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diff --git a/old/64609-0.txt b/old/64609-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2ab0d4a..0000000 --- a/old/64609-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7595 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, A West Point Treasure, by Upton Sinclair - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: A West Point Treasure - Or Mark Mallory's Strange Find - - -Author: Upton Sinclair - - - -Release Date: February 22, 2021 [eBook #64609] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WEST POINT TREASURE*** - - -E-text prepared by D A Alexander, David E. Brown, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustration. - See 64609-h.htm or 64609-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/64609/64609-h/64609-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/64609/64609-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/westpointtreasur00sincrich - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Italicized and/or underlined text is surrounded by underscores: - _italics_. - - - - - -A WEST POINT TREASURE - - -[Illustration: “The cadets were fairly wild. They stooped and gazed at - the treasure greedily.” (See page 82)] - - -A WEST POINT TREASURE - -Or - -Mark Mallory’S Strange Find - -by - -LIEUT. FREDERICK GARRISON, U. S. A., - -Author of -“Off for West Point,” “A Cadet’s Honor,” -“On Guard,” etc. - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -Philadelphia -David McKay, Publisher -610 South Washington Square - -Copyright, 1903 -By Street & Smith - -A West Point Treasure - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I--An Interesting Letter 7 - - II--What a Walk Led To 17 - - III--Mysteries Galore 23 - - IV--A Horrible Discovery 33 - - V--A Joke on the Parson 44 - - VI--Stanard’s Defiance 53 - - VII--Stanard’s Strange Visitor 60 - - VIII--An Unexpected Result 72 - - IX--Discovery of the Loss 84 - - X--Discovery of the Thief 93 - - XI--Stealing from Thieves 102 - - XII--Seven Burglars in a Scrape 112 - - XIII--Watching the Treasure 119 - - XIV--The Seven in a Trap 127 - - XV--Buying Their Release 135 - - XVI--Bull Harris Reaps His Reward 144 - - XVII--The Seven Make a New Move 154 - - XVIII--The Capture of Mark 166 - - XIX--Torture of the Yearlings 180 - - XX--A New Venture 188 - - XXI--Mark Comes to Town 196 - - XXII--Burglar Hunting 207 - - XXIII--Chauncey Has an Idea 219 - - XXIV--Back Again 232 - - XXV--A Challenge 238 - - XXVI--“I Have the Courage to Be a Coward” 248 - - XXVII--Mark, the Coward 257 - - XXVIII--A Test of Courage 266 - - XXIX--The Fruits of Victory 277 - - - - -A WEST POINT TREASURE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -AN INTERESTING LETTER. - - -“Hey, there, you fellows, I’ve got a letter to read to you.” - -He was a tall, handsome lad, with a frank, pleasant face, and a wealth -of curly brown hair. He wore a close-fitting gray jacket and trousers. -The uniform of a West Point “plebe,” as the new cadet is termed. He was -standing in front of one of the tents in the summer camp of the corps, -and speaking to half a dozen of his classmates. - -The six looked up with interest when they heard what he said. - -“Come in, Mark,” called one of them. “Come in here and read it.” - -“This is addressed to me,” began Mark Mallory, obeying the request and -sitting down. “But it’s really meant for the whole seven of us. And -it’s interesting, as showing what the old cadets think of the tricks -we bold plebes have been playing on them.” - -“Who’s it from?” - -“It’s from Wicks Merritt, the second classman I met here last year. -He’s home on furlough for the summer, but some of the other cadets have -written and told him about us, and what we’ve been doing. And this is -what he says about it. Listen. - - “DEAR MARK: Whenever I sit down to write to you it seems to me I can - think of nothing to say, but to marvel at the extraordinary rumpus - you have kicked up at West Point. Every time I hear from there you - are doing still more incredibly impossible acts, until I expect - to hear next that you have been made superintendent or something. - However, in this letter I really have something else to tell you - about, but I shall put it off to the last and keep you in suspense. - - “Well, I hear that, not satisfied with defying the yearlings to haze - you, and actually keeping them from doing it, which is something - no plebe has ever dared to dream of before, you have gone on to - still further recklessness. They say that you have gotten half a - dozen other plebes to back you up, and that, to cap the climax, you - actually dared to go to one of the hops. Well, I do not know what to - say to that; it simply takes my breath away. I should like to have - been there to see him doing it. They say that Grace Fuller, the girl - you saved from drowning, got all the girls to promise to dance with - you, and that the end of the whole business was the yearlings stopped - the music and the hop and left in disgust. I fairly gasp when I - picture that scene. - - “I hesitate to give an original person like you advice. You never - heeded what I gave you anyway, but went right ahead in your own - contrariness to do what you pleased. I guess you were right. But I - want to warn you a little. By your unheard-of daring in going to that - hop you have incurred the enmity of not only the yearlings, whom you - have beaten at every turn, but also of the powerful first class as - well. And they will never stop until they subdue you. I don’t know - what they’ll try, but it will be something desperate, and you must - stand the consequences. You’ll probably have to take turns fighting - every man in the class. When I come back I expect to find you buried - six feet deep in court-plaster.” - -Mark looked up from the letter for a moment, and smiled. - -“I wish the dear old chump could see me now,” he said. - -Wicks’ prediction seemed nearly fulfilled. Mark’s face was bruised and -bandaged; one shoulder was still immovable from a dislocation, and when -he moved any other part of himself he did it with a cautious slowness -that told of sundry aching joints. - -“Yes,” growled one of the six listeners, a lad from Texas, with a -curious cowboy accent. “Yes, hang it! But I reckon Wicks Merritt didn’t -have any idea them ole cadets’d pile on to lick you all together. I -tell you what, it gits me riled. Jes’ because you had the nerve to -defy ’em and fight the feller that ordered you off that air hop floor, -doggone ’em, they all had to pitch in and beat you.” - -“Never mind, Texas,” laughed Mark, cheerfully. “They were welcome. I -knocked out my man, which was what I went out for. And besides, we -managed to outwit them in the end, leaving them deserted and scared -to death on the opposite shore of the Hudson. You’ve heard of clouds -with silver linings. I’m off duty and can play the gentleman all day, -and not have to turn out and drill like you unfortunate plebes. And, -moreover, nobody offers to haze me any more while I’m a cripple.” - -“It’d be jes’ like ’em to,” growled Texas. - -“That’s got nothing to do with the letter,” responded Mark. “There is -some news in here that’ll interest you fellows, if Texas would only -stop growling at the cadets long enough to give me a chance. Too much -fighting is spoiling your gentle disposition, Texas.” - -“Ya-as,” grinned the Southerner. “You jes’ go on.” - -“I will,” continued Mark. “Listen. - - “I got a letter from Fischer yesterday. Fischer is captain of your - company, I think. He tells me that that rascally Benny Bartlett, the - fellow from your town who tried to cheat you out of your appointment, - but whom you beat at the examinations, turned up a short while ago - with a brand-new plot to get you into trouble. It reads like a - fairy story, what Fischer told me. He had a printer’s boy hired to - accuse you of bribing him to steal for you the exam. papers. The - superintendent believed him and you were almost fired. - - “Fischer says he went out at night with that wild chum of yours, - Texas, and the two of them held up the printer’s boy and robbed him - of some papers that showed his guilt. Well, Mr. Mallory, I certainly - congratulate you on your luck. You owe a debt of gratitude to - Fischer, who ought to be your enemy really, since he was one of the - hop managers you riled so. - - “And now for the news I have. I write to tell you--and I know it will - surprise you--that you are not yet through with that troublesome - Master Bartlett.” - -“Wow!” echoed Texas, springing up in surprise. “What does he know ’bout -it?” - -“Wait,” laughed Mark, by way of answer. “Wait, and you’ll see. Wicks is -quite a detective. - - “As you’ll notice by the postmark of this letter, I am in Washington, - D. C., at present. And what do you think? I have met Benny Bartlett - here! - - “I can hear you gasp when you read that. I knew him, but he didn’t - know me, so I made up my mind to have some fun with him. I picked up - an acquaintance with him, and told him I was from West Point. Then - he got intimate and confidential, said he knew a confounded fresh - plebe up there--Mallory, they called him. Well, I said I’d heard of - Mallory. And, Mark, I nearly had him wild. - - “In the first place, you know, he hates you like poison. I can’t tell - you how much. This paper wouldn’t hold all the names he called you. - And, oh, what lies he did tell about you! So I thought to tease him - I’d take the other tack. I told him of all your heroism, how you’d - saved the life of the daughter of a rich old judge up there, and were - engaged to marry her some day. I threw that in for good measure, - though they say it is a desperate case between you and her--upon - which I congratulate you, for she’s a treasure.” - -“I wonder what he’d say,” put in one of the six, “if he knew she’d -joined the Banded Seven to help fool the yearlings?” - - “I told him,” continued Mark, reading, “all about how you’d prevented - hazing and were literally running the place. Then I showed him - Fischer’s letter to cap the climax. And, Mark, the kid was crazy. He - vowed he was coming up there to balk you, if it was the last thing he - ever did on earth. - - “His father has a big pull with the President, and is using it - with a vengeance. He pleads that his son did magnificently at the - congressman’s exams, and only failed at the others because he was - ill. And so Benny expects to turn up to annoy you as one of the - plebes who come in when camp breaks up on the 28th of August. - - “Having warned you of this disagreeable possibility nothing now - remains for me to do but wish you the best possible luck in your - quarrel with the first class, and so sign myself, - - “Sincerely yours, - “WICKS MERRITT.” - -The Seven stared at each other as Mark folded up the letter. - -“Fellows,” said he, “we’ve got just one month to wait, just one month. -Then that contemptible fellow will be here to bother us. But in the -meantime I say we forget about him. He’s unpleasant to think about. -Let’s not mention him again until we see him.” - -And the Parson echoed, “Yea, by Zeus.” - -The Parson was just the same old parson he was the day he first struck -West Point. Frequent hazings had not robbed him of his quiet and -classic dignity; and still more frequent battles with “the enemy” had -not made him a whit less learned and studious. He was from Boston, -was Parson Stanard, and he was proud of it. Also, he was a geologist -of erudition most astoundingly deep. He had a bag of most wonderful -fossils hidden away in his tent, fossils with names as long as the -Parson’s venerable and bony legs in their pale green socks. - -The Parson was not wholly devoted to fossils, for he was member No. 3 -in our Banded Seven, of which Mark was the leader. No. 4 was “Indian,” -the fat and gullible and much hazed Joe Smith, of Indianapolis. After -him came the merry and handsome Dewey, otherwise known as “B’gee!” the -prize story-teller of the crowd. Chauncey, surnamed “the dude,” and -Sleepy, “the farmer,” made up the rest of that bold and valiant band -which was notorious for its “B. J.-ness.” (B. J., before June, means -freshness.) - -Master Benjamin Bartlett having been laid on the shelf for a month, the -Seven cast about them for a new subject of conversation to while away -the half hour of “recreation” allotted to them between the morning’s -drill and dinner. - -“I want to know,” suggested Dewey, “what shall we do this afternoon, -b’gee?” - -That afternoon was Saturday (“the first Saturday we’ve had for a week,” -as Dewey sagely informed them, whereat Indian cried out: “Of course! -Bless my soul! How could it be otherwise?”) Saturday is a half holiday -for the cadets. - -“I don’t know,” said Mark. “I hardly think the yearlings’ll try any -hazing to-day. They’re waiting to see what the first class’ll do when I -get well enough to fight them.” - -The Parson arose to his feet with dignity. - -“It is my purpose,” he said, with grave decision, “to undertake an -excursion into the mountainous country in back of us, particularly to -the portion known as the habitation of the Corous Americanus----” - -“The habitation of the what?” - -“Of the Corous Americanus. You have probably heard the mountain spoken -of as ‘Crow’s Nest,’ but I prefer the other more scientific and -accurate name, since there are in America numerous species of crows, -some forty-seven in all, I believe.” - -The six sighed. - -“It is my purpose,” continued the Parson, blinking solemnly as any wise -old owl, “to admire the beauties of the scenery, and also to conduct a -little cursory geological investigation in order to----” - -“Say,” interrupted Texas. - -“Well?” inquired the Parson. - -“D’you mean you’re a-goin’ to take a walk?” - -“Er--yes,” said the Parson, “that is----” - -“Let’s all go,” interrupted Texas. “I’d like to see some o’ that there -geologizin’ o’ yourn.” - -“I shall be delighted to extend you an invitation,” said the other, -cordially. - -And thus it happened that the Banded Seven took a walk back in the -mountains that Saturday afternoon. That walk was the most momentous -walk that those lads ever had occasion to take. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -WHAT A WALK LED TO. - - -It was a strangely accoutered cavalcade that set out from this West -Point camp an hour or so later. The Parson, as guide and temporary -chief, led the way, having his beloved “Dana’s Geology” under his arms, -and bearing in one hand an “astrology” hammer (as Texas termed it), in -the other a capacious bag in which he purposed to carry any interesting -specimens he chanced to find. The Parson had brought with him to West -Point his professional coat, with huge pockets for that purpose, but -being a cadet he was not allowed to wear it. - -Chauncey and Indian brought up the rear. Chauncey was picking his way -delicately along, fearful of spoiling a beautiful new shine he had just -had put on. And Indian was in mortal terror lest some of the ghosts, -bears, tramps or snakes which the yearlings had assured him filled the -woods, should spring out upon his fat, perspiring little self. - -The government property at West Point extends for some four miles up -the Hudson, and quite a distance into the wild mountains to the rear. -The government property is equivalent to “cadet limits,” and so the -woods are freely roamed by the venturesome lads on holiday afternoons. - -The Parson was never more thoroughly in his element than he was just -then. He was a learned professor, escorting a group of patient and -willing pupils. The information which he gave out in solid chunks that -afternoon would have filled an encyclopædia. A dozen times every hour -he would stop and hold forth upon some newly observed object. - -But it was when on geology that the Parson was at home. He might dabble -in all sciences; in fact, he considered it the duty of a scholar to do -so; but geology was his specialty, his own, his pet and paragon. And -never did he wax so eloquently as when he was talking of geology, “That -science which unravels the mysteries of ages, that reads in the rocks -of the present the silent stories of the years that are dead.” - -“Behold yon towering precipice,” he cried, “with its crevices torn -by the winter’s snows and rains! Gentlemen, I suppose you know that -the substances which we call earth and sand are but the result of the -ceaseless action of water, which tore it from the mountains and ground -it into the ever-moving seas. It was water that carved the mountains -from the masses of ancient rock, and water that cut the valleys that -lead to the sea below. A wonderful thing is water to the geologist, a -strange thing.” - -“It’s a strange thing to a Texan, too,” observed the incorrigible -cowboy, making a sound like a popping cork. - -“This cliff, all covered with vegetation,” continued the Parson, gazing -up into the air, “has a story to tell also. See that scar running -across its surface? In the glacial era, when this valley was a mass of -grinding, sliding ice, some great stone caught in the mass plowed that -furrow which you see. And perhaps hundreds of miles below here I might -find the stone that would fit that mark. That has been done by many a -patient scientist.” - -The six were staring at the cliff in open-mouthed interest. - -“In the post-tertiary periods,” continued the lecturer, “this Hudson -Valley was an inland sea. By that line of colored rock, denoting the -top of the strata, I can tell what was the level of that body of water. -The storms of that period did great havoc among the rocks. This cliff -may have been torn and burrowed; I know of some that had great caves -and passageways worn in them.” - -The six were still staring. - -“We find many wonderful fossils in such rock. The seas then were -inhabitated by many gigantic animals, whose skeletons we find, -completely buried in stone. I have the foot of a Megatherium, the foot -being about as broad as my arm is long, found in some shistose quartz -of this period. If you will excuse me for but a few moments I should -like to examine the fragments at the bottom of the cliff and see----” - -“I think I see a foot there!” cried Mark, excitedly. - -“Where?” demanded the Parson, no less so, his eyes flashing with -professional zeal. - -“It’s the foot of the cliff,” responded Mark. “Do you see it?” - -The Parson turned away with a grieved look and fell to chipping at the -rock. The rest roared with laughter, for which the geologist saw no -cause. - -“Gentlemen,” said he at last, “allow me to remind you of a line from -Goldsmith’s ‘Deserted Village’: - - “‘And the loud laugh that shows the empty mind.’” - -Whereupon Dewey muttered an excited “B’gee.” Dewey had been so awed by -his companion’s learning that he hadn’t told a story for an hour; but -here the temptation was too great. - -“B’gee!” he cried. “That reminds me of a story I once heard. There -was a fellow had a girl by the name of Auburn. He wanted to write her -a love poem, b’gee, and he didn’t know how to begin. That poem--the -‘Deserted Village’--begins: - - “‘Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain.’ - -“So, b’gee, this fellow thought that would do first rate for a starter. - -“He wrote to her: - -“‘Sweet Auburn, loveliest of the plain,’ an’ b’gee, she wouldn’t speak -to him for a month!” - -Every one joined in the laugh that followed except the Parson; the -Parson was still busily chipping rocks with his “astrology” hammer. - -“I find nothing,” he remarked, hesitatingly. “But I see a most -beautiful fern up in that cleft. It is a rhododendron, of the -species----I cannot see it very clearly.” - -“I’ll get it,” observed Texas, gayly. “I want to hear the rest of that -air name. Don’t forget the first part--romeo--romeo what?” - -While he was talking Texas had laid hold of the projecting cliff, -and with a mighty effort swung himself up on a ledge. Then he raised -himself upon his toes and stretched out to get that “rhododendron.” - -The Parson, gazing up anxiously, saw him lay hold of the plant to pull -it off. And then, to his surprise, he heard the Texan give vent to a -surprised and excited “Wow!” - -“What’s the matter?” cried the others. - -Texas was too much interested to answer. They saw him seize hold of a -bush that grew above him and raise himself up. Then he pushed aside the -plants in front of him and stared curiously. - -“What’s the matter?” demanded the rest again. - -And Texas gazed down at them excitedly. - -“Hi, you!” he roared. “Fellers, it’s a cave!” - -“A cave!” cried the others incredulously. - -By way of answer Texas turned, faced the rock again, and shouted a -mighty “Hello!” - -And to the inexpressible consternation of the crowd an echo, loud and -clear, responded: - -“Hello!” - -It was a cave. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -MYSTERIES GALORE. - - -The excitement which resulted from Texas’ amazing discovery may be -imagined. If he had found a “Megatherium,” feet and all, there could -not have been more interest. Texas was dragged down by the legs, and -then there was a wild scramble among the rest, the “invalid” excepted, -to see who could get up there first and try the echo. - -The entrance, it seemed, was a narrow hole in the rock, completely -hidden by a growth of bushes and plants. And the echo! What an amazing -echo it was, to be sure! Not only did it answer clearly, but it -repeated, and muttered again and again. It took parts of sentences and -twisted them about and made the strangest possible combinations of -sounds. - -“It must be an enormous cave!” cried Mark. - -“It has probably fissures to a great distance,” observed the geologist. -“The freaks of water action are numerous.” - -“I wonder if there’s room for a man to get in,” Mark added. - -“Ef there ain’t,” suggested Texas, “we kin force Indian through to make -it bigger.” - -Indian shrank back in horror. - -“Ooo!” he cried. “I wouldn’t go near it for a fortune. Bless my soul, -there may be bears or snakes.” - -This last suggestion made Dewey, who was then peeping in, drop down in -a hurry. - -“B’gee!” he gasped. “I hadn’t thought of that. And who knows but what a -live Megatherium preserved from the tertiary periods may come roaring -out?” - -“I wish we had a light,” said Mark. “Then we might look in and see. I -wonder if we couldn’t burn that book the Parson has?” - -The Parson hugged his beloved “Dana’s Geology” in alarm. - -“Gentlemen,” he said, severely, “I would rather you burned me than this -book.” - -“B’gee!” cried Dewey. “You’re most as dry! But a fellow couldn’t find a -match for you, Parson, if he hunted from now till doomsday.” - -Parson Stanard turned away with the grieved look he always wore when -people got “frivolous.” But that mood did not last long; they were -all too excited in their strange find to continue joking. They spent -half an hour after that peering in cautiously and seeing nothing but -blackness. Texas even had the nerve to stick one arm in, at which the -rest cried out in horror. Indian’s direful hint of snakes or bears had -its effect. - -It took no small amount of daring to fool about that mysterious black -hole. Dewey, ever merry and teasing, was keeping them all on pins and -needles by being ceaselessly reminded of grisly yarns. He told of a -cave that was full of rattlesnakes, “assorted sizes, all genuine and no -two alike, b’gee!” Of another that had been a robber’s den with great -red-faced, furious, black villains in it, to say nothing of gleaming -daggers. Of another, with pitfalls, with water in them and no bottom, -“though why the water didn’t leak out of where the bottom wasn’t, -b’gee, I’m not able to say.” - -It got to be very monotonous by and by, standing about in idleness and -curiosity, peeping and wondering what was inside. - -“I think it would be a good idea for some one to go in and find out,” -suggested Mark. - -“Bless my soul!” gasped Indian. “I won’t, for one.” - -“And I for two, b’gee!” said Dewey, with especial emphasis. - -The rest were just as hasty to decline. One look at that black hole -was enough to deter any one. But Mark, getting more and more impatient -at the delay, more and more resolved to end that mystery, was slowly -making up his mind that he was not going to be deterred. And suddenly -he stepped forward. - -“Give me a ‘boost,’” he said. “I’m going in.” - -“You!” echoed the six, in a breath. “Your arm!” - -“I don’t care!” responded he, with decision. “I’m going to find out -what’s inside, and I’m going to hurry up about it, too.” - -“Do you mean you’re going to crawl through that hole?” - -“That’s just what I do,” he said. - -Texas sprang forward with an excited look. - -“You ain’t!” he cried. “Cuz I’m not going to let you!” - -And before Mark could comprehend what he meant his devoted friend had -swung himself up to the ledge again, and was already halfway in through -the opening. - -The others stared up at him anxiously. They saw the Southerner’s arms -and head vanish, and then, while they waited, prepared for almost -anything horrible, they heard an excited exclamation. A moment later -the head reappeared. - -“Hello!” cried Texas. “Fellers, there’s a ladder in thar!” - -“A ladder!” - -“Yes, sah! That’s what I said, a ladder! A rope one!” - -Once more the head disappeared; the body followed wriggling. Then -with startling suddenness the feet and legs flew in, and an instant -afterward, to the horror of the frightened crowd, there was a heavy -crash. - -Mark made a leap for the opening. - -“What’s the matter?” he cried. - -“Ouch!” they heard the bold Texan growl, his voice sounding hollow and -muffled. “The ole ladder busted.” - -“Ooo!” gasped Indian. “Are you dead?” - -Texas did not condescend to answer that. - -“Some o’ you fellers come in hyar now!” he roared. “I ain’t a-goin’ to -stay alone.” - -“What’s it like in there?” inquired Mark. - -“I can’t see,” answered the other’s muffled voice. “Only it’s a floor -like, an’, say, it’s got carpet!” - -“A carpet!” fairly gasped those outside. “A carpet!” - -“I’m going in and see,” exclaimed Mark. “Help me up.” - -The rest “boosted” him with a will. With his one free arm he managed to -worm his way through the opening, and then Texas seized him and pulled -him through. After that the others followed with alacrity. Even Indian -finally got up the “nerve,” though loudly bemoaning his fate; he didn’t -want to come, but it was worse out there all alone in the woods. - -Coming in from the brilliant sunlight they were blind as bats. They -could not detect the faintest shade of difference in the darkness, and -they stood huddled together timidly, not even daring to grope about -them. - -“Let us remove ourselves further from the light,” suggested the Parson, -ever learned. “Then we may get used to the darkness, for the retina of -the visual organ has the power of accommodating itself to a decrease in -intensity of the illuminating----” - -They prepared to obey the suggestion, without waiting for the -conclusion of the discourse. But moving in that chasm was indeed a -fearful task. In the first place, there were possible wells, so the -Parson said, though the presence of the mysterious carpet made that -improbable. The first thing Mark had done when he reached bottom was to -stoop and verify his friend’s amazing statement. And he found that it -was just as the other had said. There was carpet, and it was a soft, -fine carpet, too. - -What that could mean they scarcely dared to think. - -“Somebody must live here,” whispered Mark. “And they can hardly be -honest people, hiding in a place like this.” - -That did not tend to make the moving about any more pleasant. They -caught hold of each other, though there was little comfort in that, for -each found that his neighbors were trembling as much as himself. Then, -step by step (and very small steps) they advanced, groping in front -with their hands, and feeling the ground in front of them with their -feet. - -“Bless my soul!” gasped Indian. “There might be a trapdoor!” - -That grewsome and ghastly suggestion caused so much terror that it -stopped all further progress for a minute at least, and when finally -they did go on, it was with still more frightened and thumping hearts. - -They took two or three more steps ahead; and then suddenly Mark, who -was a trifle in the lead, sprang back with a cry. - -“What is it?” gasped the rest. - -“There’s something there,” he said. “Something, I don’t know what. I -touched it!” - -They stood in a huddled group, straining their eyes to pierce the -darkness. It was horrible to know that something was there, and not to -know what. One might imagine anything. - -“It’s a Megatherium,” whispered Dewey, irrepressible even here. - -In the suspense that followed the frightened crowd made out that Mark -was leaning forward to explore with one hand. - -And then suddenly, with a cry of real horror this time, he forced them -back hastily. - -“It’s alive!” he cried. - -They were about ready to drop dead with terror by that time, or to -scatter and run for their lives. Every one of them was wishing he had -never thought of entering this grewsome, black place, with its awful -mysteries, its possibilities of fierce beasts or still more fierce and -lawless men, or ghosts and goblins, or Heaven only knew what else. -Most men do not believe in ghosts or goblins until they get into just -some situation like this. - -Indian was moaning in terror most appalling, and the rest were in but -little better state of mind. And then suddenly the Parson uttered a -subdued exclamation. They turned with him and saw what he meant. Facing -the darkness as they had, when they turned in the direction of the -light that streamed in from the opening, they found that they really -could begin to see. But how? The light was so dim and gray that it only -made things worse. The seven saw all kinds of horrible shadows about -them, above them, beneath them, and not one single object could they -distinguish to allay their fears. - -Still huddled together, still silent and trembling, they stood and -gazed about them, waiting. There was not a sound but the beating of -their own hearts until all of a sudden Dewey was heard to whisper. - -“B’gee, I’ve got a match!” - -Fumbling in his pockets for a moment he brought that precious object -out, while the others crowded about him anxiously. A match! A match! -They could hardly believe their ears. Robinson Crusoe never welcomed -that tiny object more gratefully. - -With fear and trembling Dewey prepared to light it. Every one of them -dreaded the moment; horrible though the darkness was, it might be a -black shroud for yet more horrible things. - -Mark caught him by the arm just as he was in the act of doing it; but -it was not for that reason. He suggested that they have papers ready -to keep that precious fire going. It was a good idea, and proved so -popular that the Parson, filled with a spirit of self-sacrifice, even -tore out the blank title pages of his Dana to contribute. And then at -last Dewey struck the light. - -The match was a good one fortunately. It flickered and sputtered a -moment, seeming to hesitate about burning, while the lads gasped in -suspense. Then suddenly it flared up brightly, and they gazed about -them in dread. