to the old, old saying, the absent was sure to be wrong. Little by +little sneer, rumor, and insinuation had done their work, and, with no +one to defend but Shorty, Snipe's name had become clouded with suspicion +that was verging into certainty. If innocent of all the misdeeds laid at +his door, why had he run away? Why did he not come home to face his +accusers? + +And so it happened that Shorty saw less of his schoolmates and more of +his and Snipe's old friends, the firemen, than ever before. At home this +was looked upon as decidedly unfortunate, but the lad was so unhappy and +restless that no active opposition was made. "No good can ever come from +such association," said the one oracular and dogmatic member of the +household. But that prophecy was destined to be put to the blush. + +Quarter day had come at Pop's,--a day marked in the annals of the school +and celebrated in its traditions. More stories centred on that momentous +date than on all the other school-days combined. On the Friday of the +last week of the expiring quarter each of the Doctor's pupils would be +handed an envelope addressed to his responsible parent or guardian, and +each envelope so addressed contained the school bill for the ensuing +quarter, filled out in the Doctor's unique and dainty hand. No writing +was ever like it. Pop had a system of penmanship, as he had of +punishment, of instruction, and school discipline, peculiarly his own. +His capital letters were always large, clear, and well formed. His small +letters, except those extending above and below the line, were indicated +by tiny, back-handed dashes that individually conveyed no idea and +collectively were unmistakable. Not a word of instruction accompanied +the presentation of the missive, but every boy knew infallibly what to +expect. From time immemorial in the history of the school the unwritten +law had been that every boy appearing with the cash or check in payment +of the bill early on the following Monday morning might go his way on +whole holiday. If the money came on Tuesday the bearer was released at +twelve o'clock; but if it failed to come on Wednesday the pupil found +himself drifting from one scrape into another until it did come, and old +boys used to declare that pretexts were never lacking, when they were of +the school, to warrant the Doctor in flogging, every day until the money +came, the hapless lad whose parents failed to meet the demand on time. +Small wonder that Pop's boys developed phenomenal powers as bill +collectors and that Pop himself had no dunning letters to write. + +The late autumn had given way to early winter, sharp and frosty. A great +presidential election had been held some weeks before. The East was +excited and the South enraged over the victory of a far Western +candidate, almost unknown to Gotham. Rumors more and more alarming of +Southern force and fury flew from lip to lip as November drew to its +close, and December, frosty but kindly, was ushered in. The boys had +separated Friday afternoon, taking the bills with them, and early Monday +morning Othello sat "for such occasions only" at the Doctor's desk, in +readiness to receipt for checks or cash before the opening hours of +school. A dozen at least of the First Latin had gleefully gone their +way. Another dozen, less fortunate, lolled dejectedly on the benches, +devoutly wishing their _paters_ were as well to do as those of the +holiday-makers (which many were, but held to a theory that Pop found too +many excuses for holidays). Shorty was neither with one nor the other. +Nine o'clock came and two of the First Latin had not reported; Hoover +was the other. The bell rang. Beach was told off to put the supposedly +derelict through their paces in Sallust, while Halsey went on signing +receipts, shoving money into the drawer, and saying, "You may go," +briefly as possible, to the boys who came provided. The rule held good +for the entire school, and by quarter-past nine the rector's drawer was +stored with something over a thousand dollars in checks, bank-notes, and +coin. It was fully half-past nine when Hoover came slowly and sullenly +up the stairs and entered the room. Briggs, sitting at the foot of the +incarcerated dozen, jocularly hailed him with, "Hullo! for once in his +life Hoover won't have to sit on the mourners' bench." + +"Go there yourself, sir!" said Beach, sternly, bringing Briggs instantly +to his feet with whining expostulation. "Why, what did I say, sir?" And +it takes more fines and much frowning to settle him, Othello never +interposing, for this money taking and changing is his bane. He has to +do it in the Doctor's absence, but he hates it. He counts over every +penny slowly and carefully, for the rector requires account to the +uttermost farthing, and small boys waiting for their receipt fidget +impatiently. + +Hoover, mean time, is removing coat, gloves, and muffler with +exaggerated deliberation, and seizes the opportunity when Beach turns to +the head with a question, and while the stove-pipe hides Othello's eyes, +to administer a fervent kick to Briggs and send that sandy-haired young +fellow's Sallust flying to mid-floor, Briggs, of course, lending +unnecessary and additional centrifugal impetus to his belongings, and in +the midst of the acrimonious debate that follows a bounding step is +heard on the stair and in comes Shorty, flushed, panting a bit, and +filled with suppressed excitement and evident importance. He squeezes in +between Hoover and the rack to hang up his top-coat, Hoover swaying +backward, of course, to make it as difficult and disagreeable a process +as possible. + +"Come out of that, Hoover, and take your seat," orders Beach, sternly. +But "Polyblasphemous" is ugly and rebellious. Not until Shorty has a +second time squeezed by is Hoover made to obey. Even then he turns back +and rummages among the coat pockets, claiming that he has left his +handkerchief therein. Hoover's handkerchief, like charity, is made to +cover a multitude of sins. He feels in a dozen pockets, apparently, +before he finds it. So engrossed is the class, or what is left of it, in +the effort to bring order out of chaos at the foot of the room--and +Hoover from among the overcoats--that few see that Shorty has handed +Othello a note before silently taking his seat. Hoover is presently +settled below Briggs, fined five marks for being late and another five +for trifling, and the recitation goes on, Beach evidently ruffled. Then +Othello looks up and beckons to Shorty, who silently goes to his side. + +"When did the Doctor give you this?" he asks, in low tone; but now the +boys are still as mice and listening intently. + +"Just at nine, sir, up at his house. I caught him going up to college +and gave him the letter, and he turned back and wrote that." Shorty +never could explain a thing in few words. + +There is a sound as of shouting and excitement on the avenue above the +school and of swift-running feet, but at the moment no attention is +paid. "The Doctor says you are to have whole holiday," continues Halsey, +in his monotonous tones. The noise without is increasing. + +"I--don't care to go, sir," says Shorty, hesitating, and the class looks +up in astonishment. The noise has spread to the rooms to the east,--the +nursery,--where the small boys are; a banging of windows and shades, a +rush of many feet, and all of a sudden the leaden-colored door flies +open and Meeker appears, pale and excited. + +"Mr. Halsey!" he cries, "a house right back of us is all in a blaze. +Shall I dismiss my class?" + +"Wait a moment," answers the head-master, ever deliberate, and away he +goes, long striding, the First Latin, despite Beach's effort, tearing +after him. Then Beach follows the tide. The house in flames is not just +back of them, but near enough to prove a source of tremendous interest +and excitement, if not of danger. It faces on Twenty-fifth Street, just +beyond the stable, and backs up into the grape-vined, fence-crossed +rectangle at the back. Smoke in thick volumes is pouring out of the back +windows. A tongue of flame licks out under the narrow gallery at the +rear of the main floor as Halsey forces his way through a mob of +shouting small boys to the open window. The First Latin comes tumbling +after him, shoving Meeker aside. Borne on the breath of the rising east +wind, a single, solemn "bong" of the Twenty-third Street tower tells +that the watcher has quickly descried the unusual smoke-cloud billowing +up from the doomed dwelling. People in adjoining houses are throwing +open blinds and shouting unintelligible things. Boys and men come +clambering over fences from adjoining yards. Cooks and housemaids gather +on back galleries, huddling together with shawls over their heads and +red arms wrapped in flimsy aprons. A pile of bedding comes hurtling down +through the smoke from a third-story window, followed by a lot of +books. Somebody has fetched a ladder, and a dozen boys and men have +scrambled to the tar and pebble roof of the stable, and there they dance +and shout and run hither and yon, but still no firemen appear. The +nearest hook and ladder company "lies" seven blocks away. The school is +down at the foot of the First (fire) District. The jangling bells of 61 +Hose can be heard coming on the jump down the avenue, and every boy +knows Pacific Engine can't be a block behind. But now the "hot black +breath" rushing from the basement and first-floor windows bursts all at +once into furious red flames, and Halsey says resignedly, "School's +dismissed till the fire's out." The boys go tumbling over each other's +heels in mad dash for the door, and the thunder of feet, as they go +leaping down the narrow stairway, shakes and scandalizes the watchmakers +in the little shop below, and Mr. Foley, rushing out at the first boy he +can lay hands on, shakes him in turn until, amazed and wrathful, the +young fellow breaks loose, whirls about, and lands a stunning +left-and-right full in Foley's angry face, and turns it even redder, +while every other big boy springs to the aid of "28," just lowering her +long side levers and "taking the butt" from "61," while two or three +stalwart, black-helmeted fellows dart up the brownstone steps and into +the smoke-vomiting doorway, glistening pipe in hand, the copper-riveted, +black leather hose trailing behind them. Before the water gushes from +the corner hydrant and swells the snake-like coils that connect with the +engine, the pipemen come reeling out before the jetting flames, and +everybody knows that that fire will burn itself out and not succumb to +water. In their haste, many lads have left their overcoats on the rack, +and from the midst of these emerges Hoover, twisting the silken muffler +about his throat, the only pupil left in the main school room, as Halsey +suddenly recollects himself--and the cash in the Doctor's drawer--and +comes hurrying back to that abandoned desk. The drawer is half-way open, +the checks and bank-notes seem undisturbed, but Halsey knows there were +a number of ten-dollar gold pieces in the lot, and now there isn't one. +Long before that lively blaze is out and only bare burned walls are left +standing, the Doctor himself arrives upon the scene, and the +head-master, with rueful face, reports himself about one hundred dollars +short. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +When the order "Take up" was finally given that afternoon to the array +of fire companies that covered the first and second fire districts, most +of Pop's boys were still among the swarm of spectators. The fire had +broken out soon after nine o'clock, and not until one were some of the +companies sent home. Under the system existing in those days every +engine, hose, and hook and ladder company whose station was north of +Twenty-second or south of Sixtieth Street had had to answer that +alarm,--old "Black Joke," Engine Company 33, having to drag their heavy +"Carson" machine all the way from the neighborhood of Fifty-ninth Street +and Broadway. There was nothing left of the house in which the fire +started, and neighboring buildings were badly scorched in places and +more or less damaged by water. There were no "chemicals" then. The +stable had been in danger several times, and Pop's boys had performed +prodigies of valor early in the affair, leading out the affrighted +horses and wheeling buggies and wagons into the street. The cars on +Fourth Avenue had to stop for over an hour, so numerous were the lines +of hose, and both that avenue and Twenty-fifth Street and the roofs and +windows of adjoining buildings were thronged with lookers-on. The Doctor +was much displeased on his arrival to find his back windows occupied on +both floors by total strangers, who made themselves perfectly at home +and couldn't be induced to leave by any intimation of the janitor that +the principal would like to close up. The Doctor was more than +displeased when he heard from Halsey of the filching of the gold. No +pupil saw that interview. A few of the smaller boys were at the back +widows, but only John noted the two in their grave consultation, and he +was promptly ordered to leave the room, and could only guess what was +going on until the following day. As the firemen stretched their +drag-ropes and started for home Halsey suggested summoning the boys back +to their seats and studies, but Pop said no,--it was too late in the +day. He wished to think, and, tucking the cash and checks in an inside +pocket and his cane under his arm, leaving Halsey to see to the closing +up of the rooms, the Doctor went slowly down-stairs and out upon the +crowded street. He had had to thread his way through the jam at +Twenty-fifth Street, and wanted no more of that. A line of hose +stretched along the sidewalk from the hydrant at the corner below, and +he looked upon it with stern and scholastic disapproval, but followed +its lead and came upon a familiar face. It being a "neighborhood" fire, +the Metamora Hose had run over from Fifth Avenue and Twenty-first +Street, being almost as soon upon the scene as 61. Taking the hydrant at +Twenty-fourth Street, her men had unreeled up the avenue and around the +stable, giving their "butt" to Lexington 7, who, with their big +double-decker, came speeding over from Third Avenue. And now the +prettily painted hose carriage was drawn up close to the curb at +Twenty-fourth Street, and half a dozen young fellows were lolling about +the wheels and tongue, smoking and talking loudly, with much exaggerated +imitation of the Bowery dialect of the day. But the slangy, swaggering +talk came to sudden stop. Two cigars, at least, were tossed or dropped +into the flooded gutters, and two or three hats were lifted as Hoover, +Briggs, and a "horsey" young man, whose specialties were cock-fights and +"canine sports," suddenly recognized the Doctor. With grave dignity Pop +lifted his beaver, and his stern eyes gazed in disapprobation upon the +party. He knew the others, as he did his own black sheep, at a glance. +There were the Hulkers, the flashiest of New York youths, the objects of +his especial dislike. He had known their father, a worthy man despite +his swiftly acquired wealth, and the boys, too, had spent six months +within the Doctor's walls before the death of that lamented financier. +But a doting mother had long since withdrawn them from the tyranny and +oppression to which her beloved sons were there subjected. The Doctor +had his regular habits and his regular route. No boy there had ever +known him to turn southward from his school door before this day, and +his coming suddenly upon them was a shock so severe that it dashed for +the moment even Briggs's effrontery. Hoover turned a sickly yellow, and +looked as though he would have been glad to crawl under the hose +carriage. Briggs "made a sneak" to get the reel between him and the +Doctor's glowering eyes, but Pop halted short and stood with pointed +cane, and Briggs saw it was useless and crawled out again. "Smoking!" +said the rector, comprehending the sextette in general condemnation. +"Idling! Wasting the substance of honest men in forbidden and stolen +indulgence. Here, you, sir!" to Briggs, "get you gone out of this. Go +home and study, and if you miss a line of to-morrow's lessons I'll pack +you out of school." "Pack" as a verb and "copious" as an adjective were +pets in the rector's school vocabulary. "The same to you, my horsey +young friend, Mr. Brodrick. As for you," he continued, addressing the +Hulkers and their companion, who, with hands in pockets and hats tipped +back, were striving to keep up appearance of bravado, "I shall reach you +through another channel." Then, his manner suddenly changing, he turned +on Hoover, now blinking and sidling away through the quickly gathering +knot of inquisitive folk. "Hoover, come with me," he said, and Hoover, +who looked as though he would give a year of his life to get out of the +way, meekly slunk along at the Doctor's side. + +Majestically the rector strode across the street and went on southward, +vouchsafing no word to the culprit on his left. There were still curious +knots of loungers along the avenue. One or two companies were manning +the brakes in Twenty-fourth Street, the hose of their engines being +carried through the basements of the red brick houses to the rear of the +wrecked premises. Furtively Briggs and Brodrick watched the pair until +lost to sight, all but the Doctor's hat, in the throngs along the walk. +Then an anxious, nervous glance was exchanged, and Brodrick whispered to +his freckle-faced schoolmate. "What's he heard, d'you s'pose?" was his +query. + +"We'd better look up 61 and see what the other fellows know," said +Briggs, in low tone, while the Hulkers, now that the rector was well +away, resumed their loud laughter. "You go, Brod; I can't show up in +that crowd just now." The memory of the assault on Snipe was still fresh +in the minds of some of the lads. Very possibly it was this that held +the Hulkers and their henchmen so far away from the fire itself and from +the spot where, over a block away, 61's white hose-reel and silver lamps +could be seen above the crowd. Even now that shame and suspicion +attached to George Lawton's name, those fellows, lately his accusers, if +not indeed his active assailants, felt it unsafe to venture among a lot +of the First Latin. + +Brodrick peered up the street and shook his head. "Not if the court +knows herself," he said, with the Bowery drawl; then, turning to Hulker, +"Sa-ay, Skinny, gimme 'nother seegar." But the Hulker apostrophized as +"Skinny" declined. + +"You've cleaned me out of the last one. Go buy some if you want 'em." + +"I ain't got a dime. Hope to drop dead next minute if I have. Sa-ay, +lend me five dollars till Christmas on that watch-chain?" he pleaded, +lifting a clumsy production from a waistcoat-pocket. But the next minute +he thrust it back in haste and confusion. Beach, with observing eye, +came sweeping down upon them. "Mr. Halsey wishes to see you both at +once," said he, with scant ceremony. "Lose no time," and, though the +message filled them both with uneasiness, neither dare disregard it. + +Halsey sat at the old table as they slunk into the school-room. Two or +three First Latin men and Second Latin boys were grouped about him; +John, the janitor, was dodging about the door. Every boy in the number +had on his overcoat, but at least half a dozen others had left theirs +hanging on the rack. + +"Yes, sir, I know whose they are," Doremus was saying. "There's +Beekman's, and there's Bagshot's, and that's Prime's, and those are +Second Latin coats," he added, with proper indifference to the infant +garments. Halsey thought a moment. + +"They must still be somewhere about," he said, tentatively, as Briggs +and Brodrick ranged up behind the smaller lads. "Where's Hoover?" he +questioned. "He was with you a moment ago." + +"Gone with the Doctor, sir," said Briggs, glad enough to have no harder +question to answer. + +A long hook-and-ladder truck that had been standing for some hours in +front of the school was being reloaded with its ladders, and its gong +was sounding to recall scattered members of the company. Some small boys +had tiptoed to the window to feast their eyes on the unaccustomed sight. +"There's some of our fellows over by 61's Hose now, sir," piped a +junior, and John was bidden to go and again summon all stragglers into +school. Ringing of his bell had only resulted in derisive comment among +the firemen. Some company just starting for home was receiving the +customary "hi, hi" of the hangers-on about the other machines, and +John's mandates produced no immediate effect. At last, however, the boys +came straggling up in knots of two or three, and presently perhaps a +dozen were added to the group about the master's table. He was listening +rather absently to the excited talk. No less than six or eight of the +youngsters had personally rescued as many horses apiece, despite the +fact that there never were more than twenty of those quadrupeds, all +told, in the adjoining stable. Halsey made Briggs repeat his statement +as to Hoover and seemed disappointed. "Is this all you can find?" he +finally said to the janitor, and John declared it was. + +"Didn't you tell me Prime was down there, somewhere?" asked Halsey of +Doremus. + +"He's sure to be, sir. His coat's here yet." + +So again the janitor was sent forth, and again came back to say he could +see nothing of the lad, and at last the master decided to keep the +others no longer. Bagshot took his coat and left. There were only two +remaining on the rack when the usual hour for closing school drew nigh. +The occupants of the rear windows by this time had satisfied their +curiosity and departed, and John had been ordered to keep the doors +closed and to admit no more. For some reason Halsey seemed to hang on to +Briggs to the very last, and he and Brodrick were still fretting about +the benches, awaiting the master's permission to retire and glancing +apprehensively at each other from time to time. + +At last Halsey beckoned them to his side. + +"Where were you when the class followed me into the other room?" asked +he of Briggs. + +"_With_ 'em, sir!" said Briggs, with eagerness. "Wasn't I, Brodrick? We +were among the first to follow." + +"Yes, sir," asseverated Brodrick as positively. "We chased right in +after you." + +"How long did you stay in there?" asked Halsey. "I'm told you were among +the first to bolt down-stairs--before school was dismissed." + +"A minute or two, anyhow," declared Briggs. "I thought school was +dismissed or I wouldn't 'a' run." + +"Did the whole class follow? Did any remain?" he asked, searching the +anxious features before him. He and Beach had already talked this over +among themselves. John, too, had been examined, but further testimony +was needed. Briggs reflected. + +"Hoover was there, sir, and Shorty Prime." + +"When you came out, do you mean?" + +"Ye-ye-yes, sir. 't least Prime was. I didn't see Hoover." + +"Where was Prime? Are you sure he was there?" + +"Right up at the Doctor's desk, sir, where you were sitting." + +"He was there still when you came out?" + +"Ye-yes, sir. Wasn't he, Brodrick?" + +Brodrick thought so, but couldn't be sure. He had "grabbed his cap and +run." "They were all rushing down from the English department +up-stairs." + +Halsey's dark face was very dark now. His eyes were full of doubt and +dread. "I want you to be very careful of what you say, Briggs, and to +say nothing to anybody of what you have said." And while they were still +in conference steps were heard upon the stairs, and presently in came +the two pony members of the First Latin, Prime and Beekman, and Prime +was a sight to behold. + +"What on earth have you been doing with yourself?" queried Halsey, as he +half turned and looked the youngster over from head to foot. Shorty's +clothes were wet and bedraggled, his face smudged with soot, but his +eyes sparkling with life and animation. He had not looked so much like +his old self since Lawton's disappearance. + +"Had 28's pipe, sir, the last hour," said the boy, with a grin of pride. +"They were only pumping easy to soak down the ruins, and their fellows +were tired out and let me and Julian have it." + +"Where's Julian?" + +"Gone home, sir. He's wet through." + +"So are you, but--don't go just yet. That's all, you others," said +Halsey, whereat the three slowly vanished, leaving only the janitor +staring at the door. + +"Go out and shut that door, and keep it shut," said Halsey, shortly, to +the open-mouthed servitor, and then he turned on the boy, now warming +his hands at the big stove. "Prime," said he, "you were with me at the +desk when that alarm came. What became of you? What did you do?" + +"I, sir? I went like a streak for 61." + +"At once, do you mean?--right after the class ran after me into Mr. +Meeker's room?" + +"_Before_ the class ran after you," said Shorty, with an injured air. No +fireman would waste so many valuable seconds. "I was down-stairs and +out of the school before they were fairly off the benches." + +"How could you get your cap, sir?" + +"Didn't take it, sir! I ran bare-headed to Twenty-sixth Street, hoping +to be the first to give 'em a still before I saw 'em coming." + +"Give them a still! What's that?" + +"A still alarm, sir. Give them a tip to the fire. But it must have been +going some minutes. They were spinning down the avenue by the time I got +half-way. Then I came back for my cap, and school was coming out." + +"Did you speak to any of them? What boys saw you coming back?" asked +Halsey, thoughtfully. + +"Oh, I don't know, sir," answered the youngster. "Everybody was excited, +I suppose, but me. I've always run to fires since I was knee-high. They +were all shouting. You were just coming out of Mr. Meeker's room, and I +nearly ran into you." + +"Do you mean you ran to Twenty-sixth Street and back in that time?" + +"_More_'n that, sir. I ran half-way to Twenty-seventh and out into the +street and grabbed hold of 61's rope. There were only six or seven +fellows on her, and I ran with 'em to the corner hydrant." + +Something of the master's trouble was now reflecting in the pupil's +face. Something in the minuteness of Halsey's questioning suggested +graver trouble. "I hope nothing's wrong, sir," said Prime, anxiously. +"I know I oughtn't to have run when I did without permission, but--we +don't have a fire next door every day." + +Halsey rose and placed the long, lean hand on the little fellow's +shoulder. Two years and more he had known him. He and "Tut" had given +him the first touches in Latin and Greek, and, as head-master, Halsey +had had many an occasion to reprove or reprimand, for high spirits or +mischief led to many a scrape, yet there was kindness, there was even a +touch of tenderness, in the master's tone as he answered. + +"Perhaps you ought not to have run when you did," said he, "but, as it +is, I'm thankful." + +And Shorty could have sworn Othello's swarthy hand was trembling. + +Two minutes later the master had taken the names of two of 61's men who +were on the rope when Shorty joined them. Then, bidding him say nothing +of this conversation to any schoolmate until after the Doctor's coming +on the morrow, Halsey bade him hurry home and get a rub-down and dry +clothes. As Shorty turned to the rack for his overcoat a sudden thought +struck the master. + +"Where was the letter written--Lawton's letter--that you took to the +Doctor this morning?" + +"It didn't say, sir. It was postmarked Bridgeport, but--that don't prove +anything. Somebody else could have put it in for him there." + +Jerking the overcoat from its peg and tossing it carelessly over his +arm, something bright came spinning out of the pocket, bounded to the +floor, and rolled in easy circle up in front of the master's table, +where it struck a crack, spun on edge a second, and then settled with a +metallic buzz and bur-r-r, and then lay still and shining opposite the +middle bench. Halsey started and stared, with a gleam in his eyes. +Shorty, surprised, sped after it, stooped and picked it up, then held it +between his thumb and forefinger, gazing at it in astonishment. "Why, +Mr. Halsey," he cried, "it's a ten-dollar gold piece!" + +"Yes," said Halsey, "I know. See if there are any more." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +When school reassembled the following day the First Latin knew to a man +by nine o'clock that the cause of Shorty's "late" the previous day was a +letter from Lawton. Warned by Jim Hulker that the rector had taken +Hoover to the Clarendon, Briggs scouted miserably down the avenue on +their trail, filled with no one knew what nervous apprehension of +trouble to come, and, dodging in at the office a moment later, +ascertained from a bell boy that they had gone into a parlor on the +second floor. Briggs knew what that meant. The Doctor was +cross-questioning his sullen pupil, and there were all manner of things +Hoover might be driven into confessing if closely and scientifically +pressed, and what might that not mean for Briggs? Not five minutes +later, down they came, the Doctor erect, stately, and deliberate as +ever, Hoover slinking wretchedly alongside. A carriage had been called, +and into this Hoover was practically hustled by his preceptor, and +together they were driven away towards Fourteenth Street, and Briggs +was left behind. They were going to see Hoover's father, was the +apparent explanation, and it boded ill. A ten-minute walk took Briggs +over to the house of the Metamora. The hose carriage had just returned, +and was being washed. The Hulkers had dropped off at a certain +billiard-hall, said one of the firemen, and thither sped Briggs. It was +a resort much frequented by certain of the Columbia students in those +days, and there were a dozen or more scattered about the big room at the +moment. Over in a corner, whispering together, were the two Hulkers with +a brace of followers. Over against them, across the room, +ostensibly--even ostentatiously--engaged in a game of billiards, were +Joy and Julian, and all the little pluck that Briggs had left went +oozing out of his finger-tips at the sight. Quickly he slunk back into +the vestibule and crouched there, peering through the glazed doors, +uncertain what to do. A bar-boy, coming up from below at the moment with +cigars and mixed drinks on a tray, found him peering in through the +crack, and knew him at once. + +"Sa-ay," whispered Briggs, the moment he discovered who had come. "Tell +Mr. Hulker I want to speak to him out here a minute, will you?" + +The boy looked hard at him, made no reply, went deliberately in with his +tray-load, deposited the glasses on little tables near the big ones, +where a jovial party of Columbians were playing, collected his pay, +counted it carefully over, then with exaggerated impudence of manner +dawdled over to where the Hulker set were in eager conference in their +corner, and said something to them. Briggs saw, and so did Joy and +Julian, the backward toss of the head, the over-the-shoulder jerk of the +thumb towards the entrance, saw the four young fellows start and glance +questioningly thither; then presently, hands in pockets and head in air, +Hulker major came sauntering out, just as Julian caught sight of a +carroty head ducking behind the framework of the doorway. + +"There's that sneak Briggs now," he quickly whispered to his chum. "What +are those fellows planning, do you s'pose?" + +There was a brief confabulation in the hallway without, and then back +came Hulker,--no loitering now,--said a word or two to his fellows, and +the four picked up their canes and overcoats and started for the door. +The bar-boy went running after them. + +"I'll pay you to-morrow," Hulker major answered, impatiently; and Julian +heard it. The boy was importunate, and glanced at the desk. The clerk +came out from behind his barricade. + +"I'm sorry, Mr. Hulker, but the manager left strict orders that that +account must be settled before you could be served again. You told the +boy you would settle everything before you left, and to get those +cigars. Now, I've got to take the money out of the till and pay for 'em +if you don't." + +Angrily, and with ugly words, the elder Hulker turned on the clerk. "I +haven't any money just now, I tell you. We've been at that fire all the +morning. It's too late to get a check cashed. I'll bring you the money +to-night, Billy, I'll swear to----" + +But the controversy was cut short by the sudden entrance of the manager +himself. He was a man who prided himself on the "respectability" of his +place. Order and decorum were things he insisted on. Even the mildest of +sherry-cobblers, for which the bar was famous, was forbidden to the +student or youth who showed the faintest symptom of over-stimulation. +Case-hardened politicians and men about town avoided Martigny's, for the +reason that they could never get enough there. Student trade was +something he catered to only so long as it came through the well-bred +and well-behaved of their number. The Hulker set he much disapproved of +and had frequently cautioned, but money was an object, and for a time +those young fellows had it and spent it in abundance. Of late there had +come a change. Something had occurred to limit their supplies, and +within a month they had run up bills at every neighboring bar or +billiard-room where they could get credit, and now Martigny, after +thrice presenting his account, had drawn the line. Quietly but firmly he +told the elder that that bill must be settled then and there or it would +be sent by a messenger to his mother at once. It was impossible for the +players at the tables not to hear what was going on. There were sly +winks and quizzical glances. Columbiads, old or young, fought shy of the +Hulkers, but even they were unprepared for the scene that followed. + +"I haven't got a cent with me, Johnny," protested the elder, while the +others crowded about in indignant chorus. "I swear I'll fetch it to you +to-night, or in two hours, if you must have it." + +"You've sworn to the same effect twice