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Dick Prescott's Second Year at West Point, a novel by H. Irving Hancock |
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Chapter 11. Lieutenant Topham Feels Queer |
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_ CHAPTER XI. LIEUTENANT TOPHAM FEELS QUEER Yearling Kelton barely turned his head, but he caught sight of the olive drab of the uniform of the Army officer within a few feet. Pretending not to have seen the officer, Cadet Kelton drew in his breath with a sharp whistle. It was not loud, but it was penetrating, and it carried the warning. Swift as a flash Prescott caught upside-down Mr. Ellis, and fairly rolled him out under the canvas edge at the back of the tent. Greg instantly shoved the prostrate Mr. Briggs through by the same exit. Fortunately both plebes were too much astonished to utter a sound. "Crouch and scowl at me, Greg---hideously whispered alert-witted Dick." As he spoke, Prescott swiftly crouched before Holmes. Dick's hands rested on his knees; he stuck out his tongue and scowled fiercely at Holmes, who tried to repay the compliment with interest. Although all the yearlings in the tent had been "scared stiff" at Kelton's low, warning signal, all, by an effort, laughed heartily, their gaze on Prescott and Holmes. "Yah!" growled Dick. "Perhaps I did steal the widow's chickens, and I'll even admit that I did appropriate the pennies from her baby's bank. But that's nothing. Tell 'em about the time you stole the oats from the blind horse's crib and put breakfast food in its place." Everyone of the yearlings in the tent knew that trouble stood at the door, and that they must keep up the pretence. There was a chorus of laughter, and two or three applauded. "I did---admit it," bellowed Greg. "But you stand there and admit the whole shameful truth about the time that you-----" "Attention!" called Kelton, turning, then recognizing Lieutenant Topham and saluting. "The officer in charge!" On the jump every yearling inside turned and stood rapidly at attention. "Gentlemen, I'm sorry to have spoiled the show," laughed Lieutenant Topham. He had seen the shadows of Briggs and Ellis on the canvas, and had expected to drop in upon a different scene. But now this tac. was wholly disarmed. He honestly believed that he had stumbled upon a party of yearlings having a good time with a bit of nonsensical dialogue. "Mr. Prescott! Mr. Holmes!" "Sir?" answered both yearlings, saluting. "I will suggest that you two might work up the act you were just indulging in. You ought to raise a great laugh the next time a minstrel show is given by the cadets." "Thank you, sir"---from both "performers." Lieutenant Topham turned and passed on down the company street. The two expelled plebes, in the meantime, had a chance to slip off silently. Even had Briggs and Ellis been inclined to "show up" their hazers, they knew too well the fate that would await such a pair of plebes at the hands of the cadet corps. "That shows how easily a suspicious man's eyes may deceive him," mused Lieutenant Topham as he walked along. Kelton now allowed his gaze to follow the retreating O.C., while the yearlings in the tent stood in dazed silence. They were still panting over the narrow escape from a scrape that might have cost them their places on the roll of the battalion. "Safe!" whispered Kelton. "You may thank your deliverers." Then, indeed, the other yearlings pressed about Prescott and Holmes, hugging them and patting them extravagantly. When Lieutenant Topham returned to his tent, he found Captain Bates there, with a visitor. By the time that he had stepped inside, Topham also discovered the presence of the K.C. likewise engaged. "I've just had a good lesson in the pranks that a man's eyes and ears may play upon him," announced Topham, unbelting his sword. Then he related, with relish, the occurrence at Dunstan's tent. "Humph!" grunted Captain Bates. "You say Mr. Prescott was there?" "Yes, Captain." "Then, Topham, you didn't really see very much of what happened, after all," half jeered Captain Bates. "If Prescott was there, the crowd had a plebe on hand, depend on it." "But I would have seen the plebe." "Not when you have to contend with a man like Mr. Prescott! If he had a tenth of a second's warning it would be enough for him to roll the plebe out at the back of the tent." "Now, I think of it," confessed Lieutenant Topham slowly, "I think I did hear a slight sound at the back of the tent." "You didn't investigate that sound, Mr. Topham?" "Why, no, sir. I thought I was looking at the whole show." "Instead of which," chuckled Captain Bates, "you saw only the curtain that had just been rung down, and the author of the piece bowing to the audience." "Well, I'll be---switched!" ejaculated Mr. Topham, dropping into his chair. "Mr. Prescott has the reputation of being the cleverest dodger in the yearling class," declared the K.C., in a dry voice. "It was Bates who first discovered that quality in Mr. Prescott, but I must admit that he has convinced me. Tomorrow a new cadet corporal will be appointed, and the fact published in orders. The new corporal takes the place of Corporal Ryder, who has been busted (reduced). Mr. Prescott would have been appointed corporal, but for his reputation for dodging out of the biggest scrapes of his class. So Mr. Dodge is to be the new cadet corporal." "Oh, you sly old ramrod!" Dunstan was murmuring ecstatically, back in that other tent. "When I think of all the yearlings who've been dropped for hazing in past years! If each class had only had a Prescott all of those yearlings would have been saved to the service!" But Dick, though he did not know it, had a reputation in the tac. department which had just prevented his attaining to the honor that he desired most---appointment as cadet corporal. _ |
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