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -A HORRIBLE DISCOVERY. - - -What a lot of grewsomeness a little match can remove, to be sure! -This one did not solve the mysteries of that wondrous cave, but it -removed most of the horror of the explorers. It showed, for instance, -that the furry thing which Mark had vowed was alive was an ordinary -plush-covered chair! - -The seven had no time to laugh at that; they were too busy staring. The -feeble light could not reach to the other end of the long vista they -saw, and neither could one of the papers they hastily lit. But it gave -them one glimpse of a most amazing scene. - -This cave was indeed a surprising place. The carpet they saw covered -nearly all of the floor. There were chairs scattered about, and other -articles of furniture. There were some curtains draped from the rocky -walls. There were swinging lamps from the vaulted roof. Down in the dim -distance there was even a table--a table with shining white dishes upon -it. And then the light began to flicker. - -Quick as a flash Mark seized it and sprang toward one of the lamps. -He was just in time. He whipped off the shade and touched the wick. A -moment later they were standing in a brilliant, clear light, that shone -to the farthest depths of the place. - -The seven bold plebes stood in the center beneath the lamp, perfectly -amazed by what they saw. The same idea was flashing across the minds -of all of them. This splendor must belong to some one! Those dishes -up there were set for a meal! And the owner--where was he? Suppose he -should come and find them there? Indian cast a longing glance at the -opening that led to freedom outside. - -Probably the wisest course for them would have been precipitate flight. -To be trapped in there by desperate men would be terrible indeed! But -curiosity urged them on. This was a glorious mystery--a mystery worth -solving. It was almost a fairy tale; an enchanted princess alone was -needed. - -Now, whether they would have been bold enough to stay and look about -them, had it not been for one occurrence, it is impossible to say. -Texas, glancing curiously about him, caught sight of a familiar object -on a bench to one side, and he leaped forward and seized it. He stared -at it hastily and gave a cry of joy. - -It was a revolver! A forty-four calibre, and it was loaded, too! - -No power on earth could have moved Texas then; he had a gun; he was at -home after that, and he feared neither man nor devil. - -“Let ’em come!” he cried. “I’m a-goin’ to look.” - -He strode forward, Mark at his side, and the rest following, peering -into every nook and cranny. - -One thing seemed certain. There was no one about. The cave had all -sorts of passageways and corners, but hunt as they would they saw not -a soul, heard not a sound. The place was like a tomb. It was just as -silent and weird and uncanny, and moreover just as moldy and dusty as -the tomb is supposed to be. - -Mark examined the table with its queer outlay of dishes. They were all -covered with dust; several had tops, and when Mark lifted them he found -that they, too, were empty but for that. It seemed as if dust were -everywhere. - -Mark was recalled from his interesting exploration by an excited -“B’gee!” from Dewey. Dewey was staring at the wall, and as the -others ran up to him he pointed without a word in front of him. There -was a calendar hanging there. And plain as day, the inscription was -still--Tuesday, May the eighteenth, eighteen hundred and forty-eight! - -The seven were too mystified by that to say a word. They stared at each -other in silence, and then went on. - -The next thing to attract their attention was a long workbench at one -side. Mark wondered how that thing could ever have come in by the -opening, until he saw a box of tools at one side, which suggested -that it might have been built inside. There were all sorts of strange -looking tools upon the bench, and molds, and dies, and instruments -which none of them recognized. Nearby was a forge and a small pair of -bellows, a pot of once molten metal, now cold and dust-covered, stood -beside it; there were bars, too, of what the puzzled crowd took to be -lead. - -It was left to the all-wise Parson to discover what this meant. The -Parson picked up one of the dies he saw upon the table. He gazed at -it curiously, blowing away the dust and cleaning the metal. Then, -muttering to himself excitedly, he stepped over to one side of the -cave where soft clay was on the floor, and seizing some, pressed it -into the mold. He held it before his horrified companions, a perfect -image of the United States half dollar; and he spoke but two words of -explanation. - -“Gentlemen,” he said, “counterfeiters!” - -The amount of excitement which that caused may be readily imagined. A -counterfeiter’s den! And they were in it! Texas clutched his revolver -the tighter and stared about him warily. As for poor Indian, he simply -sat down upon the floor and collapsed. - -“Fellows,” said Mark at last. “I say we finish examining this place and -get out. I don’t like it.” - -None of them did, and they did not hesitate to say so, either. Nothing -but curiosity, and the fact that they were ashamed to show their fear, -kept them from running for all they were worth. As it was, their -advance was timid and hesitating. - -They were almost at the end of the cave then. They could see the walls -sloping together and the ceiling sloping down toward the floor. The -light of the lamp was far away and dim then, and they could not see -very clearly. But one thing they did make out to their surprise and -alarm. The end of that cave was a heavy iron door, shut tight! - -There was but one idea flashed over the minds of every one of the seven -at that moment. The money! Here was where the men kept it, in that -firmly locked safe. - -“B’gee!” muttered Dewey. “I say we go back.” - -Most of them wanted to, and in a hurry. But there were two of them that -didn’t mean to; one was the venturesome and reckless Texas, and the -other was Mark. - -“I’m sorry I came in,” said the latter calmly. “But since I’m here I’m -going to see the thing to the end. I’m going to search this cave and -find out what the whole business means. Who’ll help me open that door?” - -The Banded Seven weren’t timid by a long shot. They had dared more -desperate deeds than any plebes West Point had ever seen. But in this -black hole of mystery, suggestive of desperate criminals and no one -knew what else, it was no wonder that they hesitated. There was no one -but Texas cared to venture near that shadowy door. - -Mark himself was by no means as cool as he seemed. He had made up his -mind to explore the cave, and he meant to do it, but he chose to hurry -all the same. He stepped quickly forward, peering anxiously into the -shadows as he did so. And a moment later his hand was upon the door -knob. - -He shook it vigorously, but found that it was firmly set. It reminded -him of the door of a safe, for it had a solid, heavy “feel,” and it -closed with a spring lock, having no key. Mark noticed that as he was -debating with himself whether or not to open it; and then suddenly he -gave the knob a mighty wrench and pulled with all his might upon the -door. - -The knob was rusty, and so were the complicated hinges. The door -finally gave way, however, with a creak that was dismal and suggestive. -The others shrank back instinctively as the black space it disclosed -yawned in front of them. - -Mark’s heart was beating furiously as he glanced around to peer in. A -musty, close odor caught his attention, and then as the faint light -made its way in, he saw that beyond was still another compartment, -seemingly blacker, and certainly more mysterious than the first. But -Mark hesitated not a moment; he had made up his mind to enter and he -did. Texas, who was at his back, taking hold of the door to hold it. - -Those outside waited for but one moment, a moment of anxious suspense -and dread. They had seen their leader’s figure vanish, swallowed up in -the blackness of the place. They were wondering, tremblingly, as to -what the result would be; and then suddenly came a result so terrible -and unexpected that it nearly knocked them down. It was a scream, a -wild shriek of horror, and it came from Mark! - -The six outside gazed at each other, ready to faint from fright; Texas, -startled, too, by the weirdness of the tone, sprang back involuntarily. -And in an instant the heavy iron door, released from his hand, swung -inward and slammed with a dismal clang that rang and echoed down the -long, vaulted cave. - -The noise was succeeded by a silence that was yet more terrible; not -another sound came from Mark, to tell that he was alive or what. And -for just an instant, paralyzed with fright, the horror-stricken cadets -stood motionless, staring blankly at the glistening door. And then -Texas sprang forward to the rescue. He seized the knob furiously, and -tearing at the barrier with all his strength, flung it wide open. - -“Come on!” he cried. “Follow me!” - -Texas was clutching the revolver, a desperate look upon his face; the -others, horrified though they were, sprang forward to his side ready -to dare anything for the sake of Mark. - -But there was no need of their entering. As the light shone in -the whole scene was plainly in view. And the six stared with -ever-increasing awe. Leaning against the wall, where he had staggered -back, was Mark; his face was as white as a sheet; one trembling hand -was raised, pointing across the compartment. And the rest followed the -direction with their eyes, and then started back in no less horror, -their faces even paler than his. Lying flat upon the floor, shining -out in the blackness white and distinct and ghastly, their hollow eyes -fixed in a death stare upon the roof, were six horrible, grinning -skeletons. - -Awe-stricken, those reckless plebes stood motionless, gazing upon the -scene. They were too dumfounded to say a word, almost to think. And -then suddenly, as one man, moved by a single impulse, they faced about -and stole silently out of the place. The iron door clanged once more, -and then, still silent, the plebes marched in Indian file down the -long corridor to where the sunlight streamed in; helped each other out -through the narrow opening; and finally, free at last, drew a long -breath of inexpressible relief under the clear blue sky of heaven. - -It was some minutes after that even before they said a word. Finally -Mark spoke. - -“Fellows,” he said, “there’s a mystery. Who can solve it?” - -The Parson heaved a sigh and raised his voice. - -“There were once,” he began, “six counterfeiters, who did their work in -a lonely cave. That cave had two entrances, one of which we know of.” - -“And the other lies at the end of the passageway,” said Mark. - -“It was a way of escape,” went on the Parson, “in case the other -entrance was discovered by outsiders. But subsequently that entrance -became blocked----” - -“And they were caught in their own trap,” finished Mark. “That door -slammed as it did on me, and they were suffocated. And that is all. Let -us go home.” - -Still awe-stricken and silent, the rest arose and started to follow -him. But suddenly Texas, the excitable, irrelevant Texas, stopped and -began to gasp. - -“Say!” he cried. “Fellers----” - -“What is it?” - -“D’ye know I never thought of it! That air cave is our’n!” - -“How do you mean?” - -“There ain’t any one else to own it, that’s what I mean. An’ ef ever we -want a place to hide in----” - -“Or haze yearlings in,” came from Dewey. - -“It’s ours!” cried Mark. “Just the thing! Hurrah!” - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -A JOKE ON THE PARSON. - - -Mark did not lose any time in telling Grace Fuller all about the cave. - -He called on her at the West Point Hotel, where she boarded with her -father, and found her sitting on the piazza. - -“A real cave!” she cried, with a smile. “How romantic! Have you -told----” - -“Nobody but you,” said Mark. “It’s our secret. We may want to haze some -yearlings there, you know. So not a word.” - -“But you say it was furnished! How wonderful!” - -“Yes,” said Mark, “even carpets. It seems that this place was once the -den of a gang of counterfeiters. I see you open your eyes in surprise. -We found all their dies and molds and everything.” - -“But how do you know they aren’t there still?” inquired Grace Fuller in -alarm. - -“That is the grewsome part of the story. They are all dead. We found -that the cave was divided by a heavy iron door. I went into the other -part and the door slammed and shut me in. I was scared almost to death, -far more than I was the day I swam out to help you. The rest of the -fellows opened it at last, and I found that I was shut in with six -skeletons. I don’t wonder you look horrified. Those criminals had been -trapped accidentally in their own cave, just as I was, but they had -been suffocated. And there they had lain, we found out afterward, for -forty or fifty years.” - -“It is perfectly terrible!” gasped the girl, her cheeks pale. “I don’t -see how you will ever dare go into the place again.” - -“It is a big temptation,” laughed Mark. “You see if the cadets continue -to try unfair tactics in their efforts to haze us poor unfortunate -plebes we can scare some of them into submission up there. And besides, -our learned Boston friend, Parson Stanard, has gotten the gold fever. -He vows he’s going on a treasure hunt in that cave.” - -“A treasure hunt!” - -“Yes. You see it’s probable those men had some money, to say nothing -of all the bad money they made. And it’ll be a case of ‘finding’s -keepings.’” - -“I see,” said Grace, thoughtfully. And then suddenly she broke into -one of her merry, ringing laughs, that compelled Mark to join. - -“I think the Parson’s such a queer old chap!” she cried. “Isn’t he -comical? He’s so solemn and learned. I can just imagine him prying all -about that cave, the same way he does for his fossils.” - -“I never shall forget the day I first met the Parson,” responded Mark. -“It was when we were just getting up the Banded Seven to try to stop -the hazing. The yearlings had tied his long, bony frame in a sack. He -had gotten out and chased the whole crowd of them about the parade -ground. And he came into my room in barracks perfectly furious with -indignation. Yea, by Zeus!” - -“He found out I was interested in geology,” said Grace. “I studied -it once, and he’s never ceased to give me lectures since he found -that out. And I never hear anything nowadays but shistose slates, -and sandstone conglomerates, and triassic eras, and orohippusses and -pertodactyles and brontotheriums.” - -“He gives us long discourses over in camp, too,” laughed Mark. “I can -see his lank, bony figure now. It was more comical still when he wore -his ‘geology coat,’ with huge coat tails and pockets for fossils. -Anyhow, he gets very much worked up when he’s telling us about the -glories of geology. And poor Dewey, who’s such an inveterate joker, -always has to get into trouble by interrupting him. Yesterday, for -instance, the Parson was telling us about seashores. He didn’t see -how any one could fail to appreciate what a wonderful thing a beach -was. Here was being written a record that men might read millions of -years later. It would be hardened then into imperishable stone. Here, -for instance, was the track of a bird. Little by little sand would -be scattered over it; more sand on top of that; and so on until it -was crushed into rock. That is the way all sandstones are made. Huge -convulsions of earth would bring that up to the surface; men would find -it, break it open, and there the track of the bird! Wonder of wonders!” - -Here Mark paused for breath, and began to laugh. - -“What did Dewey say?” inquired Grace. - -“He wanted to know if the Parson would classify the summer girl as -a bird. He said he’d seen lots of their tracks on the beach. Then -he wanted to know if a learned geologist could tell the track of a -Chicago girl from that of a Boston girl. Then he went on to imagine -the contents of a Coney Island sandstone. The Parson had told of -Megatheriums’ bones and teeth and skeletons. Dewey wanted to know -how about empty sarsaparilla bottles and peanut shells, and tickets -to the Turkish dancers and Shoot the Chutes, and popcorn balls, and -frankfurters.” - -“What did the Parson say?” laughed the girl. - -“Oh, he just said something about being ‘frivolous.’ But the climax -came a few minutes later when the Parson told how Cavier and other -famous scientists had become so wondrously learned that they could tell -what an animal was from the tiniest bit of its skeleton, its frame, as -he called it. And that started Dewey. He put on his most serious face -and told us how he’d read of a great mystery, a geologist who had found -the frame of an animal hard as iron, and almost smashed to pieces in -some rocks. There was what looked like the body of a man lying near. -The first-mentioned thing, so Dewey said, had eighteen teeth in front -and seven behind. And the geologist didn’t know what on earth it was.” - -Mark interrupted himself here long enough to indulge in a little silent -laughter, and then he went on. - -“Well, the Parson took it seriously. He put on his most learned air, -and looked it up in ‘Dana,’ his beloved geological text-book. ‘Eighteen -in front and seven behind? The rear ones must be molars. Probably, -then, it was a Palæothere, but they were extinct before primæval man -appears. And it couldn’t be one of the Zenglodons, and surely not a -Plesiosaurus. Oh, yes! Why, of course, it must be an Ichthyornis!’ And -the Parson was smiles all over. ‘How stupid of that geologist not to -have guessed it! An Ichthyornis!’ But then Dewey said no, it wasn’t. -‘Then what is it?’ cried the Parson.” - -“And what did he say?” laughed Grace. - -“He said it was a ’97 model, seventy-two gear, and the rider had -coasted down the hill on it. The teeth weren’t molars, they were -sprockets. Somebody yelled ‘Bicycle!’ and the Parson wouldn’t speak to -him all day.” - -The girl’s merry laughter over the story was pleasant to hear; it was a -great deal more pleasant to Mark than the original incident had been. - -“I think it’s a shame to fool him so,” said Grace. “The Parson is so -solemn and dignified. And it hurts his feelings.” - -“He gets over it all,” laughed Mark, “and then he enjoys it, too, else -we wouldn’t do it; for every one of us likes our old geological genius. -I don’t see what we should do without him. He knows everything under -the sun, I’m sure, especially about fossils.” - -“I don’t think it would be possible to fool him,” said she. - -Mark chuckled softly to himself. - -“That remark of yours just reminds me of something else,” he said. “The -Banded Seven have put up a job to try.” - -“Try to fool the Parson, you mean?” cried Grace. - -By way of answer Mark fumbled under his jacket where the girl had -noticed a peculiar lump. He drew forth a bit of stone and handed it to -her. - -“What would you call that?” he asked. - -“It looks for all the world like a fossil,” she said. - -“Yes,” said Mark. “That’s what we all thought. Dewey found it, and it -fooled him. He thought it was the bone of a Megatherium, or one of -those outlandish beasts. We were going to give it to the Parson, only -I had the luck to recognize it. It’s nothing but a bit of a porcelain -jug. And then Dewey suggested that we try it on him, too.” - -“I should like to see how it goes with the Parson,” responded Grace, -with a laugh. “I wish you’d try it while I’m around.” - -The two as they had been talking were gazing across from the piazza -in the direction of the summer encampment of the corps. And suddenly -the girl gave an exclamation of surprise, as she noticed a tall, -long-legged figure leave the camp, and proceed with great strides -across the parade ground. - -“There he goes now!” cried she. - -Mark put his fingers to his lips and gave a shrill whistle. The Parson -faced about and stared around anxiously; then, as he saw a handkerchief -waving to him from the hotel, he turned and strode in that direction. A -minute later his solemn face was gazing up at the two. - -“What is it?” he inquired. “I dare not come up there. No, tempt me not. -The little volume of instructions designated as the Blue Book denies -the pleasure of visiting the hotel without a permit. I fear exceedingly -lest I be violating some regulation by standing so near the forbidden -ground.” - -“I’m quite used to getting permits to visit here,” laughed Mark. “I -think I’ll order them by the wholesale soon, that is if Miss Fuller -stays much longer. - -“I’ll bet,” Mark added, whispering to the girl, as he noticed the -Parson edging off. “I’ll bet I can make him break a rule and come up -here.” - -“How?” inquired the girl. - -“Parson! Oh, Parson!” cried Mark. “Come up here!” - -“Tempt me not!” protested Stanard. “The danger is great and----” - -“I’ve got a fossil to show you,” called the other. - -The Parson stared incredulously for a moment at the object Mark held -up. He suspected a ruse. But no, it was a fossil! And oblivious to -duty, danger, demerits and all the rest of the universe, he gave a -leap, dashed up the stairs, and fairly pounced upon the two. - -“A fossil!” he cried. “By the immortal gods, a fossil! Yea, by Zeus, -let me see it.” - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -STANARD’S DEFIANCE. - - -The Parson seemed about ready to devour that “fossil.” He seized it -and plumped himself down in a chair with a thud. He paused just long -enough to deposit his “Dana” upon the floor, and to draw up his learned -trousers to the high-water mark, disclosing his pale, sea-green socks. -And then with a preliminary “Ahem!” and several blinks he raised the -precious relic and stared at it. - -The two conspirators were watching him gleefully, occasionally -exchanging sly glances. The Parson, all oblivious of this, surveyed one -side of the fossil and then turned it over. He tapped it on the arm of -his chair; he picked at it with his finger nail; he even tasted it, -with scientific public-spiritedness and zeal. And then he cleared his -throat solemnly and looked up. - -“Gentlemen,” said he, “er--that is--ladies--this is a most interesting -specimen we have here. I regret that with the brief analysis possible -to me I cannot classify it as I should like. A microscopic examination -would be undoubtedly essential for that. But some things I can say. -This is evidently a fossil bone, a portion of the thigh bone, I should -say, probably of some gigantic animal like the Ichthyosaurus. As you -will notice from the compactness of the structure and the heaviness, -it is much solidified, thus indicating a very remote age, probably the -upper Cretaceous at the very least, or possibly the Silurian. I am not -able to say positively because----” - -The Parson stopped and gazed about him with a surprised and rather -injured air. Really the rudeness of some people was amazing! Here were -the two he was talking to actually leaning back in their chairs and -giving vent to peals of laughter, what about he had no idea. This was -really too much! - -It was at least five minutes before either Mark or his companion could -manage to stop long enough to explain to the puzzled geologist that he -had been classifying a porcelain jug. And when they did and he realized -it he sat back in his chair and gazed at them in utter consternation. -He never said one word for at least a minute; he simply stared, while -the idea slowly percolated through his mind. Grace Fuller, ever -kind-hearted and considerate, had begun to fear that he was angry, and -then suddenly the Boston scholar leaned back in his chair, opened his -classic mouth, and forth therefrom came a roar of laughter that made -the sentries away over by camp start in alarm. - -“Ho, ho, ho!” shouted he. “Ho, ho! ha, ha! he, he! A jug! Yea, by Zeus, -a jug! By the nine immortals, a jug!” - -Mark stared at him in undisguised amazement. During all his -acquaintance with that solemn scholar, he had never seen such an -earthquake of a laugh as that. And evidently, too, the Parson was not -used to it, for when he stopped he was so out of breath and red in the -face that he could hardly move. - -And that was the first, last, one and only time that Parson Stanard -was ever known to laugh. It took a peculiar sort of a joke to move the -Parson. - -It took also quite an amount of sputtering and gasping to restore the -gentleman’s throat and lungs to their ordinary normal condition. That -spasm of hilarity which had plowed its way through him like a mighty -ship through the waves had left little ripples and gurgles of laughter -which bubbled forth occasionally for the next ten minutes at least. It -passed, however, at last, to return no more, and Parson Stanard was -the same, solemn and learned Parson as ever. - -“Gentlemen,” said he, “er--that is--ahem--ladies--that was indeed a -most extraordinary blunder for a student of geology to make.” - -“It fooled us all,” said Grace, consolingly. - -“Ahem!” responded he, with crushing severity. “That was to be expected. -But one who has pursued the science as the study of his life should not -thus be deceived. Gentlemen, I am tired of being fooled, yea, by Zeus!” - -“Do you mean,” inquired Mark, “that you want us to stop playing jokes -on you?” - -Mark had been a little conscience-stricken during that last prank. He -expected the Parson to answer his question in the affirmative, and he -meant in all seriousness to agree to stop. But the Parson’s answer was -different. His professional pride had been awakened. - -“I mean nothing of the kind!” said he. “I mean that I no longer mean to -let you. I mean that a man who has so long resisted and outwitted our -enemy, the yearlings, ought now to be beyond deception. I will no more -be fooled!” - -There was quite an exciting adventure destined to grow out of that -scholarly defiance, an adventure that none of those present had the -least suspicion of then. - -“Do you mean,” inquired Mark, laughingly, “that you defy the Banded -Seven to fool you again?” - -“Yea, by Zeus!” said the Parson, emphatically. “And I mean not -only geologically, but in any other way whatsoever, logically or -illogically.” - -Mark chuckled softly to himself at that. - -“I’ll try it some day,” he said. “I’ll give you a chance to forget it -meanwhile.” - -He said nothing more about it then, and a minute or so later the Parson -arose to go. - -“Ahem!” said he. “Gentlemen--er--that is--ladies--I bid you -good-afternoon. I really fear to incur further risk by yielding to the -charms of the siren’s voice. Farewell!” - -Mark and the girl sat in silence and watched his ungainly figure stride -away down the path; and suddenly she fell to laughing merrily. - -“The Parson’s dignity is insulted,” she said. “He is getting bold and -defiant.” - -“And I see room for no end of fun just there,” responded Mark. “I had -an inspiration a few moments ago, watching him. And I have a perfectly -fascinating plot already.” - -“Do you mean,” inquired Grace, “that you are going to take his -challenge up so soon?” - -“That’s just what I do,” laughed Mark. “I mean to do it this very -night, before he’s expecting it.” - -“What is it?” - -“I told you a few moments ago, didn’t I, that the Parson was excited -over the possibility of finding a treasure?” - -The girl was staring at Mark with a look of interest and curiosity. -That single hint was enough for her quick-witted mind, and her -beautiful face was lit up with excitement in a moment. - -“Jeminy!” she cried. “That’s so! Oo! Let me help, won’t you? We’ll fool -the Parson with a treasure!” - -During the next half hour those two conspirators, completely oblivious -of everything, just sat and whispered and chuckled. They were off in a -lonely corner with no one to overhear them, and they put their heads -together and concocted schemes by the bushel, getting more and more -excited and hilarious every moment. And then suddenly Mark sprang up -with a cry of delight, said good-by in a hurry and rushed away. - -“I must tell the rest of the Seven!” he laughed. “This is too good to -keep! And oh, say, if we can work it! Whoop!” - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -STANARD’S STRANGE VISITOR. - - -Dress parade, which took place immediately after the above occupied -the time until supper. It was growing dark by the time the battalion -marched back from mess hall, and the plebes sighed and realized that -one more Saturday half holiday was gone. Parson Stanard, with whom we -have to do at present, looked around for his fellow members as soon as -the plebe company broke ranks. He found to his surprise that they had -disappeared suddenly, gone he knew not where. They had gone to put into -execution the plot to fool him, but Stanard did not know it. He turned -and strolled away by himself in the gathering dusk. - -Near Trophy Point, just west of the camp, stands Battle Monument. -North of it stretches one of the finest views that the Hudson Valley -affords, a winding river reaching the horizon’s end with the mountains -of the Highlands sloping to its very shores. The Parson liked that view -especially at this “hour of peace.” The Parson was wont to preach long -sermons to himself upon the sublimity of nature and the insignificance -of man, etc., whenever he walked out there. And so now he seated -himself in a quiet nook and soon forgot where he was and everything -else about himself. - -Others knew where he was, however, and from a safe distance were eying -his meditative form. It got darker and darker, stars