before, Mr. Hulker," said the +manager, calmly, "and I cannot trust you. I was down in the bar-room +when your orders came for this round of drinks and cigars, and the boy +declared that you showed him gold, and declared further that you'd +settle the whole account. It's fourteen dollars and seventy-five cents, +and I want that money now." + +"It ain't mine, Johnny. It was given me for a particular purpose," +protested Hulker. "That was just bluffing. I didn't think he'd take it +in earnest." + +"But he did, Mr. Hulker, and so did I, and so will your mother when my +messenger gets there ten minutes from now. Get your coat, Mr. Tracy," he +said, turning to his assistant. "I'll send you around with the message. +That's all, gentlemen. I won't detain you further than to say that you +will not be allowed in this room hereafter." + +"Sa-ay, stop! Hold on!" cried Hulker. "Here, I'll--I'll pay it now. But +of all the dash, dash, dashed mean----" + +"No bad language, Mr. Hulker," said Martigny, calmly. "A special +policeman is at the door." He glanced at the coin tendered by the +trembling hand of the leader. "Give Mr. Hulker five dollars and +twenty-five cents," said he, calmly, to the desk. "There's a friend of +yours peeking in at the door. You might inquire now what he wants." And +with unruffled civility the manager led the way to the door, closed it +after the crestfallen quartette, and came back thoughtfully chinking the +coins, just as Joy and Julian, laying aside their cues, hurried to the +desk to pay for their game. + +"Was that red-headed specimen there yet when you came up, Martigny?" +asked Julian. + +"Yes, sir; but he scuttled away down-stairs as soon as he saw me. Who is +he?" + +"One of the Hulker set, and none of ours," was the brief answer, as +Julian's keen eyes took in the two coins Martigny was still mechanically +passing back and forth from the fingers of one hand to the other. +"Ten-dollar gold pieces," said he to Joy, as the two hurried down the +stairs and out on the busy street. There, "scooting" along in the keen +December wind, heads bowed and half hidden in high coat-collars, and +huddling together, the discomfited quartette, reinforced at the corner +by Briggs, were just turning to cross Broadway when a carriage came +driving rapidly by. Seated therein, erect and majestic, was the Doctor, +apparently lost in thought. By his side a pasty-faced young fellow, +with flitting, beady black eyes, glanced furtively out and recognized +his fellows, made some quick signal with the hand, waved it from the +window, and pointed towards the northeast corner of Madison Square. + +"I'll bet I know what that means," said Julian, as the five halted, +irresolute, and gazed after the carriage. "Pop's had him in limbo for +over an hour, and the moment he gets out he wants those fellows to meet +him. We could find something worth knowing, old man, if we could see +them together again." But not until long after did Julian dream how +much. + +The Doctor left Hoover at the steps of the brownstone mansion, saw him +safely within-doors, summoned the grave butler to his carriage, said a +few words in low tone, and was about to order "drive on," when he was +aware of two young gentlemen running up, panting a bit and red in the +face. + +"Ha, Joy! Julian!" he cried, as they raised their caps. "What brings you +here?" + +"What news of Lawton, sir? Doremus just told us there was a letter." And +to substantiate the story, Doremus himself came puffing after the pair. + +"Where'd you hear it?" asked the Doctor of the third youngster, desirous +first of ascertaining where the leak occurred. + +"I was over at the school a few minutes ago. The janitor told me, and +Mr. Halsey and Prime were just going away together." + +"Just going away together! Why, I supposed everybody had left the +building an hour ago." + +"So did I, sir, but John said Mr. Halsey had kept Prime. He was having a +long talk with him 'bout something, and John heard him say that now they +had proof it wasn't Lawton that took Joy's watch, and that they'd have +him back in less than a week." + +"Indeed!" exclaimed Pop, now well-nigh as vehemently interested as his +pupils. "Then you young gentlemen will be wise to go direct to your +respective rooms and get to work on the lessons for to-morrow. It's +almost dark now. Be off with you!" and, with exaggerated sternness, the +cane was displayed. + +"But was it so, sir? Have you heard of Lawton?" + +"Yes," said the Doctor, instantly relapsing into the confidential manner +known only to the boys he trusted and liked. "He writes that he had been +ill, but is strong again, and we are going to try and fetch him back. +Now, no more until to-morrow. Off to your books!" + +If John, the janitor, had not been in such a hurry to get home, he might +have given out some news that would have surprised them, and that was +that when Mr. Halsey and Shorty Prime left the school together they went +up the avenue instead of down, and, of all places in Gotham, Halsey led +straight to the house of 61 Hose. Out in front on the cobble-stones the +dainty white Zephyr was being sponged off and rubbed dry by three or +four red-shirted experts, who glanced up and grinned affably at "the +little 'un" and looked critically but in no surprise at the master. A +New York fireman of the late '50s thought it bad form to be unprepared +for anything. "Here are two who can back up my statements," said the +boy, with confident eyes, as he beckoned to the nearest member of the +Zephyr. "Will you tell Mr. Halsey where I met you on the way to the fire +this morning, and what we said?" + +The hoseman straightened up and squeezed the dirty water out of a huge +sponge, shifted a quid in his cheek, thought a moment, and answered, +"Why, cert'nly, Shorty; right down there opposite the Harlem depot. We'd +hardly gone a block when I see this little fellow come a-running. +'What's a-fire, Shorty?' says I. 'Big house next the stable,' says he. +'Where's your cap?' says I. And he just kind a' nodded at the school as +he grabbed the rope. You ain't going to do nothing to him for coming to +give us a still on a fire, are you?" he asked, with something like +menace in his eye. + +"No," said Halsey, with one of his rare smiles. "We're glad to know it. +That'll do, Prime. Come on." And Halsey, who never wasted a second of +time, touched his hat to the Zephyrs and went streaking off down the +avenue again, the tails of his worn black frock-coat streaming in the +breeze, Shorty, much disappointed because he wasn't called upon to +produce further evidence of prowess as a fireman, skipping along after +him. The lad's heart was bounding with excitement and joy. Another day, +and if successful in the quest on which she had already started, Mrs. +Park, George Lawton's mother, would have Snipe once more back in school, +and his accusers would stand confounded. Not for days had Shorty seemed +so like his old self, bright, buoyant, and chatting like a parrot, to +the discomfiture of a most tolerant home circle. + +Morning came and all the school was early "on deck," and the news of +Snipe went buzzing from lip to lip, and Briggs nervously flitted from +group to group, swallowing snubs as though they were sugar. Meeker came +wearily in, his pale face paler than ever, his eyes seeking Halsey, who +glanced up and gravely shook his head, whereat the junior master made a +despondent gesture with both hands and went on into his own room. Beach, +his ruddy skin glowing with the exercise of a long, vigorous walk, swung +out of his top-coat and into his seat as though lessons were to begin at +the instant. He and Halsey merely exchanged nods. They were on +civil--not confidential--terms. The janitor came and reached for the +bell, lifted it by the handle from the table, and was turning with it +when, unaccountably, it was jerked from his grasp and went clanging and +clattering to the floor. The news of Snipe had restored heart to the +First Latin, and as one boy the class turned on John in voluble +sympathy. John dove for the bell, straightened up, and started anew, +when there was a jerk to the table, a snap, and the little clapper of +the bell shot half-way across the room. Turner dashed upon it and held +it up to public view, a fine steel wire firmly attached to it and +stretching to the leg of the table. + +"Awe, see here, Mr. Beach, any boy that would play such a trick as that +ought to be packed out of school. I move you, sir, that it is the sense +of the First Latin----" + +But Beach is in no mood for trifling. Bang! comes the heavy ruler on the +desk. "To your seat!" he orders. "Ten marks off for Turner," and the +class subsides, while John speeds away to borrow the bell from the shop +below, and the master mentally calls the roll. "One absentee, Hoover," +he notes; instantly calls Bertram to his feet and begins the work of the +day. Poor work it proves to be, for between yesterday's fire and the +morning's tidings the First Latin has neglected its studies. Poorer it +proves after ten o'clock, at which hour a policeman appears at the door +and asks for the rector. Poorer still after a recess at twelve, at which +time Mr. Hoover himself drives up in his carriage, Halsey comes down to +meet him, and together they drive away. At any other time the fact that +Halsey was away from his post at the reassembly after recess would lead +to a riot, but the sight of the face of Hoover, _pater_, is more than +enough for the class. "He looks like a ghost," says Bliss. "What's +coming next?" + +Nothing came--ahead of the Doctor. At the usual moment he appeared, and +as usual levelled his stick at the boy at the foot. "No +message--telegraphic?" he asked of Beach, after brief glance at the +missives on his desk. A shake of the head, an inaudible "no" framed by +the lips were the answers. A look of grave concern spread over the +Doctor's face. He glanced at his watch, turned to the window, then back +to the door, for the rustle of skirts, most unusual sound, could be +heard on the stairs. Another moment and there entered Mrs. Park, George +Lawton's mother. She reached the chair the Doctor promptly placed for +her, sank into it, limp and despairing, and burst into tears. "Doctor, +Doctor!" she wailed. "My boy has not been near Bridgeport. I couldn't +find a trace of him--or of any one who knew anything about him." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +There was a change in the composition of the First Latin when the +Christmas holidays came on, and the erstwhile "band of brothers" broke +up for a fortnight of frolic at home. Hoover had not reappeared at +school at all. He had been sent South to visit relatives in Mobile "for +the benefit of his health," the rector said to the class, but there was +no twinkle of merriment in his eye as he spoke, and no responsive laugh +along the line of young faces. Strange interviews had occurred between +the Doctor, Joy, and Julian, from which "the senate" came forth with +sealed lips. Long conferences had taken place between the Doctor, +Halsey, and Beach, and twice had Briggs been bidden to stay after +school. "They wanted me to tell on lots of you fellows," was his +explanation to the class. "Pop and Halsey tried to get me to tell where +you spent your time and your money out of school, and threatened to +dismiss me if I didn't." But the First Latin answered unanimously that +Briggs was a liar. All the same they did wish they knew what was really +the matter with Hoover. There was one lad who could have given a new +direction to their theories had he not promised both the Doctor and +Halsey to say nothing whatever about that ten-dollar gold piece, and a +hard time he had keeping his word, and that was Shorty. Neither from the +Doctor nor any one, until long after, did he learn nor did the school +know that at least one hundred dollars had disappeared from the drawer +of the Doctor's desk the eventful morning of the fire. Yet what made it +strange was that rumors of such a thing had been heard, and they came +from outside the school. Columbia students heard it whispered at +Martigny's. Martigny himself admitted, when cornered, that he had had an +interview with the rector at the residence of a gentleman in Madison +Avenue, by request, but he would say no more. One thing was certain. +None of the Hulker set reappeared at Martigny's. Another thing was +announced, that Mrs. Hulker, who for the years that followed her +husband's death had followed his example and consulted Hoover senior in +all her investments, etc., had turned against that substantial citizen +and was filling the ears of society with tales of his treachery, tales +to which Mrs. Lawrence and her coterie listened with bated breath. Then, +as has been said, the Hulker boys, too, went South, "visiting relatives +in Savannah," and the widow followed a fortnight later. Ten days before +Christmas, the so-called Hulker gang was without head, foot, or +finances, both Hulker and Hoover having disappeared. There were "no more +cakes and ale," no more cigars and tobacco for the few hangers-on about +the quarters of Metamora Hose. But, after all, the matter over which +Pop's boys talked and wondered most was: Where was Snipe Lawton and why +did nothing further come from him? + +There was a mystery about the letter that had taken Shorty up to the +Doctor's early that December morning and sent an eager, anxious, +loving-hearted woman out on the New Haven Railway by the noon train. It +had come by post to Shorty just as he was starting for school, and he +had run first to the Lawrences' and then, after five minutes' eager, +excited talk with Mrs. Park, nearly all the way to Murray Hill, and +caught the Doctor on his customary tramp to college before he reached +the reservoir. It was only a little note. It said that Snipe had been +ill of some kind of fever, that he had found work and was feeling +independent and happy, hoping soon to make enough to send five dollars +to Seymour, when he was taken ill. Snipe thought he "must have been +flighty a few days," but people had been very kind to him. He had helped +two boys--his employer's sons--with their arithmetic every night until +his prostration, and it had pleased their mother and father both, but he +had let out something about his own mother, and now they were telling +him how cruel he had been to her and how he ought to go back to her and +put an end to her suffering. Snipe said he couldn't go back to +Rhinebeck and wouldn't go back to Aunt Lawrence, but if Shorty would +send the enclosed note to his mother she would know that he loved her +and thought of her constantly; and then he asked Shorty to write to him +how the boys were and whether they missed him, and what Seymour said. +"Address your letter care Massasoit House, Bridgeport, and I'll get it +safely, only don't tell anybody." And, instead of writing, Shorty had +run to Pop and Pop had turned back with him, had sent notes by him to +Mrs. Park and to Halsey, bidding the latter give Shorty whole holiday, +which, to the astonishment of the school, he had declined. + +"Why did you do that?" Halsey had asked him during their memorable +conference after the discovery of the gold in his overcoat-pocket, and +Halsey was thinking how, unconsciously, the boy was weaving a strong +thread in the net of suspicion that would have been thrown about him but +for the lucky accident of the afternoon. "Beyond all question," said +Halsey to himself and to the Doctor, "it was the intention of the thief +to cast suspicion on Prime and divert it from himself," and there were +just three lads, so far as Halsey could figure, who besides "Loquax" +were in the room during his few minutes' absence, and had opportunity to +rob that till,--Briggs, Hoover, and the janitor. The later discovery of +the gold at Martigny's narrowed the number to Briggs and Hoover, with +the chances in favor of the latter. And all these facts combined had +led to that solemn conference between the Doctor and Hoover senior, and, +despite all his protests of innocence, to the withdrawal of the +ill-favored and unfortunate young fellow from the school. There was to +be no scandal,--no allegation of crime. Pop would have dropped a +thousand dollars rather than have it openly said that such things had +happened among his boys. His own suspicions for months past had centred +on his hulking, clumsy janitor, and for weeks the detectives had dogged +and dogged in vain. What confounded and troubled the Doctor was young +Hoover's vehement and persistent denial of guilt, and Hoover senior's +prompt assertion that on the Saturday afternoon previous to quarter day, +when giving his son the check for his school bill, he had also given him +twenty-five dollars in gold and silver to pay certain debts the young +man had confessed to him, and he was certain there were two ten-dollar +pieces in the lot. + +Those were solemn days for the elder Hoover and rueful days for the son. +There were conferences, crossexaminations, and almost inquisitions at +the solemn old mansion, Pop, Halsey, Martigny (most unwillingly), and +Beach taking part. But the boy stood firm to his first statement. He had +had no more money from any source than that twenty-five dollars. He long +refused to say what he had done with it, as only a little silver +remained, but at last owned that he had given the two tens "for +safe-keeping" to the elder of the Hulker brothers as they stood there +by the hose carriage. There was an unsettled account between them, +covering only a few dollars, Hoover claimed, but the Hulkers said a +great deal more, and while they were trying to straighten it out the +Doctor swooped down on him and bore him away. This, if true, would +account for the money Hulker gave Martigny. But who took the money from +the Doctor's drawer? Who put that ten-dollar piece in Shorty's +overcoat-pocket? Why didn't Shorty wish to take the whole holiday with +the other boys as proffered by the Doctor? Halsey had to ask him, and it +was plain the little fellow hated to answer, but answer he did. He was +being educated at the expense of his relatives. They had made occasional +criticism of the Doctor's proclivity as to half-holidays, and when this +quarter day came Shorty had been not unkindly told that the money +expended in payment for those school bills was for his instruction, not +his amusement, that Saturday and Sunday were holidays enough in the +week, and, finally, that he should have his check on Wednesday, and +meantime they expected him to attend school. + +One more question had Halsey to ask, and over it the youngster pondered +long, though he answered instantly. "It was not four minutes--not much +more than three--between the time you came in and the moment of the +announcement of the fire. Was there no sign of it when you crossed +Twenty-fifth Street? Didn't you know that the alarm would be given in a +minute?" + +"No, sir, there wasn't a sign or a sound of it on the avenue; besides, I +came through Twenty-fourth Street, from the direction of the +Lawrences';" and that ended Halsey's cross-examination. To clinch +matters, he had taken Shorty with him, as has been told, and questioned +a fireman of 61 Hose, then sent him home for dry clothing, happy in the +importance of having held 28's pipe a whole half-hour, and hungry as a +bear. Small wonder that the family decided after dinner that evening +that it was time to call a halt on this craze for running to fires on +the part of their junior member. But events were looming up that were +soon to spare them further care in that direction. + +What the First Latin and Pop and Halsey and Beach now longed to know, +however, was, where was Snipe, and why had Mrs. Park failed in her +mission? The rector and his head-master had now good reason to know that +whether Lawton had anything to do with the disappearance of Joy's watch +(which none of them could really believe), he was not the only thief in +the school, for the loss of the hundred dollars long after his +disappearance conclusively settled that. There were now not more than +half a dozen lads who believed that Snipe was dishonest to the extent of +stealing a watch, not more than a dozen who doubted his integrity at +all, and as for his saying in his letter that he could be reached +through the Massasoit at Bridgeport, there were theories in abundance to +explain the fact that neither in person nor by letter had Snipe +"reported." He never said where he had found work; he had not given the +address of his benefactors; he still, it seemed, dreaded that his +step-father would enforce his return to a life that was torment to a boy +of his character and spirit. He had merely told Shorty that a letter +addressed care of the Massasoit, Bridgeport, would reach him; and, +learning this through the admissions wrung from his sorely badgered +"chum," and never waiting to write, the impulsive woman had gone at once +in person, and the Massasoit people knew nothing whatever of the son. No +one answering his description had been there, and as for letters being +sent in care of the house, they showed her a bundle of missives so +addressed. Every day guests would arrive, register, ask if letters had +come for them, ransack the packet, select their own, and toss the others +back. Some they showed her had been waiting a month for claimants. If +she were to leave a letter addressed in their care for her son and if he +were to call for it, they would telegraph to her, but that was all they +could promise, and, after consulting the city authorities and, of +course, the minister of the church to whose doctrines she had pinned her +faith, and all without hearing of a lad who in the least resembled her +George, the sad-hearted woman had gone miserably back to Gotham and to +Pop. + +Then, of course, she wrote, and so did Shorty. Both letters begged Snipe +to return, but by this time Mr. Park himself had come to New York to +persuade his wife to go back to her home and to promise that he himself +would seek and find the wandering boy and fetch him to her arms,--the +worst piece of strategy that could have been adopted, as Shorty, boy +that he was, could have told her and would have told Park. Left to his +mother and to his chum, the lad's heart might have relented and his +stubborn pride dissolved, but there are men sublimely gifted with the +faith that they alone are competent to deal with affairs, either public +or personal,--that without their aid and guidance everything is sure to +go amiss. Park sped away to the Massasoit on the heels of the letters, +and when George Lawton drove in with the hope of finding the longed-for +messages from home, and went from the stable where they had put up the +sleigh straight and eager to the Massasoit, there, with his back to the +huge, red-hot stove and facing the office desk, as though to guard that +package of letters, there, grim, unbending, repellent as ever, stood +George Lawton's step-father, and the lad, scenting treachery, turned and +fled. + +When the school assembled for the eventful year of '61, the First Latin +found itself reduced to twenty-five. Hoover, it was announced, would +spend some months in Mobile with a private tutor and rejoin after +Easter. From Snipe Lawton there came neither message, missive, nor +token. A rumor flew from lip to lip one April morning that a lad +answering every description of the missing boy had fallen from the +steps of a New Haven train through a gap between the beams of the Harlem +bridge and was lost in the murky waters. The brakeman who saw the +accident was well known to members of the school who lived at New +Rochelle, and so impressed the Doctor with his story that reward was +offered for the body, and men dragged the river for several days. "What +you need," said one of the wiseacres of the First Latin, "is to fire +cannon over the stream, and that'll bring him up if anything will," and +the words were recalled when, within another day, the guns of Sumter +boomed from shore to shore, rousing a nation from its lethargy, bringing +many a man and boy to vivid life and action such as they had never known +or dreamed before. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +The great city had gone wild. Not a month before many of Pop's boys had +ridiculed the lads of a rival school who had employed a drill-master +from the Ninth Regiment and met two evenings a week. But Shorty, after +vainly trying to start a rival company among his own mates, had gone +over and enlisted in the ranks at Mulholland's. As a drum-boy he was not +allowed to handle a musket and "fall in" with the famous regiment to +which he was attached. Indeed, he would have had to stand on a +step-ladder to load "according to tactics" the long, glistening musket +with which the troops were at that time armed. Mulholland's boys had +hired a lot of old-fashioned cadet musquetoons, heavy and cumbrous, but +they were marvellous weapons in the eyes of the lads. Officers on duty +at Governor's Island were frequent visitors at the Primes' at Fourteenth +Street, and Shorty could not but hear of the preparations at the +arsenal, the effort to send reinforcements and provisions to Major +Anderson at Fort Sumter. All the world knew at this time how the "Star +of the West" was fired on and forced to put back to sea, but still not +one man in five would admit there should be war, and, in the great +Democratic community, hundreds and hundreds of people and not a few +papers almost openly took sides with the South. Two lads at Pop's +actually came to school wearing the colors of South Carolina in their +waistcoats, and in the First Latin the Ballous, whose father had +embarked his capital in steamships trading with Charleston and Savannah, +and Seymour, whose relatives were nearly all Southern, and the Graysons, +who were Northerners by birth, but had many kindred in Virginia and +Alabama, were all openly "secesh" in their talk. And still lessons went +on, and the boys even had time to talk of Snipe and wish him back, and +of Hoover and wish him in Jericho. Long ere this, now that there were +two absent and Briggs had not a friend or a believer left in the school, +all the First Latin had swung round into the conviction that poor Snipe +was the victim of circumstances and conspiracy, and that Hoover was the +cause of all his woes. The story of the hundred-dollar stealing had +begun to be accepted as a fact, though Pop and his assistants could +never be got to admit it. The further fact that Hoover and those +notorious scamps, the Hulkers, had not been seen in New York since the +Christmas holidays had set afloat a story that they had been discovered +to be connected in many a piece of rascality. Everything missing at +school for over a year was now attributed to Hoover. He had been able, +said the boys, to dispose of his plunder through those Hulker fellows, +who, despite the money lavished on them by their foolish mother, had +debts in many a bar-, billiard-, and pool-room, and were known to have +pawned valuable jewelry from time to time. She was with them somewhere +in the South, and the gloomy old house in Twenty-first Street was cared +for by the servants, who were glad enough to have their young masters +away and suspicion attaching to themselves at last removed. But still +that watch of Joy's and certain valuables of Aunt Lawrence's remained +unaccounted for. Still the police were baffled. Still there came no news +as to Snipe's whereabouts, and his mother, deeply distressed, had gone +home to Rhinebeck and had to be content with receiving once a month a +few lines saying her boy was well, working, and would return to her one +of these days when he had earned enough to make him independent. Those +letters bore only the date, which often differed by three days from that +of the post-mark, but the post-mark helped them not at all. One letter +was posted in New York, another in Boston, a third in Philadelphia. It +was evident that Snipe was determined to give his step-father no further +chance to find him. Once he wrote to Shorty, upbraiding him gently for +being instrumental in putting "old Park" on his track, but that was all. +Shorty felt it keenly, but with that poor mother and the Doctor and his +home people all importuning him and telling him what was his duty, the +boy had weakened and given the clue, with the result that they had +gained nothing and he had lost his friend. There was little comfort in +the assertions of the one whom he referred to as his "Sunday-school +aunt," that he ought to be thankful to be rid of so undutiful and +undesirable a companion. Shorty, to use the vernacular of the day, +"couldn't see it," and fell from grace for saying so. But now the +thrilling days of suspense were on the nation, and, while everybody who +knew the South knew well the South meant fight, the baa lambs of the +pulpit and the braying leaders of the press kept on preaching about the +ties of brotherly love, the right of the people to assemble peaceably +("even when under arms"), and the wrong of interference or intimidation, +so "Let the erring sisters go in peace." As late as the 8th of April, +one night when the boys were drilling in the big gymnasium on the upper +floor of Mulholland's school, and quite a number of people were looking +on, a venerable patron of the school stepped forward during the rest and +proceeded to address them. + +"Cease all this waste of time, boys. Put away your cruel weapons. +Abandon this senseless strutting and marching. War is a relic of the +dark ages,--of barbarism. The world has grown wise with years, and of +the enlightened nations of the earth America stands foremost. Trust to +the broad views of our statesmen and the good sense of the people. They +will ever stand between us and the horrors of a civil war." + +There was much applause among certain mothers and sisters sitting along +among the spectators, but Mulholland and the boys did not join. It was +significant of what the drill sergeant thought that the moment the +handclapping subsided he commanded attention and then "Fix bayonet!" +Within the week that followed, the broad views of many a Southern +statesman were manifest in the shotted guns trained on Sumter. The good +sense of the people, so far from "standing between us and the horrors of +civil war," boiled over in a genuine Anglo-Saxon exuberance of battle +fervor. The news that the stars and stripes were lowered in Charleston +Harbor sent them to the peak of every staff throughout the North, and +men, women, and children swarmed upon the streets, decked with the +badges of red, white, and blue. All Gotham had caught the war fever. The +President's call for the services of the State militia to defend the +capital until the volunteers could be enrolled sent the Sixth +Massachusetts through the city the very next morning, the famous New +York Seventh following by special train late the following day, and the +Eighth Massachusetts marched down Fifth Avenue the same evening the +Seventh went away. The best blood and brawn of the metropolis and of the +Bay State were the first to respond. The Sixty-ninth, Seventy-first, +and Seventy-ninth, Irish, American, and Scotch regiments of the great +city, followed within the week, the jaunty Frenchmen of the Fifty-fifth, +the Grays of the Eighth, the Blues of the Twelfth were promptly under +arms. Every able-bodied man of the tribe of Prime was in uniform and +away to the front before the month of May was ushered in, and Shorty, +with breaking heart, had shut himself in his room and sobbed himself +sick because he was forbidden to even think of going. He listened to the +thrilling strains of the Seventh's splendid band until the last sound of +their favorite "Skyrockets" was drowned in the hoarse cheers of the +crowds that saw them off. He went to school as ordered and got "flunked" +in every lesson. He sat on the mourners' bench in utter misery and +despond all through the week that followed the going of the city troops, +after having deliberately absented himself from every session during +which a regiment happened to be marching away, and in all the two weeks +that followed the coming of the news from Sumter only once had there +come into his life a moment of joy and comfort, and that was the day +following the departure of the Seventy-first (red-jacketed drum corps +and all,--all except poor Shorty), when, as the First Latin bustled out +into the street at recess, and Shorty, last of all, came drearily down +with his hands in his pockets, ordered out, in fact, by Mr. Beach, he +was greeted on the sidewalk by a jeering laugh and Briggs's taunting, +sneering words. "Hullo, drummer! So you thought you'd better stay home +where there wasn't going to be any show of fighting, did you?" and +Briggs might have known what would happen. Just as before, in a sudden +whirl of fury, the youngster flew at him, landed both fists on the +freckled "mug" before Briggs could either dodge or guard; bore him +backward in the full force of the instant attack; the carroty head +banged on the curb and knocked him stupid, and then the peace-makers +really might have been less deliberate in pulling Shorty off. Briggs was +a wreck when his raging assailant was dragged away, and Halsey, +wild-eyed, came rushing out to stop the fray. "Prime, Prime!" he said, +as he held him by the collar. "You've tried the rector's patience to the +utmost this last week, and I fear this will end it all." + +"I don't care if it does!" panted Shorty. "I'd rather be killed than +kept here any longer. I hope he _will_ expel me. Then perhaps they'll +let me go where I belong!" And in a torrent of wrath the youngster's +swelling heart burst over all bounds, and he was led sobbing away. + +Still dazed, half blind, and bleeding, Briggs was lifted to his feet. +"It served you right, you hulking coward," said Joy, as he and Bertram +led the battered object to the horse-trough in the stable. "You couldn't +have insulted him more brutally." + +"It's of no use," said the Doctor that evening, gravely, to a +gray-haired grandsire, who was himself burning with longing to go to the +front. "That boy can't study now. You see he was regularly enlisted as +a drummer. He fully believed that when his regiment was called out that +nothing could keep him back, and, boy-like, he has said so among his +fellows,--probably bragged of it a little. He who had been so boastfully +confident now has to stay and face the sneers of the school, while big +boys of eighteen and nineteen like Dix and Julian have gone with the +Seventh. It breaks his heart, my friend. There's no likelihood of +fighting just now. The rebels won't be fools enough to attack +Washington. Send him down there to his uncle. Let him have a taste of +camp life. The city troops will come home as soon as the volunteers +begin to arrive. In fact, if you don't there'll be incessant war right +here at school." + +"But there's his examination for college," said the head of the Primes, +himself a don of Columbia. + +"Well, didn't you assure Dix and Julian that Columbia would admit them +without examination whenever they knocked at the doors? Didn't you at +faculty meeting say that three seniors, who never could have got their +diplomas in the world, should have their degrees without further +question, despite the fact that they have dragged along at the foot of +their class for the last two years, all just because of the fact that +they have gone to the front with their regiments?" + +"But then he's so small for his years," was the next objection. + +"All the better soldier! Those big, long giants break down. Those +stocky little fellows are the stayers. Besides," says Pop, with a +twinkle in his eyes, "size doesn't seem to count for much. You--ought to +have seen Briggs." + +"Was he well pounded?" asked the head of the house, with interest ill +becoming his years and station. Perhaps he is thinking of old, old days +at "Harrow on the Hill," when he, too, had been under the ban for more +than one forbidden fight. + +"Halsey says he looked as though he'd been mauled by a wildcat;" and to +save his reputation the Doctor cannot repress a grim smile. + +"The young rascal!" says the head of the house. + +Shorty, meantime, remanded to his room to cool off and meditate on his +sins, has done neither. The drum which was his joy and the jaunty +uniform are gone. To his unspeakable grief, there had come an order for +them from the adjutant the day before the regiment marched. Another boy +had been accepted in his place, a bigger boy, who could hardly squeeze +into either jacket or trousers, but, of course, did not return them. +They were regimental property, and yet Shorty felt a sense of personal +indignity that, even when he couldn't go, the adjutant should permit any +other one to take his place. Of his misery when, clinging to his perch +on a lamp-post above the cheering throngs, he saw those twenty +red-jacketed lads, led by the drum-major, coming proudly trudging down +Broadway at the head of the splendid command, it would be impossible to +tell; and now, twitted and insulted at school because he was bound to +obey the decree of his grandparents, virtually suspended for resenting +the insult, and, last of all, practically a prisoner in his room, poor +Shorty's cup was full. + +There came a step in the hallway without, a knock at the door, and the +butler's boy, a stanch friend, ally, and fellow-fireman, stood and +waited. There was no answer, and he stooped and hailed through the +keyhole. + +"Mr. Shorty, father sent me up with some dinner,--and there's a letter, +looks like Mr. Snipe's writin'." + +The door flew open and the letter was seized. + + * * * * * + + "DEAR SHORTY," it read,--"I used to think nothing would ever + make me a soldier any more than nothing could keep you from + being one, but here I am, high private in the rear rank, and as + big if not as broad as the rest of 'em. I swore I was eighteen + and over. I have the height and looked strong. They wanted to + fill the company up to a hundred, and there was no further + question. Fancy my delight when we went into camp next your + regiment and my surprise when I couldn't find you among the + drum-boys. Billy Archer says you nearly went crazy when they + came away without you. What's the matter? You _are_ coming, + aren't you? I saw your Uncle Hal in his captain's uniform + yesterday, and stood up and saluted with the rest. I shan't + tell you my regiment or address this time, though Park + couldn't take me away from Uncle Sam even if he did come. But + when you get here hunt up Billy Archer, and he'll tell you + where to find your old chum. + "SNIPE." + + * * * * * + +That night, late, it occurred to some one that it might be well to go up +and see Shorty and try to reason with him and comfort him, or "do +something," as it was vaguely expressed. The room door was wide open, +the dinner stood untasted on the tray, the tray was on the bed, and +Shorty was gone. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +It was a starlit summer night following a day of moist, debilitating +heat. It had rained at dawn, and then, as the clouds of heaven broke +away and went sailing off towards the distant heights on the western +horizon, the sun had poured hotly down on open fields and sodden red +roads and long rows of wet, white tentage, veiling the landscape with +miniature clouds from the teeming earth. All day long soldiers +innumerable lolled about the camps and thronged the sentry-posts that +lined the roadway, chaffing the passers-by or dickering with darky +vendors of fruit, cakes, and pies,--amateur soldiers were these, as any +veteran could tell at a glance, some in gayly trimmed regimentals, some +in antiquated tail-coats, more in fancy jackets, few in serviceable +garb, and nearly all with their hands in their pockets. A bored, jaded, +time-killing lot they looked. The ground was too wet and muddy for +drill. The first flush of patriotic fervor had worn away. They had +rushed to the front at the earliest call, expectant of tremendous +doings, and, except the street-fight of the Sixth Massachusetts in +Baltimore and a few shots heard at the picket-posts, there had been no +taste of battle. They were the three-months men, mainly State militia, +hurried down to hold Washington against attack, while the volunteers, +the "three-years men" of the war, were organizing and drilling behind +them. Their three months had nearly expired, and most of them were eager +to go home so long as there was nothing going on at the front. Some, +indeed, were ready to go anyhow, many with the promise of commissions in +the volunteers, many with the resolve to re-enlist for the war, but all +anxious to visit home and friends and families and get a more deliberate +start than that initial impulse which sent them forward the latter part +of April, burdened with knapsacks they knew not how to pack or wear and +guns that they had never shot. + +And here, along the main pike to Fairfax and Centreville, one on each +side of the way, a New York and a New England regiment of militia had +been swapping comments and criticisms most of the afternoon, badgering +each other when there came no one else to bear the brunt of their +shafts, and mischievously turning with one accord on passers-by whose +lack of rank or escort suggested improbability of effective resentment. + +But as the day wore on and the mud thickened in the middle of the road, +and staff-officers, orderlies, and ambulances passing by began to veer +out to right and left and encroach on the sentry-posts and the grinning +groups that lay just back of them, "the boys" waxed more savage and +sarcastic. They had occupied those camps full six weeks, and thought +they owned the neighborhood. Back towards Washington, on every rising +ground, the red embankments showed where earthworks had been thrown up +to defend the front. Along the beautifully wooded slopes to the north +and west the fair contours were scarred and defaced with freshly spaded +parapets, and through gaping embrasures here and there frowned the black +muzzles of the Union guns. Over a rounded knoll half a mile to the +northwest of the camp of the New-Yorkers the stars and stripes hung +lazily from a white staff, and there were the quarters of a division +commander, whose aides and orderlies had been oddly busy all day long, +responding, according to rank, with a frown of annoyance or a grin of +amusement, to the hail of comment or question from the loungers along +the line. But at four in the afternoon a whole squadron of regular +cavalry, with high-collared, yellow-trimmed jackets and jaunty +forage-caps, came silently squashing by, taking the mud and the middle +of the road as a matter of course, and the chaff and comment as of no +consequence whatever. Hardly had their flapping silken guidons +disappeared around a bend of the pike three hundred yards farther to the +west than there came jogging into view from the rear a long column of +horses, gun-carriages, and caissons, the cannoneers sitting motionless +on the chests, the drivers carefully guiding their powerful teams. A +wiry captain, followed by his bugler, came trotting forward, surveyed +the mud that interposed along the defile between the two camps, nodded +cheerily to the "Going out ahead, Cap?" sung out to him by the nearest +New-Yorkers, and signalled with gauntleted hand to the leading chief of +section to incline to the right and take the turf at the roadside; and +so they, too, went clinking steadily by, twelve long teams of six horses +each, hauling six bronze "Napoleon" guns, heavy fellows, and six loaded +caissons. Behind them came their forge and battery wagon, a mule-drawn +baggage-wagon or two, and one of the famous light batteries of the +regular army had passed through the thronging lines of the State +militia, who emptied their tents to see the procession and to hurl +question after question as to the meaning of it all. And this was only a +beginning, for right behind it came the flaunting red silk guidon of +another battery, differing from the first only in that the men wore +red-trimmed jackets instead of dark-blue blouses, and that the +cannoneers were skipping along the roadside or squashing through the +mud, their captain holding sternly, even on a short march, to one of the +rules of the light artillery, that the horses should have to pull as +little weight as possible. And no sooner was he fairly by and his men +well within the lane of the militia camps than the storm of fun and +chaff rose to uproar, silenced only when the tail of the column had +passed beyond. By this time, too, the officers were coming out to take a +look. Then there rose a burst of martial music and a sound of cheering +up the roadway, and, preceded by a band, there rode into sight some +mounted officers, behind whom gleamed the sloping barrels of the arms of +a battalion of infantry; and now New York and New England dropped cards, +checkers, or chat, and the last laggards of both regiments come +streaming to line the roadway and scan these bold invaders. Even the +colonels mount their horses and ride in among their men, and as the +music ceases and the regiment picks its way gingerly through the mud, +the cry goes up from the eastward skirts of camp, "The Fire Zouaves!" +and that cry is taken up and passed from lip to lip, and order and +discipline, even of these primitive war days, all are forgotten, and as +the long column comes winding down the gentle slope in the afternoon +sunshine, and bright bits of scarlet glow through the sombre tone of +gray, and the old familiar fire shirts are recognized, as one man the +New-Yorkers set up the welcoming fireman chorus of the streets of +Gotham, and the welkin rings with shouts of "Hi, hi, hi!" mingled with +rapturous cheers. Prompt comes the answer from a thousand lusty throats. +Caps and hats are tossed in air, ay, and, as the column and the colors +mingle, canteens, tossed from bystanders to marchers, are pressed to +thirsty lips and passed from hand to hand. Officers and men alike, +militia and volunteers, the soldiers of Manhattan are shouting greeting +and rejoicing, and the next moment, despite all efforts of the senior +officers to stop it, the Zouaves are forcibly seized and dragged from +the marching ranks, hugged and hauled and slapped on arm and chest and +leg and shoulder, wherever knapsack, blanket, and cartridge-box do not +interpose below the neck, and men come running with more canteens, and +Zouaves are lugged bodily away to the neighboring sutler's tent, and +when, finally, the last unmolested files of the Fire Zouaves have gone, +cap-waving and cheering, on in the trail of the batteries, the camp of +their fellow-townsmen is filled with stragglers who are only recovered +an hour later through the medium of strong patrols. + +But meantime the batteries have "gone into park," unhitched and +unharnessed back of the Virginia farm-house just beyond the bend. The +Zouaves have trailed off into an open field between them and the tents +of the New-Yorkers. Staff-officers have conducted the commanders to the +designated spots for their bivouac. Two other regiments of the new +volunteers have followed, marching somewhat wearily past the now +thoroughly roused camps of the militia, and as the sun sinks to the west +and heavy knapsacks are unslung and arms stacked in the fields and +sentry-posts established, everybody begins to realize among the tents of +the earlier comers that a move to the front is in contemplation, just +when they were counting on a homeward move to the rear. + +And now as the tattoo drums are bracing up, a score of officers are +gathered about the tents of the New York colonel, chatting over the +probabilities. With them are two of the New England officers, one a +grave, taciturn captain who has listened for half an hour without a +word. By several officers the idea has been advanced that if a forward +move is intended in response to the "on to Richmond" cry of the press, +many of the men will demur. They were called into service in mid-April; +it is now mid-July. Many of them are clerks who will lose their +positions, married men who have made no provision for their families, +staid citizens who from sense of duty sprang to the front at the first +summons, so as to help hold the fort until the nation could organize its +army of volunteers. Of regulars at the time there were less than ten +thousand, scattered from Maine to Oregon, from Mackinaw to the Gulf of +Mexico. Now the first levies of the volunteers were pouring in. Here +already in front of Washington were regiments from New York, New Jersey, +Michigan, Ohio, even far away Wisconsin. Why should the government +require of the State militia, rallied at the capital solely to defend, +that it should march away southward to attack an enemy in position? +Similar views were being expressed in other militia camps, said the +speaker, and the colonel looked worried. + +At last he turned to the stalwart, silent captain from the regiment over +the way. + +"What do your people say, Captain Stark?" he asks. + +"Nothing," is the answer, as the tall, bearded man puffs meditatively at +the brier-root pipe, his head resting on his hand, his elbow on his +knee. + +"Well, you were mustered in about the same date we were. Don't some of +your boys talk of going home, and wanting to?" + +"Not--audibly," says Stark. + +"Well, they must be thinking a lot. They are fixed pretty much as ours +are," hazards a field-officer. + +"Possibly," says Stark, tapping out the ashes on the leg of the +camp-stool. "But we made no stipulation as to the duty to be required of +us. We tendered our services and expect to take our chances." + +"Do you mean your boys would all go, no matter how far south they were +ordered?" asks a young officer who has already had much to say about his +own. + +"My men will go wherever they're ordered," answers Stark, briefly. "I +haven't any boys, except one, and he's so much of a man I never found +him out till we got here." + +"That brown-eyed young fellow I've seen round your tent?" queries the +colonel, deeming it wise to change the tenor of the talk. + +"The very one." + +"How'd you come to take him? He's too light built for heavy work. He's +outgrown his strength and he don't look eighteen," says the major, glad +enough to shift implied criticism to the rival regiment. + +"Well, his employers said he was worth three men around the shop, and he +was bound to go. The inspectors passed him, and there he was in my +company." + +"Looks all legs," hazards the colonel. + +"And is all head," says Stark. "That's why he's always studying tactics +and regulations round my tent instead of fooling away time with the +company. There goes tattoo. Good-night, gentlemen," and the +New-Englander rises and presently strides away. + +Over within the lines of his own regiment Stark passes line after line +of company streets where the men are skylarking or chatting, waiting for +the "fall in" signal at the close of the sounding of tattoo. The drums +and fifes are hammering noisily down along the color line as he reaches +his own company and his first sergeant comes forward and, saluting, +says, "Did young Lawton find you, sir?" + +"No. What did he want?" + +"Permission to go out of camp, sir. Said he knew an officer in the Fire +Zouaves. The lieutenant signed a pass, and he took it to the colonel, +but he wished the captain should know." + +"Very well. Form your company," says the captain. + +The long wailing notes of the tattoo and the roll of the drums came +abruptly to an end. The silent, shadowy double rank stood to attention, +and, lantern in hand, the sergeant called his roll. Two names met with +no response besides those of men on guard. Two men were reported absent. +One of them came on the run as the company broke ranks. + +"I was with Lawton, sir," said he, to his soldierly commander. "They let +us into the Zouave camp all right, but didn't want to let us out. Lawton +couldn't get away at all. As many as twenty of those red-shirted fellows +nabbed him, and there he is a prisoner." + +"In fun, I suppose?" + +"Why, yes. They seem to know him well and be mighty glad to see him. I +told my brother, who is in one of their companies, that Lawton must come +home with me or he'd get into trouble, but the crowd just laughed." + +"Very well. Go to your tent," said Stark, and went to his own. There on +the little camp-desk was a note which he tore open and read. Briefly it +said that Lawton had recognized some old friends among the Fire Zouaves, +and had sought the captain to get permission to go and see them early in +the evening. Even though the lieutenant took the responsibility and +signed the pass, and the colonel too, he wanted his captain to know +whither he had gone and that he would be back at tattoo. + +But he wasn't back at tattoo, nor at taps. Not until eleven o'clock did +Stark hear the sound of the young soldier's voice. Lawton was +scratching at the tent-flap. + +"What is it?" shouted the captain. + +"It's Lawton, sir,--come to report return. I was held by those men, +quite a lot of them, and simply couldn't make them understand about our +discipline." + +"Never mind," interposed Stark. "Go to bed now and get all the sleep you +can. You may need it;" and the captain rolled over on his cot, anxious +to try his own prescription. + +But the late comer hesitated. For a moment he stood irresolute. Plainly +there was something which he wanted to say to his commander. The officer +of the day, lantern in hand, came along at the moment, his red sash +crossed upon his broad chest. He raised the lantern and peered at the +tall young soldier, whose coat and trousers looked as though they had +been made for a shorter lad, and the face that was revealed seemed white +and full of trouble. + +"I was just speaking to my captain, sir," explained the young soldier, +and the officer of the day went briskly one way, the soldier, +dejectedly, another. + +"Homesick, and wants to go and see his mother," said the officer of the +day to himself. "Well, he needn't waste time pleading with Stark. Might +as well talk to a stone." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +"On to Richmond," said the Northern papers. "Sweep the flag of rebellion +to the Gulf!" And obedient to popular clamor, and in defiance of common +sense, the Government ordered its little army--a handful of regulars and +marines, three dozen regiments of State militia, or of half-drilled, +unseasoned volunteers--to advance and attack an army of equal size, made +up of enthusiastic Southerners as undrilled as the Northern volunteers, +but the flower of their manhood, defending their own soil, in their +chosen position. The July sun beat hotly down on the long column, +plodding south-westward through Fairfax. Many a poor fellow fell by the +wayside, unable to keep up the pace and carry his heavy burden. Many a +regiment broke ranks at sight of a farm well or at mention of a spring, +and scores of stragglers stopped to pick blackberries by the way, +defiant of the pleadings of their officers. Some Pennsylvania +militiamen, at the last moment, refused to go farther than Centreville, +and, with a New York militia battery, demanded their discharge on the +plea that their time had expired. Some others succeeded in persuading +the authorities in individual cases, and, to the scandal of those who +tried and did not succeed, turned back to Washington. Those jaunty red +jackets of the drum-boys in Shorty's old regiment looked worn and tawdry +by this time, and the youngster whose wrists protruded far beyond the +limit of the sleeves designed for the "little un" had more than once +wished the original occupant back in his old place and his successor out +of it. But that drum corps had seen the last of their smallest member, +and he of them, for many a day. Billy Archer, he who was to tell Shorty +when he came where to find Snipe, had been sent home sick at the end of +the first month, and only seven of the biggest and strongest remained to +beat the old "six-eights" and "two-fours" when the regiment marched for +Manassas. There had come a letter from Shorty to Billy Archer with an +enclosure to Snipe, but Snipe and his regiment disappeared the night +before, and Archer didn't know enough to have it forwarded. He thought +they would meet again within a day or two, when, in point of fact, they +did not meet at all. Shorty's old regiment was assigned to a brigade on +the north side of the Potomac, and Snipe's new-comers were marched over +the Long Bridge to the sacred soil of Virginia and brigaded with troops +from three different States, and there, as the grave, big Captain Stark +had said, the representative of the First Latin spent hours at his +commander's tent, studying tactics and regulations and a little book +called "Mahan's Outposts," when Stark wasn't using them, and twice it +had happened that when the New England regiment was called upon to +furnish the details for grand guard and picket, the tall, slender, +brown-eyed boy in Company "C" was able to tell corporals and sergeants +things about their duties they never had dreamed of. So, too, on +battalion drill, Snipe, who used to hate such things, and even now bent +under the weight of his long musket, had a more intelligent idea of the +purpose of each formation and movement than most of the file-closers, +some lieutenants not excepted. Before they had been a month in Virginia +Captain Stark had taken a strong fancy to the youngster, and was +seriously thinking of decorating his arms with chevrons when the order +for the advance and Stark's promotion came together. The +lieutenant-colonel, finding that his health could not stand the climate +and exposure, had resigned and gone home, and just the very morning +after the incident described in the last chapter a batch of new +commissions reached the New-Englanders. Stark became major, vice +Proctor, promoted lieutenant-colonel, and turned his company over to its +new captain, the former first lieutenant. Stark's first act, after +taking the oath and signing his acceptance, was to send for Lawton. The +regiment, with much glee and excitement, was packing knapsacks for the +move, and the lad came, pale and troubled. + +"Are you ill, Lawton?" demanded Major Stark. + +"No, sir. I just--got some bad news." + +"Folks ill?" + +"No, sir; it's something a sergeant in the Fire Zouaves told me." + +"You don't wish to go home, do you?" + +"I do, sir; but I won't. I'm going with the company." + +"Lawton," said the major, after a moment's scrutiny of the lad's solemn +face, "you've never told me where you live and I've never asked. I +believed in you, and that's enough. The colonel has given me permission +to choose my orderly from my old company. I have bought Colonel Poague's +horses. The orderly will ride my spare horse and look after both. I want +you, if you care to take the place." + +"Yes, sir; I do." + +"It leaves you out of the race for vacancies among the corporals." + +"No matter, sir. That'll come when we reorganize for three years." + +And so Snipe turned his long musket and heavy cartridge-box over to the +first sergeant, dumped his knapsack and blanket into the field-officer's +wagon, and straddled the major's spare horse. At any other time he might +have felt the sense of exaltation that is inevitable to the boy or man +who knows how to ride, but the young soldier's spirits were dashed and +drooping. There was no time for brooding, however. The New-Englanders +were on the march for Manassas. The dusty roads were thronged with +troops, trudging buoyantly ahead, confident in the strength of their +numbers and counting upon a conqueror's entrance into Richmond within +ten days. Somewhere about noon, midway between Fairfax and Centreville, +the "route march" was suddenly changed to silence and to cadence step. A +staff-officer had accosted the colonel. The commands "halt" and "front" +brought them into line facing the left; then the regiment was dressed +back to the right until it stood aligned at the roadside, and Snipe +found himself seated in saddle just to the left rear of his major, who +had reined up at the left of the line. Looking back along the +dust-covered route, the lad could see that the regiments following them +in column were also halting and "fronting," as soon as closed to proper +distance, and then, with ordered arms, standing at ease and wondering +what was coming. Presently, far back towards Fairfax, there uprose a +cheer that was taken up along the line, and Lawton and his major, +craning their necks, could see a body of horsemen coming through the +slowly settling dust-clouds, following the lead of a soldierly-looking +man on a big gray. A band struck up "Hail Columbia;" the regiment +directly to their left began to take up the shout of acclaim, beginning +away down at the tenth company, and the handsome horseman raised his +forage-cap and spurred rapidly on. Again he raised it as he passed the +colors, and the shout of greeting rolled into the right wing; and now +the New England lads could see the yellow sash and the gold-embroidered +belt, and knew a general officer was coming, and they, too, prepared to +relieve their dusty lungs and overflowing spirits with a cheer. But all +on a sudden the old colonel's shrill voice was heard, "Attentio-o-on +battalion!" and talk and laughter ceased. "Shoulder-r-r _homps_!" and +every musket jumped from the ground. "Prese-e-e-nt _homps_!" and nine +hundred glistening barrels bounced out in front of nine hundred martial +noses. The silken colors, State and National, drooped forward in homage +to the coming dignitary. The major sat bolt upright and looking straight +over his horse's ears, his sword lowered to the salute, and Snipe's hand +went up to the visor of his grimy cap, and the major-general smiled +affably as he came trotting by, his horse shying sidewise with eyes and +ears attent, and the grizzled colonel got a word of soldierly praise +from the cap-tipping commander as he sped swiftly on, the staff trying +hard to look dignified and keep their seats and distance at the same +time, which several of them, being new to the business, found it hard to +do. Behind them jogged a troop of regular cavalry,--the general's +escort,--veterans who had spent years in saddle and showed it; and then +with gratified pride that he and his regiment had given proper and +soldierly recognition to the chief, "instead of yelling like a +town-meeting," said the colonel, that veteran of the Mexican war days +permitted his men once more to "order" and rest and await developments. +They were not long in coming. Away down to the left, over the shouts and +greetings of other commands, could be heard the characteristic "Hi! hi! +hi!" of the Fire Zouaves, and presently in long column of pieces, +cannoneers mounted, two business-like batteries of the regulars came +clinking along, their powerful, mettlesome horses moving like so much +perfect machinery at steady walk, their drivers responding to the chaff +and cheers and comments of the militia and volunteers by occasional +droll wink or thrust of tongue into the nearest cheek, their nimble gun +detachments grinning exuberantly, but rarely uttering a word. And then +at last, when even their baggage-wagons had trundled by, a band was +heard along the thoroughfare behind them, and through the dust came +stalking a superb drum-major, his baton swinging in one hand, his huge +bear-skin shako dangling from the other arm; and then the halted column +coughed and sneezed as a strong regiment of infantry marched silently by +in column of fours, determined, evidently, to impress upon the rest of +the division their martial appearance and discipline. And then, in vivid +contrast, right behind them, came the loose gray jackets and trousers, +the red shirts and faces of the Fire Zouaves, grinning, chaffing, "hi, +hiing" every foot of the way, and Major Stark turned and signalled to +his orderly, and the lad rode up alongside. + +"These are your old friends, I take it, Lawton. Sit here where you can +see them." + +The colors went sweeping by, flaunting in the sunshine despite the +besmirching dust, and the seventh company came swinging along, and all +of a sudden a wiry-looking sergeant file-closer glanced up and shouted, +"Hullo, Snipey! How are _you_?" after the Bowery fashion of the day. +"Hullo, Snipey!" came the greeting from half a dozen brawny throats. +"Say, sonny, did you git square with that Metamora gang before you come +away?" "Hullo, Snipe! Where's Shorty all dis time?" "Say, boy, what +deestrick d'you run to now?" And before anybody could say a word to +prevent it, half a dozen laughing, rollicking fellows sprang from the +ranks and were crowding about Lawton as he sat blushing, half pleased, +half ashamed, and shaking the lad by the hand. "Come over and see us +when we git to camp," they cried in chorus, as, clamping their heavy +sword-bayonets to their sides with the left hand, and trailing the brown +barrels of their "special" rifles, they hurried on to catch their +company. It was all over in a minute, but the New-Englanders looked +curiously at the major's orderly, and that quiet-mannered, taciturn +officer finally turned, with something like a smile. + +"One would hardly say those fellows could have brought you ill news, +Lawton. They seem like old friends." + +"I knew them well when at school in New York, sir." + +"Who is Shorty?" + +"He was my chum, sir. I thought he'd be here long ago. He was a drummer +in the Seventy-first New York. His relatives wouldn't let him come, I +suppose." + +"Would yours, do you think,--if they knew?" + +"No, sir. But my father's been dead a long time. My mother married +again, and--I've been shifting for myself of late." + +"I understand," said the major, inclining his head; "but does your +mother know now?" + +"I write to her every month, sir. She knows I'm with the army. They +would get me out if they knew where to find me, but I should enlist in +another regiment under another name, so what would be the use?" + +And then once more came the command attention. Again the dusty march was +resumed. Again the column alternately tramped and halted. Other generals +and staff-officers rode to and fro, and were curiously inspected by the +rank and file. Again the New-Englanders were led off into an open field +some distance from the pike, and, late in the afternoon, stacked arms +and unslung knapsacks in a skirt of woods. Pots, kettles, and canteens +were filled from the cisterns and wells of the neighboring farm-house, +whose inmates looked on in silent disapproval, and just as the sun was +sinking toward a distant line of heights some twenty miles away to the +west, that a school-master in the color company said were called the +Bull Run Mountains, somebody held up a warning hand and said "Listen!" +There was a throb and pulsation in the heavy, heated, breathless air. A +dull booming sound at irregular intervals came floating from the distant +front. Men sprang to their feet from under the trees and listened +eagerly, their faces paling a little; some lips uncontrollably +twitching. It was the first note of the grand overture so soon to burst +in the magnificence of its volume on their unaccustomed ears. Somewhere +out toward that winding fringe of timber in the low ground five miles +away to the south a field battery had sighted the enemy in sufficient +force to warrant unlimbering and letting drive. The hostile armies were +within striking distance. + +For a moment the men from the land of the Puritan listened in awed +silence. There had been a sharp encounter down that way two days before +between the leading division and a concealed enemy, and rumor had it +that many were killed and wounded, but the ambulances had been sent +another way, and this brigade saw none of them. Over toward the roofs of +Centreville a Western regiment sent up a cheer. Somewhere through the +woods, down toward the right, the uproarious "Hi, hi" of the Zouaves, +like the yelp of a pack of prairie wolves, rose swift from wing to wing, +and in the midst of the distant clamor the major's quiet voice fell on +Snipe's listening ears, and the lad started, gulped down some strange +feeling as of faintness and nausea that had stolen over him, and pulled +himself together. + +"The horses? Yes, sir, they'll be through feeding in ten minutes." + +"Very well. I'm to go forward with four companies at dusk. You needn't, +if you wish to write--or anything." + +But when the major led that silent detachment into the winding +bridle-path through the trees, following the lead of a young +staff-officer who rode jauntily ahead, Snipe Lawton followed close at +his commander's heels. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +In more than a dozen regiments of raw soldiery camping in the fields +about Centreville that hot July evening were lads no older than George +Lawton. Among the seasoned regulars, few as they were, serving either as +fifers or drummers in the infantry and marines, buglers in the batteries +or trumpeters in the cavalry, were some who were even younger,--boys +born in the army far out on the frontier, perhaps, or at the few +garrisoned forts on the Atlantic coast,--sons of soldiers who knew no +other life and who would have felt awkward in any dress but the uniform. +But there were few who did not at first feel, as Snipe felt, a nervous +tremor about the knees at sound of those swift banging guns. Veteran +soldiers soon learn that cannon may boom all day and little damage be +done, and that the real sound that tells of deadly battle is the +sustained crackle and crash of musketry. All through the excited army +the news had gone that there had been a "meeting" Thursday down at +Blackburn's Ford to the left front, "a reconnoissance in force," a +staff-officer described it to silent, serious Major Stark, "merely to +develop the enemy." But that reconnoissance had developed something +else,--the fact that some of the raw regiments, bursting with eagerness +to march to Richmond ten days earlier, couldn't stand fire to-day, for +the moment the screaming shells from the Confederate guns on the +southern bank of Bull Run came crashing through the timber on the north +side, a new volunteer command, shoved in there to support a battery, +scurried out of it in most undignified haste. Others, no older in +service, but better led, stood their ground like men, despite their +pale, anxious faces, and roundly jeered the "salt-workers." One thing +was settled to the satisfaction of General McDowell, commanding the +Union force, and that was that the routes to Manassas Junction, either +by way of the Stone Bridge straight ahead on the broad pike, or more +directly by the several fords farther down-stream, were vigilantly +guarded, so that "the longest way round" would probably be the shortest +way to that centre of rebel activity. There at Manassas the railways +from the South and from the Shenandoah joined. There were the stores and +supplies. There was the strategic point, and scattered along the wooded +bluffs that hemmed the stream on the southern side, all along for nearly +eight miles were stationed the Southern brigades. With Manassas at their +backs five miles away, with Bull Run directly in their front, with only +one broad road and four or five bridle-paths or wagon-tracks leading +down to it, the Southern general felt well assured in his position and +equally confident of his men. + +On the other hand, the Union leader was schooled in strategy and grand +tactics and quick to see his opportunities. Bull Run was as "crooked as +a ram's horn," said the staff-officers sent forward to reconnoitre, but +its general course below the Stone Bridge was southeastward, despite its +deep bends and twists, while above the bridge, within four miles or so, +from the neighborhood of Sudley Springs, it had three sharp elbows, and +flowed alternately east and south. Below the bridge the woods were thick +on both banks; above it, toward Sudley Church, were many open fields and +patches. All Friday and Saturday the Union troops were closing up on +Centreville, bringing with them, worse luck, a gang of curious +spectators in carriages and buggies,--people coming out the twenty-five +miles from Washington as though to a picnic,--and all this motley crowd +was scattered through the fields and orchards and shady groves and +swarming through the farm enclosures about the once placid, sleepy +little Virginia village this still Saturday afternoon that preceded the +momentous Sunday of the first real battle of the civil war. + +It was seven o'clock by the major's watch as the rear of his silent +column swung clear of the bivouac where comrade soldiers stood and +longed to cheer them off, but for the caution of their officers passed +company by company down the line of stacked rifles. There had been a +brief conference between the gray-haired, shrill-voiced colonel and his +junior field-officer. The latter had received his orders direct from the +commanding general. That accomplished soldier had keenly looked the +major over, and, as the latter remounted and rode silently away, had +turned to his adjutant-general with the comprehensive remark, "He'll +do!" And now, as the twilight deepened and the stars began to twinkle in +the eastern skies, through a winding wood-path the column moved, +snake-like, swiftly, confidently, yet noiselessly, on. There was barely +a farm-wagon track along the springy turf. Each man carried his +knapsack, blanket, and his forty rounds. Light marching order would have +been welcome after the heat and heavy burdens of the past few days. +Route step was the command when clear of the sentry lines, but silence +the caution. Quarter of a mile out, and in a little grove, the leaders +came upon a company of infantry clustered about their stacked rifles. +The wood road forked here, one branch going straight on north, the other +bearing farther to the west. A word from the young lieutenant of +regulars, riding side by side with Major Stark, and the commander of the +picket reserves stood back, and, without a moment's pause, the battalion +swung steadily on, taking the right-hand path. A few hundred yards and +there was momentary check. A subaltern officer and some twenty or +thirty soldiers stood under arms at a bend in the path, and now the +light was so dim that the stars directly overhead were beginning to peep +down at the drowsing world beneath. The two lieutenants, the +professional of the staff, the volunteer of the infantry, held brief +parley, while Major Stark looked back toward his coming battalion, +signalled to the foremost captain marching sturdily by the side of his +first sergeant, and that officer stepped out a yard or two, faced back +toward the long column, and, first waving his sword aloft to attract +attention, took it in both hands, the left near the point, held it +horizontally over his head an instant, and then suddenly lowered it; +whereat, without a sound, all who saw as quickly halted short, softly +placing the shod butts of the rifles on the ground, and all others +almost instantly followed the example. It was part of a silent drill the +New-Englanders had been taught for just such emergencies. + +With beating heart Snipe listened to the low-toned colloquy. The +lieutenant of the picket-guard, a trifle excitedly, was dictating some +report just received from the outposts. + +"No, I didn't see 'em myself," he replied, in answer to question, "but +Sergeant Holman says he couldn't be mistaken. The outermost sentries, +three of them, all say the same. There were at least twenty-five +horsemen. They forded the Run right down here to the southwest of us, +and rode northward so as to cross this slanting path, if they kept on +in the same direction, just about a mile from here. Holman's with the +outposts now, sir." + +The staff-officer turned to Major Stark. "They may have been sent to +destroy the very bridge we are ordered to guard," said he, in low tone. +"It isn't two miles ahead." + +"Then the sooner we get there the better," was the prompt answer, and, +glancing over his shoulder, the major signalled again, his right hand +high in air at first, then pointing to the front, but in the gathering +darkness the gesture was not fully understood. "Ride back, Lawton, and +tell Captain Flint to follow with the battalion," and the two mounted +officers rode rapidly ahead, and in a moment were lost to sight among +the shadowy trees. + +It was Snipe's first mission as an orderly, and well he remembered it. +Whirling his horse about, he trotted back to where the head of the +column stood silently with ordered arms, the men leaning on their +muskets. "Major Stark says to follow with the battalion, sir," he +promptly announced to the alert captain, using as nearly as possible, as +he had read was the duty of staff-officers and messengers, the exact +words of the commander; and then, seeing the column instantly obeying, +he again turned, rode sharply past the silent picket-post, and, +straining his eyes for a sight of his major, while threading the dim +vista of the wood path, he soon overtook the two again, halted once +more and in earnest converse with a bearded, sturdy-looking sergeant, +who, with a little squad of dark-uniformed infantry, formed the outpost. + +"The sentinels are not a hundred yards beyond us," he heard him say. +"All three saw them. The ground slopes gradually to the south and west. +It's quite open. They crossed the Run down yonder, and rode straight +away northward," and the sergeant pointed to a distant ridge. "None of +'em came within range. They didn't seem to think anybody would be out +here at all." + +The staff-officer sat listening quietly and attentively until the +sergeant finished. Then he turned to the major. "I chose this ground +myself," he said. "The sentries are hidden by bushes from the front, and +have a clear view for nearly a mile, by day at least, and looking back +you could see the roofs of Centreville on the high ground to the east. I +reconnoitred all through here yesterday and came across that bridge +about three o'clock. There's a deep wide ditch, marshy in places, wet +and miry everywhere for a mile either way, and the banks are steep. Foot +troops and cavalry can cross all right, but we've got to keep that +bridge for the guns, especially that big thirty-pound Parrott General +Hunter's to bring along. I wish we'd been sent out earlier, though of +course we might have been seen crossing the open fields. Look!" and +Lieutenant Upton led a few paces to the edge of the scattered trees, and +there the whole westward firmament was visible, even down to the black +lines of the Bull Run Mountains, just setting its own "sentinel stars" +for the long night-watch. + +"I wish so, too," said the major. "Lawton, ride back and guide the +column. It may lose the way." + +Again the lad turned and trotted away, but before he had gone a hundred +yards he could see the faint gleam of steel come dancing through the +glade, and almost instantly there followed the stern, sharp, low-voiced +challenge. "It's Lawton," he answered quickly. "The major feared you +might lose the way, and told me to guide you." + +The men were panting a little now, for Flint was forcing the pace. +Something told them there was work ahead. "Know what's up, orderly?" +muttered the captain. + +"No, sir. The pickets say some rebel cavalry crossed the front just +before dark, somewhere about two dozen of 'em." And as Snipe now rode +along, with over three hundred stalwart fellows trudging at his back, +despite all the excitement of the moment his thoughts went back to the +school-days and the First Latin, and he wondered what the fellows would +think to see him now, guiding a whole battalion to its post of duty, +perhaps to its place in battle. He wondered with clinching teeth and +quickening breath who could have made those fellows he had so sworn by +believe that he, Snipe Lawton, was a common thief. Was that the reason +Shorty never wrote again? Was that why no one now seemed to care where +he was or what had become of him? The boy's wounded heart beat +vehemently in protest and in indignation, and there in the darkness of +that 'cross country wood path his lips murmured a prayer for guidance +and protection, that he might live to give the lie to that +slander,--might so live as to win honor and credit for the name his +enemies had besmirched. Two nights before, following his major through a +dark lane when visiting sentries, the boy's heart had bounded +uncontrollably, and his knees had trembled so hard that his horse, too, +seemed to shake, all because a nervous raw recruit had fancied he saw a +rebel stealing on him through the blackness of the night, and after +vainly challenging a wandering mule, had roused the whole division and +nearly killed his major with a single wildly aimed shot. To-night as +Snipe thought of the story he had wrung from the unwilling lips of +Sergeant Keating, of the Fire Zouaves, one of 40's old "bunkers," the +sense of pride and indignation bore down all thought of fear, and Snipe +Lawton, who the year before hated drill and wouldn't be a soldier for +anything, even now in the dark, where Napoleon himself had said most men +were cowards, was praying that the rebels might be there at the bridge, +and that he might be foremost in the dash upon them. + +On past the peering, shadowy knots of soldiers of Sergeant Holman's +party he led them, the hard-breathing, swift-striding Yankees swinging +along behind. Out over the starlit open to where, well across the field, +he could dimly descry the forms of two horsemen. "Well done, orderly," +muttered the regular. "You've lost not a second. Now, major, we'll push +ahead. Better caution them not to make a sound." + +"They won't," said Stark, in answer, and resumed the northward way. Five +minutes and they were skirting an old snake-fence, well out beyond the +hail of the last sentry or vedette of the Union lines. Any moment now +they might meet scouting parties of the rebel horse, and here Lieutenant +Upton warned the major to keep with his command, while he himself, +bending low on his horse's neck, pushed out ahead. Ten minutes more they +went without halt of any kind, but now Stark noted how hard the men were +breathing, and ordered Flint to take it easy. "Soldiers need their wind +if it comes to fighting," said he. Fifteen minutes, and there was a long +fringe of timber ahead, and farther off to the north a light was +shining, like a candle, in a farm-house window, but still the dim +cart-track led on, and the young staff-officer kept out ahead. Little by +little they drew closer to the trees, and eyes and ears were strained +for sight or sound. The major, too, was bending low by this time, and +eagerly, anxiously, scanning the shadowy line ahead. Presently he drew +rein and muttered a call to Snipe, and the lad spurred up alongside. +Both horses were pricking up their ears. "This horse acts as though +there were others ahead there," whispered Stark. "It may be only the +lieutenant's. Here he comes now!" + +It was Lieutenant Upton, riding cautiously back. "Major," he muttered, +"that bridge is just across the next field, and I could hear voices and +the sound of horses' hoofs on the planks. If it's that patrol, we've got +'em. We can't deploy yet. We must creep through these woods and deploy +beyond them. I know the ground." + +The column had not even halted, for the moment the staff-officer joined +the leader he reined about and rode on, talking eagerly in low tone as +he rode, then once more pushed cautiously ahead, the hoof-beats hardly +audible on the springy turf, and was soon lost among the trees. Five +minutes more and the major and his faithful orderly emerged again under +the open starlight, and there they found their alert guide. "Let them +halt in the timber a moment," whispered Upton. "Look at that light." And +while the head of column abruptly ordered arms, and each succeeding set +of fours almost bumped up against that which preceded it before it could +do likewise, the aide-de-camp pointed southward. + +Upon some dark height full three miles away toward the Junction, and +evidently some distance beyond the stream, a bright light, as of a +lantern with brilliant reflector at its back, was shining steadily. +"There was another a mile to the north of us as we crossed the last +open common," said Stark. "Why, look! There it is again, yet it was dark +just now." + +And then, suddenly as that northern light appeared, it was extinguished +or hidden. Then, before any one could speak, again it flamed. Again it +disappeared, and the explanation occurred to all three at the same +instant. "Signalling, of course," muttered Upton. "Now get two companies +into line, facing west; then we'll leave our horses with them and creep +out toward the bridge." + +Another moment, and while Flint was noiselessly leading the foremost two +into line, the major and the staff-officer had dismounted, handed their +reins to silent Snipe, and out they went, crouching low, into the +westward darkness, while every man breathed hard and listened. Then the +southern light began to flash and disappear alternately. "We are far out +to the west of Centreville," murmured Flint. "Those windows are hidden +from that point. They doubtless think no one can see them here." + +Five minutes, and still no sound came from their venturesome scouts. +They had had time to go all the way across if need be. "What d'you +s'pose they signal for?" whispered a young soldier in the leading set, +whereupon the sergeant turned and muttered, "Hush!" and men began to +realize that it was a time to listen--not to talk. + +All of a sudden, low, clear, and distinct, a whistle was sounded not +four hundred yards away. The first thought to strike every man was, the +major! but the major had gone straight to the west; this sound came from +across the wide field well to the northward of the supposed position of +the bridge. Before there was time to comment the answer was given +straight out ahead, soft, yet just as distinct. Then all three horses +left with Snipe pricked up their ears and whirled toward the northwest, +for from that quarter came the sound of hoof-beats, the low thud and +rumble of horses moving at lively lope. Swift, invisible, they swooped +down from the northward across the front. Then came sudden check, then +silence, then the next minute the hollow sound of iron-shod hoofs upon +resounding boards. First one horse, at a walk, then two, three, half a +dozen together, and then silence again. + +Two minutes later, back from the front, running, came the major. +"Forward, just as you are!" he muttered to Flint. "The bridge is safe," +and, swinging into saddle and bidding Snipe come on with the +lieutenant's horse, he sped swiftly away across the field. At its +western limit, at the edge of a deep, black trench that stretched away +southward toward Bull Run, they found the staff-officer, standing at the +old wooden bridge. + +"They've left it intact," murmured Upton, gleefully, "and they've been +scouting around our right flank for indication of any attack from this +direction, and have missed us entirely. Now let 'em come back and get it +if they can!" + +In ten minutes three of Stark's strong companies had stacked arms among +the timber to the west of the clumsy yet precious structure. The fourth +was chosen for guard and picket duty, and, under the guidance of the +energetic young staff-officer, every approach was covered. Wary sentries +were stationed five hundred yards away, up and down the unsightly trough +and well out toward the winding run, with supports and small reserves +intervening between them and the main body. Even the open field to the +east was guarded, for Major Stark meant that no enemy should come upon +him unawares. Finally, deep in the shelter of the grove, they struck a +light and consulted their watches. "Just half-past nine," said Upton, +"and at midnight the move begins. Now I'll ride back and report. What +splendid luck thus far!" + +"You have no orderly, lieutenant," said Major Stark. "Let Lawton ride +back with you until you reach our lines. I'd be better satisfied." + +"There is no need, thank you, major. There is no likelihood of my +meeting rebel patrols between this and our pickets. Those fellows are +back across Bull Run by this time and riding away to tell Beauregard the +Yanks have no idea of reaching round him this way." + +Snipe, listening in silence, hoped, despite the brave resolution of the +earlier evening, that nothing would happen to change the lieutenant's +mind. It wasn't the riding back with him that he dreaded to think of, it +was the solitary trot to rejoin the major after seeing Upton safely to +the lines. There on the distant heights the lights around Centreville +were twinkling, and, even while the officers were consulting a moment +before, the lad noted that while they could no longer see the gleam on +the high ground south of the Run, the men were again whispering together +about that signal to the north of them. + +Then the staff-officer held out his hand. "Good-night, Major Stark. I +shall take pleasure in telling the general how prompt and soldierly your +command has been. After all the go-as-you-please business I have had to +note on the march it is good to see a regiment behave like regulars. +Good-night to you, too, my lad. If I ever get a regiment I'd like to +have a hundred young fellows of your calibre," said he, and to Snipe's +surprise and delight Lieutenant Upton was grasping his hand too. + +But just as the young officer turned away a thought occurred to him. +"The general will be anxiously awaiting my report, and I must hurry. If +it weren't for that I'd find out what's going on where that light is up +yonder. Good-night again. Look for us along about two o'clock." + +The muffled sound of the hoof-beats died away across the open field. The +men close at hand unrolled their blankets and stretched themselves upon +the turf. No fires were allowed, but many a pipe was lighted well within +the shelter of the trees, and, too excited to sleep, they lay chatting +in low tones. Several of the officers grouping about had heard the young +regular's closing words. "That light can't be more'n a mile off," said +Captain Flint. "I would like to know what's going on there myself." + +The major had dismounted, and by the gleam of a little folding lantern +was jotting down some memoranda at the moment in the note-book he always +carried. Method was second nature to Stark. Not until he had finished +his writing did he reply. Then, even while glancing over his lines, he +quietly said,-- + +"You shall. Bring twenty men and come along." + +Quarter of an hour later, with the senior captain left in command at the +bridge, Major Stark, Lawton as ever riding close behind him, was leading +slowly and cautiously out of the shadows and across an open field that +sloped gradually toward a low ridge against the northern sky. Behind +them, treading softly, came Flint, a lieutenant, and twenty men. The +latter had fixed bayonets and discarded anything about their equipment +that would rattle. The north star gleamed right over what seemed to be a +little grove along the ridge, and on the edge of the dark patch stood, +against the sky, regular and square in outline, an object like a house. +Not five minutes back a light was shining in the midst of it, but now +that was gone. Slowly, cautiously, the little party continued its silent +move, rising gradually with every rod, and at last the leader came to +another snake-fence, and three or four stout fellows sprang forward and +threw down a panel or two. While this was being done the major looked +back, and there, shining over the low ground from the distant heights +beyond Bull Run, that clear, steady light was gleaming again, powerful, +almost, as the head-light of a locomotive. Away to the southeast, +grouped about Centreville, the camp-fires of the Union troops were +blazing, and from along this ridge their position was plainly visible. +No wonder Virginia sympathizers chose the spot from which to signal! Now +what message might they not be sending two hours later when the army +began to move? It was after ten o'clock, and that house had been dark +for over ten minutes, yet Stark felt confident their stealthy approach +was unsuspected. Then comes the stifled cry, "Ha! there it is +again!--the light in the upper window, well under the eaves!" Snipe's +heart bounds almost into his throat in his excitement, for now it is +barely long pistol-shot away, and he is the proud possessor of a new +Colt's revolver, much handier, he thinks, than the long, cumbrous +musket. And now it's out again; and now, five seconds later, shines +anew, and so it goes,--darkness alternating with light three times, then +all is black and unbroken. A sergeant is somewhere ahead looking for the +next fence. The little party scrambles on up the steeper slope. If only +there are no dogs about! Hear them baying over there toward Centreville? +and over there yonder to the west toward Sudley Church? Surely if there +are dogs here they would be out and baying their reply. Bigger and +blacker looms the house ahead, and still no challenge from dog or man. +Can it be that the farm folk have deserted it, and that only lurking +scouts or spies are here? + +And now they come upon a dilapidated picket-fence; beyond it a row of +bushes. The sergeant in advance turns back and tells the major there's a +wide open gateway at the east, and into this he cautiously rides, Snipe +still following. But, oh, how the boy heart is thumping! The roadway is +soft Virginia earth, and the hoofs strike no pebbles. Presently the +major dismounts, and, handing his reins up to Snipe, bids him wait there +in a little open space. Then, noiselessly, he and Flint lead on with the +men, and Snipe feels, rather than sees, that they are surrounding the +house and stationing soldiers at every door and under every window. All +these now are dark save two on the lower floor in front. There are thick +shades within, but they show a dull light, as from a table-lamp. Not a +sound beyond a creaking of a shoe or plank is heard. The men move like +kittens, but it is their first experience of the kind, and most of them +are excited, even nervous. As for Snipe, he rages to see how he is +trembling. + +And then all of a sudden the major's horse, rejoicing that the weight is +gone, gives himself a thorough shake, rattling housing and stirrups and +accompanying the shake with a loud b'r-r-r-r of satisfaction. All too +late Snipe springs from saddle and seizes both horses by the nostrils. +Almost instantly booted heels are heard within, and manly, ringing +voices. Somebody comes striding to the door and throws it open. A tall, +slender, shapely fellow is outlined against the dim light within, and a +voice hails cordially,-- + +"Hullo! What brings you back? Anything the matter over yawnduh?" And +that "yawnduh" betrays the Virginian. + +"Nothing," is the answer, in Stark's quiet tone. "But your house is +surrounded by the troops of the United States and I'll trouble you to +come out." + +For answer, out goes the light in the room, slam goes the door, and then +there is dead silence just about five seconds. Then the order, "Break it +in!" + +Up the low steps spring a sergeant and two men. Crash goes the door +before their heavy rifle-butts, and then, bayonets advanced, in they go. +The major, following coolly, strikes a light, and holds aloft his little +lantern. The candles on the table are still smoking, and are quickly +again ablaze. "Come in here, three or four more of you," orders Stark, +while Flint comes hurrying round to the front. There is a rush of feet +on the upper floor, a back window is hurled open. "Head 'em off there!" +shouts Flint, as again he runs back. There is a sound of sudden scuffle, +and some stern order within. Then Snipe can stand it no longer and leads +his excited horses closer to the house. He hears the rifle-butts go +banging at the doors up-stairs and more men hurrying into the hall. He +hears Flint repeat the cry, "Watch every window!" And now he shifts the +bight of both reins into the left hand and whips out his revolver, still +towing his suspicious and reluctant steeds, and just as he nears the +front, almost at his feet, the doors of a cellarway, hitherto unseen and +unsuspected, fly open. Two dark figures burst forth. He feels again, +rather than sees, that a murderous blow is aimed at his head, and even +as he ducks out of the way a revolver flashes and barks just at his ear, +and, now instinctively, he pulls trigger. At the flash and bang of the +pistols the startled horses both jerk back, pulling him with them. One +rein is torn from his grasp, but the captor gains nothing, for before he +can reach pommel or stirrup, two long-legged Yankees are on him, and he +is dragged back into the light. A third stumbles over a prostrate form +writhing in the road, as Snipe quickly finds his feet; and, as Major +Stark comes striding out and brings his lantern to bear upon the scene, +the lad, pale, breathing hard, but with flashing eyes and that revolver +grasped in his clinching hand, is standing over his stricken +prisoner,--first capture of the advancing arms of the Union,--a young +Confederate officer, whose brand-new uniform is richly laced with gold, +but whose face is now white as death as he swoons away. + +[Illustration: First capture of the advancing arms of the Union.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +War was a new, strange, and terrible thing to George Lawton. For a few +minutes after his thrilling adventure, while the soldiers were binding +with bed-cords the wrists of the three unscathed captives, and Stark and +Flint were ministering to the wounded officer, Snipe leaned against a +tree, the same feeling of nausea and faintness overcoming him now as it +did one day when he saw the brutal beating of an Irish wagoner on Fourth +Avenue. Others of the New England men were searching the premises from +garret to cellar, finding no human beings but two trembling old negroes, +who had never been allowed to regard themselves as possessed of any +rights a white man was bound to respect. The prisoners, sullen, +scowling, and very much amazed that such a thing could happen on the +sacred soil of Virginia, refused to answer questions as to the owners of +the place. The young officer was only just recovering from the swoon +that followed upon the shock of his wound, but the darkies humbly told +all they knew. They were household servants,--slaves, of course. The +farm was owned by a wealthy resident of Alexandria. The farmer and his +family had gone. The young officer was "Marse Grayson," a nephew of the +owner. The other gentlemen belonged to his troop in the cavalry, and +there were four more of them somewhere over toward Centreville. They had +been round there for several days, and signalling to their comrades over +where "Marse Henry" and "Marse Robinson" lived, on the heights beyond +Bull Run. Up in the attic the New-Englanders found candles, a polished +tin reflector, and a flat board screen that just fitted in the window. A +fine telescope and smaller field-glass were also there. A bountiful +spread was on the table in the dining-room. The larder and cellar were +well stocked, and the men from the land of steady habits did not disdain +to "sample" the fluid refreshment found in the cool depths below the +house or the delicacies in the pantry. Out in a wooden shed were four +fine horses, with new saddles and bridles. Opulence was the rule in the +Confederacy the first few months of the war; and now the sergeant and +half a dozen men moved out to the front gate to look for those four +troopers who were supposed to interpose between their feasting comrades +and the possibility of surprise from the direction of the Yankees, and +who, so early in the war, had not dreamed of foemen coming from the +south. Possibly they had heard the sound of shots at the farm-house and +would come galloping back to ascertain the cause. The young officer was +reviving. The flow of blood was stanched. He was laid upon a mattress +and, with six men to carry him, was started down the slope toward the +main body at the bridge. Stark then ordered the party to bring the +horses, captives, arms,--everything that could be considered legitimate +spoil of war,--and follow at once. The signal outfit was smashed, and +Flint, a veteran of the old Covenanter type, was for burning the house, +which Stark forbade, if for no other reason than that it would instantly +bring patrols of Southern cavalry out to inquire the cause. Indeed, it +was a problem with him what to do about the signals. Through the +powerful glass he was able to see that the light still burned on the +distant heights to the south, and at any moment it might brightly blaze +again, asking some question and demanding reply. "Better let them waste +time in endeavors to extract an answer than lose none in galloping over +to investigate a fire," he reasoned, and then turned to where his young +orderly stood, again silently holding the reins of the horses. + +"We will push ahead," he said, as he mounted. A few minutes of search +and they found the gap in the rail-fence, and overtook the party +carrying the wounded Confederate. His youth and gentle breeding had both +impressed the taciturn major, and now the fortitude which enabled him +without a moan to bear the pain of this swaying motion roused the +major's admiration. "Gently, men. There's no hurry. We'll have a +surgeon for you in a short time, lieutenant," he said, encouragingly, +then spurred on to rejoin his battalion at the bridge. Sharp and clear +came the "Halt! Who goes there?" of the northernmost sentry, and Stark +reined back instantly as he answered, "Friends,--Major Stark and +orderly." "Dismount, both," was the order, as from a dew-dripping clump +of blackberry-bushes the rifle-barrel glinted in the starlight. A dark +form came running up from the rear, bayonet advanced, and peered +searchingly into the major's face. They had no countersign, but those +lads had learned their duty from a veteran colonel who had practised it +before the Seminoles, the Sioux, and Mexicans, too, and Stark could not +forbear a word of praise to both sentry and corporal as he bade the +latter summon the officer of the guard. In ten minutes the entire +detachment, with its prisoners, was safe within the wakeful lines, and +the whole battalion roused up as one man to welcome and rejoice. A year +later the incident would have been too trivial to stir a man from sleep. +Now it was of tremendous importance. Eagerly Flint's men were detailing +their share in the exploit, some of them, exhilarated both by the event +and the potent apple-jack, telling rather more than their share. Gently +the bearers laid the young officer under the trees. Stark motioned back +the inquisitive circle that promptly formed, gave his patient a long +pull at a flask and another of cool spring water from a canteen, and +then gently asked him which he would prefer,--to be carried into +Centreville or wait there until a surgeon could come out. + +"I do not care," said the wounded boy, with a sigh. "Can't you suppress +this somehow?" + +"The bleeding?" asked Stark, anxiously. "Why, I thought I had." + +"No,--the whole business. I don't want mother to know I'm hurt." + +Stark scratched a match and looked at his watch. Just twenty-five +minutes past eleven. In half an hour, as Upton said, the army would be +astir and moving. There would be many another name added to the list +before the setting of another sun. Already, North and South, the papers +were ablaze with tidings of that misguided "reconnoissance in force" +toward Blackburn's Ford, which had felled some sixty men on each side, +sent Tyler's men back to Centreville disgusted, and inspired those of +Longstreet and Ewell with a craze of undeserved triumph. By two o'clock +in the morning the column of Hunter and Heintzelman would be crossing +that guarded bridge on the way to the upper ford, but they would not +wish to be burdened with wounded and prisoners when going into action. +The battalion would undoubtedly be ordered to join its own regiment as +it came tramping along. The general might extract from these prisoners +information which would be of value. Stark's mind was made up quickly. A +lieutenant and half a dozen men were selected as guards, another six to +carry the mattress and wounded prisoner. Lieutenant Payne was given his +choice of the captured horses while Stark wrote brief report of the +affair. In ten minutes everybody was ready. Still bound with bed-cords, +the three silent rebs were bidden to fall in, and then for the first +time did Stark open his lips to his orderly since the brief words at the +farm. In the hearing of half his little command, the major turned to +where the latter stood, silent and a trifle awed and wearied. + +"Lawton," said he, "I send you back to the general with this party for +two reasons: first, because you know the way and can guide them; second, +because you made to-night the most important capture of the campaign +thus far, and I mean that you shall have full credit." + +For a minute there wasn't a sound. Snipe felt dizzy with the sense of +instant elation, following as it did the languor and depression of the +moment before. Then some sympathetic soul among the listeners began a +soft clapping of the hands. The example was contagious. Before a +repressing word could be heard, the New-Englanders gave vent to their +feelings in a volley of hearty, if suppressed applause. The major had to +order silence and caution. Then handing a folded paper to his orderly, +with a grim smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder, bade him mount and +be off, and like a boy in some wild dream, incredulous, unrealizing, +yet with a heart throbbing with thankfulness, George Lawton remounted +and rode out into the starlight, over the echoing bridge, and took the +front of the little detachment, his cheeks, so pale awhile ago, burning +now with pride and hope, his thoughts drifting back to mother and the +boys. What wouldn't Shorty give to be in his place this night? + +An hour later a knot of newspaper correspondents, orderlies, stragglers, +and servants clustered about the party as it rested in the starlight in +front of an old Virginia homestead. On a bed in the rear room the +surgeons had laid the wounded Confederate. In the main room, with two or +three of his staff and half a dozen correspondents pencil-driving about +him, sat the commanding general. Before him, silent and respectful, +stood brown-eyed, long-legged Snipe. The camp lanterns burned brightly +on mantel and table. The sound of many voices, low-toned but impatient, +came from without. Something had blocked the road in front, and the +march of the rear divisions was stayed. The general was vexed, as all +could see,--impatient and indignant. But as he read the pencilled lines, +handed him by the adjutant-general, something like pleasure shone on his +florid, soldierly face. + +"You chose the right man, Burnside," he suddenly exclaimed, as he turned +to a stalwart, heavily whiskered officer who entered at the moment, clad +in a pleated flannel blouse, with heavy riding-boots and breeches. +"Look at this," he added, handing up the brief despatch. "I wish I could +inject as much sense into some--generals." Then he turned on Snipe, his +stern face relaxing: + +"You have done admirably, my lad. How old are you?" + +For a moment the light went out of Lawton's eyes, giving way to trouble +and embarrassment. He twisted his forage-cap in his trembling fingers. +At last, huskily, but with reviving hope, he answered. + +"I told them I was eighteen. To-night I tried to prove I was as good as +my word." + +A smile went round the room. The general beamed. + +"You answer well, sir, and you do well. Major Stark probably can't spare +you or you should join my head-quarters' party and wear the chevrons of +a sergeant. Look after this young gentleman, captain, and see that he +has coffee and supper before he starts back," he said to one of his +aides, who had been silently gazing at the orderly's face. "Your +regiment's time expires next week. Perhaps you would like to come to me +then. If so, there'll be a place for you, and meanwhile the home people +will be proud when they read in Monday's papers how their boy captured +the first rebel officer at Bull Run." + +And with these words ringing in his ears, the lad was marched away to a +shed outside where aides and officers of every rank were snatching a +hurried bite from a camp-table, and here he was regaled with sandwiches +and coffee, and plied with questions by men whose pencils sped like mad +over their pads of paper, and they noted instantly his embarrassment +when they asked him about home and parents. + +"I have no home," he said, simply. "My father has been dead some years. +My mother remarried. I've been making my own way, and that's all there +is to it." But more they would have. His name, of course, was known. +"George Lawton, private, Company 'C,' First New England, orderly to +Major Stark," and at last the lad said his mother lived in Rhinebeck, +her name was Park, and then he broke away in search of the young captain +to whose care the general had committed him. There was something oddly +familiar about that officer's face as he greeted Snipe again. + +"Come in here," said he, leading the way within the hall, and thence to +a little bedroom. Then he turned and faced the wondering lad. "Haven't I +seen you at the Primes' in Fourteenth Street," said he, "and aren't you +Regy Prime's--Shorty's--chum whom they called Snipe?" + +There was no answer for a moment, but out came both the young captain's +hands in cordial clasp. "Why, of course you are! I was sure I had seen +your face before. I'm one of Pop's old boys myself, and there are more +of them round here. Shorty's uncle isn't a mile away at this minute. +Lots more of the tribe are somewhere with the army. Why, your teacher, +Beach, is with General Wilcox. He was a classmate of mine, and we're all +proud of you, Snipe. Now you've got to get back to your major to-night, +and I suppose all of us will be fighting to-morrow. However, don't you +forget what the general said. Come to him when your regiment goes home +next week it you want to stay in service, and go on to Richmond with +us." + +Alas for soldier hope and projects! Long before the midnight hour came +again all the general's army, some of it in mad panic, was rolling back +on Washington. The Monday morning papers, indeed, gave thrilling account +of the heroism of Private George Lawton in capturing at the risk of his +life a daring young rebel officer of the famous Black Horse Cavalry. +Then there were details of Lawton's prospective promotion, and of the +general's complimentary remarks, and Monday morning's papers teemed, +too, with tremendous tales of battle, and all Gotham cheered itself +hoarse over the vivid reports of the annihilation of the rebel cavalry +by the terrific fighters of the Fire Zouaves. But by noon came other +tidings and a turn in the tide,--by afternoon details of fell disaster. +"The Fire Zouaves annihilated by the cavalry!" was the way it read now. +"Our splendid batteries swallowed up and gone." "Our army cut to +pieces." Many generals, colonels, and captains killed. Hosts of gallant +soldiers slain, and at last, when full reports--authentic reports--were +published a long week later, among the wounded and missing were the +names of Major James Stark and Corporal George Lawton, of the First New +England, and Sergeant Keating, of the famous Fire Zouaves. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +Back again through the starlit night, through dew-dripping aisles of +shrubbery, through dark, leafy groves, with the glint of the picket's +rifle ever before his eyes, the cautious yet excited challenge falling +constantly upon his alert ear, time and again had Snipe to dismount and +account for himself before he reached the outposts along the pathway to +the north, and finally, after finding its junction with the wood road +along which Upton had led the battalion at dusk, the lad came upon +officers and sentries who were obdurate. Oh, yes; they believed him to +be the young feller that twice had gone through the lines, once with the +major and Lieutenant Upton and once with prisoners; but now he was +alone, and how'd they know he wasn't going with information to the +enemy, or going to be a deserter? Snipe argued and pleaded. Major Stark +was waiting for him away out toward Sudley Ford. General McDowell +himself and General Burnside told him he might rejoin his command. Then +why didn't they give him a pass through the lines? was the question. The +countersign didn't amount to shucks out along the pickets, said they. +Anybody could get the countersign,--which wasn't altogether an +exaggeration,--and, well, he might be all right, and then again he might +be all wrong. It was now nearly two o'clock, the hour Upton said they +might expect the head of column at the farm bridge, and Snipe, whose +heart was full of glory and elation an hour before, found himself +compelled either to wait there or retrace his weary way past all those +inner posts again to the now crowded turnpike. + +He chose the latter, and after an almost perilous ride, for more than +one raw sentinel took him for a rebel army and wanted to shoot, he +reached the broad thoroughfare about a quarter of three, to find it +still blocked by troops of the same general who had made the mistaken +move on Blackburn's Ford, who was ordered to have his division on the +road to the stone bridge and well out of the way two hours before,--the +same fellows that "broke ranks at every blackberry-bush and spring and +well along the route from Washington," and before the first crash of the +shells on Thursday afternoon. Now they seemed to be lost in the darkness +when routed out at midnight, and not until long after the proper +time--three hours at least--could the guns of Hunter's division get the +road; not until nearly dawn did they cross that old suspension bridge +across Cub Run and then, turning to the right, march off into the +fields along that guarded wood path. Not until broad daylight did the +head of column reach the farm bridge. Then, as the sun came up hot and +strong, and Snipe, after a long night in saddle, was able to rejoin his +anxiously waiting major, and Stark's battalion fell in once more with +the left wing of the New-Englanders and followed in the wake of +Burnside's Rhode Island battery, the long column moved on, snake-like, +through fields wherein the dew too soon gave way to dust, and not until +nine o'clock, heated, weary, hungry, after nine hours of exasperating +delays, of alternate halt and march, were the leading files plashing +through Sudley Ford. There stood the little church, and this was Sunday +morning, and these silent, solemn fellows who came plodding up the +southern bank on the trail of the gun-wheels were of the old Puritan +stock, but there was no halt or time for worship. McDowell himself, +commander of the army, had accompanied the turning column that by this +long, circuitous path had essayed to make safe crossing of Bull Run and +bear down on the rebel left, while the rest of the army waited in front +of the stone bridge. Only twenty-eight thousand men all told, with +twenty-nine guns and a single battalion of cavalry, had the Union +general with which to assault in their chosen position thirty-two +thousand enthusiastic Southerners with fifty-seven guns. + +No wonder there was anxiety in the wearied eyes of the Union leaders, as +at last the little division of General Hunter deployed in the fields +south of Sudley Ford and came cautiously feeling its way onward, +Porter's brigade on the right of the road, Burnside's on the left, the +Rhode Island battery jogging along the dirt track and watching for a +chance to form forward into line. After the battery rode the grizzled +old colonel of the New-Englanders, and after him trudged the long column +of his silent men; and with the left wing rode Major Stark, and ever at +his heels rode Snipe. How slow seemed the advance! how tedious the +incessant halts and waits while somebody reconnoitred! and at last, +issuing from the woods, they saw before them a long ridge running east +and west between the road on which they were marching and the winding +stream away off to the east, and out in the intervening open were two of +Burnside's regiments in line of battle, slowly moving southward, and on +the west side Porter's infantry was filing into the fields, and in +regimental succession facing south and following the general move. +Nearly a mile ahead, until lost behind that ridge, they could see the +trees and walls and fences bordering a straight line across their front +that they knew must be the turnpike they had quit a mile or so west of +Centreville, and now, having left it behind them there, here they were +facing it again with four regiments, at least, in battle line parallel +with its general direction. Off to the right front it gently rose and +was lost among groves and trees. Directly ahead it dipped into a sort of +hollow where a little stream came purling out from the wooded uplands +farther on. "Young's Branch, they call that," Snipe heard the major say +to Captain Flint. There were a few farm-houses and enclosures down near +the crossing of the pike. Then the road they had been following could be +seen red and dry rising toward the south, running straight away for +Manassas Junction, until it disappeared over the wooded crest another +mile beyond the pike. East of this road the ground rose abruptly to a +broad open plateau, skirted east, southeast, and south by a +semi-circular fringe of thick woods. At the edge of the plateau, and +near the bold, bluff-like slopes leading up to it, were two roomy houses +of brick and stone, surrounded by fruit-trees and gardens,--one away up +almost overhanging the pike, the other well down to the south, closer to +the wood road they had been following from Sudley Springs,--the first +the Robinson, the other the Henry house. From which of these were they +signalling last night? was the question that went from lip to lip. +Eleven o'clock, and though there had been some sound of musketry down +toward the stone bridge, and the big thirty-pounder gun had let drive a +shell or two into the woods, and there had been some popping of rifles +among the skirmishers well ahead, not a uniformed force of rebels had +the New-Englanders seen, unless some scattering horsemen galloping +through distant lanes could be so regarded. Out in front of Burnside's +ranks a long thin line of skirmishers was now making for the curtaining +ridge in front of the pike, and all on a sudden a pale blue smoke-cloud, +like a long string of cotton wool, flew along that crest as though the +command fire was given from the far right, and the nervous, waiting +fingers pulled trigger as the order came, borne on the hot, sluggish, +summer air. Snipe's heart gave a great leap as he saw the dust fly up in +a hundred places just back of the distant skirmish line and the +skirmishers themselves, with much alacrity, come sprinting back to the +line, and then there was prodigious waving of swords and shouting of +orders and galloping furiously about on part of field-officers who had +never before smelled powder, much unnecessary exciting of their men, +much whoop and hurrah on part of the advanced line, despite the efforts +of the few veterans to set the example of calm and quiet. The instant +the skirmishers came ducking in out of the way the long battle line +opened a rattling fire upon the ridge, doing tremendous havoc along the +hill-side, if one could judge by the rising dust, but finding no +lodgment among its hidden defenders. Then a field-gun banged somewhere +over east of the ridge, and a shell, whizzing overhead, burst with a +puff and crash among the trees back of Burnside's reserve, and hundreds +of men crouched instinctively and sprang back laughing loud and +nervously. And then another gun, over by the pike, west of the ridge, +barked angry challenge, and sent its shell whistling over among Porter's +men, and the battle lines broke anew into rattling, crashing fusillade, +known as the "fire at will," and then, instead of pushing straight +onward as they would be doing another year, the two brigades halted +short and took to long-range shooting. Then Snipe saw the battery ahead +of them beginning to joggle, and the next thing "Forward, double quick," +was repeated along the column, and off to the left front across the +fields the snorting teams went galloping, the guns bounding, the +cannoneers racing after them, and the adjutant came running back afoot +to shout something to Major Stark, who still rode, grim and silent, +along the advancing column. Up to this moment the only thing Snipe had +heard him say since the first volley was. "Steady, men. Keep quiet. +Listen for orders." Now he turned round. "Ride back, Lawton; find the +ammunition-wagon and bring it up. It's the colonel's order." + +They are half across the field at the moment. The air is ringing with +the blare of battery bugles and the sputter of file-firing. Smoke is +drifting across the eager column of New-Englanders, and there are queer +whistlings on the wind as Snipe, digging spurs into his tired horse's +ribs, whirls about and goes darting back to the Sudley road. But there +he has to draw rein. The narrow track is blocked. With set faces, but +flashing eyes, a battalion of regulars is hastening forward. Then, with +cracking whips and straining traces, strong, mettlesome horses prancing +in the fulness of their strength and spirit, Griffin's West Point +battery comes tearing through the lane. Wagons, either of ammunition or +rations, or even ambulances, are cut off somewhere far to the rear. Able +only to move at the trot, halted every now and then, and forced aside, +sometimes even compelled by over-zealous officers to halt and explain +why he is going to the rear, Snipe is full half an hour passing the +batteries and battalions of Heintzelman's division pressing forward into +action. Well-nigh another half-hour is he in finding the needed wagon +and compelling its reluctant negro drivers to whip their startled mules +out into the track. It is after one o'clock when at last he comes +spurring out upon the open field again, and now, what a change in the +picture! General Hunter has been borne to the rear, wounded, but the +thin line of the rebels has fallen back to the plateau beyond the +Robinson place, the splendid regular batteries are far over on an open +field near the Dogan house, to the north of the turnpike, hurling shell +upon the retiring rebel lines. Some of Burnside's command, still halted, +are apparently repairing damages, but one regiment has gone on, and with +tumultuous cheers the Union men are pressing up the slopes at both the +Robinson and Henry houses, the New-Englanders somewhere with them. + +The road is blocked in front, the fields are strewn here and there with +little groups hanging about prostrate soldiers, killed or wounded, and +Snipe nibbles at a hardtack to still that queer feeling of faintness +that again assails him when he recognizes among the pallid wounded a +lieutenant of his own company. Before he can find words to speak he +hears the voice of the adjutant, and that young officer has a +handkerchief bound about his head and blood is trickling down his neck. +"Ride forward," he says. "The regiment is straight ahead over that first +ridge, and the major needs his horse. Yonder lies the other. I'll bring +up the wagon." + +There is a lull in the fight as Snipe goes riding along in rear of the +battle line, seeking the New-Englanders. Other brigades have crossed the +run, and now the Fire Zouaves are marching in column toward the regular +batteries, and right at the edge of the pike Snipe finds his old +regiment, with Stark in rear of the right wing. Lieutenant-Colonel +Proctor is gone, shot dead, say the rearmost men, as they were crossing +the ridge behind them, though that, happily, turns out later to be +untrue. The major, however, has secured his late superior's horse, and +gravely bids his orderly welcome with the other. Far over along that +semicircular fringe of woods to the southeast an exultant chorus of +yells is rising, and a staff-officer, riding by, says something about +the rebs trying to keep their spirits up. But the dust is rolling in +heavy clouds along the Manassas road, and the captured wounded, and +prisoners overhauled during the triumphant forward movement of the Union +line, long delayed though it was, say that they are of Johnston's army +from the Shenandoah. Then all Beauregard's must be yet to come. Are +they the ones now doing all this cheering? Snipe, dismounted and holding +both drooping horses, stands watching the faces of his gray-haired +colonel and his beloved major, now in earnest, low-voiced conference, +and it is plain to see, if not to hear, that the former is far from +satisfied at the way things have gone. Over an hour passes without +another forward movement, although long columns continue arriving from +the direction of the fords just above Bull Run, the fords discovered by +General Sherman. Many of the regiments right and left are tossing caps +and hats in air, cheering like mad, and demanding the word to advance +and finish up the rebels. The steady cannonade of the Union guns has +been stopped. The batteries suddenly limber up and move deliberately out +upon the pike, then turn southward into that road leading toward +Manassas, and next are seen breasting the slopes to their left, marching +up the height, Ricketts well in front, Griffin some distance in rear, +and when they disappear over the edge of the plateau south of the Henry +house, the Zouaves and some other regiment following rather slowly in +support, the colonel ventures to say that those batteries will be in +mischief before they are quarter of an hour older. Twenty minutes more +and they are heard again, reopening in fury upon the enemy unseen by the +halted battalions here under the Robinson bluff. And now it is after +two, long after, and brigades from Tyler's first division, fording the +run above the stone bridge, are strengthening the attack. Sherman, +Howard, Wilcox, all are there. Victory seems assured if only the line +may advance, crown those heights, sweep the plateau where now the +batteries stand almost alone, and drive the yelling rebels from the +woods. A dense smoke-cloud rises over the thundering guns. Who can +withstand so fierce a cannonade? Snipe, too, wants to toss his cap in +air and cheer, but the anxiety in his colonel's face forbids. Thicker +grows that shrouding smoke-cloud, heavier the thunder, but louder, +clearer, and nearer the crash of musketry, the chorus of exultant yells. +Surely there should be an infantry division, at least, to line that +crest and support those guns, say veteran soldiers, and all too late the +order comes. Out from the woods to the right of the twin batteries +issues a long, well-ordered line of troops, commanded by a general who +knows his trade. Straight, swift, and silent, in through the hanging +smoke, he drives them. Instantly at sight of them the nearest battery +commander whirls his muzzles around to deluge them with canister. +Instantly from his misguided senior comes the order, "Don't fire. Those +are our friends." Quick the reply, "They are Confederates! As sure as +the world, they are Confederates!" But Griffin, certain as he is, can +but obey when Barry sternly says, "They are our own supports. You must +not fire!" Already half of Ricketts's horses and many of his men are +down when that menacing line suddenly halts, aims, and at short range +pours in one fearful volley that rips through the batteries like a flash +of lightning. Down go dozens more,--officers, gunners, drivers, +cannoneers, horses,--and then, in wild panic, what are left of the poor, +affrighted beasts turn short about, and, snorting with terror, despite +every effort of the drivers, come tearing down the slopes, limbers and +caissons bounding after them, straight through the ranks of the startled +supports; the precious, priceless guns, the stricken wounded, the heroic +dead, the gallant officers, abandoned to their fate. Brave as they were +in face of fire at home, this was something the Zouaves had never +dreamed of. No Ellsworth raged among them now, holding them to their +duty. One wild volley they fire, mostly in the air, and down, too, they +come, streaming like sheep along the hill-side, leaping the stone wall +and scattering for shelter. The panic of Bull Run has begun. Down among +the scary mules of the wagons tear the riderless battery horses, and +away go darky drivers, mules, and all. Vain the dash of generals to the +front, ordering regiments and brigades to charge and retake the guns, +now being dragged to the woods. The rebel lines are mad with joy, drunk +with triumph, invincible against the half-hearted assaults that follow. +No longer is there any concerted effort on the Northern side. Some Union +regiments, indeed, charge home, only to find themselves isolated, +abandoned right and left by less disciplined comrades. Twice the +New-Englanders breast that fire-flashing slope, their gray-haired old +colonel cheering them on. Twice they come drifting back, bringing their +scores of wounded with them; but when, at last, with tears coursing down +his powder-blackened cheeks, Burnside tells them all is over, and to +follow the retreat, it is the old Covenanter, Flint, who leads the +remnant from the field. Their colonel, limp and senseless from loss of +blood, is borne away on the muskets of a squad of wearied men. The +major, pinned under his dying horse close to the Henry house, is +surrounded by a throng of rebels when the right gives way. If not dead, +he and Snipe are prisoners, for the last seen of the youngster he is +trying to drag the major out and get him on another horse, even while +the rebels are swarming all about them. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +In the month that followed the panic and disaster of Bull Run the nation +seemed to realize at last what was before it. "Little Mac," the idol of +the soldiery, had been summoned to Washington to organize and command +the rapidly arriving regiments of volunteers,--splendid regiments from +all over the Northland, and though the flag of rebellion waved on +Munson's Hill, in full view of the unfinished dome of the Capitol, and +every afternoon the Southern bands played "Dixie," in full hearing of +the guards to the approaches of the Long Bridge, the Southern generals +were wise and refrained from farther advance. + +Within that month, too, almost all the officers and many of the men +reported missing after the battle were accounted for. Many turned up +safe and sound, if much "demoralized." Many were heard of as at Libby +and Belle Isle, the Richmond prisons, but not one word of any kind came +from Major Stark, not a thing could be learned of his devoted orderly, +appointed corporal, said the survivors of Stark's battalion, the very +morning of the battle. The New-Englanders had gone home with the thanks +of the President and Secretary of War for their gallant conduct at the +battle, and their faithful service days after their time had expired. +The gray-haired colonel, though still unable to remount and take command +in the field, had been made a brigadier-general. Flint reappeared at the +front as lieutenant-colonel of the reorganized regiment. Everybody said +that Major Stark would have been made its colonel had he survived. + +In Gotham there was grief in many a household, but there was trouble in +the Lawrences'. Poor Mrs. Park, as was to be expected, could give them +little peace. "Everybody" now knew that the youthful captor, so lauded +in the papers, of the young Confederate cavalryman was the George Lawton +who had fled from Aunt Lawrence's roof rather than listen to more +upbraidings. Mrs. Park had first gone wild with pride, exultation, and +delight when the Monday morning _Herald_ reached her,--and then to New +York and Aunt Lawrence the very next day. And there she learned the +later news, and stayed a dreadful fortnight, dreadful for herself and +everybody else. One thing, at least, was comfort to the younger sister, +and comfort she certainly needed now,--the mother steadfastly refused to +believe her boy was dead. What she wished to do and what perhaps she +would have done, but that her husband came and forbade, was to go to +Washington and lay siege to the War Department. Mrs. Park could see no +just reason why the government should not send forth a strong column to +scour and scourge Virginia until "the Mother of the Presidents" +surrendered her boy. School was closed for the summer. The First Latin +had passed its examinations, matriculated at Columbia, and was to start +as freshmen in the fall, minus two members at least, Hoover, who had +apparently abandoned his academic career, and had not been seen around +New York, and Briggs, ignominiously "flunked" at the examination. Two +others of its list were spoken of as duly admitted should they return to +the fold in time to enter with the class,--Snipe Lawton and Shorty +Prime. Where the first was no one could conjecture. Where the second was +everybody knew, as Shorty took good care they should, if letters could +accomplish it. There wasn't a happier lad in all the lines around +Washington as August wore on, and the army "got its second wind"--and +reinforcements. Short and small as he was, he rode as big a horse as +anybody, and had reached almost the pinnacle of his boyish ambitions. He +had been made mounted orderly at brigade head-quarters, and could ask no +more, except that Snipe should know, and Snipe should turn up safe and +sound. + +The Doctor's wisdom had prevailed. The scare that followed Shorty's +disappearance was short as he. Ellsworth was organizing the Fire Zouaves +at the time, and the lad, in longing and misery and in envy of Snipe's +inches, had stolen away to the old haunt at "40's" house down in Elm +Street to beg the boys to tell their enthusiastic young colonel how well +he could drum and how mad he was to go. He was home again by midnight, +and late to school and lax in conduct and lessons the following day. It +was all settled within a week, and as the Doctor had advised, and almost +crazy with joy the youngster was hurried on to the capital to join his +soldier kindred, was welcomed and set to work to teach other and bigger +boys the army calls and beats for the snare-drum, and then, along in +August, the general, for whom he had run many an errand and delivered +many a message, ordered him to duty at head-quarters and set him in +saddle. + +Then presently McClellan found himself strong enough to risk a slight +forward movement, and two brigades crossed the Potomac one night in face +of the pickets at Chain Bridge, and, hardly waiting for dawn, began +tossing up earthworks on the heights beyond, and here the saucy rebels +came and "felt" the pickets and, riding through the wood lanes, made +some effort to dislodge them, but there was evidently heavy force behind +those strong picket-posts, and though rifles and revolvers were popping +day and night all along the guarded lines from the Potomac below +Alexandria to the Potomac above Chain Bridge, no real attempt was made +by the "Johnnies" to push through at any point. Night after night, at +first, gay young gallants from the Southern lines would mount their +horses and ride out ahead just to "stir up the Yanks," and then there +would be no end of a bobbery along the front, picket firing in every +direction and the long roll in every camp, and everybody would turn out +under arms and form line on the designated parade-ground, and stand and +shiver and say unpublishable and improper things for an hour or more, +and then go back to bed disgusted. After a week or so at this the +colonels would no longer form line, but let the companies muster in +their respective streets in camp, and the long waits were reduced to an +hour, and then to a half, and in course of a fortnight it became +difficult even to rouse a drummer when the long roll was actually +ordered. And when the sputter and crackle of musketry began far out at +the picket-posts in the dead hours of the night, men in camp would roll +over and grunt something to the effect that those fellows were making +dashed fools of themselves again. And so by the end of August it became +a sign of "scare" or "nerves" when pickets began firing at night, and +when Shorty's brigade took post along those densely wooded heights and +had got fairly shaken down to business, matters at the front, out toward +the hamlet of Lewinsville and the lanes to Vienna and Ball's +Cross-Roads, became almost professionally placid and disciplined, and +the lad was in a sort of military seventh heaven, trotting about with +orders and despatches, recognized and passed without check at almost +all the posts of the main guards, where even officers below certain +grades had to show their permits, welcomed at every regimental camp for +the news and gossip he could bring,--ay, and it must be owned, for items +much more stimulating than even the latest rumors from the War +Department, for Shorty was many a time the bearer of despatches to +McClellan's head-quarters or the office of some high dignitary in the +city, and his saddle-bags were never inspected by provost-marshals and +patrols, and, now that the sutlers were forbidden to sell the fiery +liquids of the first weeks of the war, many a flask of forbidden +"commissary" found its way to some favored tent among the brigade lines, +and in return, when Sergeant This or Corporal That was out on picket, +the lad was sure of friends at court when he strove for a peep outside +the lines, and one of his absorbing crazes was to ascertain what might +be going on around that mysterious hamlet, nearly two miles out there in +the lovely Virginia slopes beyond the pickets. + +The fact is that Shorty was consumed with ambition to "do something" +like Snipe. He envied his former chum the distinction of that capture of +Lieutenant Grayson infinitely more than he envied "Little Mac" the +command of the army. Just to think that the first Confederate officer +caught in front of Washington should turn out to be a first cousin of +the very Graysons who were with them at school! Just to think that it +should be Snipe of all others--Snipe, a First Latin boy--to make the +capture! Just to think that Snipe should have been all through Bull Run, +while he, Shorty, was far to the rear where he could only hear the +thunder of the guns and the tales of the stragglers! Just to think that +the old men in the reorganized New-Englanders declared that Snipe was +the best soldier in the ranks of Company "C" if he was the +youngest!