began to come -out one by one, and the moon began to turn from white to golden. All -this was lost upon the solitary philosopher, who would probably have -remained hidden in his own thoughts until tattoo sounded, had it not -been for one unpleasant interruption. - -Now the Parson did not like to be interrupted; he looked up with an -obvious expression of annoyance, when he became aware of the fact that -a figure was approaching him, had stopped and was staring at him. But -when the Parson surveyed the figure, he forgot to be annoyed, for it -was a very peculiar-looking figure, and moreover it was acting very -peculiarly too. - -From what the Parson could see of him in the darkness he was an old -pack peddler. His figure was bent and stooping, and he bore upon his -back a heavy load. As to his face, it was so covered by a growth of -heavy black hair and beard that the Parson could see nothing but a -pair of twinkling eyes. Such was the man; to the Parson’s infinite -amazement he was setting down his pack and preparing to display his -wares to him--to him, the refined and cultured Boston scholar. - -“Shoe laces, suspenders?” muttered the curious creature, in a low, -disagreeable voice. - -“No!” said the other, emphatically. - -“Matches, collar buttons?” - -“No!” cried the Parson, this time angrily. - -“Socks, combs, brushes?” - -“No! Go away!” - -“Hairpins, needles, necklaces?” - -“I tell you I don’t want anything!” exclaimed the cadet. “You disturb -my meditations, yea, by Zeus, exceedingly! I have no money. I don’t -want anything!” - -The strange old man paid not the least attention to these emphatic and -scholarly remonstrances. He was still fumbling at his pack, about to -display the contents. And so the Parson, who was exceedingly provoked -at having been interrupted in a most valuable train of thought, seeing -the man was persistent, sprang up and started to hurry away in disgust. - -And then suddenly he was brought to a halt again, completely, as much -startled as if he had been shot through the back. For the old man had -raised his voice commandingly and called aloud: - -“Stop!” - -Completely mystified and not a little alarmed by that extraordinary -act, the Parson turned and stared at the weird figure. The peddler was -still bent half to the ground, but he had flung back his bushy head and -extended his hand in a gesture of command. - -“Wh--why!” stammered the amazed cadet. “By Zeus!” - -The old man continued to stand, his piercing eyes flashing. And then -suddenly he dropped his hand and in a low, singsong voice began to -mumble, as if to himself. His very first words rooted the Parson to the -spot in amazement and horror. - - “Deep within a mountain dreary - Lies a cavern old and dark; - Where the bones of men lie bleaching - In a chamber, cold and stark.” - -The Parson had turned as white as any bones; he was gasping, staring at -the horrible creature, who knew the secret that the Parson had thought -was his friends’ alone to tell. His consternation it is difficult -to imagine; the crouching figure saw it, and took advantage of it -instantly. Without making another sound, he backed away; beckoning, -the Parson following instinctively, helplessly. They stood beneath the -protecting shadow of some high bushes, and there once more the weird -figure raised his arms, and the amazed cadet quailed and listened: - - “’Twas a secret not for mortals - Hidden by that cavern walls - For beyond those gloomy portals----” - -“In the name of all that is holy!” cried the Parson, suddenly. “By -the nine Olympians, by the nine Heliconian muses, I abjure you! By -the three Cyclos, by the three Centimani, the three Fates, the three -Furies, the three Graces! By Acheron and the Styx! By the Pillars of -Hercules and the Palladium of Troy. By all that men can mention, yea, -by Zeus, I demand to know how you learned this!” - -The Parson gasped after that; and the old man went on: - - “Silence, rash, presumptuous mortal, - Seekest thou the Fates to know? - At whose word e’en Zeus doth tremble, - Sun and earth and moon below.” - -There was nothing like a classical allusion to awe the Parson; -convinced of the strange man’s superiority, then, he dared not a word -more. - - “Bold and reckless those who entered, - Risks they ran they never knew. - But, once entered their’s the secret, - Secret that I tell to you. - - “At the hour of midnight venture - To that cavern black to go. - Fear not! I protection give thee, - Keep thee safe from every foe. - - “Bear a spade upon thy shoulder; - Take thy friends to give thee aid, - Deep to dig in search of treasure - Once beneath its carpet laid. - - “Find a lamp--by you ’twas lighted - When you first beheld those halls. - ’Tis the secret I shall give thee-- - Dig--where’er its shadow falls!” - -The old man stopped abruptly. The amazed cadet was staring at him in -the utmost consternation. And then suddenly the man raised his hand -again. - -“Go!” he said. - -The Parson followed his finger; it was pointing to the camp; and -hesitating but a moment more Stanard turned and started away, his brain -reeling so that he could hardly walk, his ears still echoing the words: - - “’Tis the secret I shall give thee-- - Dig--where’er its shadow falls!” - -He never once turned to look back at that mysterious figure. If he had -he might have been more surprised than ever. For the figure, hiding -behind the bush, flung off its pack, stepped out of the old man’s rags, -tore off a heavy false beard and wig and emerged---- - -Mark Mallory! - -He whistled once, and a drum orderly, bribed for the occasion, ran out -and hurried off with the things. And Mark rushed over and burst into a -group of cadets that stood near. - -“It worked! It worked!” he cried. “Oh, you should have seen how it took -him in! And he’ll go as sure as we’re alive.” - -And just then tattoo sounded and the six villains set out on a run for -the camp. - -Now Parson Stanard’s scholarly features were solemn enough under any -circumstances; when there was anything to make them still more so he -was a sight to behold. This was the case that evenings for the Parson, -when he fell into line, was looking as if the future destiny of the -universe were resting upon his shoulders, and his hilarious comrades -were scarcely able to keep from bursting into laughter every time they -glanced at him. - -He was too busy with his own thoughts to notice them, however. He was -so much occupied by speculations upon the mystery of that weird old man -that he forgot for a moment to answer to his name at roll call, and -had to be poked in the ribs to wake him up. Then the line melted away, -and still solemn he marched into his tent and gathered his “wondering” -fellow-devils about him. - -“Gentlemen,” said he, “I have a tale to tell you. I have this day, this -very hour, met with an adventure, preternatural or supernatural, that -exceeds the capacities of the human intellectualities to appreciate. -Gentlemen, I am no believer in signs or auguries; but never did the -oracle of Delphi or the Sibyl of Cumea promulgate a prophecy more -extraordinary than one----” - -“What on earth’s the matter?” cried the six, in obvious amazement. - -“You seen a ghost?” inquired Texas. - -“No, gentlemen,” said the Parson. “But I have seen some one or -something that I should be glad to know was a ghost, something more -marvelous than any hitherto recorded, spiritualistic manifestation. And -I am sorely perplexed.” - -After this and a little more of similar introduction the Parson -finally managed to get down to business and tell to his horrified (oh, -yes!) companions the tale of his adventure. - -“Say look a-here, Parson,” demanded Texas, when he had finished, “you -expect us to believe that aire yarn?” - -“That’s what I say!” added Mark. “He’s trying to fool us.” - -“Gentlemen,” protested the other, “do I look like a man who was joking?” - -He didn’t for a fact; he looked like a man who had been through a flour -mill. - -“But that don’t make any difference,” vowed Mark. “You’re just putting -on thet face to help deceive us.” - -“By Zeus!” exclaimed the Parson. “Gentlemen, I swear to you that I am -serious. I swear it by the bones of my grandfather. I swear----” - -“Make it grandmother,” hinted Texas. - -“I swear it by the poisons of Colchia,” continued the other -indignantly. “By the waters of the Styx, by the sands of the Pactolus, -by the spells of Medea, by the thunderbolts of Jove, by the sandals of -Mercury----” - -The Parson would probably have continued swearing by everything known -to mythology, keeping up until “taps” stopped him. But by that time -the conspirators saw fit to believe him. - -“This is an extraordinary state of affairs,” said Mark, solemnly. -“Really, fellows, do you know I think we ought to go?” - -“B’gee, so do I,” cried Dewey. - -“I was about to extend you an invitation,” said the Parson. “For my -part I am determined to go this very night. Nothing shall stop me, -gentlemen. My mind is made up. That treasure, revealed to me under such -circumstances, I am determined to secure, and that in spite of whatever -dangers I may meet, whatever foes may oppose me, whatever----” - -“Bully for the Parson!” whispered Texas. “He’s gittin’ spunky.” - -“We are by no means the first,” said the solemn scholar, “to undertake -a dangerous search for wealth. The ancient poets sang of Jason and the -Argonauts and the Search for the Golden Fleece.” - -“This yere’s the biggest golden ‘fleece’ of any of ’em,” observed -Texas, slyly. But the Parson didn’t hear that. - -He continued all innocent and unsuspecting as ever. And when the Seven -went to sleep at last it was with a solemn promise on their lips to be -up and doing in time to reach the “cave” by midnight. - -As for the Parson, he did not sleep at all; he was too excited. The -Parson was in a regular Captain Kidd humor that night. Gold! Gold! He -waited impatiently until the “tac” had inspected after taps, and then -he turned over on his back and stared at the roof of the tent and lay -thinking over the extraordinary adventure he had met with, and the -still more extraordinary adventures that were likely to result from -it. He was even going so far as to speculate what he was going to do -with his wealth. He’d divide it among the rest, of course. And what -magnificent fossils he was going to purchase with his share! - -He had not long to dwell over that, however. It was two good miles -through the woods to that cave, and it might take them some time to -find it besides. And not to be there at twelve would be a calamity -indeed. The Parson hadn’t a very clear idea why he must dig at -midnight particularly, but he thought it best to obey orders and ask -no questions. So very soon after he heard the sentry call the hour of -half-past ten he sprang up and awakened his fellow treasure hunters. - -Indian was on guard that night; and so the six remaining who were to -conduct the expedition, found no trouble in stealing out of camp. -They arose and dressed hastily, and then, not without some little -nervousness lest their absence should be noticed, they stole across -their friend’s sentry beat and made a dash for the woods. - -Parson Stanard’s gold-hunting expedition was started. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -AN UNEXPECTED RESULT. - - -The walk through that mountain forest was one to be remembered for some -time. In the first place, the Parson had been provident enough to fee -a drum orderly to steal him a spade and hide it. The Parson insisted -upon carrying that spade himself, for that was what the old man had -said. And the Parson was careful to carry it upon his shoulder, too. -It was surprising how superstitious he had suddenly become; during the -dismal trip he enlivened them by a classic discussion of the scientific -evidence for and against ghosts, goblins, and magic. - -“But, gentlemen,” he said solemnly, “one such experience as this of -mine convinces a man more than ten thousand arguments, yea, by Zeus!” - -Here Texas went into a roar of laughter, which fortunately wound up in -a coughing fit and so excited no suspicions. - -Did you ever try to walk through a black woods at night--a really dark -night? Rocks and logs seem just built to catch your shins; bushes and -cobwebs for your eyes. And every one in the party vows that the way -they ought to go is off there. The six wandered about desperately, time -fairly flying and the excited guide and treasure hunter getting more -and more fearful lest the hour should have passed. - -It seemed almost by a miracle that they finally reached the cliff -in which lay the cave. The entrance was a bush-covered hole in the -rocks some ten feet from the ground. The Parson lost not a moment in -clambering up and getting in, for he was in a hurry. - -The five others, still chuckling joyfully over the success of their -deception, followed him in one after another. The party had plenty of -matches and candles provided this time, and so one of the lamps in the -uncanny place was soon lighted, and then they were ready for work. - -The Parson, businesslike and solemn, hauled out his watch. - -“Three minutes,” he said. “Just in time.” - -He passed the watch to Mark without another word. Mark held it in his -hand to give the signal and the Parson whipped off his coat and seized -the shovel with a desperate grip. - -“You’ll have to cut the carpet,” said one of them. - -The Parson had thought of that; he hauled a huge clasp knife from under -his jacket. Mark considered it a shame to spoil the place that way, and -for a moment he thought of telling and stopping the fun. But by that -time the thoroughly excited geologist was down on his knees carving out -a slice. - -He had lit the lamp, according to the directions. Its shadow, of -course, fell right underneath, and there the Parson was about to work. - -There was a strange scene at that moment, if any one had been there -to see it. First there was the mysterious dimly-lit cave; underneath -the solitary light stood the excited figure of the long-haired Boston -genius, his eyes glittering, his hand trembling. He clutched the spade -with determination, and gazed anxiously at Mark, like a racer awaiting -the signal. The five others were standing about him, winking at each -other slyly, and egging the Parson merrily on. Oh, how they did mean to -make him dig! - -It was a solemn moment for the Parson. To say nothing of the treasure -he meant to find there was his scientific interest in the experiment, -testing the old “wizard’s” learning. Then suddenly Mark Mallory looked -up. - -“Now!” said he. - -And the Parson jammed his spade into the ground the same instant. The -great treasure hunt had begun. - -Fairly bubbling over with fun, the conspirators gathered about him, -stooping down and staring anxiously, jumping about and exclaiming -excitedly, and above all urging the workman to still greater haste. - -“Dig! Dig!” they cried. - -And you can rest assured the Parson did dig! His long bony arms were -flying like a machine. Beads of perspiration gathered on his classic -brow; his breath came in gasps that choked off his numerous learned -exclamations. And yet he kept on, flinging the dirt in showers about -the room until the place began to look as if a sandstorm had struck it. -The Parson was working as never had a parson worked before. - -The others gave him little chance to rest, either; they kept up his -frenzy of excitement by every means they could think of. But such -working as that was bound to end soon, for even geological muscles -can’t stand everything. In this case the end came of its own accord, -for the simple reason that the hole got too deep. In his wild -excitement Stanard had dug only a narrow one; and by and by he got -down so far that he could barely reach the bottom with the end of his -shovel. Then he stopped. - -“By Zeus!” he gasped, “Gentlemen, this is--outrageous!” - -“A shame!” cried Mark. “What are we going to do? Hurry up, it’s away -after midnight.” - -The Parson gazed around him wildly; he was as anxious to hurry as any -one, but he didn’t know what to hurry at. - -“Wow!” growled Texas. “Why don’t you fellers hurry up thar? Whar’s that -air treasure? Did you bring me ‘way out hyar to git nothin’?” - -This and dozens of similar remarks got the Parson very much discouraged -and disgusted indeed. - -“Gentlemen!” he protested, “I cannot help it, I really cannot! I swear -to you by all the inhabitants of Tartæus that if I knew what to do I -should do it with all possible celerity. But what----” - -“I don’t believe there’s any treasure there,” growled Texas. “It’s all -a fake.” - -“That’s what I say, too, b’gee!” cried Dewey. “I just believe the -Parson wanted to show us he knew how to dig graves. I wish I were -asleep in my tent! Reminds me of a story I once heard, b’gee----” - -“Don’t tell us any stories,” exclaimed Mark with feigned anger. “The -Parson has told us enough for one night. This is outrageous.” - -The poor Parson had sunk into a chair in exhaustion and resignation. -Evidently there was no more fun to be gotten out of him, Mark thought, -and was about to propose returning to camp, when suddenly another idea -flashed across him. - -“Jove!” he exclaimed, excitedly. “I didn’t think of that!” - -The Parson sprang up again with a sudden renewal of interest and life. - -“What is it?” he cried. “What is it?” - -“I’ve got an idea!” shouted Mark. “Ye gods! Why didn’t I think of that -before. I know why we haven’t found the treasure!” - -The Parson’s excitement was genuine; the others joined in with his -exclamations to keep up the effect. - -“What is it?” they cried, yet more loudly. - -“Did that wizard tell you to light the lamp?” Mark demanded of the -Parson. - -“N--no,” stammered the other, obviously puzzled, “but how else could it -have a shadow?” - -For an answer Mark sprang forward and extinguished the lamp. Then he -turned and cried triumphantly: - -“Look!” - -In the partial darkness the light of the moon, coming in through the -hole, alone was visible. It struck the lamp right full and cast a deep -black shadow over in one corner of the cave, close to the wall. - -“Ha!” exclaimed Mark dramatically. “There’s the spot!” - -“B’gee!” cried Dewey, falling in with the scheme. “So it is! And that’s -why he told you to dig at midnight, b’gee!” - -Already the Parson had seized his spade and made a regular kangaroo -leap for the place. Before his hilarious comrades could even start to -follow he had broken ground once more and was flinging the dirt about -with even more reckless eagerness. - -“Go it, go it!” roared the rest. - -The crowd gathered about him in a circle, clapping their hands, dancing -about, and shouting like “rooters” at a baseball game in the oft-quoted -case of “the ninth inning, two out, score a tie,” etc. And never did a -batter “lam her out” with more vigor than the treasure-hunting scholar -“lammed her” into that ground. - -They reached the two-foot mark, and then began the same trouble of -inability to reach the bottom. - -“Better make it bigger, b’gee,” laughed Dewey. “Don’t give up. If it -don’t work this time, b’gee, we’ll light every other lamp in the place -and try their shadows. And then----” - -And then with an exclamation of excitement the Parson sprang back. - -“I’ve struck something!” he cried. - -“Whoop!” roared the crowd chuckling. “We’ve found the treasure! Hooray!” - -“It’s hard,” panted the excited Stanard. - -“It’s as hard as a rock, isn’t it?” said Mark, with a sly wink. And -then he added under his breath, “A rock it is.” - -But the Parson was too busy to hear that. He was working feverishly, -plunging his spade into the ground, flinging out the earth, -occasionally hitting the object with a sharp sound that made him get -more overjoyed and the rest get more convulsed with laughter. - -Truly the solemn Parson digging a trench was a most ludicrous sight; -his next move was more ludicrous still. He got down on his stomach, -flat, and reached into the ground. - -“Whoop!” roared Texas, “it’s good he’s got long arms! Hooray, we’ve got -our treasure!” - -“Yes, by Zeus!” cried the Parson, springing up and facing them. His -next words almost took them off their feet, and no wonder. “Gentlemen,” -he said, solemnly, “we have got a treasure! It’s got a handle!” - -The five stared at each other in dumb amazement. - -“A handle!” they echoed. “A handle!” - -And then Mark flung himself to the ground, and reached in. - -When he got up again it was with a look on his face that struck the -others into a heap. - -“Fellows,” he cried, “as I live, it has got a handle!” - -The Parson of course was not in the least surprised; it was what he -had been expecting all along. What surprised him was their surprise, -and incredulity, and blank amazement. Each one of them must needs -stoop and verify Mark’s extraordinary statement, learn that there was -something down there with a handle for a fact. And then, as completely -subdued and serious as ever were merry jokers they took the spade from -the exhausted Stanard and set to work to dig with real earnestness, -and in silence. No exclamation they could think of came anywhere near -expressing their state of mind. - -They widened the hole the Parson had made, and thus exposed one -corner of the object, which proved to be a wooden chest, of what size -they could not tell. And that discovery completed the indescribable -consternation of the five. There never was a joke stopped much more -abruptly than that one. - -They continued digging; to make a long story short they dug for half -an hour steadily, and by that time had succeeded in disclosing the box -which was over two feet long and surrounded by hard clay. Having freed -it, Mark sprang down and tried to life it; he failed, and they dug -the hole yet wider still. Then, fairly burning up with excitement and -curiosity and eagerness, the whole five got down into the ditch and -lifted out the chest. - -It cost them quite an effort even then; but they got it out at last and -gathered around it, staring curiously, whispering anxiously. It was -locked firmly, that they could see. But the wood was rotten and Mark -seized the shovel and knocked the hinges off the back with one quick -blow. Then the six stood and stared at each other, each one of them -hesitating for a moment before revealing that uncanny mystery. - -That did not last very long, however. Mark grasped the lid firmly and -wrenched it back. And as one man the six leaped forward to glance in. - -“Gold!” - -The cry burst from throats of every one of them at once. They sprang -back and gazed at each other in amazement. For that huge chest was -fairly brimming over with five-dollar gold pieces! - -Oh, what a scene there was for the next ten minutes. The cadets were -fairly wild. They stooped and gazed at the treasure greedily. They ran -their fingers through it incredulously; they danced about the cave in -the wildest jubilation. For there was in that chest money enough to -make each one of them rich. - -And then suddenly an idea flashed over Mark. This was a counterfeiter’s -cave! - -“Is it genuine?” he cried. - -Quick as a wink the Parson whipped two bottles from under his coat. - -“I thought of that,” he said. “Yea, by Zeus! One is for gold, one -silver.” - -He wrenched the stopper out of one bottle and stopped eagerly, the -seven staring in horror. - -“If it’s gold,” he cried, “it’ll turn green!” - -He snatched up one, and poured the acid over it. And the six broke into -a wild cheer as they saw the color come. - -“Try another!” cried Mark. - -For answer the Parson sprang forward and poured the contents of the -bottle over the coins. Everywhere it touched the tarnished metal it -showed the reaction. And the six locked arms and did a war dance about -the place. - -“We’re rich!” they cried. “We’re rich!” - -And then they stole back to camp again. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -DISCOVERY OF THE LOSS. - - -“This is where you wake up and find yourself rich; how do you like it?” - -Mark, who asked the question, was yawning sleepily as he sat up from -his bed, a pile of blankets on the floor of his tent. It was about five -o’clock Sunday morning, and the booming echo of the réveille gun was -still upon the air. Down by the color line a drum was still rattling, -with a fife to keep it company. And throughout the camp cadets were -springing up to dress, just as were the four we noticed. - -There is no tent room in West Point for the man who likes to lie in -bed and doze for half an hour in the morning; cadets have five minutes -to dress in, and they have to be out in the company street lined up -for roll call at the end of that time. And there is no danger of their -failing about it, either. They tell a good story up there about one -fond mother who introduced her young hopeful, a soon-to-be plebe, to -the commandant of cadets, and hoped that they wouldn’t have any trouble -getting “Montmorency dear” up in the morning; they never could get him -up at home. - -But to return to the four A Company plebes who were meanwhile flinging -on their clothes and performing their hasty toilets. - -The lad who propounded the question was Mark, as said before. The -one who answered it was Jeremiah Powers, and Texas vowed he liked -being rich mighty well. He got no chance to explain why or wherefore, -however, for by that time he was outside of the tent, and the -resplendent cadet officer was giving his stentorian order: - -“’Tenshun, company!” - -At which signal the merry groups of cadets changed into an immovable -line of figures stiff as ramrods. - -The plebes had come back to camp late last night, or rather early this -same morning, scarcely able to realize what had happened. They were -still striving to realize it all as they sat whispering to each other -in mess hall. They were rich, all of them. How much they had none of -them had any idea. The learned Parson had informed them--and he didn’t -have to go to a book to find it out, either, that a pound of gold is -worth two hundred and fifty dollars. Allowing two hundred pounds to -that box, which was a modest guess indeed, left some seven thousand -dollars to each of them, a truly enormous fortune for a boy, especially -a West Point plebe who is supposed to have no use for money at all. - -Cadets do their purchasing on “check-book,” as it is called, and their -bills are deducted from their salaries. And though they do smuggle -in some contraband bills occasionally they have no way of making use -of large sums. This was the problem the Banded Seven were discussing -through the meal and while they were busily sprucing up their tents for -“Sunday morning inspection.” - -Texas was for quitting “the ole place” at a jump and making for the -plains where a fellow could have a little fun when he wanted to. The -fact that he had signed an “engagement for service,” or any such -trifle as that, made no difference to him, and in fact there is little -doubt that he would have skipped that morning had it not been for one -fact--he couldn’t leave Mark. - -“Doggone his boots!” growled Texas, “ef he had any nerve he’d come -along! But ef he won’t, I s’pose I got to let that air money lie idle.” - -After which disconsolate observation Texas fell to polishing the -mirror that hung on his tent pole and said nothing more. - -“Think of Texas running away!” laughed Mark. “Think of him not having -Corporal Jasper to come in on Sunday mornings and lecture him for -talking too much instead of sprucing up his tent as a cadet should. -Think of his not having Captain Fisher to march him ’round to church -after that and civilize him! Think of the yearlings having nobody to -lick ’em any more! Think of Bull Harris, our beloved enemy, who hates -us worse than I do warm cod liver oil, having nobody to fool him every -once in a while and get him wild!” - -Mark observed by that time from the twitching in his excitable friend’s -fingers and the light that danced in his eye that his last hit had -drawn blood. Texas was cured in a moment of all desire to leave West -Point. For was not Bull Harris, “that ole coyote of a yearlin’,” a low, -cowardly rascal who had tried every contemptible trick upon Mark that -his ingenuity could invent, and who hadn’t had half his malignity and -envy knocked out of him yet? And Texas go away? Not much! - -Parson Stanard was heard from next. The Parson knew of a most -extraordinary collection of fossils from the Subcarboniferous period. -The Parson had been saving up for a year to buy those fossils, and now -he meant to do it. He swore it by Zeus, and by Apollo, and by each -one of the “Olympians” in turn. Also the Parson meant to do something -handsome by that wonderful Cyathophylloid coral found by him in a -sandstone of Tertiary origin. The Parson thought it would be a good -idea to get up a little pamphlet on that most marvelous specimen, -a pamphlet treating very learnedly upon the “distribution of the -Cyathophylloid according to previous geological investigations and the -probable revolutionary and monumental effects of the new modifications -thereof.” The Parson had an idea he’d have a high old time writing that -treatise. - -Further discourse as to the probable uses of the treasure was cut short -by the entrance of the inspecting officer, who scattered slaughter -and trembling from his eye. Methusalem Z. Chilvers, “the farmer,” -alias Sleepy, the fourth occupant of the tent, was responsible for -disorder that week and the way he caught it was heartrending. He was so -disgusted that as usual he vowed he was going to take his money back to -Kansas and raise “craps.” After which the drum sounded and they all -marched down to chapel. - -A delightful feeling of independence comes with knowing you are -rich. Perhaps you have never tried it, but the Seven were trying it -just then. They beamed down contentedly on irate cadet corporals and -unfriendly yearlings with an air of conscious superiority that seemed -to say, “If you only knew.” Of the Seven there were only two who were -at all used to the sensation of being wealthy. Texas’ “dad,” “the -Honorable Scrap Powers, o’ Hurricane County,” owned a few hundred -thousand head of cattle, and Chauncey, “the dude,” was a millionaire -from New York; but all the others were quite poor. Mark was calculating -just then what a satisfaction he meant to have in sending some of that -money to his widowed mother, to whom it would be a very welcome present -indeed. - -He was thinking of that in the course of the afternoon, when church -and likewise dinner had passed, leaving the plebes at leisure. And -so he proposed to them that they take a walk to pass the time and -incidentally bring some of that buried wealth back with them. Nothing -could have suited the Seven better, as it happened. They were all -anxiety again to get up to that cave and hear those gold coins jingle -once more. To cut the story short, they went. - -It was a merry party that set out through the woods that afternoon. -The Seven were usually merry, as we know, but they had extra causes -just then. Everything was going about as well for them as things in the -world could be expected to go. And besides this, Parson Stanard, who -was a wellspring of fun at all times, was in one of his most solemn and -therefore laughable moods at present. - -The thought had occurred to the Parson, as his first sordid flush of -delight at having wealth had passed, that after all he was in a very -unscholarly condition indeed. The very idea of a man of learning being -rich! Why it was preposterous; where was all the starving in garrets of -genius and the pinching poverty that was always the fate of the true -patrons of Minerva. That worried the Parson more than you can imagine; -he felt himself a traitor to his chosen profession. And with much -solemn abjurgation and considerable classical circumlocution he called -the Seven’s attention to that deplorable state of affairs. Search the -records of history as he could, the Parson could not find a parallel -for his own unfortunate condition. And he wound up the afternoon’s -discussion by wishing, yea, by Zeus, that he could be poor and happy -once more. - -Dewey suggested very solemnly that nobody was going to compel the -unfortunate Parson to claim his share, “b’gee”; that he (Dewey) would -be pleased to take it if he were only paid enough to make it worth -while. But somehow or other the Parson didn’t fall into that plan very -readily; perhaps he didn’t think Dewey really meant it. - -Still chatting merrily, the Seven made their way through the mile or -two of woods that lay between the post and the cave. - -As they drew near to the opening the plebes were startled to notice -that the ground at the foot of the rock was marked and torn with -footprints. - -The Seven had not done that, they knew, for they had been of all things -most careful to leave not the least trace that should lead any one to -suspect the presence of their secret cavern. And consequently when -they saw the state of the ground there was but one thought, a horrible -thought that flashed over every one of them. Somebody had been in their -cave! And during the night! - -Almost as one man, the Seven made a dash for the entrance, scrambling -up the rocks. There was never a thought of danger in the mind of any -one of them, never a thought that perhaps some accomplice of the -dead counterfeiters had come to get the gold, might now be inside, -armed against the intruders. They had time to think of but one thing. -Somebody had seen them go in last night, had seen them find the -treasure! And now--and now? - -Texas was the first of them to get to the entrance, for Mark was still -lame with his injured arm. He flung his body through the hole, half -falling to the floor on the other side. The rest heard him stumbling -about and they halted, silent, every one of them, scarcely breathing -for anxiety and suspense. They heard Texas strike a match. They heard -him run across the floor---- - -And a moment later came a cry that struck them almost dumb with horror. - -“Boys, the money’s all gone!” - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -DISCOVERY OF THE THIEF. - - -The state of mind of the Seven cannot be described. A moment before -they had been upon a pinnacle of success and happiness. And now it -seemed that they had climbed but that their fall might be all the more -unbearable. All their ambitions and plans, all the fun they meant to -have--it was too terrible to be true! - -It was half with a feeling of incredulity that one after another they -climbed up to the opening and went in. Not one of them could quite -bring himself to believe that the whole thing was not a horrible -delusion, a nightmare. But when they got inside they found that it was -too true. - -There was the deep trench that Parson Stanard had dug; there was the -spade he had dug it with, the tracks of the others who had gathered -anxiously about to watch him. There was even one of the bright -glittering gold pieces half hidden in the dirt, a horrible mockery, as -it appeared to them; for the big wooden chest that had been full to the -brim with gold pieces, was gone, and the money with it. And all the -hopes of the Banded Seven were gone, too. - -At first they stood and stared, gasping; and then they gazed about the -place in horror, thinking that surely they they must find the chest -lying somewhere else. But it was not there. They dashed around the -room, hunting in every corner of the place, even in the locked cell, -where the ghastly skeletons lay grinning at them as if in delight. But -there was not a sign of the chest, nor of any one who could have taken -it. - -And then suddenly Mark noticed a footprint in the soft earth just -underneath the entrance that told him the story. - -“They’ve taken it out!” he cried. - -Feverish with disappointment and impatience, the Seven scrambled out -again through the hole. There on the ground was the same footprint, -larger than any of theirs. It did not take half an eye to see that. -There, too, was a great three-cornered dent in the ground, showing -where the chest had been dropped. And there were finger marks of the -hand that had scooped up the fallen coins to put them back into the -chest. - -Texas, plainsman and cowboy, had often told stories of how he had -followed a half-washed out trail for miles across an otherwise -trackless prairie. He was on his knees now studying every mark and -sign, his eyes fairly starting from his head with excitement. And -suddenly he sprang to his feet as he noticed a trail a short way off, a -deep, smooth rut worn in the earth. - -“A wheelbarrow!” roared he. - -A wheelbarrow it was, for a fact. And the track of it lay through the -woods to the river. Texas had started on a run, without saying another -word, and the rest were at his heels. - -The men who had taken that heavy chest down that steep forest slope to -the river must have had hard work. Any one could see that as he looked -at the mark of the wheel. It would run down a slippery rock and plunge -deep into the soft earth at the bottom. It would run into a fallen log, -or plunge through a heavy thicket. And once, plain as day was written a -story of how the chest had fallen off and the heap of scattered coins -all been gathered up again. - -These things the plebes barely noticed in their haste. They ran almost -all the way. It was perhaps two hundred yards to the river, and there -was a steep, shelving bank, at the bottom of which was a little pebbly -beach. Down the bank the wheelbarrow had evidently been run, half -falling, upsetting the box once more, and necessitating the same labor -of gathering up the coins. One of them had been left in the sand. - -The poor plebes realized then how hopeless was their search. Deep in -the sand was the mark of a boat’s keel, and they knew that the work of -trailing was at an end. Their treasure was gone forever, stolen during -the few hours since they had left it last. - -“There’s no use shedding any tears about it,” said Mark at last, when -the state of affairs had had time to be realized. “We’ve simply got -it to bear. Somebody probably saw us leave the camp last night and -followed us up here. And when they saw that treasure they just helped -themselves.” - -There is little that will make most people madder than to be told -“never mind” when they feel they have something to be very much -worried over. The Seven did mind a great deal. They sat and stared at -each other with looks of disgust. Even the Parson (who ought to have -been happy) wore a funereal look, and the only one who had a natural -expression was Indian, the fat boy from Indianapolis. That was because -Indian looked horrified and lugubrious always. - -They wandered disconsolately about the spot where the boat had landed -for perhaps five minutes, gazing longingly at the trace of the boat in -the sand and wishing they could see it in the water as well, before any -new development came. But the development was a startling one when it -came. It took no detective to read the secret; it was written plain as -day to all eyes in an object that lay on the ground. - -Mark was the first to notice it. He saw a gleam of metal in the sand, -and he thought it was one of the coins. But a moment later he saw that -it was not, and he sprang forward, trembling with eagerness and sudden -hope. - -A moment later he held up before his startled companions a handsome -gold watch. They sprang forward to look at it. Crying out in surprise -as they did so, and a moment later he turned it quickly over. Written -upon the back were three letters in the shape of a monogram--a monogram -they had seen before on clothing, worn by a yearling, and that yearling -was---- - -“Bull Harris!” - -The scene that followed then precludes description. The Seven danced -about on the sand, fairly howled for what was joy at one moment, anger -at another. There was joy that they had found a clew, that they knew -where to hunt for their treasure; and anger at that latest of the many -contemptible tricks that yearling had tried. - -What Bull Harris had done scarcely needs to be mentioned here--at -least, not to old readers of this series. He had tried every scheme -that his revengeful cunning could suggest to even matters with that -hated Mark Mallory. He had tried a dozen plans to get Mark expelled, a -dozen to get him brutally hazed. And they had all been cowardly tricks -in which the yearling took good care to run no danger. This was the -last, the climax; he had stolen their treasure by night, and what was -almost as bad had he found their secret cavern. And as Mark stood and -stared at that watch he clutched in his hand he registered a vow that -Bull Harris should be paid for his acts in a way that he would not -forget if he lived a thousand years. - -And then he turned to the others. - -“Come on, fellows,” he said. “We can’t gain anything by standing here. -Let’s go back and watch Bull Harris like so many cats until we find -out what he’s done with our money.” - -The Seven turned and made their way through the woods once more, -talking over the situation and their own course as they went. They had -room for but one idea in their heads just now. They must find out where -that money was and get it back, if it was the last thing they ever did -in their lives. - -It was clear that the hiding place could not be very far away, and -that Bull and his cronies must go to it again. The Seven had left the -place at about one in the morning, and réveille came at five; that gave -but four hours in which Bull, who it was presumed, had watched them -digging, had returned to West Point, gotten a boat and wheelbarrow and -taken the treasure away. He could not have taken it a great distance in -that time. - -Another question was, who had helped him? Probably some of his gang, -Mark thought, until he chanced to remember that Bull had another ally -just then. He had a cousin, a youth even less lovely than he staying -at the hotel. And then came another vague idea--perhaps he had the -treasure there. Bull could surely not have it in his tent, and perhaps -he had been afraid to bury it. - -That was but a faint hope, yet Mark decided in a moment to follow it -up. He thought of a scheme. Grace Fuller was at the hotel, and also -George, the Fuller’s family butler. George was a merry, red-faced -Irishman, who had once fired off some cannon at night for the plebes -and scared West Point out of its boots. Mark determined after a -moment’s consultation that George was the man to investigate this clew -for them. - -As I said, it was only a possibility, a very bare one. Mark strolled -around near the hotel late in the afternoon when he returned, keeping a -sharp lookout for the man just mentioned. When he saw him he whispered -to him and strolled slowly away. - -“George,” said Mark, hurriedly, when the other joined him, “do you know -which is Cadet Harris’ cousin, the young man who’s staying in the hotel -there?” - -“Yes, sir,” said the butler. “His name’s Mr. Chandler. Why?” - -“I’ve got a secret,” said Mark, briefly. “It’s something important, and -I want you to help me, without saying a word to any one. Get one of the -women, his chamber-maid if you can, to find out if he’s got a box in -his room.” - -And the butler chuckled to himself. - -“Bless you, sir,” he said. “I can tell you that now. It’s the talk of -the place, among the help. One of the girls saw Mr. Harris and his -cousin carrying a heavy box up to his room just before réveille this -morning.” - -And as Mark turned away again he was ready to shout aloud for joy. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -STEALING FROM THIEVES. - - -“Now,” said Mark, when he rejoined his companions, “we’ve got pretty -definite information to go on with now. Mr. Chandler’s got our money in -his room. The question is what are we to do next?” - -The plebes were sitting over in a secluded corner of Trophy Point -discussing this. Texas doubled up his fists with an angry exclamation. - -“Git it back!” growled he, with a characteristic disregard of details. - -“But how?” said Mark. “Of course we could have him arrested, for he -knew the money was ours. But if we did he’d tell how we skipped camp to -dig it and we’d be dismissed from West Point. Then there’d be the old -Nick to pay.” - -“One case where I’d be thankful I’m not in the habit of paying my -debts,” observed Dewey, tacking on a stray “b’gee” as usual. “As to -Bull and his cousin, I say we punch their faces till they give up the -money. Punch their faces, b’gee!” - -“Doggone their boots!” growled Texas. - -“That might hurt their boots,” laughed Mark, “but it wouldn’t do us any -good. I haven’t heard any feasible suggestion yet. You know possession -is nine points, and they’ve got that.” - -It was Mark who finally hit upon a plan that seemed possible. It was a -wild and woolly plan, too, and it took Texas with a rush. - -“They stole it from us,” said Mark. “I don’t see what better we can do -than steal it back again.” - -“You don’t mean----” gasped Dewey--“b’gee----” - -“Yes, I do,” laughed Mark. “And I mean this very night, too. I mean -that we turn burglars and get our money out of there.” - -And Mr. Jeremiah Powers let out a whoop just then that made the windows -rattle over in that selfsame hotel. Jeremiah Powers hadn’t been quite -so excited since the time he rode out and tried to hold up the cadet -battalion. When the others assented to the plan and vowed their aid, he -nearly had a fit. - -After that the Seven did almost nothing but glance at their watches -during the fast-waning Sunday afternoon. There was no parade to pass -the time. It seemed an age between the sunset gun and supper; and as -for tattoo, all the Parson’s much-vaunted geologic periods, times, -ages and eras, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Treassic, Jurassic -and Cretaceous, were not to be compared with it in length. When they -did finally get into bed they waited another age for taps to sound, -and another for the tac to inspect, and another till the sentry called -half-past ten, and another for eleven, and another for half-past that, -and then twelve, and they couldn’t stand it any longer. - -No matter if it was a rather early hour for burglars to begin -operations, they could not wait any longer. Not a man of them had gone -to sleep (except Indian), such was their impatience. They got up, all -of them, and began to dress hastily, putting on some old clothes a -drum orderly had smuggled in. And a few minutes later that momentous -expedition crossed the sentry post unseen and sat down in old Fort -Clinton. - -Nobody means to say for a moment that there was one of them who was -not badly scared just then. None of them was used to playing burglar -and they could not but see that it was a very serious and dangerous -business at best. Old hands at it often get into serious scrapes, so -what shall we say of greenhorns? The only one of them who had ever -“done a job” was Texas, who had once gotten Mark out of a bad scrape -that way. - -They discussed the programme they were to follow. They knew where the -room was and that it could be reached by climbing the piazza pillars -to the roof above. Texas had climbed those pillars once before, and he -had a rope to help Mark and the rest up this time. After that they were -to enter that room, and Texas, the desperate cowboy, was to hold young -Chandler up till the deed was done. That was all, very simple. But, oh, -how they shivered! - -They were ugly enough looking fellows externally. The clothes they wore -were old and tough-looking, turned up at the collars. Mark had in his -free hand a dark lantern, and Texas was clutching in his pocket a heavy -forty-four caliber which he meant to use. They had masks, every one of -them, or such masks as they could make out of their handkerchiefs. And -anybody who saw them stealing across the grass to the hotel grounds -would have been very much alarmed indeed. - -Fortunately it was a cloudy night, black as pitch. - -Even the white trousers of the lonely sentries who paced the walks -about the camp were scarcely distinguishable. The hotel was a black, -indistinct mass looming up in front of them. The chances of recognition -under such circumstances were few, the plebes realized with a sense of -relief. - -Once hiding close under the shadow of the building they wasted -but little time in consultation. It was a creepy sort of business -altogether, but then they had started, and so there was nothing to -do but go right ahead. Most of them had recovered from their first -nervousness at this crisis anyway, of course excepting poor Indian, who -had seated himself flat on the ground in a state of collapse. Dewey was -behind him ready to grab him by the mouth in case one of Indian’s now -famous howls of terror should show any signs of breaking loose. - -Texas and Mark meanwhile were proceeding calmly to business. The -pillars were very wide and high, and Mark foresaw trouble in getting -himself up them with his crippled arm. And there was still more trouble -in the case of the gentleman from Indianapolis, whose fat little legs -wouldn’t reach halfway around. The difficulty was fortunately removed -by the finding of a short ladder in back of the house. A very few -minutes later the seven anxious plebes were lying upon the piazza roof. - -They wormed their way up close to the wall of the building where they -were safe from observation. And while Mark devoted himself to keeping -Indian quiet Texas set out to reconnoiter. Poor Indian didn’t want to -come, and worse yet, he didn’t want to stay. He felt safer in the hotel -as a burglar than all alone outside in the darkness, and he had an idea -that even Camp McPherson wasn’t safe without Mark. “Alas, poor Indian!” - -Meanwhile as to Texas. Did you ever walk on a tin roof? If you have you -can imagine what a soul-stirring, ear-splitting operation it is, at -midnight, especially when you are in burglar’s costume, with a revolver -in one hand and a dark lantern in the other. Every single individual -bit of tin on the flooring seemed to have a new and original kind of -sound to make, and the six watchers quailed at every one of them. - -Texas was hunting for the window that led into the hall of the -building. The room they meant to enter was unfortunately on the other -side. They had to force the window, creep down the hall and get into -that room. If they could simply have entered it from a window, they -might have gotten out of this foolish scrape a good deal more simply -than they did. - -Texas managed to locate the window without much trouble, and -fortunately he found it open. He beckoned the others silently, and they -crept one by one down to the place, Indian making twice as much noise -as any one because he weighed more. At any rate they climbed through -the window and into the lonely hall of the hotel, where they stood and -listened anxiously. They had not been very quiet, but they did not -believe they had awakened any one; and after this they could be quieter. - -They would have been very much scared and terrified plebes, more so, -all of them, than was Master Smith now, if they could have known the -true state of affairs. For they had awakened some one. And though -they had not the least suspicion of it, a pair of sharp eyes had been -watching their every move. - -They were very beautiful eyes, too. They belonged to a young girl, a -girl with lovely features and bright golden hair. She was sleeping in -one of the rooms on the second floor that fronted on the piazza, and -the sound that awakened her had been the gentle tap upon the roof when -the ladder had been raised. She sat up in bed, and a moment later arose -and crept tremblingly to the window. Peering out into the darkness she -saw the top of the ladder, and a moment later saw a masked face appear -above it, and a masked figure climb up and creep into the shadow of the -building. Another followed it instantly, and another; and then without -a sound the girl dodged down and stole across the floor of the room. - -She crept silently to a trunk that was in one corner; she raised the -lid and fumbled about anxiously in the darkness for something. It felt -cold, like polished steel, when she found what she wanted. She picked -it up and slipped a wrapper over her shoulders, then softly opened the -door of her room to peer out into the hall. - -Meanwhile as to the Seven whom we left standing inside of the window -down near the other end. They were, as has been said, entirely -unconscious of what has just been mentioned. Texas had crept forward -and extinguished the light that burned in the hall, and they were now -standing in total darkness but for the single ray of the lantern. They -held a whispered conversation as to what they should do next. - -Parson Stanard volunteered to pick the lock of Chandler’s door; he -wasn’t a burglar by profession, by Zeus, said he, but he believed -in a gentleman of culture knowing something about all the arts and -professions. (This was whispered in all seriousness.) And so the -Parson crept up to the door, the lantern in his hand. He knelt down -before the lock and fell to examining it cautiously, finally thrusting -in a bent piece of wire and getting to work. He said he could get that -door open in two minutes. - -Meanwhile the others were huddled together waiting anxiously. Indian -was leaning against the wall, making it shake with his nervous -trembling, and Texas was peering out of the window to make sure -that there was no sign of danger there. And then suddenly came the -thunderclap. - -Nothing could be imagined more terrifying to the amateur burglars than -what actually happened in the next half minute. There came first the -sound of a creaking door, a sound that made them start back. And an -instant later a figure sprang out into the hallway, a figure that they -could plainly see in the darkness, for it was white as snow. The figure -raised one arm and called in a voice that was clear and unfaltering: - -“What are you doing there?” - -The plebes stood aghast, trembling. They knew the voice, and that but -increased their horror. For it was Grace Fuller, their dearest friend! - -They all recognized her but one, and that was Texas; Texas had been -leaning out of the window and the voice was not so distinct to him. He -wheeled about with the swiftness of a panther, giving vent to a cry of -anger as he did so. He flung his hand around to his pocket and whipped -out his revolver. Before the others could make a move to stop him he -swung it up to his shoulder. - -And an instant later there came a blinding flash of light and a loud -report that awoke the echoes of the silent building. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -SEVEN BURGLARS IN A SCRAPE. - - -The scene that followed beggars description. Mark had leaped forward to -seize the Texan’s hand, shouting aloud: - -“Stop! stop! It’s Grace Fuller!” - -Texas started back in surprise; at the same moment came the shot, which -was from the girl’s revolver. It was accidental, as she afterward -declared, though the plebes did not know it then. The result frightened -Grace even more than it did them, the bullet buried itself in the wall, -but the sound of the report was followed by a wail of agony from the -terrified Indian, which echoed down the hall. And Grace heard shouts -from various parts of the hotel, doors opening, people running about, -and she knew that her friends were in deadly peril. - -A much more hopeless situation it would be hard to imagine; the girl -was horrified. But her first thought was had she wounded Indian, and -she dashed wildly down the hallway to them. - -One glance at the huddled group of figures sufficed to answer that -question. Before she could make another sound there came a bounding -step upon the stairway. - -“We’ll be discovered!” cried Mark. “Quick!” - -He turned to the window; but a single glance outside showed him two -figures running across the lawn. There was no hope of escape there. -They were gone! - -An instant later Grace Fuller’s clear tones rang in his ear. - -“Come! Come!” - -Like a flash she turned and dashed down the hallway to her room. -Mark followed at her heels, and the rest of them, too, dragging the -half-paralyzed and terrified Indian along, while the shouts and -footsteps swelled louder and louder to urge them on. - -They were just in time. Grace Fuller had scarcely time to push the last -one in and then slam the door before three men, one of them her father, -dashed around a turn of the hall and confronted her white figure -standing at the door, the revolver still in her hand. - -The huddled plebes inside were too alarmed to think. They heard the -quick-witted girl call to the men: - -“Here! Hurry up. This way!” - -And then they heard the footsteps die away again, as the men with -her at their head dashed down the hall toward the rear stairs of the -building. They knew that for the time they were safe. - -They stood panting and breathless, listening for a moment. They heard -the noise at the rear increase; it was evident that everybody was -hurrying in that direction. Mark sprang to the window and looked out. -He saw three men running toward the foot of the ladder. - -“There’s where they went up!” he heard one of them say. - -And then came a shout from the rear and the three dashed around the -building in that direction, leaving the lawn clear and the place -deserted. Mark turned and cried to the others: - -“Come! Quick! Now’s our chance!” - -It was a desperate chance, but they took it. - -“One dash for the camp,” whispered Texas. “Git in an’ hide, no matter -what!” - -They leaped out of the window and made a dash for the ladder. A second -or two might make all the difference now. They might get a start, or -again they might find a man with a revolver to stop them at the foot. -It was a critical situation, and the plebes were quick as lightning, -even Indian. - -Texas dropped to the ground, and Dewey after him. They could not wait -for the others to get down the ladder. Mark slid down like a flash, -holding to the side with one hand. Indian slipped halfway and tumbled -the rest. Chauncey, Sleepy and the Parson came down one on each side, -almost on top of them, and a second or two later the Seven were at the -foot staring about them like so many hunted animals. - -“Come on!” cried Mark, seeing no one. “For your lives!” - -They sprang forward and dashed away toward the camp. They had not gone -a dozen yards before there came a shout from the rear of the hotel, a -shout that swelled to a roar. - -“There they go! Quick! Stop ’em! Halt!” - -Halt? Not much! Those plebes were running as never did man run before. -Even Indian was breaking records, fear urging him to prodigies of -speed. Fortunately there was no one of the pursuers who was armed, but -they were in hot pursuit, and their shouts might have the camp awake -any moment. - -It was a very short distance to the camp, but to the burglars it seemed -a league. They expected a pistol shot any moment, and yet they could -not run any faster. They bounded across the path, through the bushes -and on, until suddenly a high embankment loomed up before them. It -was Fort Clinton, and they dashed around the corner and into the camp -beyond. - -They were not so quick but that the foremost of those in chase saw -clearly where they went; and the cry swelled out upon the breeze: - -“The camp! The camp! The burglars are hiding in the camp! Don’t let -them get out!” - -Fortunately the sentry of the post had been at the other end of the -path. There was no danger of his recognizing them, but he saw them -cross his beat and vanish among the white tents. He heard the cry of -“Burglars!” and as he came dashing down the path toward the spot his -shouts ran out above the others: - -“Corporal of the guard! Post number three!” - -Camp McPherson was in an uproar ten seconds after that. The shouting -awoke every cadet in the place and brought them all to their tent doors -at a bound. The young corporal dashed out of the guard tent and around -to the sentry’s aid, the tactical officer in command right at his -heels with a clank of sword. At the same moment up rushed the crowd of -excited half-clad men from the hotel. - -“Burglars! Burglars! They’re hiding in the camp!” - -The lieutenant (the tac) took in the situation in an instant. He dashed -down the path, warning the sentries as he ran. The officer at the guard -tent turned out the members of the guard a moment later and hurried -them away to double the watch about the camp. At the same time the -“long roll” was being sounded by a drum orderly up by the color line, -summoning the cadets to form at once on the company street. - -Truly those burglars were to have a hard time getting out of that trap, -into which they had gotten so easily. - -Meanwhile, what as to the Banded Seven? The time between when they -entered camp and rushed into their two tents and when the company -battalion formed was perhaps one minute. In that brief space the -plebes had flung off their clothes and hid them feverishly under their -blankets, then leaped into their uniforms and fallen into line. And -that was the end of their danger. - -The battalion once formed there was a hasty roll call, showing all -present. And then began a search of the place. The officers, and some -of the men from the hotel searched every tent, every spot within the -camp. And when they found no burglars they gathered together and stared -at each other and wondered how that could be. The tacs interviewed -the sentries, and each swore that no burglars or any one else had -run across their beats. After which came another search, and another -failure, and more mystery. - -That those burglars had been cadets on a lark no one dreamed. For they -had been desperate-looking burglars, masked and armed. But where were -they now? - -No one knew, and no one knows to this day. The cadets returned to their -tents, discussing the curious situation, and in a few minutes more the -camp had settled into its customary stillness. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -WATCHING THE TREASURE. - - -“Any news yet?” - -“Nothing. I guess they’re waiting till night to move it.” - -“Do you suppose they knew the burglars were after it last night?” - -“No, I don’t. They haven’t the least idea of it, I’m sure. I heard Bull -Harris talking about it this afternoon.” - -The Seven were waiting for a summons to drill, and sitting in one of -the tents of the summer encampment. The cadet who was answering the -questions was Mark. He had just entered the tent as the conversation -before mentioned began. - -“Bull Harris will never get that treasure away from us,” he continued. -“That is, not unless he has more sense than I think he has. Bull is -busy all day, nearly the same as we; so I think he’ll try to move it at -night. We can watch him then, and stand a fair show to get it back. You -see it was only night before last that he stole it from our cave, and I -think he’s pretty sure we haven’t found it out yet. We’ve been careful -not to awaken any suspicions.” - -“Keerful!” echoed Texas. “Pshaw! I don’t see whar the keerful part is. -We stole over thar to the hotel last night an’ went up to the room and -tried to run off with it. An’ ef somebody hadn’t a seen us, we’d a had -it, too.” - -“Bull Harris has small idea that those desperate burglars were his old -plebe enemies,” laughed Mark. “I heard him talking about the burglars -to the cadets this morning. He said he thought they had come up from -Highland Falls and----” - -The conversation was cut short just then by the rattle of a drum, which -caused the plebes to spring up and hustle out of the tent in a hurry -to “fall in” for the morning drill in evolutions, which ended the -plotting, for that hour at least. - -The treasure was still in the hotel. By way of penance for her last -night’s stupidity, Grace Fuller had volunteered to see that the chest -was not carried from the place that day without the plebes learning of -it. Mark had been over to inquire a short while ago; his report had -been as stated. - -He was mistaken, however, in his idea that the yearling had no idea -who the burglars were. Young Chandler had picked up a revolver dropped -in the hall by Texas. Texas hadn’t missed it; he had too many for that. -But this one had his initials on it, and Chandler had “caught on” to -the state of affairs in no time. So Bull did know that he was watched, -and he was using all his cunning to outwit his unsuspecting enemies. A -chest of gold was a stake worth playing hard for. - -Slowly the day passed. Chandler still held on to that revolver, with -the “J. P.” on the hilt. Likewise to the box of treasure in the corner -of his room. And he and Bull were busily plotting a way to remove it to -safety, and if possible get its real owners into trouble besides. Bull -thought they might make another effort to steal it. “It would be just -like the fools,” said he, “and if they do, they won’t get away quite so -easily again.” - -Bull had a decided advantage in the matter, as you may easily see. -He was working with his eyes open. He knew the situation. The Seven, -on the other hand, were blinded by their supposition that they were -unwatched and unsuspected. - -Moreover, Bull had what Texas would have called the “drop” on them with -that gun. - -He was going to cap the climax by getting the treasure safely out of -reach; then he calculated that his long-sought revenge over Mark would -be obtained. - -Bull watched Mark and his “gang” slyly during the day. Bull hated each -and every individual member of that gang with all the concentrated -hatred of which he was capable. Mark had foiled and outwitted him at -every turn--the wild and woolly Texan had thrashed him once; “Indian,” -the fat and timid “kid” from Indianapolis, had gotten mad one day and -interrupted one of Bull’s hazing bees, attacking the yearling with a -fury that had knocked him off his feet. - -Then there was the Parson, who was one of the most inoffensive scholars -this world has ever made, but he did object to being tied in a sack -“like a member of the Turkish harem,” as he vividly described it. And -when Bull tried that, the Parson had a fit and put his classical and -geological muscles at work on Bull’s nose. - -Then came “B’gee” Dewey, light-hearted, with a laugh that put everybody -in a good humor. Not so Bull; Dewey had once had the nerve to refuse -to climb a tree because Bull said to, and had given Bull two black -eyes during the scrimmage that followed. Besides these there were -“Chauncey, the dude,” and “Sleepy, the farmer,” who had once attacked -Bull and five other yearlings, and who, besides this, had dared to join -Mallory’s gang, an unpardonable offense anyhow. Bull Harris had much to -revenge, but he thought he was about to make up for all of it in a very -brief time. - -The day passed without incident to interest us. It was the usual -routine of duty for the plebes, with much drilling and very little -rest. Grace Fuller kept some one watching Chandler all day with no -result; and that is all there is to be said. - -The plot began to unfold itself that night, however. Chandler strolled -in to see Bull after supper, a fact which the Seven noticed with no -small amount of glee. - -“He’s fixing up something for to-night,” they whispered. - -That seemed to be the state of affairs for a fact, and the Seven made a -compact then and there to stay awake and prevent it if it was the last -thing they ever did in their lives. - -That is, all of them but one. The one was the Parson. The Parson, -it appeared, had been “geologizing” during the morning; he had -secured some extraordinary specimens of rocks. There were pyrites -and fluorites, belemnites and ammonites, hematites, andalusies and -goniatites, to say nothing of Hittites and Jebusites, added by the -facetious Dewey, with outasites and gottabites. However that may -be, Parson Stanard had found a piece of “horn-blend, with traces of -potassium nitrate manifested.” So extraordinary a phenomenon as that -could not be allowed to pass unnoticed, especially for any quantity -of ordinary twenty-two carat gold, with no interest to the chemist -whatsoever. The Parson vowed he was going to analyze that specimen that -evening as soon as camp was quiet. - -Dewey suggested that evening ought to be pretty good time to test for -“nitrates,” whereupon the Parson turned away with a solemn look of pain -and fell to examining his chemicals. The Parson had discovered a loose -board in the flooring of his tent, and with true Bostonian originality -he had hidden all his specimens and apparatus under that; the Texan’s -revolvers were there, too, making a most interesting collection of -articles altogether. - -We must go on to the adventures of the evening. The Parson’s chemistry -was destined to play a most important part in the affair, but not just -at present. - -Tattoo sounded, calling the cadets to roll call and bed; taps comes -half an hour later, “lights out and all quiet.” Then the “tac” -inspected and went to bed also, after which the Parson got up, let down -his tent walls, lighted his candle, and set out his array of test-tubes -and reagents. Then also Texas got up and stole out of the tent, past -the sentry, and over to the hotel. - -It had been agreed that the place was to be watched from the distance -every moment that night. Texas had put in a claim to be first, and he -was on his way to spend an hour hiding in the bushes. Chandler and Bull -Harris weren’t going to remove that treasure without a “scrap.” - -As it happened, Texas was not going to have to wait long. It appears -that Bull imagined that the Seven were going to try burglary again; his -plan to fool them was to hide the treasure early, before the people -in the hotel were quiet, and so before the plebes could do anything. -Then, the treasure once out of the way, Chandler might easily trap the -plebes. It was quite a clever scheme indeed, and Bull was in a hurry to -put it into execution. - -He stole out of camp as Texas had done, and stole into the hotel at the -rear entrance. At the same moment Texas rose up out of the bushes and -sped away toward camp at the top of his speed. - -Which was where the excitement began. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -THE SEVEN IN A TRAP. - - -Some ten minutes after Bull Harris vanished in the shadow of the hotel, -two figures came down the stairs, bearing a heavy burden between them. -There was no one in the neighborhood to observe them. They crept out -the back door and gently deposited their load upon a wheelbarrow that -stood near. A moment more and they and the wheelbarrow, too, had -disappeared in the shadow of the trees. - -At the same instant six figures dashed past the sentry at the camp and -set out to follow swiftly. They were the members of the Banded Seven, -minus the chemical Parson. The other two were Chandler and his cousin. - -The latter were wary as foxes; they were aware of the fact that they -might be followed, and Bull was glancing over his shoulder at every -step. But owing to the sentries that patrol the post, he had to keep -in the dark shadow of the woods by the river front, and that was where -the six got their chance to hide. They were cautious, too; even our -fat friend, Joseph Smith, was as silent and stealthy as any genuine -“Indian.” - -Bull and his companion skirted the buildings to the south, and emerged -upon the road to Highland Falls. Down this they hurried for a short -distance, and then turned into a patch of thick woods just above cadet -limits. In the center of the woods they halted, set down their load and -went right to work without further parley. They were going to bury the -treasure, where it would be safe beyond possibility of danger. - -That was their plan. To be very brief, I may say that they did not -get far. Bull had barely had time to plunge his spade into the ground -before there came a sound of a snapping twig that made him start as if -he had been shot. - -It was a dark night, very dark, and the two frightened rascals could -distinguish little. But one thing they did see; that was the grinning -countenance of the “son o’ the Hon. Scrap Powers, o’ Hurricane County, -Texas,” at the present moment peering over the barrel of a luminous and -voluminous revolver. - -There never was a hold up more sudden and complete than that, at least -not in the experience of our cowboy friend. Chandler had a revolver -in his pocket (the one that Texas had dropped), but he did not dare -to make a move to touch it. He was too well aware of Jeremiah Powers’ -reputation among the cadets. Chandler and Bull could do nothing but -stare and gasp. - -It was not part of the programme of the six to keep them in suspense -for any time. Texas kept his gun leveled, reinforced by another in his -other hand, while Mark and his companions, smiling cheerfully, stepped -out and proceeded to take possession in genuine Dick Turpin style. - -In the first place, there were the prisoners to be attended to. They -were too much confounded and frightened to resist, and they speedily -found themselves lying flat as pancakes on the ground, tied hand and -foot, with handkerchiefs in their mouths for an extra precaution. -Then, and then only, Texas shoved his revolvers back where they came -from; and the others laid hold of the wheelbarrow and the whole crowd -strolled merrily away, whistling meanwhile. - -For which please score one for the Banded Seven. - -Unfortunately, their triumph was destined to be a very transitory -one. I blush to record it of my most cautious and wary friend from -Texas, but it is true, and truth must be told. Texas actually forgot to -search his man when he held him up! The result was that the revolver, a -terrible bit of evidence, was still in Chandler’s pocket. But that was -not all. So sure were the six plebes of their complete triumph, that -they even failed to tie their prisoners apart. - -The last of the party had scarcely turned away before Bull, glancing -about him with his cunning, catlike eyes, rolled swiftly over until he -was at his cousin’s side. He bit at the rope that tied the latter’s -hands; he could not have chewed more savagely if he had hold of -Mallory’s flesh. Chandler’s hands were free in a moment, and it was the -work of but a few moments more to whip out his knife and loosen Bull. -The sound of the plebes’ merry laughter had not died away in the woods -before the two were on the trail, creeping stealthily up behind their -unsuspecting victims with their load of gold. And Chandler had the -revolver in his hand now by way of a precaution. - -Not so very far back in the woods on the way to Highland Falls stood -an old and dilapidated icehouse. Some may remember that icehouse; it -figured rather prominently in one of Mark’s adventures. Mark had not -been in West Point a week before his cheerful friend Bull had tried to -lock him up in that place so as to have him absent from réveille. Bull -had failed, fortunately, and Mark had turned the tables on him. Bull -had had unpleasant recollections of that icehouse ever since. - -It was toward that building the six happy and triumphant plebes -were heading; Mark had chanced to think of it, and of the fact that -its soft sawdust would make a most excellent hiding place for the -wonderful treasure. The plebes could hardly realize that they had that -treasure safe. After all the vicissitudes it had been through, all -the disappointments and anxiety it had caused them, it seemed to be -too good to be true. And they ran their fingers through the chinking -contents of the old chest; it was too dark to see it, but they could -feel it, and that was enough to make them chuckle for joy. - -They were in a particularly jolly humor as they hurried through the -woods. Dewey was as lively as a kitten, and was being reminded of jokes -enough to take up the rest of this story; and he kept it up until the -building they were looking for loomed up in front of them. - -The plebes lost no time about the matter; they opened the creaky door -and the whole six of them hurried in to superintend the all-important -burial ceremony. - -Their figures had scarcely been lost in the darkness before the other -two stole out of the woods and halted at the edge of the clearing. The -two were stooping low, creeping with the stealth of catamounts. So -silent were they there was not even the snap of a twig to betray them, -and when they stopped they scarcely dared breathe as they listened. One -of the crouching figures clutched a revolver in his hand; the other’s -fists were clinched until the nails dug into his flesh. His teeth were -set, and his eye gleamed with a hatred and resentment that he alone -knew how to feel. Bull Harris felt that his time had come, the time he -had waited for, for two long months of concentrated yearning. - -There were sounds of muffled laughter from inside, and the thud of the -spade that some one was using. Bull glanced at his companion. - -“Are you ready?” he whispered. - -And the other nodded, though his hand shook. - -“Are you afraid?” hissed Bull. “It is a risk, for that fiend of a Texan -may fight. You may have to shoot. Do you hear me?” - -Once more Chandler nodded, and gripped the revolver like a vise. - -There was not another word said. The two crouched low and stepped out -of the shadow of the bushes. Silently as the shadows themselves they -sped across the open space. And then suddenly Bull halted again; for -the sound of murmuring voices from inside the little building grew -audible as they advanced. - -“B’gee, it’s a regular Captain Kidd business! I don’t think Bull was a -success as a Kidd, that is, if you spell it with two d’s. He----” - -“Say, Mark,” interrupted another voice, “do you remember the time that -ole coyote tried to lock you in hyar? Doggone his boots, I bet he don’t -try that very soon again.” - -“I’m afraid not,” laughed Mark, softly. “Bull had his chance once, but -he failed to make the most of it.” - -And at the words Bull seized his cousin convulsively by the arm and -forced him back. Before the other could see what the yearling meant he -had sprung forward, gasping with rage. The next instant the heavy door -creaked and swung too. - -Mark and his allies started back in alarm. Before they could make -another move, before they could even think, they heard the rusty lock -grate, heard a heavy log jammed against the door to hold it tight. - -And then a low, mocking laugh of triumph rang on their ears. Bull -Harris’ time had come at last. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -BUYING THEIR RELEASE. - - -Our business just now is with Parson Stanard, the scholarly geologist -and chemist, sitting all by himself in his silent tent and diligently -analyzing his hematites and gottabites and outasights. The Parson made -a curious figure; you would have laughed if you could have seen him. A -solitary candle gave the flickering light by which he worked. - -The Parson was a trifle agitated about that candle, because, as you -know, it is the correct thing for a scholar to burn “midnight oil.” -The midnight part was all right, but it took a long stretch of the -imagination to convert tallow into kerosene. That kind of chemistry was -too much for even the Parson. - -However, it had to be borne. The Parson was seated in tailor fashion, -in spite of which posture he was managing as usual to display his -sea-green socks to the light. He had a row of bottles in a semicircle -about him, like so many soldiers on parade; and at that moment he was -engaged in examining a most interesting and complicated filtrate. - -Parson Stanard was at the climax of his important night’s work. It -will be remembered he was testing for potassium nitrate. He had it. He -had put some of the substance in the fire and gotten the violet flame -he wanted. Then, to make sure, he reached forward and took one of the -bottles. - -But the Parson never made that test. If the Banded Seven had seen him -at that moment they would assuredly have been frightened, for his face -underwent a most startling and amazing transformation. He had picked up -the bottle; glanced at its label. And the next instant his eyes seemed -fairly to pop up out of his head. His jaw dropped, his hands relaxed, -and the wondrous and long-sought powder was scattered over the floor. - -The Parson was ordinarily a quick thinker, but it took a time for that -thought, whatever it was, with all its horrible import, to flash across -his mind. And meanwhile his face was a picture of consternation. - -Then suddenly he leaped to his feet with a perfect gasp of horror, -knocking the candle over and making the bottles rattle. - -“By the thunderbolts of Jove!” he cried. “By the hounds of Diana! By -the distaff of Minerva!” - -The Parson was striding up and down his tent by this time, utterly -regardless of chemistry, geology, and possible discovery in the bargain. - -“By the steeds of Apollo!” he muttered. “By the waters of the Styx, -by the scepter of Zeus, by the cap of Mercury, by the apple of Venus -and the bow of Ulyssus! By the nine immortals and the Seven Hills of -Rome!----” - -At this stage of the proceedings the agitated chemist was out in the -company street, and striding away in the darkness. - -“By the eagle of Ganymede, by the shield of Mars, by the temple of -Janus, by the trident of Neptune!” - -During this the gentleman was speeding out of camp, causing the sentry, -who thought he was crazy, so much alarm that he forgot to challenge. By -the time he recovered the Parson was gone and only an echo of his voice -remained---- - -“By the forge of Vulcan, by the cave of Æolus, by the flames of Vesta!” - -Not to continue the catalogue, which it would be found contained all -the mythology from Greek and Sanskrit to Hindoostanee, suffice it to -say that the agitated scholar strode straight down the road to Highland -Falls with all the speed that a scholar could assume without loss of -dignity and breath. Also that he turned off the road at the precise -place his comrades had and vanished in the woods. - -“They said they were going to bury it in the icehouse,” muttered the -Parson. “It is there I shall endeavor to intercept them and inform them -of this most extraordinary conditions of affairs. Yea, by the all-wise, -high-thundering Olympian Zeus.” - -The more excited the Parson got the more Homeric epithets it was his -custom to heap upon the helpless head of his favorite divinity; he was -very much excited just now. - -Fortunately, the Parson did not know just where the icehouse was; he -had never been to it but once, and he wandered about the woods hunting -in vain for at least half an hour. Then he sat down in despair and -gasped for breath, and listened. And in that way he was suddenly made -aware of the whereabouts of the object of his search. - -A sound came to his ears, a loud laugh in the distance. - -“Ho, ho! You fools! Dig a tunnel, hey? Ho, ha! Well, suppose you dig -it. I’ve a revolver here, and I’ll blow the blamed head off the first -man that comes out. How do you like that. Guess again, Mark Mallory.” - -The Parson sprang up as if he had sat down on the proverbial haystack -with a needle in it. That voice was the voice of the “enemy,” Bull -Harris! A moment later the Parson was creeping toward the sound with -stealthiness that would have done credit to an Apache. - -“We are in the hands of the enemy,” he gasped. “By the all-wise, -high-thundering, far-ruling Olympian Zeus!” - -“Ho, ho!” roared the voice, nearer now. “Think you can break the door -down, hey? Well! well! Guess I’ll have to put a new log against it. How -do you like that! That’s right! Whack away! Bully! Keep it up and you -may get out by to-morrow night. Ho! ho!” - -The unfortunate Zeus got a few more epithets then, and the Parson crept -nearer still. In fact, he got so near that peering out of the bushes, -he could spy the clearing with the little building and the two figures -dancing gayly in front of it. Bull Harris was fairly convulsed with joy. - -“I’ve got my revenge!” he roared. “I’ve got it! I told you I’d get -it! Didn’t I tell you so? I told you I’d have you B. J. plebes out of -here if I died for it. And now my time’s come! Hooray! You’ll be found -to-morrow, beyond cadet limits, and out you go. You can’t deny it! How -do you like it?” - -“You’ll go to Halifax! you ole coyote,” growled a smothered voice from -the inside. - -“Me! Ho, ho! What do I care? I’ve nothing to lose. I’m ready to go. But -you--ho, ho! Ask that fool Mallory how he likes it.” - -“Very well,” responded a cheery voice. “You must remember that we’ve -got the treasure.” - -“Much good it’ll do you,” chuckled Bull. “You’ll be in State’s prison -in a week or so. Ho, ho! Let’s tell ’em, Chandler. The secret’s too -good a one to keep. Ask Texas what became of the revolver he dropped in -the hotel last night playing burglar. The revolver with the initials J. -P. on it.” - -That was a thunderbolt. From the way it struck the horrified prisoners -dumb. Bull knew it, and laughed with yet more malignant glee. - -“You can’t prove it!” roared Texas furiously. - -“Can’t I?” chuckled Bull. “You’d hate to have me try. It would -take all your gold to get you out of that scrape, I fancy. Ho, ho! -Court-martial! State’s prison! I guess I’ve got the best of it for -once.” - -“It’s the first time,” growled Texas. - -During all this the Parson had been hiding in the bushes, trembling, -gasping, slowly taking in the situation, the dilemma his friends were -in. All thoughts of the excitement under which he had originally set -out were gone. He was cudgeling his head to see what he was to do to -turn the tide of battle. - -It was a difficult problem, for Chandler had a revolver and the Parson -had none. This was evidently a case where cunning and not brute force -were to tell, and the Parson knitted his learned brows thoughtfully. -Meanwhile the conversation was going on, and taking a new turn. Bull -Harris had a proposition. - -“I suppose you fellows are ready to acknowledge you’re beaten,” he -sneered. “And I suppose you’ve got sense enough to see what a fix -you’re in.” - -To tell the truth, the whole Seven saw it clearly, but they were not -ready to acknowledge it to Bull. - -“I just want to say,” the latter continued, after a moment’s pause, -“that there’s a way for you fools to get out of this. If you don’t -choose to do it you may as well make up your minds to stay all night.” - -“I suppose,” responded Mark, laughing at this introduction to a very -obvious offer. “I suppose you think we’re going to let you get hold of -our treasure. I suppose you think we’ll purchase our freedom with that.” - -“That’s what I do,” said Bull, “else you stay.” - -“We’ll stay,” laughed Mark, coolly. “And you can go to blazes.” - -This proposition was not lost upon the Parson, lying in the bushes -outside. The Parson had drunk in every word of it, and for some reason -began to gasp and wriggle with suppressed excitement as he realized -the meaning of the offer. As Mark spoke the last time the Parson slid -back into the woods and stole softly around to the rear of the little -building. - -A few moments later, Mark, to his astonishment, heard a faint whisper -in one of the crevices at the back. “Say, Mark!” That voice Mark would -have known had he heard it in China. He ran to the spot and there was -a minute’s quick conversation. At the end of it the Parson turned and -crept way again, unseen by the two in front. - -Perhaps five minutes later Bull Harris, who was still crowing merrily, -was electrified to learn that the plebes had reconsidered their first -defiance--that the gold was his! - -“I guess we’ll have to give it up,” said Mark, briefly. “You’ve got us, -and that’s all that there is to it.” - -“Do you mean,” cried Bull, unable to hide his joy, “that if we let you -out and give you the revolver you are willing to give up the treasure -altogether?” - -“Yes,” said Mark. “We are.” - -“But how am I trust you?” demanded Bull. “If I open the door how do I -know you won’t----” - -“I’ve said I wont!” interrupted Mark, with angry emphasis. “You know -me, I guess.” - -It was a funny thing. Bull himself would have lied all day without his -conscience troubling him. But somehow or other he was sure that Mark -wouldn’t. In spite of his cousin’s protestations, he stepped forward, -removed the barricades and turned the key. - -The six plebes came out, looking sheepish enough. Texas received his -lost revolver meekly, though he felt like braining Bull with it. A -minute later the six hurried off into the woods, leaving Bull and his -cousin to gloat for hours over the chest of gold they left inside. - -Truly, it was a triumph for Bull. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -BULL HARRIS REAPS HIS REWARD. - - -It was the evening of the following day, and the scene was Highland -Falls. It was about twelve o’clock at night, to be more exact as to -time; as to place, the scene was a low tavern on the roadside. - -This hour was long after the time that cadets are supposed to be in -their tents asleep, but as we have seen, cadets do not always do as -they are supposed to. It is safe to say that in spite of all the talk -about the severity of West Point discipline, if the commandant of -cadets should take it into his head to wander through Camp McPherson -every night for a week running, he would find some things to surprise -him. He might not find any geological chemists hard at work, but he -might find a small game of some sort going on on the sly, and he’d -be sure to find a surreptitious banquet or two. He might also see -occasional parties steal past an obliging sentry who was looking the -other way. It is probable, however, that none of this would surprise -him very much, for he did it all himself in his day. - -There are always bolder and more reckless spirits who are ever ready -for such a lark, enjoying it in proportion to the risk they run. There -are always some among these who think it manly to drink and smoke, and -frequent low places; it is upon one of these latter assemblages that we -are about to look in. We must not mind a rather unpleasant odor of bad -tobacco, or a still more unpleasant odor of bad liquor. - -It is quite needless to say that one of the crowd was Bull Harris; it -would be hard to find a crowd of cadets amusing themselves as these -were without Bull among them. This tavern was the regular resort of him -and his “gang” on occasions when they visited Highland Falls. It has -not been mentioned before, because the less said about such places the -better. - -Bull liked this place for many reasons. It was quiet, and there was -nobody to disturb them. Then, too, the proprietor, a fat Irishman, -known as “Jake,” was a man who told no secrets and minded his own -business, thus keeping an ideal place for a crowd of young “gentlemen” -to come for a lark. Bull was there to-night, and what was more -important, he was acting as host. Bull was “blowing off” his friends. - -There was first, his Cousin Chandler, whom we know; then there was Gus -Murray, who needs but little introduction. As an ally and worshiper -of Bull and a malignant enemy of Mark Mallory’s, Gus Murray yielded -to no one, with the possible exception of Merry Vance, the shallow -and sour-faced youth on his right. The cause of Merry’s pessimistic -complexion we once guessed to be indigestion; inasmuch as he was just -then pouring down his third dose of bad brandy a revision of this -surmise will be allowed. To complete the party, there was one more, a -very small one, our young friend, Baby Edwards, a sweet-tempered little -sneak who had not even manliness enough to be vicious. - -When we peered in the party was in full swing. Baby Edwards had -half gone to sleep, having drunk two glasses of beer. Bull had just -completed for the third time a graphic description of how that Mallory -had been duped, a story which was a never-failing source of interest -and hilarity to the rest, who were whacking their glasses on the table -and cheering merrily, in fact, so merrily that the cautious proprietor -was forced to come to the door and protest. - -“How much did you say it was worth?” demanded Vance, after the man had -gone away again. - -“Fifty thousand dollars,” chuckled Bull. “Fifty thousand if a cent. -Fill ’em up, boys. Chandler and I calculated it weighed two hundred -pounds. Whoop!” - -Merry’s eyes glistened feverishly as he listened, whether from brandy -or from what he heard it would be hard to say. - -“Whereabouts is it now?” demanded he. “Are you sure Mallory can’t get -it?” - -“Dead sure,” laughed Bull. “Do you suppose I’d be fool enough to let -Mallory sneak up behind me twice. Not much! It’s safe.” - -“Whereabouts?” - -“Oh, it’s buried up here in the woods a piece,” said the other, -cautiously. “It’s where we can get it any time we want to. Oh, say, but -it’s fine to know you’re rich--no trouble about paying any confounded -bills. And that Irish villain Jake can’t kick because we drink more -than we can pay for. Whoop! Help yourselves!” - -The others were helping themselves for all they were worth. It seldom -happened to that crowd to get a chance such as this, and cadet duties -might go to blazes in the meantime. They were singing and shouting and -fast getting themselves into a very delightful state, indeed, keenly -enjoying themselves every minute of the time, so they thought. - -Fun like that can’t last very long, however. Baby Edwards went to sleep -as I said! it is to be hoped he dreamed of better things. Merry Vance -got quiet and stupid also, while Gus Murray waxed cross and ugly. So -pretty soon Bull concluded it was time to go home. Anybody who glanced -at the bottles scattered about on the floor and table would have -thought so too. - -At this stage of the game Jake bowed himself in. Jake was usually a -Nemesis, an undesired person altogether, for he came to collect. But -Bull didn’t mind this time. - -“I wants me money,” began the man, surlily, gazing about him at the -scene of destruction. “An’ what’s more, I wants to say you fellows has -got to make less noise here nights. I ain’t goin’ to have my license -taken away for no cadet. See?” - -Bull gazed at him sneeringly during this discourse. - -“Anything more?” he demanded. - -“Yes, there is. You fellers ain’t a-comin’ here no more till you pays -yer bills. This is the third time you’ve tried to let ’em run, an’ -by thunder I ain’t a-goin’ to stand it. I don’t believe you’ve got no -money anyhow, an’ I’m goin’ to stop this----” - -“Oh, shut up, confound ye!” broke in Bull, impatiently. “Who asked you -to trust them? Don’t be a fool! Take that and shut up your mouth.” - -These not over polite remarks came as Bull flung three or four of the -five-dollar gold pieces with a lordly air onto the table. The fellow -eyed them greedily, then gathered them up and left the room. - -Bull turned to rouse his companions, chuckling to himself as he did so. - -“Come on, boys,” said he. “Get up there and hustle.” - -Baby Edwards, having been kicked unceremoniously to the floor, got -up growling. Merry Vance likewise wanted to fight Gus, who woke him. -But the five got started finally and made for the door. Beyond that, -however, they did not get, for there they encountered the brawny form -of Jake. - -“Stop!” said he, briefly. - -“What do you want now?” demanded Bull. - -The other extended his hand, in which lay the coins. - -“Don’t want ’em,” said he. - -Bull stared at him in amazement. - -“Don’t want ’em!” he echoed. “In the name of Heaven why not?” - -“No good,” said the other, sententiously. - -The effect of those two words upon Bull was like that of a bullet; he -staggered back against the wall, gasping, his eyes fairly starting out -of his head. The others understood dimly and turned pale. - -It took several minutes for that idea to dawn upon Bull Harris in all -its frightful horror. When he realized it he sprang forward with a -shriek. - -“No good!” he cried. “Great Heavens, man, what do you mean?” - -The proprietor’s response was brief, but effective. He put his hand in -his pocket and brought out a shining stone. He rubbed it against the -gold and held it up so that Bull might see the color that resulted. - -“’Tain’t gold,” said he. “It’s counterfeit.” - -Bull staggered back against the wall again. Counterfeit! Counterfeit! -He saw it all now! Saw why Mallory had given it up! Saw what a fool -he--Bull Harris--had been! Saw that he had let them out of the trap, -given them the weapon, the only proof. Let them go in safety, leaving -him a chest full of brass. It made Bull sick to think of it. Oh, surely -it could not be true! - -Another thought flashed over him then. Why had Mallory fought so for -it, why been so reluctant to give it up? No, it must be genuine! It -must be a mistake! Perhaps those few were bad, but all the coins could -not be. Trembling with dread, Bull sprang forward, wrenched the stone -from the hand of the astonished “Jake,” burst out of the place, and -sped away up the road. - -The man was at his heels at this effort to dodge him without paying. -Behind him rushed the other four, frightened and sobered by this -terrible blow. But Bull’s anxiety lent speed to him and he easily -outdistanced the crowd. - -When they came upon him again they found him in the woods on his knees, -digging savagely in the ground with his fingers. In response to his -shouts they flung themselves down to help him, while the breathless -Irishman stood by and stared in amazement. - -Bull was in a frenzy. He fairly tore his way down to the chest, -and seizing it by the handles, jerked it out with the strength of -a Hercules. He flung back the lid, jerked the bit of rock from his -pocket, and seized a handful of the coins. - -A moment more and he staggered back, and sank to the ground, limp and -helpless. - -The chest of “gold” was worthless. - - * * * * * - -We must revert to the conversation of the Seven the night before, for -the benefit of those who are curious. Mark and his friends, as they -disappeared in the woods, were joined by the solemn Parson. You may -believe that it was a merry crowd. - -“Look here, Parson,” demanded Mark, the first thing. “Are you sure that -money is no good?” - -“Sure?” echoed the Parson. “Sure as I am that the most reliable and -mathematical of all the sciences is true. Perhaps you will wish, -gentlemen, that I explain to you the most extraordinary state of -affairs. I shall do so, yea, by Zeus. I feel that I owe it to myself by -way of explanation of a most unaccountable--ahem--blunder I have made.” - -The Parson drew a long breath and continued. - -“Gentlemen,” said he, “when first we set out upon that treasure hunt -I took with me two bottles of acid. One was a test for the presence -of argenic compounds, that is, silver, and the other for what is -popularly designated gold. In the excitement of the discovery of the -chest, to my everlasting humiliation, be it said, I used the wrong -acid. The reaction I got proved the presence of copper. I thought it -was gold.” - -After this extraordinary speech of self-abnegation the Parson bowed -his head in shame. It was at least a minute before he could muster -the courage to go on. Truly that had been a frightful blunder for an -analytical chemist to make. - -“To-night,” he continued at last, “I was testing for potassium, and I -reached for that bottle of gold reagent. I expected to find it half -empty. I found it full, and I knew in an instant that I could not have -used a drop of it. Gentlemen, that told me the story of my error. I -shall do penance for it as long as I may live.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -THE SEVEN MAKE A NEW MOVE. - - -“For Heaven’s sake, man, what has happened?” - -The cause of this exclamation was Dewey. At the moment his uniform was -dirty and torn, and his face was far from handsome. It was bruised and -blue in lumps, and there were ugly places of a bright red, lending a -startling effect indeed. - -The speaker was Mark. He had been sitting at his tent door rubbing his -gun diligently, but he sprang up in alarm when he espied the other. - -“What on earth has happened to you, Dewey?” he repeated. - -Dewey laughed to himself, in spite of his sorry condition. - -“I don’t exactly know,” he said. “B’gee, I’ve forgotten lots of things -in the last ten minutes. I’ll come in and think ’em over and tell you.” - -He entered the tent, and after gazing at himself ruefully in the -looking-glass that hung by the tent pole, wet a towel and fell to -washing things gently. - -“B’gee!” he muttered, “Mark Mallory, there’s going to be no end of -trouble on account of this.” - -“You haven’t told me yet,” said the other. “You don’t mean that you’ve -been getting hazed some more?” - -“Would you call it hazing,” responded Dewey, “if you’d been pummeled -until you looked like rare beef? You needn’t be getting angry about it. -We’ll have plenty of time for that later. Meantime, just you listen -to my tale of woe, b’gee! I was down on Flirtation Walk a while ago, -off in a lonely part. And all of a sudden I came across half a dozen -yearlings. One of them was Bull Harris, and when he saw me he turned -to the other cadets and called: ‘There’s one of the gang now! We -might just as well start at what we agreed on.’ And then, b’gee, they -started. Do you think that eye’ll shut up entirely?” - -“What did they do?” demanded Mark, his blood boiling as he surveyed his -comrade’s bruises. - -“Well, b’gee, they sailed up, in the first place, and began a lot -of talking. ‘You belong to that Mallory gang, don’t you?’ said Bull -Harris. ‘Yes,’ says I, ‘I do, and I’m proud of it, too. What’s the -matter with Mallory?’ ‘Matter?’ roared Gus Murray. ‘B’gee, he’s the -confoundedest freshest plebe that ever came to this academy. Hasn’t -he dared to refuse to let us haze him? Hasn’t he played all kinds of -tricks upon us, made life miserable for us? Hasn’t he even dared to go -to the hop, something no plebe has ever dared to do in the history of -West Point?’ ‘Seeing that you’re asking the question, b’gee,’ I said, -‘I don’t mind telling you by way of answer that he has, and also that -he’s outwitted you and licked you at every turn. And that he’ll do it -again the first chance he gets, and b’gee, I’ll be there to help him, -too! How’s that?’” - -Here the reckless youngster paused while he removed the cork of a -vaseline bottle; then he continued: - -“That made old Bull wild; he hates you like fury, Mark, and he’s simply -wild about the way we fooled him with that treasure. He began to rear -around like a wild man. ‘If you fool plebes think we’re going to stand -your impudence,’ he yelled, ‘you’re mistaken! I want you to understand -that we’ve found out about that confounded organization Mallory’s -gotten up among the plebes to fight us----’” - -“Did he say that?” cried Mark, in surprise. “How did they learn?” - -“They didn’t,” said Dewey. “They don’t know we call it the Banded -Seven, or anything else about it, but they’ve seen us together so much -when they’ve tried to haze us that they’ve sort of guessed it. Anyway, -they’ve determined to break it up, b’gee.” - -“They have! How?” - -“Simply by walloping every man in it, b’gee. And they started on yours -truly. The whole crowd piled on at once, Mark.” - -“The cowards!” exclaimed Mark. - -“Well, I gave ’em a good time, anyway,” laughed Dewey, whose natural -light-heartedness had not been marred in the least. “I made for Bull. -B’gee, I was bound one of them would be sorry, and I chose him. I -lammed him two beauties and tumbled him into a ditch. But by that time -they had me down. And----” - -“Where are the rest of the Seven?” cried Mark, springing up -impatiently. “By George, I’m going to get square for this outrage if -it’s the last thing I ever do in my life. I’ll fight them fair just as -long as they want it. I’m ready to meet any man they send, as I did. -But, by jingo, I won’t stand the tricks of that miserable coward Bull -Harris another day. He’s done nothing but try to get me into scrapes -since the day I came here, and refused to let him haze me. And now I’m -going to stop it or bust. Where are the rest of the fellows?” - -“I don’t know,” began Dewey, but he was interrupted by an answer from -an unexpected quarter. Texas came rushing down the company street and -bounded into Mark’s tent. - -He, too, was marred with the scars of battle. His clothing was soiled, -and his bronzed features were sadly awry. And Texas was wild. - -“Wow!” he roared, his words fairly tripping each other up, in such -rapid succession did they come. “Whoop! Say, you fellows, you dunno -what you been a-missin’! I ain’t had so much fun since the day I come -hyar. Jes’ had the rousin’est ole scrap I ever see. There was a dozen -of ’em, them ole yearlin’s, and they all piled on to once. Whoop! Mark, -git up thar an’ come out an’ help me finish it.” - -Texas was prancing around the tent in excitement, his fingers twitching -furiously. He gasped for breath for a moment, and then continued. - -“It was that air ole Bull Harris and his gang. Bull had been a-fightin’ -somebody else, cuz one eye was black.” - -“Bully, b’gee!” put in Dewey. - -“An’ he was mad’s a hornet. ‘Look a yere,’ says he, ‘you rarin’ ole -hyena of a cowboy, I want you to understand that you an’ that air -scoundrel Mallory’----an’, Mark, I never gave him a chance for another -word, jes’ piled right in. An’ then all the rest of ’em lit on to me -an’ there was the wust mess I ever heerd tell of.” - -Angry though Mark was, he could not help being amused at the hilarity -of his bloodthirsty friend and fellow-warrior, who was still dancing -excitedly about the tent. - -“Who won?” inquired Mark. - -“I dunno,” said Texas. “I never had a chance to find out. First they -jumped on me and smothered me, an’ then I got out and jumped on them, -only there was so many I couldn’t sit on ’em all to once, an’ so I had -to git up ag’in. Oh, say, ’twas great. I wish some o’ the boys could a’ -been thar to see that air rumpus. An’ I ain’t through yit, either. I’m -a-goin’ to lambast them air yearlin’s--what d’ye say, Mark?” - -Texas gazed at his friend inquiringly; and Mark gripped him by the hand. - -“I’ll help you,” he said. “I’m going to settle that crowd for once and -for all if I have to put them in hospital. And now let’s go out and -hunt for the rest of the Seven and see what’s happened to them.” - -Mark’s patience was about exhausted; he had stood much from Bull -Harris, but as he left that tent and strode out of camp with the other -two at his side, there was a set look about his mouth and a gleam in -his eyes that meant business. - -He had scarcely crossed the color line that marked the western edge -of the camp before he caught sight of one more of the Seven. And Mark -had seen him but an instant before the thought flashed over him that -this one had been through just the same experience as Texas and “B’gee” -Dewey. - -The new arrival was Parson Stanard. His face was not scarred, but it -was red with anger, and his collar was wilted by excitement which -betrayed itself even in his hasty stride as he walked. - -“Yea, by Zeus!” he cried, as soon as he reached his friends. -“Gentlemen, I have tidings. The enemy is risen! Even now he is hot upon -our trail. My spirit burns within me like that of Paul Revere, the -messenger of liberty, riding forth from good old Boston town. Boston, -cradle of liberty, father of----” - -The Parson’s news was exciting, but even then he could not withstand -the temptation to deliver a discourse upon the merits of his native -town. Mark had to set him straight again. - -“Has Bull been after you, too?” he asked. - -“Yea!” said the Parson. “He has, and that, too, with exceeding great -vehemence. Truly the persistency of the yearling is surprising; like -the giant Antaeus of yore, he springeth up afresh for the battle, -when one thinks he is subdued at last. Gentlemen, they attacked me -absolutely without provocation. I swear it by the undying flame of -Vesta. I was peregrinating peacefully when I met them. And without -even a word, forsooth, they sprang at me. And mighty was the anger -that blazed up in my breast, yea, by Zeus! As Homer, bard immortal of -the Hellenic land, sang of the great Achilles, ‘his black heart’--er, -let me see. By Zeus, how does that line go? It is in the first book, -I know, and about the two hundred and seventy-fifth line, but really -I----” - -“Never mind Homer,” laughed Mark. “What about Harris? What did you do?” - -“I replied to their onslaughts in the words of Fitz James: ‘This -rock shall fly from its firm base as soon as I!’ The two who reached -me first I did prostrate with two concussions that have paralyzed my -prehensile apparatus----” - -“Bully for the Parson!” roared Texas. - -“And then,” continued the other sheepishly, “observing, by Zeus, that -there were at least a dozen of them, I concluded to think better of -my resolution and effect a retreat, remembering the saying that he -who runs away may live to renew his efforts upon some more auspicious -occasion.” - -The Parson looked very humble indeed at this last confession; Mark -cheered him somewhat by saying it was the most sensible thing he could -have done. And Dewey still further warmed his scholarly heart by a -distinction that would have done credit to even Lindley Murray, the -grammarian. - -“You didn’t break your resolution,” said Dewey. - -“Why not?” inquired Stanard. - -“Because, b’gee, you vowed you wouldn’t fly. And you haven’t flown -since, that I see. What you did was to flee, b’gee. If you flyed you -wouldn’t have fleed, but since you fleed you didn’t fly. Some day, -b’gee, when you’ve been bitten, you’ll understand the difference -between a fly and a flea. You’ll find that a flea can fly a great deal -faster than a fly can flee, b’gee, and that----” - -Somebody jumped on Dewey and smothered him again just then, but it -wasn’t a yearling. He bobbed up serenely a minute later, to find that -the Parson’s grammatical old ribs had been tickled by the distinction -so carefully made. - -“People are very grammatical in Boston, aren’t they, Parson?” inquired -Dewey. “Reminds me of a story I once heard, b’gee--you fellows needn’t -groan so, because this is the first story I’ve told to-day. Fellow -popped the question to his best girl. She said, ‘No, b’gee.’ ‘Say it -again,’ says he. ‘No!’ says she. ‘Thanks,’ says he. ‘Two negatives make -an affirmative. You’ve promised. Where shall we go for our honeymoon?’ -B’gee, Parson, there’s a way for you to fool your best girl. She’s sure -to say no, and I don’t blame her either.” - -The lively Dewey subsided for a moment after that. But he couldn’t keep -quiet very long, especially since no one took up the conversation. - -“Speaking of oranges,” said he, “reminds me of a story I once heard, -b’gee----” - -“Who was speaking of oranges?” cried Texas. - -“I was,” said Dewey solemnly, and then fled for his life. - -The other three members of the Banded Seven arrived upon the scene just -then and put an end to hostilities. Chauncey, Sleepy and Indian had -not had the luck to meet with the yearlings yet, and they listened in -amazement and indignation while Mark told the story of Bull Harris and -his latest tactics. - -“Bless my soul,” gasped Indian in horror. “I--I’m going home this very -day!” - -“I’ll go home myself,” vowed Mark, “if I don’t succeed in stopping this -sort of business. I honestly think I’d report it to the authorities, -only Bull knows I’ve been out of bounds and he’d tell. As it is, I’m -going to settle him some other way, and a way he’ll remember, too.” - -“When?” cried the others. - -“This very night.” - -“And how?” - -“The cave!” responded Mark; and it was evident from the way the others -jumped at the word that the suggestion took their fancy. - -And in half a minute more the Seven had sworn by all the solemn oaths -the classic Parson could invent that they would haze Bull Harris and -his cronies in “the cave” that night. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE CAPTURE OF MARK. - - -The afternoon of that momentous day passed without incident. Mark -noticed Bull Harris glowering at him as he passed his tent, but beyond -that the “subduing” programme got no further. The Banded Seven kept -near to camp, so as to prevent it. - -That is, all of them but one; Sleepy was that one. The lanky farmer -was a member of the guard that day, getting his first lessons in the -terrible dangers of sentry duty at Camp McPherson. Now it was necessary -for some one to go up and fix that cave for the night’s work, and since -Sleepy succeeded in getting excused during his four hours off duty that -afternoon, he was unanimously elected to be the one to attend to the -task. - -It was to clear away the effects of that treasure hunt that Sleepy -went. He removed all traces of the Parson’s energetic digging. Also he -fixed quite a number of other things, according to Mark’s well-planned -directions. - -“It’s evident to me,” said Mark, “from the fact that Bull didn’t -bother me this morning, hating me most, as he does, that he’s putting -up a plan for to-night.” - -“He’s afraid to tackle you in the day,” growled Texas. - -“I should say so,” chirruped Indian’s fat, round voice. “Didn’t you -lick him once, and the whole crowd besides. Bless my soul!” - -“I think,” continued Mark, “that we may take it for granted that Bull -will try to kidnap me to-night. You know they did that once, took me -off into the woods and beat me. They’ll beat harder this time. If a big -crowd of them tries it you fellows’ll just have to make a noise and -wake everybody so that they’ll have to drop me and run for their tents. -But if there’s only a few you can follow and overpower them. It all -depends.” - -Texas rubbed his hands gleefully at this attractive programme. - -“What are we a-goin’ to do when we ketch ’em?” he demanded. - -“You leave that to me,” laughed Mark, rising from his seat to end the -“conference.” “I’ve got a scheme fixed up to frighten them to death. -Just wait.” - -“Just wait” seemed to represent about all there was to do, though the -Seven did not like it a bit. They watched dress parade that evening -with far less interest than usual, and sighed with relief when the -sunset gun finally sounded. It may be interesting to note that there -were some other cadets in just exactly the same impatient state of mind. - -It was just as Mark had suspected--Bull Harris had a plot. - -The sunset gun was welcomed with relief. They spent the evening -strolling about the grounds and discussing the effort they were going -to make that night, also occasionally chuckling over the “success” of -their attacks during the morning. And then tattoo sounded, and they -knew that the time was nearer still. - -Bull Harris and his three cronies waited until the sentry had called -the hour of eleven. They thought the plebes had had time enough to get -to sleep then, so they got up and dressed and sallied forth in the -darkness. It was cloudy that night, and black, a circumstance which -Bull considered particularly fortunate. - -There was no hesitation, no delay to discuss what should be done. The -four made straight for a certain A company tent; cadets sleep with -their tent walls rolled up in hot weather, and so the yearlings could -easily see what was inside. They made out three figures stretched -out upon the blankets, all sound asleep; the fourth occupant--the -farmer--was now diligently marching post. - -The four crept up with stealthiness that would have done credit to -Indians. A great deal depended on their not awakening Mallory. Bull, -who was the biggest and strongest of the crowd, stole into the tent and -placed himself at Mallory’s feet; Merry Vance and Murray calculated -each upon managing one stalwart arm, while to Baby, as smallest, was -intrusted the task of preventing outcry from the victim. Having placed -themselves, the four precious rascals paused just one moment to gloat -over their hated and unsuspecting enemy. And then Bull gave the signal, -and as one man they pounced down. - -Mallory, awakened out of a sound sleep, found himself as helpless as -if he had been buried alive. Bull’s sinewy arms were wrapped about his -limbs; his hands were crushed to the earth; and Baby was smothering him -in a huge towel. They lifted him an instant later and bore him swiftly -from the tent. - -A whistle was the signal to the sentry, who faced about and let them -cross his beat; the four clambered up the embankment and sprang down -into Fort Clinton, chuckling to themselves for joy, having secured the -hated plebe with perfect success and secrecy. And now he was theirs, -theirs to do with as they saw fit. And how they did mean to “soak” him! - -All this, of course, was Bull’s view of the matter. But there were some -things, just a few, that that cunning young gentleman did not know of. -The reader will remember that the yearlings had tried that trick on -Mark just once before; ever since then Mark’s tent was protected by a -very simple but effective burglar alarm. There was a thread tied about -his foot. That thread the yearlings had not noticed. It broke when they -carried off their victim, but it broke because it had tightened about -the wrist of Texas, who sat up in alarm an instant later, just in time -to observe the four disappearing in the darkness. By the time they -had crossed the sentry beat the rest of the Banded Seven were up and -dressing gleefully. - -After that the result was never in doubt for a moment. The five all -crossed the sentry’s post without trouble, because they had heard the -signal the yearlings gave. And a moment later the triumphant kidnapers, -who were off in a lonely corner of the deserted fort binding up their -prisoner as if he were a mummy, were horrified to find themselves -confronted by five stalwart plebes. - -Bull and his gang were helpless. They did not dare make any outcry, -in the first place, because they were more to blame than the plebes -in case of discovery, and in the second, because they were “scared to -death” of that wild cowboy, who had already made his name dreaded by -riding out and holding up the whole artillery squadron. But, oh, how -they did fairly grit their teeth in rage! - -The imperturbable Texas stood and faced them, twirling two revolvers -carelessly while they had the unspeakable humiliation of watching the -others ungaging and unbinding the delighted Mallory, who rose to his -feet a moment later, stretched his arms and then merrily took command. - -Bull Harris was selected, as leader and head conspirator, to undergo -the first torture. Mark placed himself in front of him, and with a -light smile upon his face. - -“Lie down!” said he. - -Bull found himself staring into the muzzle of one of the menacing -Texan’s revolvers. That took all of Bull’s nerve, and he very promptly -“lay.” - -“Now then, Dewey,” said Mark, “tie him up.” - -Dewey used the very ropes that had been meant for Mark. He tied Master -Harris’ unresisting feet together. Then rolled him unceremoniously over -on his back and tied his hands. After which Bull was kicked to one -side, and Dewey was ready for the next frightened yet furious victim. - -Pretty soon there were four helpless bodies lying side by side within -the fort. They were bound hand and foot; there were gags tied in their -mouths and heavy towels wrapped about their eyes. And then the Banded -Seven were ready. - -“Come ahead,” said Mark. - -He set the example by tossing Bull’s body upon his shoulders and -setting out. The rest followed close behind him. - -It was quite a job carrying the four bodies where our friends wanted to -take them, especially without being seen by any one. - -They made for the Hudson. In Mark’s day cadets were allowed to hire -rowboats, that is, all except plebes. But it was easy enough for a -plebe to get one, as indeed to get anything else, tobacco or eatables. -The small drum orderly is always bribable, and that accounts for the -fact that two big rowboats lay tied in a quiet place, ready for the -expedition. - -Since the den was near the shore oars furnished an easier way to carry -the prisoners to the place. - -They found the boats without trouble, and deposited the yearlings in -the bottom. They weren’t very gentle about it, either. Then the rest -scrambled in, and a long row began, during which those who were not -working at the oars made it pleasant for the unfortunate yearlings by -muttering sundry prophecies about tortures to come, and in general the -disadvantages of being wicked. The Parson recited some dozen texts from -Scripture to prove that obvious fact. - -We shall not here stop to picture the infuriated Bull Harris’ state -of mind under this mild torture. Enough of that later. Suffice it to -say the row came to an end an hour or so later, and the party stepped -ashore. And also that before, they started into the woods a brilliant -idea occurred to the ingeniously cruel Texas. They meant to make those -cadets shiver and shake; what was the matter with letting them start -now, where there was plenty of nice cold water handy? - -A whispered consultation was held by the six; it was agreed that in -view of all the brutality of Bull and his gang, there was no call to -temper justice with mercy. As a result of that decision each one of the -yearlings was held tight by the heels, and, spluttering and gasping, -dipped well under water and then hauled up again. That did not cool -their anger, but it made them shiver, you may well believe. During this -baptismal ceremony the classic Parson was interesting, as usual. He sat -on a rock nearby and told the story, embellished with many allusions, -how the “silver-footed Thetis, daughter of the old man of the sea,” as -Homer calls her, took her son, “the swift-footed” Achilles, and dipped -him into a magic fountain to give him immortality. All got wet but the -heel she held him by, and so it was a blow in the heel that killed the -Grecian hero. - -“Therefore, gentlemen,” said the Parson, “since you don’t want Bull -Harris to die from the treatment he gets to-night, I suggest with all -sincerity that you stick him in again and wet his feet.” - -While this was being done, the learned Boston scholar switched off -onto the subject of Baptists and their views on total immersion; which -promptly reminded Dewey of a story of a “darky” camp meeting. - -“Brudder Jones was very fat,” said he, “and b’gee, when he got religion -and wanted to be baptized there was only a little brook to put him -in. They found the deepest place they could, but b’gee, Brudder Jones -stomach was still out of water. Now the deacon said his ‘wussest’ sin -was gluttony, and that if he didn’t get all the way under water the -devil would still have his stomach and Brudder Jones would be a glutton -all his life, b’gee. So all the brothers and sisters had to wade out -into the water and sit on Brudder Jones’ stomach so that all his sins -would get washed away.” - -Those who were doing the immersing in this case were so much overcome -by Dewey’s way of telling that story that they almost let Baby Edwards, -the last victim, slip out of their hands. But they pulled him in safely -in the end, and after that the merry party set out for the “Banded -Seven den.” - -They knew the contour of the mountains so well by this time that even -in the darkness they had no difficulty in finding the place. They had -relapsed into a grave and solemn silence by that time, so as to get -the shivering victims into proper mood for what was next to come. Some -of the crowd climbed in, and then, like so many logs of wood, the -yearlings were poked through the opening in the rocks and laid on the -floor inside. The rest of the plebes followed. The time for Mark’s -revenge had come at last. - -Mark lit one of the lamps which hung from the ceiling of the cave -and then went forward to make sure that everything was ready for the -proposed hazing. The little room in which the bones of the trapped -counterfeiters lay was up at the far end of the place. There was a -heavy wall of masonry to shut it off, with only one entrance, that -afforded by the heavy iron door, which was built like that of a safe. -Mark entered the room and after fumbling about some came out and nodded -to his companions. He did not say a word; none of them had since they -had come in; but there was still that firm, set look about his mouth -that boded ill for those four cowardly yearlings. - -It is difficult for one to imagine the state of mind of these latter. -Their rage and vexation at the failure of their scheme, at the way -they had been trapped, had long since given place to one of constantly -increasing dread as they felt themselves carried further and further -away, evidently to the lonely mountain cave from which Bull had stolen -the treasure a couple of days ago. They were in the hands of their -deadliest enemies; Bull knew that they had earned no mercy from Mark, -and he knew also that the wild Texan was along, the Texan to whom, -as they thought, murder was an everyday affair. That dousing, too, -had done its work, for it had chilled them to the bone, and made them -shiver in mind as well as in body. The yearlings felt themselves -carried a short way on; they felt some one test the ropes that bound -them, tighten every knot, and then finally bind them to what seemed -to be a series of rings in a rough stone wall. They heard a low voice -whisper: - -“They’re safe there. They can’t get near each other.” - -And then one by one the bandages were taken from their eyes and the -gags out of their tortured mouths. - -They saw nothing but the blackest of darkness. Absolutely the place -was so utterly without a trace of light that the figure which stood -in front to untie the gag was as invisible as if it were a spirit. -Bull heard a step across the floor. But even that ceased a few moments -later, and the place grew silent as the grave. - -The yearlings, though their tongues were free, did not dare to whisper -a word. They were too much awed in the darkness. They knew that -something was coming, and they waited in suspense and dread. - -It came. Suddenly the air was split by a sound that was perfectly -deafening in the stillness. It was the clang of a heavy iron door, -close at hand. The yearlings started in alarm, and then stood waiting -and trembling. They knew then where they were, and what door that was. -There was an instant’s silence and then a horrified shout. - -“Great Heavens! The door has slammed!” - -The cadets recognized that voice; it was the mighty one of Texas, but -it sounded faint and dull, as if it had passed through a heavy wall. -It was succeeded by a perfect babel of voices, all of which sounded -likewise. And the meaning of the voices, when once the cadets realized -it, chilled the very marrow of their bones. - -“Open it! Open it, quick!” - -“Can’t! Oh, horrors, it locks on the inside!” - -“Merciful heavens! They are prisoners!” - -“They’ll suffocate!” - -“Quick, quick, man, get a crowbar! Anything! Here, give me that!” - -And then came a series of poundings upon the same iron door, -accompanied by shouts and exclamations of horror and despair. - -“I can’t budge it. It’s a regular safe. They are locked in for good!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -TORTURE OF THE YEARLINGS. - - -Imagine, if you can, the state of mind of the agonized four when the -import of those terrible words burst upon them. They were locked in! -And tied, each one of them, so that they could not move a hand to help -themselves! The darkness made the whole thing yet more awful. They were -entombed alive! And suffocating! Already the air seemed to grow hot, -their breath to come in choking gasps. They screamed aloud, fairly -shrieked in agony. They tore at their bonds, beat upon the wall with -their helpless hands and feet. And all the while outside their cries -were answered by the equally terrified shouts of the plebes. - -“Let us out! Let us out!” shrieked Bull. - -“Can’t you get loose?” they heard a voice reply; they recognized it as -Mallory’s. “Oh, man, you must get loose! Try! Try! We can’t help you! -There’s a knob inside there! Turn it, turn it, and the door’ll open.” - -“How can I turn it?” screamed Bull. “I can’t get near it! I’m tied! -I--oh, merciful Heaven help me! We’re suffocating.” - -The cries from the yearlings increased in terror; outside they heard -the blows of a pickax beating against the wall. Their hearts bounded in -hope; they gasped in suspense; but then suddenly the sound ceased. - -“I can’t do a thing!” It was Texas who spoke. “The walls are too hard. -We can’t help them, they’re gone.” - -“And we!” cried Mark. “Fellows, we’re murderers!” - -“Who knows of this yere place?” demanded Texas. “Nobody’ll ever find -’em. Fellers, let’s go back to camp and swear we never saw ’em.” - -“Oh, don’t leave us! Don’t leave us!” wailed Bull. “Oh! oh!” - -The others joined in with their horrified shrieks, but they might as -well have cried to the stones. They heard rapidly receding footsteps, -and even a heartless, triumphant laugh. And a moment later there was -nothing left but stone for the agonized yearlings to cry to. - -The six conspirators outside, having retreated to a far corner of the -cave, to talk over the success of their ruse, were considering that -last mentioned point then. Indian, ever tender-hearted and nervous, -wanted to let them out now, he was sure they’d dropped dead of fright; -all their vociferous yells from the distance could not persuade him -otherwise. - -“Bless my soul!” he whispered, in an awe-stricken voice. “They’ll -suffocate.” - -“Not for an hour in that spacious compartment,” said the scientific -Parson. - -“Anyhow, I say we let ’em out,” pleaded Indian. - -“An’ I say we don’t!” growled Texas. “That air feller Bull Harris -jes’ deserves to be left thar fo’ good! An’ I wouldn’t mind doin’ it, -either.” - -Texas was usually a very mild and kind-hearted youth, but he was wont -to get wroth over the very name of Harris. - -“That ole yearlin’s been the cause o’ all our trouble an’ hazin’ since -we come hyar!” he cried. “Ever since the day Mark caught him trying to -bully a young girl, an’ knocked him down fo’ it, he’s tried everything -but murder. He’s too much a coward to fight fair, but he’s laid fo’ us -and pitched in to lick us with his gang every time he’s seen us alone. -He’s sent Dewey and you, Mark, to the hospital! He got the yearlin’s to -take Mark out in the woods an’ beat him. - -“An’ he got up that air dirty scheme to skin Mark on demerits; he did -all the demeritin’, besides the beatin’. An’ he put up a plot to git -Mark out o’ bounds and dismissed. An’ now I say let him stay there till -he’s too durnation scared to walk!” - -This sentiment was the sentiment of the rest; but Mark smiled when he -heard it. - -“I think,” he said, “it’s punishment enough to stay in there a minute. -We’ll have to let them out pretty soon.” - -“An’ ain’t you goin’ to work the other scheme?” cried Texas. - -“We’ll work that now,” responded Mark, whispering. “See, there’s the -light, anyway.” - -This last remark was caused by a glance he had taken in the direction -of the dungeon. A faint glimmer of light appeared in a crack at the top -of the old, fast-falling door. And Mark arose and crept swiftly across -the room. - -We must go inside now and see what was going on there, for that -light was destined to bring a new and startling development for the -yearlings; it was what Texas had called “the other scheme.” - -To picture the horror of the abandoned four during the few moments that -had elapsed is beyond our effort. Suffice it to say, that they were -still shrieking, still despairing and yet daring to hope. And then came -the new scheme. - -The silence and blackness had both been unbroken except by them; but -suddenly came a faint, spluttering, crackling sound. And an instant -later a faint, white light shone about the narrow cell. It came from -right in front of the horrified four, seeming to start in some ghostly -way of its own to issue from a shining ball of no one could say what. -But it was not the light, it was what it showed that terrified the -cadets, and made them give vent to one last despairing shriek. - -In the first place, let it be said that the light came from an inverted -basket hiding a candle, set off by a time fuse the ingenious Parson -had made. As for the rest, well, there were six gleaming skeletons -stretched about on the floor of that horrible place, the skulls -grinning frightfully, seeming to leer at the helpless victims. - -The four were incapable of the least sound; their tongues were -paralyzed, and their bodies too. Their eyes fairly started from their -heads as they stared. They were beyond the possibility of further -fright, and what came next seemed natural. - -Those skeletons began to move! - -First one round, white head, with its shining black holes of eyes and -rows of glistening teeth, began to roll slowly across the floor. Then -it sailed up into the air; then it dropped slowly down again, and -finally settled in one corner and grinned out at the gasping cadets. - -“Wasn’t that smart of me?” it seemed to say. “I’ll do it again. Watch -me now. Watch!” - -And it sailed up into the air once more, and swung about in the -blackness and went over toward the prisoners and then started back. -Finally it tumbled down to the ground, hitting its own original bones -with a hollow crack. And then it was still. - -That head was not the only moving thing in the cell. One skeleton -raised its long, trembling arm and pointed at them; another’s legs -rattled across the floor. And a fourth one seemed to spring up all at -once, as though it had dozens of loose bones, and hurl itself with a -clatter into one corner. It lay there a scattered heap, with only one -lone white rib to mark the place where it had been. - -That was the way it seemed to the yearlings; of course, they did not -see the black threads that ran through cracks in the door, where the -six could stand and jerk them at their pleasure. - -It was all over a moment later. The four heard a knob turn, and then, -to their amazement, saw the iron door, which they had thought would -never open on them alive, swing back and let in a flood of glorious -light. And an instant later the familiar and even welcome figure of -Mallory came in. - -He stepped up to each and quickly cut the ropes that hound them. And -when all four were free he stepped back and gazed at them. As for them, -they never moved a muscle, but stared at him in consternation and -confusion. - -“Come out, gentlemen,” said Mark. “Come out and make yourselves at -home.” - -That voice was real, anyway, thank Heaven for that! The four had not -yet succeeded in recovering their wits enough to realize the state of -affairs. They followed Mark mechanically, though they were scarcely -able to stand. They found themselves in the well-lit and furnished -apartment, the rest of their enemies bowing cordially. Then indeed they -began to realize the hoax, its success, the way they had been fooled! -And they staggered back against the wall. - -The silence lasted a minute at least, and then Mark stepped forward. - -“Gentlemen,” he said, “I hope you understand why we did this. It may -seem cruel, but we could think of no other way of bringing you to your -senses. We could have done much more if we had wanted to; but, we trust -this will be a lesson that----” - -“Confound you!” snarled Bull. - -“Steady,” said Mark, smiling, “or in there you go again.” - -That suggestion alone made Bull shiver, and he ventured not another -sound. - -“And now,” said Mark, “if you will let us, we will conduct you back to -camp. And all I want to say besides is, the next time you want to haze, -try fair, open tactics. If you try any more sneaking plots I shall not -show the mercy I did this time. Come on.” - -Some ten minutes later the four were poked through the crevice in the -rocks again, and led blind-folded to the boats and to camp. Which was -the end of that adventure. But Bull Harris vowed he’d get square, and -that very soon. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -A NEW VENTURE. - - -Bull Harris was resolved to “get square or die.” - -To “get square” was in his mind constantly, until he hit on another -scheme of hazing. - -It was several nights later that he and his cronies crept to the tent -wherein lay Mark and three of the others. - -“Don’t let him move, now,” whispered Bull Harris. “Hold him tight, for -he’ll fight like fury.” - -“And take that wild hyena they call Texas along, too,” added another. -“It was he who broke up all our fun the other night.” - -“He won’t get a chance to use his guns this time,” snarled the first -speaker. “And we’ve got enough of a crowd to handle any of the others -if they wake up. Ready, now!” - -This conversation was held in a low tone off to one side. Then, having -agreed just what each was to do, the crowd scattered and stole silently -up to the tent. - -It was important that the yearlings should not awaken the others; they -placed themselves stealthily about the two victims, waited an instant, -and then at the signal stooped and pinned them to the earth. The -yearlings were quite expert at that now, and the two never even got a -chance to gasp. They were lifted up and run quickly away, held so tight -that they couldn’t even kick. It was easy when there were three or four -to one plebe. - -The plan worked perfectly, and it seemed as if no one had discovered -it. Neither of the other two sleepers had moved. Over in the next tent, -however, some one was awakened by the noise, a plebe of Company B, -another member of the immortal Seven. He sprang to his tent door, and -an instant later found himself powerless in the grip of two yearlings -who had stayed behind to watch out for just that accident. Evidently -this attack was better planned than the last one. - -Master Chauncey Van Rensselaer Mount-Bonsall, of Fifth Avenue, New -York, was the unfortunate third prisoner. He felt himself rushed -over the beat of the purposely negligent sentry and hurried into the -confines of the solitary old Fort Clinton, where he was bound and -gagged with celerity and precision and unceremoniously tumbled to the -ground by the side of Mark and Texas. - -Everything was ready for the hazing then. - -The eight who had participated in that kidnaping, speedily resolved -themselves into two groups of four each. The members of one group we -do not know, but the other four were our old friends, Bull Harris, Gus -Murray, Merry Vance and Baby Edwards. They had stepped to one side to -talk over the fate of their unfortunate prisoners. - -“By Heaven!” cried Bull, clinching his fists in anger. “Fellows, we’ve -got him at last! Do you realize it, he’s ours to do with as we please. -And if I don’t make him sorry he ever lived this night, I hope I may -die on the spot.” - -Bull was striding up and down in excitement as he muttered this. And -there was no less hatred and malice in the eyes of his three whispering -companions. - -“I could kill him!” cried Gus; and he said it as if he meant it. - -“He’s been the torment of my life,” snarled Bull. “I hate him as I -never hated any one, and every time I try to get square on him, somehow -everything goes wrong. Just think of being penned up in a black cave -with a lot of skeletons. Confound him! But he won’t get away this time -as he did before.” - -This interesting and charitable dialogue was cut short just then by one -of the other four. - -“What are you fellows going to do?” he cried. - -“We’ll be there in a moment!” whispered Bull. “Don’t talk so loud. Say, -fellows (this to his own crowd) I say we take Mallory off by ourselves. -Those other fellows won’t stand half we want to do to him.” - -“That’s so,” assented the dyspeptic Vance. “What in thunder did we let -them come for?” - -“We couldn’t have handled Mallory and Texas alone,” replied Bull, -sourly. “And we had to take Texas, else he’d have waked up and followed -us sure. But I guess it’ll be all right. Come ahead.” - -The four walked over and joined the rest of the yearlings then. - -“We’ve decided what we’ll do,” said Bull. “We won’t need you fellows -any more. We’re very much obliged to you for helping us.” - -“Pshaw!” growled one of them. “I want to stay and see the fun.” - -“But there’s more danger with so many away,” said Bull, persuasively. - -“I’ll stand my share,” laughed the other. “I want to stay. I’ve a -grudge against that plebe Mallory myself.” - -Bull bit his lip in vexation. - -“The fact is, fellows,” he said, “we want to take these plebes to a -place we don’t know anything about.” - -“Why didn’t you tell us that before you asked us?” growled the four. -“I’m going to stay, I don’t care what you say.” - -The fact of the matter was that the four yearlings were just a little -chary about leaving their prisoner in Bull’s hands, though they did not -care to say so. They knew Bull Harris’ character. His hatred of Mallory -was well known. Who had not seen Bull, one night when the yearling -class took Mallory and started to beat him into submission, seize a -lash and leap at the helpless victim in a perfect frenzy of hatred. And -who had not heard him all that day wrathfully telling the story of how -Mallory and his gang, in an effort to cure him of his meanness, had -frightened him almost to tears? Truly, thought the four, Bull’s hazing -was a thing to be supervised. - -So they stayed, and finally Bull had to accept the situation. - -“Come on,” he growled, surlily. - -The crowd lifted their helpless victims from the ground and set out to -follow Bull’s guidance. They had no idea where they were going, and in -fact Bull had none himself. He could think of no form of torture that -was quite cruel enough for that hated Mallory, and he did not have the -brains to think of one that was as ingenious and harmless as Mallory -had worked on him. - -“I’d tie him up and beat the hide off him,” thought Bull, “if I could -only get rid of those confounded fellows that are with us. As it is, -I’ll have to find something else, plague take it.” - -The crowd had been scrambling down the steep bank toward the river in -the meanwhile. Bull thought it would be well to douse Mallory in the -water, which was one of the tricks Mallory had tried on him. After that -he said to himself it’ll be time enough to think of something more. -They skirted the parade ground and made their way down past the riding -hall and across the railroad track near the tunnel. - -“I’d like to drop him on the track,” thought Bull to himself, as he -heard the roar of a train approaching. “By Heaven, that would settle -him!” - -The crowd had barely crossed before the engine appeared at the -tunnel’s mouth, after it a long freight train slowly rumbling past -them. And at that instant Gus Murray seized Bull convulsively by the -arm. - -“I’ve got a scheme!” he cried. “Do you hear me, a scheme?” - -“What is it?” shouted Bull, above the noise of the train. - -“It’s a beauty,” gasped Murray. “By George, we’ll get ’em fired. -They’ll go nobody knows where, and be missed in the morning. And we can -swear we didn’t do it. Hooray! We’ll put ’em on the train!” - -Bull staggered back and cried out with excitement. - -“That’s it!” he muttered, and an instant later, before the horrified -four could comprehend his purpose he and Edwards had torn the helpless -body of Mallory from their arms and made a rush at a passing car. It -was an empty car, and the door was half open; to fling the plebe in was -the work of but an instant; then with Murray and Vance he quickly slid -the other two in also. Half a minute later the train was gone. - -The four outsiders turned and stared at Bull’s gang in horror. - -“What on earth have you done?” they gasped. - -And Bull chuckled to himself. - -“I’ve sent those infernal plebes to New York,” he said. “By Jingo, I’d -like to send them to Hades. If they aren’t fired as it is it’ll be -because you kids give us away. And now let’s go back to bed.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -MARK COMES TO TOWN. - - -Mr. Timothy O’Flaherty was a tramp. That was the plain unvarnished -statement of the case. Mr. O’Flaherty would have called himself a -knight of the road, and a comic editor would have called him Tired Tim; -but to everybody else he was a plain tramp. - -Mr. O’Flaherty was very, very tired, having walked nearly twenty miles -that day without getting even so much as a square meal. One whole pie -was the sum total of his daily bread and that was so bad that he had -fed it to the bulldog for revenge and walked on. He was walking still, -at present on the tracks of the West Shore Railroad some thirty miles -north of New York. - -From what has been said of Mr. O’Flaherty you may suppose that his -heart leaped with joy when along came a rumbling night freight. He -watched it crawl past with a professional and critical eye; there was a -platform he might ride on, but he was liable to be seen there. If only -he could find an open car. There was one! He made a leap at the door, -swung himself aboard with as much grace as if he had lived all his -life on Broadway, and then crawled into the car. - -Mr. O’Flaherty looked around. There was some one else in that car! - -“Another tramp,” thought the newcomer, and so to awaken him he gave him -a friendly prod with his toe. - -“Hello!” said he; but there was no answer. - -“Drunk,” was the next conjecture, but then he heard a low sound that -was very much like a groan. - -That scared Timothy, and he seized the figure and jerked it to the -light of the moon that shone in through the door. “Be the saints!” he -muttered in alarm, “it’s a sojer, an’ he’s all tied up.” - -“Um--um--um!” groaned the figure in a “nasal” tone. - -It was Chauncey whom the tramp had found; Chauncey had slipped into -his plebe trousers before he ran to the tent door, which accounted for -the man’s exclamation, a “sojer.” If he had found Mark or Texas he -would have exclaimed still more, for the latter two were clad in their -underclothing. - -Mr. O’Flaherty was a man of quick action; he saw that he couldn’t -gratify his curiosity about that strange traveler unless he cut him -loose; so he did it. - -Chauncey’s first act to celebrate his liberty was a stretch and a yawn; -his second was to seize the knife and rush to the back of the car, -with the result that two more persons appeared in the moonlight a few -minutes later. - -Of Mr. Timothy O’Flaherty they did not take the least bit of notice; -they appeared to have something else of much more importance to talk -about just then. And Timothy sat in the shadow and stared at them with -open mouth. - -“Well, this is a scrape,” muttered one of them, gazing at his own -scantily clad figure and at the landscape rushing by. - -“What kin we do?” cried a second. “The old Nick take them old -yearlin’s!” - -“Bah Jove!” cried the third. “This is deucedly embarrassing. I cawn’t -go out on the street, don’t cher know, dressed in this outlandish -fashion!” - -“And we can’t get a train back,” cried the first. - -“An’ we got no money!” said the second. - -“Bah Jove!” added the third, the one Timothy recognized as “Trousers” -because he was the only one who had them. “Réveille’ll sound, don’t -cher know, and we won’t be there.” - -This entertaining conversation was kept up for some fifteen minutes -more. All Mr. O’Flaherty managed to make out was that they had been -sent away from somewhere and they hadn’t the least idea how to get -back. Presently one of them--Trousers--discovered that he did have some -money, plenty of it, whereupon Timothy’s mouth began to water. That -cleared the situation in his eyes, but it didn’t seem to in theirs. -They were afraid of being late and getting caught by some wild animal -called réveille; moreover, they couldn’t take a train because they had -no clothes. Here Timothy thought he’d better step in. - -“Hey, Trousers!” said he. - -The “dude” thus designated didn’t recognize himself, so Timothy edged -up and poked him to make him look. - -“Hey, Trousers!” said he. “I kin git you ducks some togs.” - -To make a long story short the “ducks” “tumbled” to that proposition -in a hurry. Even Trousers, the aristocrat, condescended to sit down -and discuss ways and means with that very sociable tramp. To make the -story still shorter Timothy propounded a plan and found it agreeable; -“jumped” the car when it was finally switched off at Hoboken; and set -out with ten dollars of the stranger’s money, to buy second-hand -clothing at one o’clock in the morning. - -“You’ll be sure to come back,” said Mark. “Because we’ll make it -fifteen if you do.” - -That settled whatever idea of “taking a sneak” was lurking in the -messenger’s mind. He vowed to return, “sure as me name is Timothy -O’Flaherty,” which, as we know, it was. And he came too. He flung a -pile of duds into the car and went off whistling with the promised -reward of virtue in his pocket. It was a “bully graft” for him anyhow, -and he promised himself a regular roaring good time. That is the last -we shall see of Timothy. - -As to the plebes their joy was equally as great. They felt that this -hazing was the supreme effort of the desperate Bull Harris, and it -failed. Now that they were safe they could contemplate the delight of -turning up smiling at réveille to the consternation of “the enemy.” -Truly this involuntary journey had panned out to be a very pleasant -affair indeed. - -Mark’s first thought was as to a return train. They rushed off to the -depot to find out, where they discovered a ticket agent who gazed -doubtfully at their soiled and ragged clothing. The three realized then -for the first time that their benefactor had kept a good deal of that -ten dollars for himself, and poor Chauncey, to whom a wilted collar was -agony, fairly groaned as he gazed at himself. However, they found that -there was a train in ten minutes; and another at three-thirty-due at -West Point at four-thirty-eight. That was the essential thing, and the -three wandered out to the street again. - -“We mustn’t go far, don’t cher know,” observed Chauncey. “We don’t want -to miss that train.” - -Chauncey’s was not a very daring or original mind. There was an idea -floating through Mark’s head just then that never occurred to Chauncey; -it would have knocked him over if it had. - -“When we went up there to West Point,” began Mark, suddenly, “we -expected to stay there two years without ever once venturing off the -post.” - -“Yes,” said Chauncey. “Bah Jove, we did.” - -“And here we are down at Hoboken, opposite New York.” - -“Yes,” assented Chauncey again. - -“It feels good to be loose, don’t it?” observed Mark. - -And still Chauncey didn’t “tumble”; Texas’ eyes were beginning to dance -however. - -“It’s awfully stupid back there on the reservation, not half as lively -as New York.” - -Still Chauncey only said “Yes.” - -“Rather kind of the yearlings to give us a holiday, wasn’t it?” -observed Mark. - -Another “Yes,” and then seeing that his efforts were of no use Mark -came out with his proposition. - -“Stupid!” he laughed. “Don’t you see what I mean? I’m not going back on -that first train.” - -“Not going back on that train!” gasped Chauncey. “Bah Jove! then -what----” - -His horrified inquiries were interrupted by a wild whoop from the -delighted Texas. Texas was beginning to wriggle his fingers, which -meant that Texas was excited. And suddenly he sprang forward and -started down the street, seizing his expostulating companion under the -arm and dragging him ahead as if he had been a child. - -Some ten minutes later those three members of the Banded Seven--B. B. -J.