--Snipe who couldn't shoot a gun six months ago without +shutting his eyes, and who would rather fish all day or figure out +equations than follow the band of the Seventh itself! Just to think that +the old colonel's written report of Bull Run should include among the +few names of those deserving especial credit and commendation that of +Corporal George Lawton, Company "C," "who sacrificed himself in the +heroic effort to save Major Stark from death or capture, and was last +seen fighting hard over his prostrate body,"--Snipe who used to turn +sick at sight of a fist fight, even though he was the "bulliest" first +baseman the Uncas ever had. + +Time and again the general's diminutive orderly would ride to Colonel +Flint to inquire if any news had been heard, and to talk with the old +men of Company "C" about his chum. There were two drawbacks to this. It +began to bore Flint, who felt a trifle jealous of the praises sung of +Stark, and it gave the New-Englanders abundant opportunity to chaff the +lad about his old friends, the Fire Zouaves, whose conduct or +misconduct at Bull Run was the subject of the derision of the "steady" +regiments of the army. It wasn't that the "b'hoys" lacked nerve, +stamina, courage. They had lost their soldierly little colonel, shot +dead by a fanatic the very day they entered Alexandria. There was no one +to discipline them, with Ellsworth gone, and the bravest men in the +world are of no account in battle except when acting in disciplined +unison. Other regiments ran down that hill as hard as did the Fire +Zouaves, and without half the provocation; but everybody pitched on the +red shirts and made them the scapegoats because they had come with such +a tremendous swagger and had boasted so much. Shorty believed in his old +friends and stood up for them, and lost his temper and said things to +the New-Englanders in turn that they didn't like. "How came it that you +could stand and see your major down with a dozen rebs around him and +make no effort at rescue?" he demanded, and this was a home thrust that +made many men wince, and at last it leaked out somehow, as such things +will, that none of the left wing saw or heard of it until too late. The +smoke was thick. They were falling back as ordered, but the senior +captain had been wounded and sent to the rear. Flint was acting as wing +commander, and when two companies on the right begged their officers, +after the confusion, to let them rush back and bring off the major, +Flint himself refused. "We have lost far more now than our share," he +said, "and the general orders us back." + +And still there lived among the New-Englanders that abiding faith that +the honored major was not dead and would yet be heard from. "And when he +is," said Shorty, "you can bet your buttons Snipe and Sergeant Keating +will prove to be the ones that pulled him out, and they were firemen." + +The fact of the matter is that Shorty was getting "too big for his +boots," as Colonel Flint began to say. He was indulged and spoiled to +such an extent by guards and sentries around Chain Bridge, greeted so +cordially by generals and colonels, and hailed with such confident +familiarity by the line, that the youngster's head was probably not a +little inflated. He was getting "cheeky," said a spectacled +adjutant-general of a neighboring brigade. "He talks too much," said +staff-officers about their own head-quarters. "He'll run up against +somebody some day that'll take the shine off him if he isn't more +careful with that big horse of his," said a certain few, who hated a +horseman on general principles; and this proved a true prediction. + +The big bay ridden by Shorty had a very hard mouth, and when once he got +going it was a most difficult thing to stop him. Galloping about the +neighborhood of Chain Bridge, where almost everybody knew the youngster +as the general's orderly, it made little difference (although an irate +Green Mountain boy of Baldy Smith's brigade did threaten to bayonet him +if he ever galloped over his post again); so, too, on the road to +Washington, where permanent guards were placed at different points. +But, to put an end to straggling and visiting town without authority, +the provost-marshal had taken to sending patrols here, there, and +everywhere in Georgetown and Washington with orders to halt every +soldier and examine his pass. The regular infantry, now recruited to a +war footing, were assigned, much to their disgust, to patrol duty. A +number of new regiments of regulars were being raised. A number of the +New York Seventh and other crack regiments of the militia reappeared at +the front with the uniforms and commissions of lieutenants in the +regular army. It even happened that not a few young fellows who had +never even served in the militia, and who knew nothing whatever of duty +or discipline of any kind, had secured through family or political +influence, which the administration was glad to cultivate, commissions +denied to better men, and these young fellows were now wearing their +first swords, sashes, and shoulder-straps in the onerous duty of running +down the merry-makers from surrounding camps, who, dodging the guards, +had managed to make a way to town. + +One night there came a heavy storm, and down went the telegraph line. +Morning broke, radiant after the deluge. The Potomac had risen in its +might and swept away some bridge and crib work as well as certain +pontoons. The general wrote a despatch to army head-quarters, and called +up Shorty. "Gallop with that," said he, "and don't stop for anything." + +What the general meant was, don't stop for breakfast or nonsense, but +the lad took it literally. He and "Badger" were a sight to behold when +they came tearing into the main street of Georgetown about eight +o'clock. Badger was blowing a bit, after laboring through nearly five +miles of thick mud, but, once he struck the cobble-stones and sent the +last lumps of clay flying behind him, he took a new grip on the bit and +lunged ahead as though on a race for his life, Shorty sitting him close +and riding "hands down" and head too, his uniform besmeared, but his +grit and wind untouched. + +Out came the regulars at the second cross street. "Halt! Halt!" were the +shouted orders, but Shorty's instructions were to stop for nothing, and +he couldn't stop short of three blocks anyhow, no matter how much he +might want to. Past the first soldiers he shot like a dart, but their +yells resounded down the avenue, and out came others,--too late at the +second crossing but formidably prompt at the third. Two of them levelled +their bayonets, a third making ready to leap at the reins. In vain +Shorty reached in his saddle-bag and brandished his papers and yelled, +"Despatch for General McClellan! Ordered not to stop!" The soldiers +could not or would not understand, so he had to lie back and tug at the +reins; but "Badger" only pricked up his ears at sight of the human +obstacles, and when six great strides brought him close to them, made a +magnificent dash to one side, and left them raging behind. But now all +the avenue seemed alive with blue coats and bayonets. A dozen men lined +up at the next crossing, and with a sob of rage and dismay, Shorty +realized that they'd bayonet Badger rather than let him defy orders, and +so, with all his might and main he pulled, and at last, plunging, +panting, heaving, and sweating, the splendid brute was brought to a +halt, two or three big Irish infantrymen at his head, while, scowling +and threatening, others came thronging around him. + +"Come down aff the top o' dthat harrse!" shouted a Milesian veteran who +knew his trade. + +"Despatches for General McClellan! Most important!" panted Shorty. +"Ordered not to lose a minute----" + +"Ah-h-h! none av yer guff! Who'd be sendin' anything 'portant by the +likes av you? Tumble off, Tom Thumb!" and the sergeant had seized the +official envelope and was trying to lug it away. + +"Don't you dare touch that!" almost screamed the lad. "I tell you, I'm a +general's orderly!" + +But for answer the sergeant thrust a brawny hand under the hooded +stirrup, and with sudden hoist sent Shorty tumbling over to the other +side. Furious at the indignity, he grasped the mane and let drive a +skilful and well-aimed kick at the Irishman's head, which the latter +ducked and dodged only in the nick of time. More patrolmen came running +to the spot,--corporals and sergeants whose orders had been +defied,--and in less than a minute the bumptious youngster was dragged +from his horse and led fuming to the sidewalk, just as there appeared at +the doorway of the corner building the spruce and dapper figure of the +youthful officer of the guard, his uniform spick and span, his sash and +sword and gloves of the daintiest make. + +"Now, then, you young tarrier, make yer manners an' tell yer lies to yer +betthers!" said the big sergeant, half grinning as he spoke, his hand on +Shorty's collar all the time. The throng of soldiers gave way right and +left, their white-gloved left hands striking the promptly shouldered +muskets in salute to their young superior, and then, covered with mud, +flushed with wrath and the sense of his wrongs, writhing in the grasp of +his captor, Shorty Prime stood staring into the pallid features, the +shifting, beady eyes, the twitching, bluish lips of the butt of the +First Latin and the whole school,--Polyblasphemous in the garb of a +second lieutenant of the regular infantry. + +Dead silence for a moment, then,-- + +"Put him in the cell," said Hoover, and turned loftily away. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +There is not room in this brief chronicle to tell the story of Shorty +Prime's sensations this eventful day. Wrath, amazement, burning shame, +and indignation, all were struggling for utterance, but, above all, at +the moment the youngster felt the importance of the despatch of which he +was bearer, the need for its immediate forwarding to general +head-quarters. His steaming, hard-panting horse had been led one way and +he himself, to his unspeakable rage, had been hustled, protesting, +through a grimy hall, past groups of grinning soldiery, a burly sergeant +fairly rushing him into the square court beyond, never loosing his hold +on the collar, and then, as Shorty still kicked, struggled, and +protested, reinforcing that grasp by nipping the boy's left ear with +thumb and forefinger of the other hand. The precious despatch had been +torn from his grasp, despite his stout resistance. Even in his rage he +had sense enough to refrain from any denunciation of the lieutenant, +but against the laughing Irishman who had dared to address him as Tom +Thumb Shorty launched a torrent of threat and invective. It was only +with the utmost difficulty that he could repress the flood of passionate +tears that a year before would have overcome him. The storm of sobs that +seemed imminent would only have made him ridiculous and rejoiced his +captors the more, so with all his strength he fought against it. He +demanded his release. He declared again that he had only obeyed his +orders. He gave his name and that of his general, and insisted that +every man who had treated him with indignity would suffer for it. At +first they only laughed the more, as he was led across the +stone-flagged, sunlit court, on three sides of which were heavily barred +and latticed "cells," or rather alcoves, many of them occupied by +disconsolate stragglers. But, even as a corporal was unlocking one of +these and throwing open the gate, there came stalking majestically over +from a little office on the east side a tall man whose upper lip, chin, +and cheeks were shaved after the fashion of the Mexican war days, who +still wore the high black leather stock at the throat, whose buttons +glistened, every one in its place, and whose sleeves were decorated with +the chevrons of a first sergeant. + +"Let go that ear," he said, in quiet tone, and jeer and laughter ceased. +"Who ordered this?" he asked. + +"The lieutenant, sir," answered Shorty's conductor, obeying instantly, +and speaking with a deference much exceeding that which he had shown to +the suckling subaltern commanding the guard. + +"Who did you say you were?" asked the veteran regular, professionally +grave, his steely blue eyes seeming to penetrate beneath the mud with +which Shorty's face and dress were smeared. + +"Mounted orderly at brigade head-quarters, Chain Bridge," came Shorty's +quick answer, as he stifled his rising sobs. "Ordered to get my +despatches to General McClellan and stop for nothing. The river's washed +away the pontoons----" + +"Where is the despatch? Let go that collar, Sergeant Hanley," and Shorty +stood released. + +"Stolen from me by these----" And Shorty gulps. Even now he knows it +won't do to call names. "I told them my orders. I begged them, and the +officer of the guard, to let me----" + +"What did you do with them?" interrupted the sergeant, glowering at +Hanley. + +"Sure I don't know, sergeant. The lootenent ordered him into the cells. +He was sassin' everybody." + +"I never said a wrong word to the lieutenant," burst in Shorty, +indignant that he should be accused of disrespectful language to an +officer, no matter how much contempt he might feel for the individual. + +"What became of the despatch, I say?" demanded the first sergeant, +frowning around upon the now silent circle. + +"Corcoran took it, sir," ventured a young soldier, presently. + +"Go you and fetch Corcoran," were the sergeant's instant orders to +Hanley, and the big Irishman lunged away. Here was a power indeed! the +majesty of the discipline of the old army as exemplified in the first +sergeant of thirty years' service. "Bring that bench, and water, soap, +and towel," was the next order, short and crisp, and two young recruits +jumped to obey. In a minute the bench, with a tin basin, a bucket with +fresh water, and towel and soap were placed before the bedraggled lad. + +"Wash," said the sergeant, and Shorty pulled off his jacket and flannel +shirt and tossed them, with his natty cap, to the pavement. "Pick those +up and clean 'em," said the sergeant, and a soldier whipped them off the +flags, while the lad buried his hot face in the brimming bowl. It cooled +and steadied him and gave him time to think,--time to recover breath and +wits and self-control. Corporal Corcoran was marched in by Hanley, +looking queer. The tall sergeant gazed about at the circle of listening +private soldiers. Non-commissioned officers, said the regulations, must +never be rebuked in presence of the men. It weakens their authority. +"Get you out of this, all of you!" was his order, and they stood not on +the order of their going, but were gone in less time than it takes to +tell it. + +"Where's the papers you took from this--young man?" + +"Sure I put 'em on the officer of the guard's table, sir." + +"Where's he?" + +"Gone to breakfast, sir." + +If the sergeant had then and there ordered Corcoran to "go and fetch the +lieutenant," Corcoran would have gone and tried, and it wouldn't have +surprised Shorty. "Fetch me my cap," he said instead; then turning to +the prisoner, now rubbing hard with the towel, he continued in the same +crisp, curt tones. + +"Obey orders. Sit in there," and he pointed to the open cage, "till I +come back. I'll see to the despatches." + +And though still raging over his misfortunes, measurably relieved, +Shorty saw him stride away through the dark hall, saw how the soldiers' +eyes followed him, how at the outer gate the loungers stood up as he +passed by. Then, without a word to the Irishmen or another word from +them, Shorty stepped into the wooden-barred cage and sat him down upon +the wooden bench, still rubbing with the now grimy towel. A change had +come over the situation. Corcoran presently slipped away and speedily +reappeared with a clean towel, which he handed to Shorty with a queer +mingling of anxiety and bravado in his manner, and as silently took the +soiled one away. Hanley, after a minute's perturbed pondering over the +matter, scratched his head and slunk--there is no other word for +it--into the neighboring barrack-room. Over in one of the other cells a +drunken soldier had set up a maudlin song, and it was a relief to the +big sergeant's soul to stop and tell him to shut up. Four or five other +prisoners, each in his own barred cage on the west side, were standing +or sitting and peering out into the court, curious spectators of the +scene. The cages or cells to Shorty's right seemed to be empty. But +presently there came a soft knocking and scratching on the boards that +separated him from the occupant of the one on his right. Lumber was +bought in a hurry that summer, much of it only half seasoned. The planks +had warped and shrunk. There was a wide crack, and at that crack +appeared an eye, and through that crack came the whisper of "Shorty, +Shorty. Don't ye know me?" + +Some of our brigade, thought the lad, as he edged up to the wooden wall. +Some poor fellow overstaying pass. "Who is it?" he asked. + +"Don't ye remember Desmond, 28's Engine?" + +"Desmond! Of course. Why, what brought you here?" + +"The same squint-eyed, pasty-faced pup that did you, I s'pose. Sa-ay, +Shorty, _you_'re all right. They can't keep you 'soon as they know who +you are. The officer of the day comes at nine o'clock and you'll be let +off all right. But I'm in a hole. Say a good word for me. Help me out, +and I can tell you things about that school you'd give a heap to know. +Remember the day of the fire in Twenty-fifth Street?--the day the peeler +wasn't going to let you pass, and I pulled you through?" + +How could the lad forget it! A policeman had tried to drive him back +when he would have worked his way up along 28's line of hose, and +Desmond gave him the big nozzle to take forward to the pipeman. Of +course he remembered it, and how proud he was that when it came to +"soaking down," and the big nozzle was screwed on in place of the +three-quarter inch, the wearied pipeman let him take hold. Of course he +remembered. + +"But how'd you get here?" he asked. "How'd you know me so quick?" + +"Lord! I seen you every day for a week when we were camped near you up +there at Kalorama. Second Fire Zouaves I'm in,--Major Moriarty. We was +down here on a frolic the other night, an' could 'a' got back all right, +but there was a fire on the avenue, an' we piled out onto an engine, an' +when the fire was out the fellers took us round to their house and +salooned us to the best in the market, an' the next thing the patrol got +us, and this shanghai lieutenant out here shoved us into the cells for +offerin' to lam him in front of the guard. Sa-ay, ain't I seen that +feller smokin' cigarettes round the stable next the school? If 'tain't +him, it's like enough to him to be his twin brother. If 'tis him, you +get me out of this and I can tell you things you and Snipe ought to +know. Lay low, Shorty; here comes that big shanghai sergeant. Sa-ay, +ain't he a rooster? Do what you can for us, boy, will you?" + +And there was no time for more. Straight to the cage the sergeant +stalked, and for the life of him Shorty couldn't help standing +attention, as he did to his brigadier-general. + +"I got those despatches," said the sergeant, "and sent them right on, +and I've sent word to the officer of the day, and he'll be here +presently. Better let me explain. You're too excited yet." + +And under ordinary circumstances such might, indeed, have been the wiser +course, but there were other surprises in store for Shorty and his +guardians too. Even while the tall sergeant was asking certain questions +there came the hoarse cry of the sentry in front of the building, "Turn +out the guard! Officer of the day!" There was a scurry of feet, a +banging of musket-butts, a word of command, a clash of steel, and after +a moment or two of parley without there came through the dark hallway an +officer whom Shorty saw to be a captain of infantry. His sash was old +and weather-stained, his uniform a trifle shabby, but in every move +there was the ease and swing of the old soldier. Hurrying after and +ranging up beside him came another, an officer whose sash, belt, and +dress were as spick and span, new and glossy as those of the officer of +the guard, an officer who looked a trifle less at home in them than did +the veteran on his right, but at sight of his face the light danced up +in Shorty's eyes, and, forgetful of discipline, of regulation, of +martial etiquette, propriety, he sprang forward with a cry of joy. +Barely four months earlier, from his perch on the lamp-post and through +blinding tears, the boy had marked him striding down Broadway at the +head of a famous company of a famous regiment. Now here again he +appeared, in the garb of the regular army. + +"Mr. Winthrop--Captain Winthrop! Don't you know me? Regy Prime!" + +And another of Pop's old boys, another Columbiad, another of New York's +National Guardsmen, turned regular soldier,--the new captain threw aside +his book and grabbed the youngster's hands. + +"In the name of all that's preposterous, Regy, what are you doing here?" + +And then, unnerved and overcome at last, fearful of breaking down, the +lad looked imploringly at the big sergeant, and in twenty words the +story was told. + +"Who ordered him confined? Who took his despatches away?" demanded the +older captain, the old officer of the day, with threatening eyes. + +Not for the wealth of India would Sergeant Brennan sully the +unimpeachable record of thirty years by a word of even inferential +disapproval of the deed of a superior officer. + +"Call Sergeant Hanley," said he, and Hanley came. The question was +repeated. + +"The officer of the guard, Lieutenant Hoover," said he, in answer. + +"My compliments to the lieutenant, and say I wish to speak with him," +said the veteran captain; and there was painful silence as, a moment +later, the junior officer came clinking in, his black eyes flitting +nervously about, his blue lips twitching. "This way, if you please, Mr. +Hoover," said the senior captain. "Captain Winthrop, will you favor me?" +And ushering them both into the little guard-room, the captain closed +the door. + +Less than four minutes lasted that interview. Meanwhile there was +silence in the sunny court-yard. Brennan paced majestically up and down. +Hanley stood uncomfortably a moment or two, then tiptoed back to the +guard still standing in ranks in front of the building, and Shorty was +left practically alone. There was a delighted whisper behind. "Sa-ay, +Shorty, just wouldn't I rather be here than in that feller's shoes! Get +us out of this now, and you'll see." + +Presently the glass door opened and Hoover came forth, slinking, +crestfallen, twitching, but if he had been a conquering hero Brennan +could no more magnificently have saluted. Halting, facing him, his +white-gloved hand snapped up to the polished visor of his cap, and there +it stayed unnoticed, until the dismayed officer was swallowed up within +the hall. + +Two minutes more and two soldiers were sent on the run to clean the +orderly's horse and equipments. A little darky was set to work on his +besplashed leggings. "I'll see you in a few minutes again," said Captain +Winthrop, as he and his predecessor hastened away to report to their +commanding officer. The guards changed on the pavement outside. A new +lieutenant came in and looked curiously at Shorty, now being regaled +with soldier coffee and a huge crust of "Capitol Bakery" bread. Fifes +squeaked and drums banged on the avenue as the old guard turned off, but +Hoover came no more. + +When Winthrop reappeared in course of half an hour, "Badger" was ready +in front and Shorty was once more in trim for a ride. A receipt for his +despatches was stowed in his belt, and then as the captain would have +led him forth, the lad thought of Desmond, and briefly he told the +story. Winthrop nodded, went back, spoke a few words to the Zouave, and +rejoined the lad. Desmond waved his hand. Winthrop grasped Shorty's and +shook it warmly. + +"Now don't let this mishap trouble you, Regy. No harm has been done. +Good will come of it. Now, good luck to you." + +How much good was to be the result of that mishap Winthrop could never +have guessed at the time. How much poor Shorty had lost through that +storm, that morning mud ride, that arrest and incarceration and the +consequent fatigue, he was to learn within another day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +The general was an indignant man when, late that afternoon, he heard the +details of Shorty's misadventures, but the general was just. He knew +that battles had been lost and kingdoms ruined because of orders hastily +or carelessly worded. He might have known, as he said to the staff when +discussing the incident, that if he "told that little bunch of springs +and impetuosity to stop for nothing and put him on a hard-mouthed horse +of similar temperament, the provost guard wouldn't have a picnic." The +general knew he could not ignore the authority of the provost-marshal, +but he might have known that Shorty would be little apt to stop for +sergeants, corporals, or privates when told to stop for nothing. + +Only a day or two before several generals and their staffs had an +amusing illustration of Shorty's immense conception of his official +position. A big working party from _the_ brigade was chopping trees in +the woods a mile up the Potomac, and a big pleasure party from +Washington was visiting General "Baldy" Smith on the opposite bank. For +the entertainment and instruction of his guests this accomplished +officer had ordered out a light battery, and with much precision that +battery was driving shells into that very wood--and the axemen out. +Bearing fragments of iron in his hands, the indignant officer in charge +of the work galloped in to his general to say that his party had had to +run for their lives, and the work was at a stand. Shorty's horse stood +ready saddled, so the general bade the boy orderly carry the fragments, +with his compliments, to General Smith, and tell him the battery was +shelling his men, and Shorty and "Badger" went off like a shot. Over the +Chain Bridge they tore, to the amaze and disgust of certain sentries +long accustomed to halting everybody that didn't wear a star, and +straight up to the brilliant group at head-quarters they galloped, and +with scant apology and only hurried salute, the youngster panted his +message and exhibited his collaterals. The general listened with +unruffled calm, inspected a fragment or two with professional gravity +and interest, noted the fresh powder black on the fracture and concave +surface, passed them on to his visitors with some placid remark about +the force of the bursting charge, and, to Shorty's unspeakable wrath, +appeared to be in no wise impressed with the peril to which he had +subjected the men of a comrade brigade, and even less with the presence +of the bearer of the message. Shorty had counted on creating a +sensation, and he and "Badger" were the only ones to show the least +agitation. Bethinking himself of a supplementary remark of the officer +who brought in the news--and the fragments, the lad returned to the +attack. "One shell burst so close to Captain Wood's head it almost +stunned him, sir." + +"Ah, did it?" queried the general, with provoking calm. "And was nobody +hurt?" + +"Nobody was _hit_, sir," answered Shorty, with temper rising still +higher. "But a dozen might have been." + +"Ah, well, ride back and tell the general I'm glad nobody was hurt," was +Baldy's imperturbable ultimatum, and the lad spurred back in a fury. Of +course the firing was stopped, and later the generals grinned affably +over the incident, but Shorty's self-esteem was ruffled, and he told the +senior aide, to that officer's infinite delight, that further messages +to General Smith would "better be carried by some other man on the +staff," and of course that story went the rounds of both brigades, much +to the merriment of many a camp-fire, but not altogether to Shorty's +detriment. + +Now, if such was Shorty's conception of the gravity and importance of +his duties when bearing a verbal message from one brigadier to a junior, +what was not his immensity when a hastily written despatch, conveying +tidings of flood and disaster, was intrusted to him by the commander at +the front to be delivered to the general-in-chief in town. Shorty rode +like a demon that day, and even "Badger" was amazed, and that he, bearer +of despatches to head-quarters of the army and ordered to stop for +nothing, should have had to stop for bayonets and be lifted by the +collar into the presence of the officer of the guard,--that he should +find in the person of that officer the butt of the whole First +Latin,--that he should be ordered by that--thing--to the common cells +wherein were penned the drunkards and deserters, and led thither by the +ear, and an impudently grinning Paddy if he _was_ a sergeant, all this +was, in truth, too much for Shorty. No comfort Winthrop could offer +would soothe his wounded soul. He went back ablaze to brigade +head-quarters. The general was away up the Potomac, and didn't return +till late. Even then when Shorty tried to tell his tale his excitement +and wrath made him incoherent. The general was amazed to think that an +officer of regulars would hold his messenger after discovering that he +was actually the bearer of despatches. But Shorty's animated description +of that callow soldier, and by no means guarded references to his school +history, gave the general a clue. He fully intended, of course, to +follow the matter up, but other and more important issues came to claim +his time and attention. + +That night at nine o'clock the general decided to make a personal +inspection along his front. Horses for himself and two aides were +ordered, and Marmion, the colored hostler, presently came round to the +big tent. + +"Marse Prime's horse done gone stiff, sir," he said to the +adjutant-general, "and I reckon Marse Reggy don't feel much like night +ridin'. He's sleepin' da' on de hay." + +The officer went and took a peep. Wrapped in his blanket, his head on +his arms, the youngster had curled up for a nap, worn out by the +excitement and emotions of the day. "Don't wake him," was the order, and +the three horsemen rode away. + +It was a still, starlit night. The roads were yet heavy with mud. The +horses sank to their fetlocks and squashed noisily through the mire +until the little party were able to turn into the cart-tracks through +the thick woods, and, joined now by the field officer of the day, they +pushed on to the outposts. It was the dark of the moon. The blackness of +the groves and copses was intense. Objects, except on the open field or +against the sky, could hardly be distinguished five feet away. But every +now and then there would come the muffled challenge of sentries at inner +posts of the guard, and it was over half an hour before they reached the +outermost groups, with the line of night sentinels some distance ahead. +To every inquiry at every station of officer or sergeant, the answer was +the same, all quiet, all alert. There had been much shooting at patrols +and pickets for over a month, a practice both sides soon abandoned, but +at the time there was hazardous, nerve-trying duty at the front, and few +men welcomed it except for the excitement. Somewhere in the neighborhood +of ten o'clock, following in single file a winding wood track, a +sergeant leading afoot, the party approached the southern edge of a +strip of woods and halted while the corporal stepped ahead to assure the +sentinel. Then the general rode quietly up to question the man, the +sergeant assuming his watch the while, for even in presence of the +commander-in-chief there must be no cessation of vigilance. + +To the queries as to where the nearest sentries were posted? what were +his own instructions? what he would do in certain emergencies? the +soldier answered promptly, perhaps a bit impatiently, even as though he +might have enjoyed the catechism at another time, but had some weightier +matter in hand at the moment. He kept turning and glancing out across +the open field to the south, stooping once or twice as though to peer at +something against the sky, and the general saw and questioned. + +"Anything unusual about?" + +"Why, yes, sir; at least I think so. The patrol that came by ten minutes +ago said that they had heard horses galloping out across the fields, and +I could have sworn I heard hoofs on this here bridle-path where it dips +into yon woods. By day nobody can come across here without our seeing +them. By night we can't see unless we lie flat and look up, and then +they could get within a rod or two." + +The general bent over his horse's neck and listened. There was not wind +enough to rustle a leaf. The sky was almost cloudless; the fields in +front were open and silent; the dark, shadowy woods, beyond, merged in +the general gloom. Far off to the right front, over a mile away, a faint +light gleamed in some farm-house window. Far off to the left front, the +south, there was a dim, lurid tint upon the night that might have come +from dozens of watch-fires. Straight away in front the cart-track dove +into the darkness on its way across the field, and, over against them, +there was a dent or depression in the outlines of the fringe of timber, +as it stood against the southern stars, that told where the road entered +the opposite grove. It was there, right there, said the sentinel, he was +almost sure he had heard horses' feet, but nothing else, not another +sound. + +"Did the patrol stop at your outpost?" the general asked the sergeant. + +"No, sir. It went right along the line of sentries. I crawled out during +the afternoon and climbed a tree in the field to our right. You can see +it standing there, sir" (and, indeed, its outline was faintly visible +against the stars). "I could see some distance off to the south and +southwest. Lewinsville and the barns are in plain view, and some +scattered farm-houses." + +"Did you see any troops?" + +"No, sir, but some saw me, and the bullets came a-singing, and I had to +quit and crawfish back. But this path leads into a road half a mile or +so out there." + +And while the sergeant spoke the soldier had resumed his watch, and +suddenly they heard him whisper, "Hist!" + +"What do you see or hear?" murmured the sergeant, springing to his side. + +"There is something out there, by thunder! coming this way. These +gentlemen had better get back a bit. I can't tell how many there may +be." + +Somebody,--some party, possibly, stealing up to feel the pickets again, +and here were the general and staff-officers unescorted! What a plum for +Southern cavalry to pluck, did they but know! In breathless silence the +watchers waited. The general refused to retire. Not a sound could the +horsemen hear, but that sentry sprawled on the ground could not be +mistaken. Not an object moving was visible. Suddenly, though low and +cautious, they heard the click of a gun-lock. The sentry had brought his +rifle to the ready. Then, indeed, must there be something in the wind. +Ten seconds later, and low, firm, so as to be heard only a few paces +away, there came the order, "Halt!" A brief pause, then, with menace in +the tone, the challenge, "Who goes there?" For an instant no reply. Then +in tremulous voice came an answer in the field to the right of the road. + +"It's only me, suh; Marse Finlay's Brennus, suh," and there can be no +doubting the Ethiopian accent. + +"Who's with you, nigger? Who's back of you there?" + +"Nobody, suh. I'se all alone, suh, but they's some gen'lemen way back, +suh. They done give me a letter." + +"Come in here, Brennus. Let's see your letter," called the sergeant, +stepping warily forward, his gun, too, at the charge. And presently out +from under the stars steps a tall negro boy, lithe, active, and alert. +He is trembling a bit and uncertain of his whereabouts. He needs to know +something before he can impart anything, and presently it comes. + +"Is you gen'lemen--Yankees?" + +"Yankees from the general down," answers the sergeant. "Half a dozen +right here ready to hear your story." And the negro seems to recognize +alien accent in the Western twang of the speaker, and to take heart at +once. + +"Dey done gimme a paper," he whispers, and the general interrupts. + +"Bring him back to the reserve, where there's a fire. We'll examine him +there, sergeant." And, turning his horse, the general leads the way. + +It is nearly eleven o'clock when, a little later, half a dozen officers +are grouped about the slender, tattered, weary negro, a lad barely +twenty years of age, if that. To the general he has handed a roll of +tin-foil, on which, as it is unfolded by the gleam of the camp-lanterns, +the word "Solace" is stamped, and the thin tissue-paper it encloses +bears some writing, over which the general strains his eyes and studies +eagerly; bends closer to the light and studies again. Then, +straightening up suddenly, he turns upon the young negro. + +"Where'd you leave them? How far out?" + +"'Bout two miles, suh; p'r'aps not dat much." + +"Are you sure about the troops,--about the number? There are none +others?" + +"Ye-as, suh. Dey ain't any udder companies near." + +"And you can guide us right to the spot?" + +"Ye-as, suh. Certain, suh." + +The general turns sharply on his senior aide. "There's not a moment to +be lost. What a pity we have no cavalry! Ride straight to Colonel +Connor. Tell him to rouse his regiment instantly and without a sound. +Leave knapsacks and blankets in camp. Guide them here as quick as you +can. Now, captain, this boy must have a rousing supper. He deserves it." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +And now if there is a boy reader of this story who doesn't say it is +high time he is told what had become of Snipe Lawton, then the narrator +never knew a thing about boys. Leaving Shorty to sleep over his injured +dignity and lose another of the opportunities of his life, we will turn +back the page and look again over the stirring fields thirty miles to +the south. As neither Snipe nor his major nor his friend Keating, of the +Zouaves, had been recognized among the dead, as they were not apparently +among the prisoners, and as they certainly had not reappeared among +their comrades along the Potomac, they must be looked for where last +seen, close to that old brick and stone Virginia homestead, bowered in +the midst of vines and fruit-trees, known as the Henry house. + +Not until weeks after--long, weary, perilous weeks--was the story told, +and then Snipe was not the narrator. The grave, taciturn major waxed +eloquent and even diffuse for once in his life, and the burden of his +song was Snipe and Sergeant Keating. + +After their second brave advance along the plateau the New-Englanders +found themselves unsupported on both flanks, and their men falling from +the hot fire that poured in from almost every direction. The old colonel +hung on to the last, but saw that to save his regiment he must withdraw, +and so gave the order. They fell back fighting, closing to the centre, +and only once was there anything like confusion, and that occurred close +to the Henry house, when some other regiment that had suddenly marched +up the slope to the west almost as suddenly broke and came surging over +the right companies, carrying two of them in the rush. It was while +staying this disorder that Major Stark was suddenly dashed to earth. His +horse, disembowelled by a whirring fragment of shell, reared and plunged +violently, falling on his rider and crushing him in his frantic agony. +Almost wild with grief and excitement, Snipe sprang from his saddle and +ran to the major's aid, even though a dozen gray-clad fellows came +bounding at them through the smoke. "I declare," he said, afterwards, "I +thought they were coming to help me. They _did_ help,--three or four of +them. They pulled that poor horse off just as we've seen a crowd pull a +fallen horse out of a tangle on Broadway, and they lifted the major up +and stood him on one leg, and one of 'em gave him a drink from his +canteen, and another, a boy like myself, actually began brushing him +off. Everybody was so crazy with yelling and shouting that for a minute +they didn't seem to realize the situation." + +But realization came quickly enough. The major's right leg was broken +below the knee. He had received severe internal hurts and was dazed and +sick, and Snipe and a "reb" between them were supporting him, when some +officer shouted, "Get those prisoners to the rear! Here comes another +charge." Two or three men strove to carry the crippled officer, who was +in great pain, and Snipe was bidden to bear a hand, which of course he +did; but their progress was slow, and in the midst of it somebody +yelled, "Look out! Lie flat!" And down went everybody as a red volley +flashed through the smoke veil from the west, and then, loudly cheering, +another Union regiment, a big one, came charging across the plateau, and +the "Johnnies" had to scramble to their feet and scurry out of the way. +The regiment bounded right over them, it seemed to Snipe, and went on at +the guns the rebs were dragging away, and presently it, too, was +swallowed up in smoke and fire on every side, and wounded officers and +men came drifting back. One of the former recognized Major Stark at +once, and made some soldiers lift and carry him, and in this way they +got back down behind the Henry house, where there were hundreds of +stragglers,--hundreds,--and among them were a number of the Fire +Zouaves, and Snipe caught sight of Keating, and the little sergeant +joined them at once. "It's all up," said he. "We hain't got no +dis_cipp_line, or we'd a cleaned them fellers out quick as Forty could +snuff out a fire." All the same he stood by Snipe and the party carrying +Major Stark, and so made a way through groups of scattered soldiery +until, somewhere ahead toward the Warrenton pike, they could see blue +regiments still in solid line, and ambulances and wagons, and thither +they bore their officer until at last they laid him behind the shelter +of a stone wall; and there they found one of Burnside's regiments +waiting orders, and its surgeon hurried to their aid, and slit up the +major's trousers and knocked the lid of a cracker-box into splints, and +deftly set and bandaged the fractured leg while the battle raged at the +front. Sherman and Wilcox and Burnside still had unbroken and reliable +regiments. The little detachment of regular cavalry was drawn up out +there to the south on the heights near the Chinn house. The captured +batteries might still be retaken if only some practised hand could put +in a brigade or two together. But just as they were getting the major +into an ambulance there came fierce, crashing volleys through the woods +in the direction of the Junction, and a grand chorus of exultant cheers +and yells. A fresh line of troops burst from the fringe of woods +directly at the south and from the west of the Sudley Springs road. The +regiments then advancing up the slope were struck in flank and rear. The +cavalry came whirling down off the height with many a saddle empty, and +everybody seemed to realize at once that more of Johnston's troops had +arrived and turned the right of the line, and then everything seemed to +melt away in earnest. + +"Still," said the major, in telling of it later, "we could not realize +we were badly whipped. We knew we must have punished them as hard as we +were punished, all but the mishandling, perhaps, of those batteries, and +all that seemed necessary was to fall back on the heights of Centreville +and there stand our ground." But instead of going thither by the direct +route along the pike, which would have held the commands together, +through some further mischance the brigades, left finally to shift for +themselves, drifted back the way they came, and this led to the further +disaster to the north of Bull Run. No sooner had the retiring troops +"uncovered" the stone bridge than Confederate guns and cavalry pushed +forward, and one well-handled battery found a position from which it +could easily command that suspension bridge over Cub Run, some two miles +farther east. And then the fun began in earnest--for the rebs. That +bridge was the sole means of escape of all Union batteries and a whole +menagerie of draught animals, wagons, ambulances, and even buggies and +carriages of sightseers from Washington, all surging back that way. A +shell exploding on the bridge killed and wounded the mules of a heavy +wagon, which was instantly overturned, completely blocking the passage +for other wheels. More shells burst about the ears of the now +demoralized drivers and teamsters, who cut their traces, mounted their +animals, and rode madly away. As darkness fell gradually upon the scene, +a dozen more splendid guns and several dozen wagon-loads of stores and +supplies were left, and among the abandoned vehicles was the ambulance +conveying the wounded major, watched over by faithful Snipe and Sergeant +Keating. + +But even now the lad did not despair. At the steep bank of Cub Run, half +a mile north of the fatal bridge, a two-horse, two-seated open farm +wagon had been left by its terror-stricken owners, who half waded, half +swam, across and scurried up the opposite slope. A bright idea struck +the boy. It was impossible to get across Cub Run with a wagon. But there +were the open fields to the west of it. There were those wood roads that +he had traversed the night before. Why not try that way? Somehow, +between them, he and Keating got that team and wagon turned about. Then +they "boosted" the major to the rear seat, where Keating supported him, +while Snipe took the reins and, turning sharp to the north, with dozens +of fugitives yelling caution, comment, or suggestion, he drove away from +them all into the cool, dark woodland lanes that wound along east of the +route the disordered column was following, and just about dusk, emerging +on the other side, Snipe caught sight of the ridge and the farm-house, +the scene of his exploit the night before. How changed were all +conditions now! Away down on the lowlands near Bull Run, in long column +of twos or fours, some regimental fragments were still strung out, +trailing wearily from Sudley Ford. They still interposed, therefore, +between the fugitives and the enemy. The major, though making no moan, +was ashen with the agony caused by the jolting of the wagon. The sweat +was starting in beads from his forehead, and Keating said they must give +him rest. Huddled behind the farm-house they found the two trembling old +negroes left there as caretakers. Though unnerved by the sound of +battle, they had not dared desert their post. Snipe bade them bring out +instantly a mattress and blankets. The seats were taken from the wagon. +The mattress and blankets were spread upon the bottom. One of the old +darkies cooked a substantial supper. The horses were watered and fed. +Provisions, wine, and apple-jack were stowed in the wagon. The major, +rested and partially revived, was lifted in. Then with Snipe and Keating +trudging alongside, once more under the starlight they drove eastward on +the road leading, as the old darkies said, right over to the turnpike. + +But a sore trial awaited them. A mile or more they moved cautiously +along, and then began the descent of a slope, at the bottom of which +Snipe felt sure they would find Cub Run. There was the Run, placid, +deep, steep-banked as ever, but the vitally important bridge was cut +away. Grayson's troopers, to secure themselves against surprise, had +destroyed it two days before. Farther in that direction they could not +go. Here they could not stay. Any moment might bring the Black Horse +Cavalry, of which so much had been said and so little seen, scouting +around that flank of the retreating army. Away off to the southeast, +about Centreville, they could hear the confused sounds of bugle calls. +Away off to the south Blenker's reserve brigade was still in line of +battle, covering the Union retreat. Every now and then the rising night +wind would bear the distant crackle and crash of file firing, but the +bigger guns were still, and here in the pitchy darkness, with a strange +team, in a strange land, were Snipe and Keating, sole guardians of a +precious life,--that of the wounded and suffering major. "It's of no +use, boys," said Stark, faintly. "Drive slowly back to the house and +leave me with the old darkies. Then you go and make the best of your way +to Fairfax. You'll be safe there." + +They did turn about and drive to the farm-house and "rout out" the +darkies again, but only to make one of the old servitors come as a +guide, for Snipe and the sergeant both declared no rebel should lug that +Yankee major off to prison so long as wit or work could save him. + +All night they plodded slowly on, twisting and turning through country +lanes or bridle-tracks. Time and again they had to halt and scout, for +the poor bewildered negro lost the way again and again, and when at +last morning dawned, they were not nine miles on a bee-line north of +Sudley church, but were hopelessly far from Fairfax. And now the rain +that always follows a heavy battle began to fall. They hid in the +thicket all the hours till darkness came again, drowsing by turns. They +hitched in and again pushed northward at nightfall, but the stars were +hidden. There was nothing to guide them. They groped into another +thicket and hid another day, the rain still pouring steadily. Snipe +"shinned" up a tree and took the bearings of the farm-houses within +sight; took heart because he saw no signs of scouting cavalry, +everything being now afar off to the eastward along the main roads to +Washington, and, turning his jacket inside out, after brief conference +with Keating he stole away through the dripping thickets, and lurked +about the nearest farm until he succeeded in making a negro hear his +cautious signals. Money was potent and the major had plenty. The darky +brought grain for the horses, and chickens, eggs, and milk, and that +night guided them through many a devious way until within an hour of +dawn they were again hidden in the thick woods, still farther to the +northwest and away from the travelled roads. The nearest village now +seemed eight or ten miles away. Before the negro left them he hunted up +a friend to take his place. Ten dollars for his night's work! It was a +fortune, and eagerly his successor sought to earn as much. + +And so, guided and fed by darkies, hiding by day and journeying +occasionally by night, they kept on for nearly a week, heading for the +Potomac about Edwards' Ferry, hoping to dodge all patrols meantime and +to discover some way of slipping past the pickets as they neared the +river. Nearer Washington every bridle-path they knew would be guarded. +Through the relays of darkies they learned that General Beauregard's +army had enveloped the defences of the capital on the south side of the +Potomac, and that troops were passing to and fro all over the country +between Leesburg and Alexandria. Major Stark said, therefore, their only +chance was to lie in hiding somewhere until his leg had knit. Money he +still fortunately had in sufficient quantity. Keating still had his +rifle and revolver, though the major and Snipe had been bereft of their +pistols. Their negro friend led them to a dense thicket in a deep +ravine, far from the highways and byways. Wood and water were abundant. +Shelter they made of boughs. Food and news the darkies brought them in +quantities, and here they nursed their plucky major and studied the +country toward the Potomac until at last the bone seemed knitting, and +then, one starlit night, late in August, pushed cautiously on again, +still taking their wagon, and with the dawn of the next day they were +across the Leesburg road and deep in the woods toward the ferry. Here +another stay became necessary. Southern pickets and patrols lined the +banks of the stream, and a day or two later their new guide, a negro +boy of eighteen, crept to them in terror to say he felt sure somebody +must have "peached," for "cavalry gemmen" were inquiring at every house +and hamlet. A whole company had ridden out from Vienna that very day, +and they were asking if any one had seen a two-horse farm wagon, with a +sick man in it, and two other men driving. Troopers were beating up the +wood roads then. In half an hour the wagon was in ashes, the tires and +iron work hidden in the brush, and with Stark astride one horse, Snipe +and Keating alternating on the other, they pushed through the forest to +another hiding-place, hearing the whoops and yells and signal shots of +the cavalry every hour until dusk. Then, with their negro guide, they +kept on all night long, halting and dodging every little while; hid in +the woods within sound of the Southern bugles all another day; stole on +southeastward all another night, until their guide said Lewinsville was +not a mile away to the south, and the Yankee pickets in front of Chain +Bridge only a mile or so to the northeast. That day proved most eventful +of all. Hungry, thirsty, and weary, they were waiting the return of +Brennus, as was the classic name of their guide, when about dark he +reached them empty-handed. Not a moment was to be lost, said he. The +cavalry had struck their trail and were following the horse-tracks +through the woods. There was an abandoned hut, a woodman's, half a mile +away, and thither Stark limped painfully, leaning hard upon his +friends. They managed to reach it just in time, their horses being left +to shift for themselves. They were now close to the Union lines, yet the +gray pickets and patrols guarded every path. They could not hope to +carry Stark through such a net-work, and he could only painfully limp +and only occasionally bear a portion of his weight upon that leg. Nor +could they hope to remain undiscovered another day. There was only one +thing to be done. Get word through the lines to the Yankees, and beg for +rescue. + +Stark quickly pencilled the message on tissue-paper, torn from before a +picture page in the little testament he always carried. "Major Stark, +crippled, Sergeant Keating, and Corporal Lawton are hiding just south of +the rebel outposts. One troop of cavalry the only force nearer than +Lewinsville except usual reserves. Unless rescued to-night will surely +be recaptured in the morning. The bearer can guide. If possible help." +This he signed officially and rolled in "Solace" tin-foil. "Now, +Brennus," said he, "crawl past the rebs; get that to the Lincoln +soldiers, and it's your freedom and fifty dollars to boot." + +We know the rest. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +Far back along the wooded shores of the Potomac, where the mist is +slowly creeping from the silent stream, the sentries are pacing the +beaten path bounding each regimental camp. An odd custom, originating +among the volunteers, has been the rule in several commands. Each sentry +marched just fifty paces along his post in common time, then the cry +"About!" would go ringing from post to post in every conceivable key and +pitch, girdling one battalion with a chain of petulant yelps, another +with a series of mournful groans. Fun for the sentries, and, for a time, +for the camps, but a foe to soldier repose. The object was to cause the +sentries to march in the same direction, and thereby prevent their +turning their backs to each other, in which event there would be left +unwatched a long stretch of sentry-post through which marauder might +creep or roisterer escape. The custom lasted but a little while, proving +more of a nuisance than a benefit. But there were three new regiments +in which it obtained this lovely night, and they are brigaded with a +veteran command that lords it over them because it has smelled powder +and shed blood, which they have not. It is a ragged regiment, a rusty +regiment, for it is still clad in the relics of the gray uniform in +which its proud State sent it to the field three months before. It is +saucy, and slouchy and independent, individually, as rag wearers are apt +to be the world over. But it is wonderful to see that regiment brace up +when it gets in line, and that is what it has done this night, without a +sound beyond the low-voiced "Turn out here" of the sergeants, as they +sped from tent to tent,--without confusion or even question. Ten minutes +from the time the general's aide has "routed out" the colonel, he has +routed out his captains and the sergeants are routing out the men. +Twenty minutes, and these silent companies are elbow to elbow on the +color line in front of camp. The colonel rides out on his sure-footed +old charger. His field-officers join their wings. Such commands as are +given are in low voice and passed down the line. "Right face! Right +shoulder shift arms! Forward, march! Route step and keep your mouths +shut!" Out along the winding road they go, aide and colonel riding in +front, over six hundred stalwart ragamuffins swinging behind. Men murmur +or whisper to each other "What's up?" Here and there a canteen clinks, +and there is a dull sound of swift-moving feet. Out they go past the +lines of their own sentries, some of whom shout for the corporal and +want to be "relieved off post" and allowed to go with their companies. +All around the wooded heights south of Chain Bridge a dozen other +regiments are placidly sleeping. Maine, Vermont, New York, Indiana, and +Wisconsin there are represented, but only one State or regiment appears +in the stealthily marching column. On it goes down a winding slope, +file-closers edging in between the sets of fours as the roadway narrows. +Up the rise beyond where stand or squat wondering groups of the picket +reserves. On--another quarter of a mile where they find the supports. On +past outposts and pickets, and at last, after a sharp sprint of a mile, +the word "Halt!" is muttered, and the rifle-butts are lowered to the +foot, and the regiment stands among the whispering trees and waits. The +leading company has not long to wonder. They hear and know the low voice +of their general, giving brief directions to the little colonel. They +hear the words "Open field--thin woods beyond.--Rebel pickets lining +opposite skirt.--Supports, etc., along the road. Deploy your skirmish +line. Drive in pickets. Capture all you can, but utter not a sound. Do +not fire unless you have to. Push straight ahead along this wood road, +swift as you can. We go with you." + +A trembling negro boy crouches by the general's stirrup. Colonel +Connor's horse almost treads on him in the dark. The colonel speaks a +quiet word to the captain of the foremost company, and in low tone that +officer orders, "'Tention, Company 'A!' Load at will! Load!" There is a +sound of fumbling at heavy cartridge-boxes, of tearing paper, the +whee-ep of the rammers springing from the pipes, a phosphorescent gleam +of steel as they whirl in air, a muttered malediction as some fellow's +cap is knocked off by an awkward neighbor. There is a dull pounding, as +the heavy bullets are driven home, a clicking of gun-locks, as the +little copper caps are thrust upon the cones; then the low thud of the +iron-shod butts upon the ground and all is still. The lieutenant-colonel +rides back along the column until he reaches the colors, each company in +succession loading as silently. The left wing is bidden to remain where +it is as a reserve, and to await orders. The leading company, with arms +trailed, forms line at the edge of the wood. The second platoon steps +back three paces as reserve. The first receives the low-toned command, +"As skirmishers, by the right and left flanks take intervals," a thing +at which these Bull Run veterans have been drilling since early in May, +and can do in even thicker darkness. In a minute the long line of +dispersed shadows is formed, facing southwest, and in two minutes, with +officers close up to the line, the general and his aides only a few +yards behind, and five companies following noiselessly along the +roadway, out they go across the starlight open. Everybody seems to know +the enemy's sentinels will be found along that opposite skirt of woods. +Everybody listens with straining ears and thumping heart for the first +challenge. Those young Southrons are no fools on picket, and even in the +dark a cat-footed skirmish line cannot hope to crawl upon them +unobserved. Half-way across goes the long jagged line,--two-thirds of +the two hundred yards that interpose between the groves,--and now the +centremost, those along the pathway, backed by half a dozen fellows from +the reserve, make ready for a rush. Ten yards more, then some luckless +skirmisher trips on some unseen root, stumbles forward, and swears under +his breath. Instantly from the clump of trees nearest the road there +comes the sharp order "Halt!" and the click of a lock, but before the +challenge can follow, there is a swift rush of stooping foes along the +roadway, a heavy blow, a struggle, a sharp report, a stifled cry, then +"Forward! Forward! double quick!" everywhere along the column, and with +the skirmishers leaping and crashing ahead through the timber, tumbling +over the startled sentinels and pickets, with occasional crackling of +rifle and shouting of warning and command, with officers darting along +among the men, with the general and his aides and Colonel Connor +spurring close after, with a dozen men swarming ahead along the dim +pathway, and with the sturdy column still swiftly following at the +double, the little command sweeps over the scattered outposts and +reserves in front of it, the Southerners standing their ground like men, +but being utterly overmatched, and finally, as the aroused and startled +reserves, farther to the rear, fall slowly back toward their main body +in the direction of Falls Church, the negro guide, bounding along with +the foremost officers, leads the column farther to the southwest, past +all infantry outposts and reserves until finally they go scrambling over +a snake-fence on the edge of an open field, while away to the southeast +guns are firing, bugles sounding the alarm, drums hoarsely rattling, and +here as they stop to breathe and close up on the head of column, they +are greeted by the stirring peal of a cavalry trumpet certainly not a +half a mile away. It is the signal "To horse!" "Look out for those +fellows, and give 'em a volley if they approach!" orders the colonel to +his panting men. "Form a skirmish line fronting south, captain." And +then, behind that living curtain, the rearmost companies come running up +and forming battle line, while the general, with a dozen followers, +rides into a little grove at the heels of their darky guide. There is a +moment of gleeful shouting and out they come again, slowly, a dark +cluster of forms, some apparently supporting an enfeebled man, others +grouping about some shadowy companions. Around these a whole company is +rallied as escort and bidden to retrace its steps, and then the general +rides back, beaming, under cover of the little battle line, and he and +Connor shake hands and listen for a moment to the distant uproar of the +alarm. And now the Union lines have taken it up, and far back toward +the Potomac some new arrivals, as yet untried, have turned loose their +bugles and drums, and the general says, quietly, "Let the command fall +back slowly, but keep an eye open for the cavalry." Three minutes more +and Connor has four companies back on the narrow road, with the +skirmishers still out toward the south, and then, with sudden storm and +thunder of hoofs, with trumpets sounding a spirited charge, without so +much as deigning to see what force might be in front of them, there +comes dashing up the turfy woodroad, in slender column, following, +fearless, the lead of a daring young Virginian captain, a troop of +yelling horsemen, the very fellows, doubtless, who for two days past +have been scouring the woods for our fugitives. "It is a mad-brained +trick." What possible object is to be gained? All they know is that +somewhere along that road is a body of Yankee troops, and they have been +burning for a chance to get at them ever since Bull Run. They do not +even seem to see--they do not heed--the thin skirmish line through which +they bear resistless. The few scattering shots fired are answered by the +wild crackle of revolvers. On they come, straight down the road, +invisible as yet, but unmistakable. "Halt! Spread out there, men!" are +Connor's orders. At least forty or fifty blue-coats line up quickly and +solidly from fence to fence, every rifle at ready or aim, and none too +soon. Five seconds more and out from the fire-spitting blackness at the +south looms the charging column, and a blinding glare lights up the +wood, a crashing volley wakes the echoes. Half a dozen horses come +plunging, kicking and struggling, to the very feet of the stern array. +Half a dozen gallant fellows are hurled to earth. The whole column is +brought up standing, and then, realizing the peril of its position, +breaks and turns and tears away, leaving two dead at the front and two +or three more wounded, tumbling out of saddle as they rush back for the +rear. + +Foremost, half stunned and sorely wounded, but a fighter to the last, +the Virginia captain struggles to his feet. Bayonets are levelled at his +dauntless heart, but a sharp order restrains them. Strong hands seize +and disarm him. Strong arms bear him, struggling faintly, within the +ranks of his captors. The dead are left to their friends, the wounded +tenderly raised and borne as gently as possible to the rear. Then once +again the column resumes its homeward march, and in half an hour is safe +within the Union lines. + +Meantime where is Shorty, whose craze it was to see what might be going +on about that hamlet of Lewinsville, whose longing it was to "do +something" like Snipe, and who was sleeping the sleep of healthful, +hearty boyhood, when he would have given his ears to be with that +raiding column? Somewhere about midnight he became conscious of excited +whisperings about him. Marmion was bustling around. Horses were being +saddled, and, sitting bolt upright, he heard the clamor of bugles and +drums, and, rushing out in front of head-quarters, could distinguish the +distant crash of musketry. Then out came two officers, buckling on +revolvers and swords. Marmion came running with their horses, and to +Shorty's excited question, "Where's the general?" he got the heartless +answer, "Gone hours ago, youngster, while you were asleep." Never +stopping to saddle, only whipping through "Badger's" rattling teeth the +bit of his bridle and throwing the reins over his head, Shorty is +astride in a second, and, hardly yet wide awake, is away at a sputtering +gallop after the departing officers. Before they have reached the little +run half a mile out he has overtaken them. The sound of skirmish firing +is still lively at the distant southwest front. He knows every inch of +the road, and is mad to get ahead, for the officers ride slowly and with +caution. + +"Let me lead, captain!" he cries, regardless of martial propriety. "I +know the way." And it is a case for common sense, not ceremony, and the +staff-officers say, "Go on." And now there is a race through the night, +"Badger" having a big lead and easily keeping it. But the road narrows, +the sounds of fight subside, and when at last the little party reaches +the outposts they meet the left wing of the regiment briskly marching +homeward. They see the light of a guard-fire in a hollow a little +farther to the front, and there a dense throng of Connor's men in +tattered gray, mingling with the blue of the picket-guards, groups +about a little knot of officers and three gaunt, ragged, haggard +fellows, one a bearded man of forty-five or fifty, who leans heavily on +the shoulder of a supporter, while he grasps the hand of the general and +looks gratefully into his eyes. Another is a wiry little specimen in the +relics of a Fire Zouave jacket, the chevrons of a sergeant on his +sleeve. The third is a tall, lank, long-legged youth, with hollow cheeks +and big brown eyes, and a brownish fuzz just sprouting on lip and cheeks +and chin,--a tall lad to whom the elder man turns suddenly, laying a +thin hand upon his shoulder, a tall lad who looks up shyly and silently +as the general grasps his hands and begins some words of hearty praise. +But the general's remarks are brought to sudden stop by the impetuous +rush of a snorting horse into the midst of the group, the precipitate +leap of a half-crazed lad from his back to the ground, and the general's +voice is drowned by that of his graceless orderly, half squeal, half +choking cry, as the "little 'un" springs upon the tall youth, twining +legs and arms, both, about him, and the only intelligible word he says +is "Snipe!" The only answer is a long, straining hug and the almost +bashful murmur, "Shorty!" + +One would say that in that meeting there was interest sufficient for one +night--and two boys,--but it was by no means all. A few minutes later +two trooper prisoners, led in beside the litter of their wounded +captain, were being examined by the general. Both were silent, badly +shaken by the fall of their horses. One was slightly wounded; neither +wished to talk. The leader had swooned, and the surgeons were doing +their best for him. + +"What is your captain's name?" was asked the unhurt cavalier, a dashing +young sergeant who might well lay claim to being of one of the famous +"first families of Virginia"--a dandy trooper. + +"Grayson," was the short reply. + +Major Stark and Snipe glanced quickly at each other, and then the former +spoke. "Pardon me, general; that was the name of the cavalry lieutenant +captured by Corporal Lawton, here, just before Bull Run. Is this another +Grayson?" he asked of the prisoner. + +"No. You asked our captain's name. He was wounded and has not rejoined +yet. That's our first lieutenant." And then, as though to emphasize his +disgust at being bored by "mudsill" questions, the young gallant +languidly yawned; then, thrusting his hand into the breast of his jaunty +trooper jacket, with admirable assumption of supreme indifference to his +surroundings, he drew forth a fine watch, coolly stepped to the fire, +held it so that the light would shine upon its face, and then was about +returning it, when the irrepressible Shorty sprang forward into the +fire-lit circle. + +"Where'd you get that watch?" he cried. "Look, Snipe! General! It was +stolen at school last fall! It's Joy's!" + +[Illustration: "Where'd you get that watch?"] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + +The week that followed was one not soon to be forgotten by two at least +of Pop's old boys. To begin with, after all the wear and tear and +exposure of the month, it was several days before Major Stark, with his +gallant companions, was able to go into Washington. He lay in a big tent +close to brigade head-quarters, the guest of the general and the object +of assiduous attentions from high officials, accomplished surgeons, and +enthusiastic soldiers, Snipe and Keating coming in for many a word of +praise and promise of advancement and reward. Even the great President, +accompanied by Secretary Seward, drove out in his carriage and visited +the invalid New-Englander and listened to his story, and sent for +Sergeant Keating and the "two boys." He wanted to see that queerly +assorted team, said he, and whimsically remarked, after looking them +over, with a smile for both and a hearty shake of the hand, "Well, the +long and short of it is, you're both bound to be soldiers, I see. +Perhaps we can help." + +Keating, promptly commissioned a lieutenant in the Second Fire Zouaves, +was ordered to join that command. Stark, as soon as he was able to move +with comfort, was to go home and accept the colonelcy of a new regiment +awaiting him in its camp, Snipe with him. But meantime Mr. and Mrs. Park +had reached the capital, and had been driven out to Chain Bridge, where +the fond mother had a very warm reception from all who by this time had +heard Snipe's school story (and who that got within hail of Shorty any +day that week had failed to hear it?) and the grim step-father a +correspondingly cool one. Park had borne more than his share of worry +and woe for long months past, and as means to the end, had come with the +cool determination of making George an offer, either to put him through +college with a fair allowance, or start him in business at Rhinebeck, +for Park had been in correspondence with the Doctor and with Halsey, and +had reluctantly come to the conclusion that the boy couldn't have been +the thief he thought, though of course he was an ingrate and lacking in +appreciation. But Park found that step-parental authority was not +recognized in the army. The boy himself was bent on following the +fortunes of his soldier friends. Major Stark had told the mother of his +own plans and the President's promises with regard to her son, and the +fond mother, proud, yet full of fears, yielded to the wishes of her boy +and the advice of his comrades, and decided against those of her lord +and master. Park found the atmosphere of the camp uncongenial. It +chilled him like a channel fog, and he left for home, and pressing +business, within another day, while Mrs. Park remained. There were other +sympathetic women there, wives of officers visiting in camp, and she did +not lack for friends. + +But for Snipe and Shorty there came a day of thrilling interest when +Captain Beach, of the "First Long Island," together with Keating and +Desmond, of the Zouaves, met at the provost-marshal's in Washington, and +what a meeting it was! The story of the school-boy days had been told +the general, who listened with vivid interest. It was he who planned +further movements and arranged the necessary preliminaries at the War +Department. Among the few Confederate prisoners in the city at the time +were young Grayson, captured as a lieutenant just before Bull Run, and +Spottswood, captured as sergeant the night of the rescue in front of +Chain Bridge, both of the Virginia cavalry. The latter had wrathfully +declined to surrender the watch claimed by Shorty to be stolen property +(those were the earliest--the callow--days of the war, when the wishes +of prisoners as to their personal property were occasionally respected), +and a tremendous scene had ensued. But within three days there appeared +at Washington two young gentlemen, Pop's boys, sent thither in response +to telegraphic inquiries,--Messrs. Paul Grayson and Clinton Joy,--and +they had been taken to the Capitol prison by Captain Winthrop, a former +Pop boy, and there had been an interview between the cousins, Northern +and Southern; then, a conference between Grayson the Confederate and his +bumptious statesman, and then Mr. Spottswood very gracefully surrendered +the watch, which Mr. Joy positively and conclusively identified as his +own, notwithstanding the obliteration of the name, and Spottswood told +how it came into his possession. He had spent some time the previous +winter and spring in Mobile, Savannah, and Charleston, had seen a good +deal of two young--gentlemen--and he used the word with hesitation--from +New York, two brothers by the name of Hulker. There had grown up +something of an intimacy. They had money in abundance at first, but +finally seemed to run out, and they had to "baw-wo," said Mr. +Spottswood, with a blush, from their friends. In fact, they had +"baw-woed" so much from friends to whom he had presented them that he +felt in honor bound to make it good, and as the young men had to get out +of the South in a hurry in May, and he had become suspicious as to their +solvency, he had felt compelled, he said it regretfully, to demand some +security, and they had left with him diamonds and this watch. The +diamonds were at his home in Richmond. The watch he unhesitatingly +turned over, as became a gentleman, to its proper owner. When Lieutenant +Grayson was told that all this was necessary to clear the good name of +the young scholar soldier who had captured him, you can imagine his +interest in the case was by no means diminished. + +This matter settled, and a joyous meeting having taken place between the +four schoolmates, Captains Beach and Winthrop, brother officers now and +ex-Columbiads, affably supervising, the next thing was to follow up the +trail of Desmond's statements to Shorty, and this duty was intrusted to +Keating. An odd feature with the old fire department was the alliance, +offensive and defensive, which existed among certain companies, in +contradistinction to the bitter rivalries which were inevitable. In the +long-continued feud between Big Six and Manhattan Eight whole +communities were involved. Political societies and clubs took sides with +one or the other, and rows innumerable went on for years. Downtown +companies, generally at odds with their neighbors, swore eternal +friendship with some up-town organization which "ran" in lower +districts. Marion 9 and Lady Washington 40 "lay" within three blocks of +each other in the lower Fifth Fire District, but did duty, the former in +the Fourth and Fifth, the latter in the Sixth and Seventh; turning out, +of course, for all fires within a few blocks of their respective +stations; and these two companies were on terms of very distant and +dignified reserve. Away up-town, in like manner, were Lexington 7 and +Pacific 28, both of which answered alarms from the Fifth District, both +of which ran down Third Avenue to the Bowery in so doing, and as a +consequence, time and again met and raced every inch of the way. The +long run from Twenty-seventh Street to the Cooper Institute or beyond +would almost exhaust their own men, but by the time they got far +down-town there were swarms of allies to man the drag-ropes, 9's men +with No. 7, 40's lively lads with 28, and, counting on this old +alliance, Keating called on Desmond to redeem his promise to Shorty and +tell what he knew about the school or its scholars, and Desmond's story +was what boys of a later generation would have called "a corker." + +He used to be hard up himself, he said, and more than once had had to +"spout" his watch, and several times in other ways to raise money at a +pawnbroker's, and there were some young fellows, whom he had twice +encountered there, regular young Fifth Avenue swells, and one night +while he was in a stall at the counter, he heard two of them come into +an adjoining box, and they had a beautiful gold watch on which they +wished to make a raise. He could not see it even by leaning away +forward, for the partition prevented, but he could hear distinctly all +the talk. The pawnbroker didn't want to take it. He said he was afraid. +He knew both the "young fellers;" they'd often been there before, and he +knew that watch didn't belong to either of the two. They swore, however, +that it belonged to a friend in their set who didn't wish to be known, +but had to have money that very night, and, "why, that watch must have +been worth over three hundred dollars!" It was a beautiful thing, they +said, and all they wanted was fifty; their friend would redeem it the +very next week and pay high. They were so earnest about it that Desmond +forgot his own troubles in listening to theirs. At last they got some +thirty or forty dollars and left in a hurry. Desmond looked after them. +Both wore fur caps pulled down over their ears, and coat-collars up +almost hiding their heads, although it was quite early in the fall, and, +though a raw east wind was blowing and a rain pouring, it was not cold +enough for such attire. Outside the shop they were joined by others who +were in waiting, three of them, and they scooted back toward the west in +a hurry. Not two months afterwards Desmond was there again, and a big, +smooth-faced, smug-looking fellow came in, with his head all bundled up, +and he had the pawn ticket for that very watch, Desmond knew by the +talk; and the pawnbroker had some words with the fellow because he tried +to get it back for less by a good deal than the young men agreed to pay, +and both got mad and abused each other, and each said he could send the +other to jail. It was fun to hear them, said Desmond, and he wondered +who the big man could be, and followed him out and saw him meet the same +two "young fellers" that were there before. The big man took off his hat +and wiped his face, he was "so blown with jawing," and Desmond said he +had a good long look at him, and would know him again anywhere. + +Now he was sure he had seen some of those young fellers with the school +crowd that used to be up at Duncan's every day for luncheon, and in the +"Shanghai" set that ran with Metamora Hose. But from that time they quit +going to that pawnshop. The owner told him the police came round there +looking for that very watch, and he was glad he was rid of them, and of +that "big, smug-faced feller," too. He felt sure he was a thief. As for +the boys, the broker said two of them had been there time and again +before, and they were a hard lot. "Would you know the two if you were to +see them again?" Keating asked the Zouave. + +"I didn't see them, plainly. I couldn't, they were wrapped up so, but I +could hear them plain, and I'd know their voices among a million." + +All this having been duly reported, and Beach, Winthrop, and one or two +senior officers having been in consultation, this strange meeting was +decided upon, and, not knowing why they were bidden, Snipe and Shorty +found themselves one bright September morning in the anteroom of the +provost-marshal's office. Beach and Winthrop were already there. It was +just one week after the arrest of the general's orderly by the patrol +and his incarceration by order of the lieutenant of the guard. There was +a moment of greeting and quiet chat. Then the boys were shown into a +side room, and there sat Keating and Desmond. Beach called to the +latter. "I wish you to sit here with me close to the door and listen to +every word spoken in the office during the next five minutes." Then he, +too, seated himself. There was silence a moment or two, then a low-toned +conference between the provost-marshal and Winthrop, and presently a +door opened, a somewhat unsteady, clinking step was heard, and then a +voice, at sound of which Snipe and Shorty started and looked into each +other's faces, while Beach sat watching Desmond. + +"Did you wish to see me, sir?" + +The speaker was invisible, but there was no mistaking the voice, with +its odd, jerky, nervous accent. + +"Yes, sir. I have been called upon to explain why the guard held a +bearer of despatches and an important message last week. You were +officer of the guard at the time. What have you to say?" + +"Why--major--I don't know much about it. The men said they ordered him +to stop all the way for half a mile, and he defied 'em. He--was all +covered with dirt and looked like some common volunteer drummer-boy out +on a drunk. I didn't suppose any general would trust despatches +to--anybody like that. I thought he was lyin'." + +"In point of fact, sir," interposed the provost-marshal, "did you not +recognize the messenger and have reason to know that his story was true? +Did you not order him to the cells, refusing to listen?" + +"P'r'aps I did, and just because I _did_ know him to be a no-account +little ragamuffin that used to be runnin' round with the firemen and +such like----" + +Sir Toby Belch listening from ambush to Malvolio's soliloquy at his +expense could not have looked more amazed and wrathful than did Shorty +at this. Beach, unable to repress a grin, suppressed him with a gesture. + +"You may retire, Mr. Hoover. Remain at the guard-room. I may want you in +a moment." + +And then the party was summoned from its concealment, and then all eyes +were on Desmond, and Winthrop propounded this question: + +"Well, did you recognize any voice?" + +"That young feller's--that was in here just now? I couldn't see him +through the screen, but I never heard his voice before in all me life." + +And this ended the first lesson. But there were others to come, for the +Doctor and Beach had been in rapid correspondence, and when three days +later still Major Stark, a celebrity now whom Gotham was eager to honor, +arrived at the Cortlandt Street ferry, faithful Snipe still at his side, +and Lieutenant Keating, furloughed that he, too, might be lionized, +there accompanied them the little corporal of Zouaves, Desmond, late of +"28's Engine." + +Aunt Lawrence, with her carriage, was at the ferry, effusive in her +regrets that Colonel Stark had to go on at once, but grateful that he +could permit George to remain, for nothing would answer but that dear, +brave George must spend a few days under her roof before reporting at +the camp of his new regiment. And with Aunt Lawrence, obsequious, smug, +assiduous in his attentions to Mahster George, loading up with Mahster +George's light luggage, and bowing low in homage to Mahster George's +distinguished commander, as that gallant officer was driven away, was +Aunt Lawrence's most expensive household luxury, the English butler, and +as that dignitary closed the door of the Lawrence carriage and lifted +his hat and wiped his glowing face, and then waddled pompously off in +quest of a horse-car, Desmond grabbed his officer by the arm. "There's +the Shanghai that got the watch and jawed the pawnbroker and ran with +that gang of young fellers," said he. And only another day and Aunt +Lawrence's butler marched away in the grip of the law, and Aunt +Lawrence's house-maid lay screaming in simulated hysterics. + +A precious pair were these, as events and detectives speedily disclosed, +and words can hardly describe the shame and horror with which Aunt +Lawrence presently realized that, to divert suspicion from themselves, +her own domestics had found means of attaching it to George. Their +stealings had as yet been confined to old-fashioned trinkets and +jewelry, which she seldom looked at and the loss of which would not soon +be discovered. It was not the jewels, but the good name the servitor had +stolen, that now arrayed all the household against him and his unhappy +victim, the damsel who so neglected George's room and linen. Binny, the +butler, went to the police station without a chance to caution her, so +she went to the priest, and one confession led to another. The girl was +Irish and had a conscience or compunctions, and returning to her +mistress, threw herself at her feet, and sobbed out her story. Binny had +her completely in his power, or made her think he had. It was he who +compelled her to take the cameo and other jewelry from time to time, and +who planned more extensive raids to follow. It was he to whom she +surrendered Seymour's gold pencil-case, which she found on the floor of +Mahster George's room, but stoutly she declared, when questioned by Mrs. +Lawrence, that of Joy's beautiful watch she had never even heard. + +And this was more than Binny could say when confronted by Desmond, the +pawnbroker, and certain members of the police force who had had an eye +on him, especially when within twenty-four hours of his incarceration +there was landed in the neighboring cell the person of Mr. Briggs, late +of the First Latin, but no longer on the rolls of Columbia. Others, long +since fathomed as to character by Pop, were under the watchful eye of +"the force," and Messrs. Brodrick and the Hulkers, both, betook +themselves to summer resorts, despite the fact that the tide of fashion +was turning back from the sea-shore and the mountains. Then Briggs the +elder, a broken-down politician and former office-holder, was sent for +and closeted with the Doctor, Halsey, Hoover senior, Martigny, and the +detective, with the result that within an hour Briggs junior was +summoned into the presence of the same tribunal, and then his last +remaining trace of nerve gave way. + +Even then he lied, shifted, dodged, accused, but one after another his +lies were met and overthrown, and at last the miserable story came out +in driblets, but the chain was complete. To raise small sums he had +begun selling books, sometimes from his father's scant stock, then from +other boys' fathers. Binny, on some similar errand bent, had twice +encountered him and recognized him as the young "fellar" that used to +come to see Mahster George, and bolt up to his room even when the lad +was out. Binny found that discovery worth working. He gave Briggs a +bracelet, once worn by "me sainted wife, now in 'eaven," but Binny said +he was in need of funds and must dispose of it, and wouldn't mind giving +Mahster Briggs something "'ansom'" out of what he could get for it. Then +Binny had Briggs "by the hair," so to speak, and held him for future +service. Hoover, too, and the Hulkers, had used him as a cat's-paw. They +loaned him money, and then when he could not repay, demanded service in +kind. Then the Hulkers themselves were emboldened to try their luck at +the pawnbroker's, and by going only at night--and generally stormy +nights--they managed to keep their identity concealed. Briggs was +dreadfully in debt to both Hoover and the Hulkers when one day in the +early fall the First Latin indulged in one of its famous charges. +Briggs, crushed against the bookcase, and making as much noise as +anybody, was one of the last to quit the spot. Joy's beautiful watch +caught his eye, dangling at the end of its chain, as the class was +disentangling, and a quick jerk transferred it to his capacious pocket. +He swore he never meant to keep it. He only wanted to "have some fun +with Joy," and to prove it, he said, he ran round to Brodrick's stable +and told him and the Hulkers all about it, and left it with the Hulkers +for safe-keeping, and that night they pawned it. He didn't dare report +it, for they could tell far worse things about him than he could about +them, but all were scared when they heard of the Doctor's vigorous +measures, and not daring to return for it themselves, Briggs bethought +him of Binny, and between them they raised the money necessary to redeem +it and sent him, Binny, as their emissary. Then the Hulkers hid it +somewhere, and the next thing Briggs knew Binny, and the Hulkers, too, +were demanding tribute of him. Briggs vowed he was horrified when he +found that Snipe was suspected and accused; he always liked Snipe, +Hoover wouldn't lend him another cent, and he was at his wit's end where +to raise the money to meet their demands and forestall the threatened +exposure, when quarter day and the fire came. He saw his opportunity +when Halsey left the desk unguarded, and ran and scooped some gold out +of the drawer, poked some of the pieces in his trousers, some in his +waistcoat, and some in his overcoat-pocket when at the rack. If he poked +any in Shorty's, which hung next to his, it was all a mistake. He +wouldn't have done that for the world, he said, and then, as he daren't +be found with the money, he gave most of it to the Hulkers, as before, +"for safe-keeping" and to square accounts, and that was about all poor +Briggs's inquisitors cared to know. A warrant went out for Brodrick, who +managed to precede it to Montreal, but the Hulkers were quietly +apprehended and escorted back to Gotham. And here ended the last of the +cabal against Snipe. Now came the reaction. + +One glorious day in late September the old First Latin reassembled in +strong force at the old school, the occasion being a flag-raising. There +they were, the same glad-hearted lot of boys that had made merry in the +old school-room many and many a day, Hoover and Briggs being conspicuous +by their absence. "Regimental duties," wrote the father of the former, +would prevent his son's attendance on the auspicious occasion, whereat +the Doctor winked over his spectacles at the grinning array of +listeners, and "other engagements," it was casually mentioned, would +account for the non-appearance of Briggs. At the usual hour of recess +the whole school, Classical and English departments both, had clustered +about two young fellows in martial uniform, Snipe Lawton, brown-eyed, +blushing and shy, towering over most of them in stature, arrayed in the +trim-fitting frock-coat and complete uniform of a first lieutenant of +infantry, and Shorty, full to the brim of mingled pride and delight, +wearing the garb of the famous Zouave regiment to which he had been +attached, even while being, by order, as he not infrequently remarked, +on detached duty at brigade head-quarters. This was emphatically Snipe's +benefit, however, and no one begrudged it to him less than did his old +chum. A little after noon a burst of martial music was heard far up the +avenue, and the majestic Doctor waved his thronging boys to their posts, +and down the stairs they tumbled, tumultuous, and "lined up," six deep, +on the opposite curb. And then, led by a capital band, a great regiment +in full marching order, with knapsacks packed and overcoats rolled, came +striding down the west side of the broad thoroughfare in column of +fours, and a soldierly-looking colonel reined out as they reached the +school, and let the right wing, five strong companies, go swinging by +until the beautiful silken colors, national and State, were directly +opposite the window, where in immaculate broadcloth and immense dignity +stood the Doctor, a brand-new bunting flag on his arm, Snipe, with the +"down haul" halliard on his right, Shorty, with the slack, on his left. +Then the colonel's powerful voice rang out along the thronging street, +"Battalio-o-n-n-n halt! Front!" and the whole regiment, at least a +thousand strong, stood motionless facing the east. Then the band was +drawn up in front of the right centre company, and at a signal, struck +up the grand strains of the "Star-Spangled Banner." "Present arms!" +shouted Colonel Stark, then reined his horse about and lowered his +glistening sword in salute. The school and the great crowd set up a +stupendous cheer. The Doctor beamed and waved his white cambric +handkerchief. Halsey and Meeker and other masters smiled from the +windows. Snipe hauled away with might and main, Shorty paid out, and the +beautiful folds of blue and scarlet and dazzling white went sailing +slowly aloft until they touched the peak of the tall white staff at the +top of the building. Then the Doctor shook hands with Snipe again and +again and put his hand on his shoulder and waved to the crowd as though +he would say "Cheer for Lawton," and cheer they did, and presently that +cheer swelled into a lusty-lunged roar, for the colonel gave the command +shoulder and order arms, magnificently executed, followed by "Rest!" +which gave the regiment leave to make itself heard, and never before had +Fourth Avenue rung to such acclaim. + +Then Snipe shook hands with his old teachers again, poor, pallid +Meeker's eyes filling with tears, and with John, the janitor, who +grinned and writhed in ecstasy. Then he and Shorty came bounding down +the stairs, and another shout went up from the school, and something +like a sob rose in Shorty's throat as Lawton drew for the first time his +beautiful sword, the gift of all the classes, and, throwing his left +arm about the "little 'un's" neck, held him in close hug one second, +then bounded away to the post of the adjutant, his eyes too full to look +back, his heart too full to speak. Once more the great regiment sprang +into column of fours, the arms snapped up to the right shoulder, the +band broke into a magnificent swinging quickstep, and the Fourth New +England strode sturdily away to make its mark on many a field, its boy +adjutant marching at the head of column. Many a long block it went +before the last of Pop's boys dropped off and turned back, only to find +that half-holiday had been declared in honor of the event of the day. +Snipe and Shorty, big Damon and little Pythias, Mr. Lincoln's "long and +short of it," had seen the last of the old school and school-days, with +all their fun and frolic and their sad and solemn memories. The old +First Latin went on to collegiate days minus its soldier boys and the +little lamented Briggs. After all, there was aroused a bit of sympathy +for him when the Hulkers were bought off in some mysterious way and +never appeared for trial, when Brodrick was heard of as "living high" in +Canada, and only the detestable butler was left to share the punishment +with the rapscallion of the class. Some boys thought Hoover was so low +that "even if he didn't steal he put Briggs up to it," and the school +was furious at the thought of his being an officer in the regular army. + +It did poor Hoover little good, however. His regiment was soon taken +from the comforts of Washington and sent campaigning, and three days' +marching through Virginia dust proved more than the poor fellow could +stand. He broke down on the eve of battle, had to be sent to the rear in +an ambulance, and the regiment said he would be wise to resign: so for +once wisdom and Hoover worked together. John, the janitor, lived to tell +many a wonderful tale of the times they had when the First Latin had +such "fellers" in it as Lawton and Joy, Bertram and Beekman, Julian and +Prime. Meeker got a new lease of life with the going out of the old +class and the coming in of the new, for the Doctor did not spoil these +latter as he had their predecessors, and the Doctor treated him with a +consideration that had been lacking a long time, for there were days in +the past when Meeker's poverty and troubles, coupled with other +circumstantial evidence, had made him the object of the Doctor's +suspicions, and Meeker knew it, and thanked heaven for the load that was +lifted when Briggs broke down and bore it all with him. As for the +Doctor himself, he came at the same hour every day, poked his cane and +the old jokes at the occupants on the mourners' bench, and never seemed +more tickled in his life than when, from the distant front, there came a +joint letter from Damon and Pythias, who happened to meet for one +blissful evening. The watch episode was a thing he would never speak of, +but shrewd school-boy observers found a topic that would sometimes start +him even to the extent of proclaiming subsequent half-holiday, and that +was "our polemical young friends" who had abandoned the classic shades +of Columbia for the sword. + +"'_Et tunc pugnabant pugnis_,'" he began one day---- + +"Ha, young gentlemen of the First Latin, behold the line immortalized by +your predecessors of the year agone. Half-holiday to him who completes +it with a new reading. + +"'_Et tunc--pugna--bant pug--nis_'---- + +"Who supplies the ellipsis? What! a volunteer already? Let us see: '_Et +nunc gladiis pugnan_.' Neither brilliant nor metrical, but pregnant with +patriotic truth. Half-holiday to Douglas, and---- How have the rest +done, Mr. Halsey?" + +"H'm," says Halsey, "rather worse if anything." + +"Ha! Ominous report. Take your seats, young gentlemen, and we resume the +consideration of Xenophon. What's that suggestion? 'Fresh air to clear +your brains?' Loquax redivivus! However, Mr. Halsey,--there may be +something in it. We'll try it." + + THE END. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's From School to Battle-field, by Charles King + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FROM SCHOOL TO BATTLE-FIELD *** + +***** This file should be named 37672.txt or 37672.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/6/7/37672/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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