--were on a Christopher Street ferryboat bound for New York and bent -upon having some “fun.” When the Seven set out for fun they usually got -it; they had all they could carry in this case. - -It was with a truly delicious sense of freedom that they strolled -about the deck of that lumbering boat. Only one who has been to West -Point can appreciate it. Day after day on that army reservation, with a -penalty of dismissal for leaving it, grows woefully monotonous even to -the very busy plebe. Zest was added to their venture by the fact that -they knew they were breaking rules and might be found out any moment. - -“Still if we are,” laughed Mark, “we can lay the blame on Bull. And now -for the fun.” - -They half expected the fun would come rushing out to welcome them the -moment they got into the light of the street. They expected a fire or a -murder at the very least. And felt really hurt because they met only a -sleepy hack driver talking to a sleepy policeman. And an empty street -car and a few slouchy-looking fellows like themselves lounging about -a saloon. However it was exciting to be in New York anyway; what more -could the three B. J. plebes want? - -They strolled across Christopher Street, gazing curiously. Mark -had never been in New York before and Chauncey was worried because -he couldn’t see a better part of it, for instance, “my cousin, Mr. -Morgan’s mansion on Fifth Avenue, don’t cher know.” He even offered to -take Mark up there, until he chanced to glance at his clothing. Then -he shivered. Truly the three were a sight; Chauncey’s shapely plebe -trousers were hidden in a huge green threadbare overcoat (August)! Mark -could not help laughing whenever he gazed at the youthful aristocrat. - -“Never mind,” he laughed. “Cheer up, nobody’ll try to rob us, which is -one comfort.” - -“I wish we would get robbed,” growled Texas. “Whar’s that aire fun we -came fo’?” - -That began to be a pressing question. They wandered about for at least -half an hour and the clocks showed two, and still nothing had happened. -The city seemed to be provokingly orderly that night. - -“Durnation!” exclaimed Texas. “I reckon we got to make some fun -ourselves.” - -When a person is really looking for excitement, it takes very little -to have him imagine some. The three had just been discussing the -possibility of robbery down in this “tough” quarter when suddenly Mark -seized the other two by the arm. - -“Look, look!” he cried. - -The others turned; and straightway over the whole three of them -flashed the conviction that at last their hour had come. There was a -burglar! - -The three started in surprise, and a moment later they slid silently -into the shadow of an awning to watch with palpitating hearts. - -There was only one burglar. That is, he had no confederates visible. -But his own actions were desperate enough for two. In the first place -he crept softly up the steps of the house, stooping and crouching as -he did so. He tried the door softly, shook it; and then finding it -resisted his purpose he stole down again, glancing about him nervously. - -He went down into the area, where it was dark; the three, trembling by -this time, peered forward to watch him. They saw him try the window -and to their horror saw it go softly up. The next moment the man -deliberately sat down and removed his shoes. The plebes could see them -in his hands as he arose again and with the stealthiness of a cat slid -quickly in. - -The three hesitated not a moment, but rose up and crept silently and -swiftly across the street. Mark stole down into the area, his heart -beating high. He peered in and a moment later beckoned the others. They -came; they saw the burglar in the act of striking a light and creeping -up the basement stairs. In an instant more he was gone. - -“What shall we do?” whispered the three. “What?” - -Mark answered by an act. There was only one thing he could do; he -stooped and crept in at the window. The three followed him immediately -and their forms were lost in the darkness of that imperiled house. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -BURGLAR HUNTING. - - -It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it -is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain -that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it. Many -a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning -a lack of excitement, and now here it was. So they had no right to -complain. - -Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side -they stood and peered into the darkness. From what they had seen of the -room when the man struck a light it was a dining-room with a flight of -stairs running up from it. Up those stairs the man had gone; and a few -moments later the three cadets were standing hesitatingly at the foot -of them. - -“He may have a gun,” whispered Chauncey. - -Texas reached around to his hip pocket instinctively at that; he -groaned when he realized his defenseless condition. - -“That’s the worst o’ these yere ole Eastern ways,” he muttered. “Ef -a feller had bought these yere pants in Texas more’n likely he’d ’a’ -found some guns in ’em.” - -Texas had but a few moments more to growl however, for Mark stepped -forward, suddenly and started up the steps. - -“Come on,” he said. “Let’s have it over with. He can’t shoot all of us -at once.” - -Slowly they crept up the stairs, pausing at every step to listen. They -reached the top and peering around found a dimly-lit hall without a -sign of life about it. - -“Perhaps he’s in one o’ them aire rooms,” whispered Texas. “I----” - -“S’h!” muttered Mark. - -His exclamation was caused by a slight noise on the floor above, a -faint tread. - -“He’s upon the next floor!” gasped the three. “Shall we----” - -They did; Mark led the way and with still more trembling caution they -stole on, crouching in the shadow of the banisters, trying to stifle -the very beatings of their hearts and breathing fast with excitement. - -Up, up. There were twenty-one stairs to that flight; Mark knew that, -because they stopped a long while on each listening for another clew -to the burglar’s whereabouts, and trembling as they imagined him -peering over at them. - -Not a sign of him did they see or hear, however, until they reached -the level of the floor, where they could lean forward and look around -the balustrade. First they heard a sound of heavy breathing, as from -a sleeper. That was in the rear room, and Mark, peering in, saw the -person clearly. - -There was a faint light in the room, a light from a dimly-burning gas -jet. The room was apparently deserted except for the sleeper. It was a -woman, for Mark could see her hair upon the pillow. But where was the -burglar? - -The answer came with startling suddenness, suddenness that precipitated -a calamity. The room next to the rear one was dark and silent until, -without a moment’s warning, all at once a light flashed out. And there -was the burglar. The reckless villain had lit the gas, so sure was he -of his safety. And he was standing now in the middle of the floor, -stealthily taking off his coat before starting to work. - -Naturally that sudden flash of light startled the three; it startled -them so much that Chauncey leaped back with a gasp of alarm; and a -moment later, his heel catching in the end of his huge green overcoat, -he tripped and staggered, clutched wildly at nothing, and with a shriek -of alarm tumbled backward, rolling over and over with a series of -crashes that made the building shake. And then there was fun. - -In the first place, as to the burglar; he started back in horror, -realizing his discovery; in the second place, as to the woman; she sat -up in bed with the celerity of a jack-in-the-box, and an instant later -gave vent to a series of screams that awoke the neighborhood. - -“Help! Help! Burglars! Murder! Thieves! Fire! Help!” - -In the third place, as to the cadets. Their first thought was of -Chauncey, and they turned and bounded down the steps to the bottom. -They found him “rattled” but unhurt, and they picked him up and set him -on his feet. Their second thought was of the burglar, that ruthless -villain who perhaps even now was making his escape by a window. The -thought made them jump. - -“Forward!” shouted Mark. - -And to a man they sprang up the stairs, two or three steps at a time, -shouting “Burglars!” as they went. They reached the top and bounded -into the room, where they found the man in the very act of rushing out -of the door. Mark sprang at him, seized him by the throat and bore him -to the ground. And the two others plunged upon the pile. - -“Hold him! Hold him! Help! Help!” was the cry. - -Meanwhile the woman had arisen from the bed, very naturally, and was -now rushing about the hall in typical angelic costume, occasionally -poking her head out of the windows and shrieking for burglars and help, -using a voice that had a very strong Irish brogue. - -In response to her stentorian tones help was not slow in arriving. A -crash upon the door was heard; the door gave way, and up the stairs -rushed two men. - -“Help us hold him!” roared Texas, who was at this moment trying his -level best to push the criminal’s nose through the carpet. “Help us to -hold him!” - -But to his infinite surprise the two newcomers made a savage rush on -him, and in an instant more the true state of affairs flashed over -Texas. - -“They’re friends of the burglar!” he cried. “Whoop! Come on, thar!” - -The two men were not slow to accept his invitation. They added their -bodies to the already complicated heap of arms and legs that were -writhing about on the floor, and after that the _mêlée_ was even -livelier than ever. Even the woman took a hand; her Irish blood would -not let her stay out of the battle long, and she pitched in with a -broom, whacking everything promiscuously. - -What would have been the end of all this riot I do not pretend to say; -I only know that Mark was devoting himself persistently to the task of -holding the burglar underneath him, in spite of all manner of punches -and kicks, and that Texas was dashing back and forth across the room, -plowing his way recklessly through every human being he saw when the -“scrap” was brought to an untimely end by the arrival of one more -person. - -This latter was a policeman, a policeman of the fat and unwieldy type -found only in New York. He had plunged up the stairs, club in hand, and -now stood red and panting, menacing the crowd. - -“Stop! stop!” he cried. “Yield to the majesty of the la-aw.” - -Every one was glad to do that, as it appeared; the battling ceased -abruptly and all parties concerned rose up and glared at each other in -the dim light. - -“What’s the meaning of this?” cried the “cop.” - -If he had realized the terrible consequence of that question he would -never have asked it. For each and every person concerned sprang forward -to answer it. - -“There’s the burglar!” cried Mark, pointing excitedly at the original -cause of all the trouble, who was wiping his fevered brow with -diligence. “There’s the burglar! Arrest him!” - -“Yes, yes!” roared Texas. “Grab him! I’ll tell you how it was----” - -“Howly saints!” shrieked the woman, “don’t let them get away! They’ve -broken me head, in faith! An’ look at me poor husband’s oi!” - -“Me a burglar!” roared the person thus alluded to by Mark, shaking one -fist at Mark and the other at the officer. “So it’s a burglar they call -me, is it? So that’s their trick, be jabbers! An’ a foine state of -affairs it is when a man can’t come into his own house without being -called a burglar, bad cess to it. Bridget, git me that flat-iron there -an’ soak the spalpeen! Be the saints!” - -During that tirade of incoherent Irish the three cadets had suddenly -collapsed. The situation had flashed over them in all its horror and -awfulness. The “burglar” lived in the house! The woman was his wife! -And they were the burglars! - -The three gazed at each other in consternation and sprang back -instinctively. The policeman took that for a move to escape and he -whipped out his revolver with a suddenness that made Texas’ mouth water. - -“Stop!” he cried. - -His command received even more emphasis from the fact that another -policeman rushed up the stairs at that moment. The three stopped. - -“See here, officer,” said Mark, as calmly as he could. “This is all a -mistake. We aren’t burglars; we are perfectly respectable young men----” - -“You look like it,” put in the other, incredulously. - -Mark’s heart sank within him at that. He glanced at his two companions -and realized how hopeless was their case. New rags and tatters had been -added by the battle. Disheveled hair, and dirt and blood-stained faces -made them about as disreputable specimens as could be found in New -York. Respectable young men! Pooh! - -“I could explain it,” groaned Mark. “We thought this man was a burglar -and we followed him in. We aren’t tramps if we do look it. We are----” - -And then he stopped abruptly; to tell that they were cadets would be -their ruination anyway. - -“You’re a lot of thaves an’ robbers! Sure an’ thot’s what yez are!” -shouted the irate “burglar,” filling in the sentence and at the same -time making a rush at Mark. - -“Come,” said the policeman, stopping him. “Enough of this. You fellers -can tell your yarn to the judge to-morrow morning.” - -Mark gasped as he realized the full import of that sentence. It was two -o’clock and their train left in an hour or two--their last chance! And -they could tell their story to the judge in the morning! - -The policeman jerked a pair of handcuffs from his pockets and stepped -up to Mark. The latter saw that resistance was hopeless and though it -was torture to him he held out his wrists and said nothing. Texas, -having no gun, could do nothing less. Chauncey was the only one who -“kicked,” and he kicked like a steer. - -“Bah Jove!” he cried. “This is an insult, a deuced insult! I won’t -stand it, don’t cher know! Stop, I say. I won’t go, bah Jove! I’ll -send for my father and have every man on the blasted police force -fired! I----” - -The snap of the handcuffs and the feeling of the cold steel subdued -Chauncey and he subsided into growls. The officer took him by the -arm, saying something as he did so about an “English crook.” And then -the three filed downstairs, the indignant and much-bruised Irishman -following and enlivening the proceedings with healthy anathemas. - -That walk to the station house the three will never forget as long as -they live, it was so unspeakably degrading; it was only a short way, -just around the corner, but it was bad enough. Idlers and loafers fell -in behind to jeer at them, scarcely giving them chance to reflect upon -the desperately-horrible situation they were in. - -Mark was glad when at last the door of the station house shut upon -them to hide them from curious eyes. There was almost no one in here -to stare at them, but a sleepy sergeant at the desk; he looked up with -interest when they entered, and were marched up before him. - -“What’s this?” he inquired. - -“Burglars,” said one of the officers, briefly. - -Chauncey’s wrath had been pent up for some ten minutes then, and at -that word it boiled over again. - -“I’m no burglar!” he roared. “I tell you, you fools, I’m no burglar! -Bah Jove, this is an outrage.” - -“Faith an’ yez are a burglar!” shouted the Irishman, likewise -indignant. “An’ faith, Mr. Sergeant, the divils broke into me house and -near broke me head, too, bad cess to ’em. An’ thot, too, whin Oi’d been -to the club an’ were a-thryin’ to git to sleep without wakin’ me wife. -An’ faith she’ll be after me wid a shtick, thot she will, to-morrer!” - -“We aren’t burglars, I say!” protested Chauncey. “We thought he was a -burglar. We’re cade----” - -Here Mark gave him a nudge that nearly knocked him over; he looked up -and caught sight of a spruce young man with pencil and notebook working -diligently. It was a reporter and Chauncey took the hint and shut up. - -“Name?” inquired the sergeant, seeing him quiet at last. - -“My name, bah Jove?” exclaimed the other. “Chauncey Van Ren----” - -Again Mark gave him a poke. - -“Peter Smith,” said Chauncey. - -“And yours?” - -“John Jones,” said Texas. - -“And yours?” - -Mark glanced at the others with one last dying trace of a smile. - -“Timothy O’Flaherty,” said he. “You understand,” he added, to ease his -conscience, “they’re all fictitious, of course.” - -The sergeant nodded as he wrote the names. - -“We’ll find the right ones in the Rogues’ Gallery,” he remarked -sarcastically. - -That fired Chauncey again, and he went off into another tirade of abuse -and indignation, which was finally closed by the officers offering -to “soak him” if he didn’t shut up. Then they were led off to a -cell--number seven, curiously enough. And as the door shut with a clank -the three gasped and realized that it was the death knell of their -earthly hopes. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -CHAUNCEY HAS AN IDEA. - - -Three more utterly discouraged and disgusted plebes than our friends -would be hard to manufacture. There wasn’t a ray of hope, any more -than a ray of light to illumine that dark cell. There was only one -possibility to be considered, apparently--they would be hauled up in -the police court the next morning and required to give an account of -themselves. If they gave it, said they were cadets, it would be good-by -West Point; for they had broken a dozen rules. If on the other hand -they chose to remain Peter Smith, John Jones and Timothy O’Flaherty, -young toughs, it would be something like “One thousand dollars’ bail,” -or else “remanded without bail for trial”--and no West Point all the -same! - -The three had characteristic methods of showing their disgust. Texas -had gone to sleep in a corner, seeing no use in worrying. Mark was -sitting moodily on the floor, trying his best to think of something to -do. Chauncey was prancing up and down the cell about as indignant as -ever was a “haughty aristocrat,” vowing vengeance against everybody -and everything in a blue uniform as sure as his name was Chaun--er, -Peter Smith. - -Mad and excited as Chauncey was, it was from him that the first gleam -of hope came. And when Chauncey hit upon his idea he fairly kicked -himself for his stupidity in not hitting on it before. A moment later -his friends, and in fact the whole station house, were startled by his -wild yells for “somebody” to come there. - -An officer came in a hurry thinking of murder or what not. - -“What do you want?” he cried. - -“Bah Jove!” remarked our young friend, eying him with haughty scorn -that made a hilarious contrast with his outlandish green August -overcoat. “Bah Jove, don’t be so peremptory, so rude, ye know!” - -“W--why!” gasped the amazed policeman. - -“I want to know, don’t ye know,” said Chauncey, “if I can send a -telegram, bah Jove?” - -“Yes,” growled the other. “That is, if you’ve got any money.” - -Chauncey pulled out his “roll,” which had been missed when they -searched him, and tossed a five-dollar bill carelessly to the man. - -“Take that,” said he. “Bah Jove, I don’t want it, ye know. Come now, -write what I tell you.” - -The man took the bill in a hurry and drew out a pencil and notebook, -while Chauncey’s two fellow-prisoners stared anxiously. Chauncey -dictated with studied scorn and indifference. - -“Am--arrested,” said he, “for--burglary--ye--know.” - -The policeman wrote the “ye know,” obediently, though he gasped in -amazement and muttered “lunatic.” - -“Under--name--of--Peter--Smith-- ---- Street--station. Come--instantly -Chauncey.” - -“Who shall I send it to?” inquired the “stenographer.” - -“Let me see,” Chauncey mused. “Bah Jove, not to fawther, ye know. -They’d see the name, ruin the family reputation. A deuced mess! Oh yes, -bah Jove, I’ll have all me uncles, ye know! Ready there? First, Mr. -Perry Bellwood, ---- Fifth Avenue----” - -“What!” gasped the officer. - -“Write what I say,” commanded Chauncey, sternly; “and no comments! -Second, Mr. W. K. Vanderpool, ---- Fifth Avenue. Third--bah Jove--Mr. -W. C. Stickhey, ---- Fifth Avenue. Fourth----” - -“How many do you want?” expostulated the other. - -“Silence!” roared the “dude.” “Do as I say! I take no chances. Fourth, -Mr. Bradley-Marvin, ---- Fifth Avenue. And that’ll do, I guess, ye -know. Run for your life, then, deuce take it, and I’ll give you another -five if they get here in a hawf hour, bah Jove.” - -There was probably no more amazed policeman on the metropolitan force -than that one. But he hustled according to orders none the less. -Certainly there was no more satisfied plebe in the whole academy class -than Mr. Chauncey Van Rensselaer Mount-Bonsall of New York. “It’s all -right now, bah Jove,” said he. “They’ll be here soon.” - -And with those words of comfort Chauncey subsided and was asleep from -sheer exhaustion two minutes later. Though he slept, forgetful of the -whole affair, there were a few others who did not sleep, messenger boys -and millionaires especially. - -The sergeant at the desk had had no one but one “drunk” to register -during the next half hour, and so he was pretty nearly asleep himself. -The doorman was slumbering peacefully in his chair, and two or three -roundsmen and officers were sitting together in one corner whispering. -That was the state of affairs in the police station when something -happened all of a sudden that made everybody leap up with interest. - -A carriage came slamming up the street at race-horse speed. Any one who -has lain awake at night, or rather in the early hours of morning, when -the city is as silent as a graveyard, has noticed the clatter made by -a single wagon. An approaching tornado or earthquake could not have -made much more of a rumpus than this one. The sergeant sat up in alarm -and the doorman flung upon the door and rushed out to see what was the -matter. - -They were soon to learn--the driver yanked up his galloping horses -directly in front of the building. At the same instant the coach door -was flung open with a bang. It was an elderly gentleman who hopped out, -and he made a dash for the entrance, nearly bowling the doorman over in -his haste. - -Now it is not often that a “swell bloke” like that visits a station -house at such hours. The sergeant gazed at him in alarm, expecting a -burglary, a murder, or perhaps even a dynamite plot. - -“What’s the matter?” he cried. - -The man dashed up to the desk, breathless from his unusual exertion. - -“My boy!” he cried. “Where is he?” - -“Your boy?” echoed the sergeant. “Where is he? What on earth?” - -The sergeant thought he had a lunatic then. - -“My boy!” reiterated the man excitedly. “Chauncey! He’s a prisoner -here!” - -The officer shook his head with a puzzled look. - -“I’ve got nobody named Chauncey,” said he. “You’ve come to the wrong -place.” - -The man happened to think of the telegram; he glanced at it. - -“Oh, yes,” he cried, suddenly. “I forgot. Peter Smith is the name he -gave. You’ve a Peter Smith here!” - -The sergeant gazed at the excited man in indescribable amazement. - -“Peter Smith!” he stammered. “Why, yes. But he’s a tramp. He’s arrested -for burglary, and----” - -The strange gentleman was evidently angry at having been stirred out of -bed so early in the morning. Moreover he was insulted at the outrageous -idea of his nephew’s being in a common prison house as a burglar. -Altogether he was mad through, and didn’t take the trouble to be -cautious. - -“Let him out this instant, I say,” he demanded, indignantly. “How dare -you----” - -Now the sergeant was a pompous individual and he had no idea of being -“bossed” like that by any one, whoever he might be, least of all in -the presence of his men. Moreover, he was an Irishman, and this angry -individual’s superior way got him wild. - -“Who are you?” he demanded, with more conciseness than courtesy. - -“I’m Perry Bellwood,” said the other with just as much asperity. “And -what is more----” - -“Who in thunder is Perry Bellwood?” roared the sergeant. - -That took all the wind out of the elderly and aristocratic gentleman’s -sails. - -“You don’t know Perry Bellwood?” he gasped. “Perry Bellwood, the -banker!” - -“Never saw him,” retorted the sergeant. - -“And you won’t release my nephew?” - -“No, sir. I won’t release your nephew!” roared the officer, hammering -on his desk for emphasis. “I wouldn’t release him for you or any other -banker in New York, or the whole crowd of them together. Do you hear -that? I’d like to know what you think a police sergeant is, anyhow. A -nice state of affairs it would be if I had to set loose every burglar -and murderer in prison because of some man who thinks he owns the earth -because he is a banker.” - -The sergeant was red in the face from anger as he finished this pointed -declaration. Mr. Bellwood was pacing up and down the room furiously. He -turned upon the man suddenly when he finished. - -“I’ll bet you all I own,” he said, “that you’ll do as I say, and in an -hour, too.” - -“And I’ll bet you my job I don’t,” snapped the sergeant. “I’ll see -who’s running this place----” - -By that time the outraged banker had made a dash for his carriage. The -outraged sergeant planked himself down on his chair and gazed about him -indignantly. - -“The very idea!” vowed he. “The very idea! That fellow talked to me as -if he were the mayor. I’d a good mind to lock him up. I wouldn’t let -those burglars loose now for all Fifth Avenue.” - -He was given a chance to prove that last assertion of his, a good deal -more of a chance than he expected when he made it. He had hardly gotten -the words out of his mouth, and the rattle of the carriage had not yet -died away before another one dashed up to the door. - -The sergeant thought it was the same fellow back, and he got up -angrily. The door was flung open and in dashed another man, even more -aristocratic in bearing than the other. - -“My name is Mr. Stickhey,” said he, gravely, “and I’ve come----” - -“I suppose you want to raise a rumpus about that confounded Chauncey, -too!” cried the sergeant, getting red to the ends of his whiskers. - -“W-why! What’s this?” gasped the astonished millionaire. - -“And I suppose you want me to let him go, don’t you?” - -“W-why!” gasped the astonished millionaire again. “What----” - -“Well, if you do you might as well understand that I don’t mean to -do it. And you needn’t be wasting any breath about it either. I’ve -stood about all of this I mean to stand from anybody. I don’t set my -prisoners loose for the devil himself, and I won’t for you. Now then!” - -It would be difficult to describe the look of amazement that was on -the dignified Mr. Stickhey’s face. He stared, and then he started again. - -“Why, officer!” said he. “I’m sure----” - -“So’m I!” vowed the sergeant. “Dead sure! And all your talk won’t -change the fact, either, that Peter Smith, or Chauncey, or whoever he -is, stays where he is till morning. And the sooner you realize it the -better.” - -The millionaire stared yet half a minute more, and then he whirled -about on his heel and strode out, without another word. - -“I’ll see about this,” said he. - -The sergeant did not return to his seat; he was too mad. He pranced up -and down the room like a wild man, vowing vengeance on all the dudes -and bankers in existence. - -“I wonder if any more of them are coming,” exclaimed he. “By jingo, I -just wish they would. I’m just in the humor--gee whiz!” - -It was another! Yet older and more sedate than either of the others he -marched in and gazed haughtily about him. - -“I’ve a nephew----” he began; and there he stopped. - -“Oh!” said the sergeant. “You have! Get out!” - -“Why--er----” - -“Get out!” - -“What in----” - -“Do you hear me? Get out of here, I say! Not a word, or I’ll have -you--ah! I wonder if there’ll be any more of ’em.” - -This last was a chuckle of satisfaction as Millionaire No. 3 fled -precipitately. The sergeant rubbed his hands gleefully. This sport bade -fair to last all night, he realized to his great satisfaction as he -faced about and waited. - -He was waiting for number four to show up. He was getting madder still -and this time he was fingering his club suggestively. At the very first -gleam of a white shirt front he drew it and made a dash for the door. - -It was Mr. Vanderpool, number four. - -“Get out!” said the irate sergeant, menacingly, and he swung up his -weapon. The gentleman thought he had met with a maniac; he gave one -glance and then made a dash for the carriage. The officer faced about, -replaced his club, and softly murmured “Next.” - -But the “next” never came. The sergeant got weary of pacing about and -finally sat down again. Half an hour passed and he began to doze; the -fun for that night was over, thought he, and laughed when he thought -how mad be had been. - -“I’d just like to see any Fifth Avenue dudes running this place,” he -muttered. “I never heard of such a piece of impertinence in my life!” - -Through all this the plebes were peacefully sleeping. What poor -Chauncey would have done if he had seen his four uncles insulted by -that irate policeman is left to the imagination of the reader. It would -most infallibly have been the death of Chauncey, and so perhaps it is -just as well that he didn’t awaken. - -The clock over the station house door was at three. It will be -remembered that the train left at three-thirty. The only train that -could possibly save those unfortunate plebes. Three-thirty was the time -the ferryboat left. But the station house was two miles and more from -the ferry-slip. Altogether things were getting very interesting. For -the sergeant dozed on, and the prisoners slept on and the clock went on -to three-fifteen. It was a wonder Mark Mallory didn’t have a nightmare. - -It is of the nature of thunderbolts to strike swiftly. There is no -parleying, no stopping for introductions, no delays. Therefore there -will be none in describing what happened next. - -The sergeant sat up with a start; so did the doorman, and so did -everybody else in the place. There was the rattle of another carriage! - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -BACK AGAIN. - - -The sergeant had gotten over his anger, but he meant to be consistent, -all the same. If this was another one of those “bloated aristocrats” -he’d better look out for trouble, that was all. - -The carriage drew up in the usual fashion, the sergeant seized his -club. There was a flash of white shirt front and the sergeant made a -leap for the door. The next moment he staggered back as if he had been -shot. It was Millionaire No. 1, hatless and breathless, almost coatless -and senseless, dragging in his wake--the captain of the precinct! - -The sergeant saluted and gasped. - -“I told you,” cried Millionaire No. 1. - -“You’ve a prisoner here named Smith?” cried the captain. - -“Er--yes,” stammered the sergeant. - -“Send him here, quick!” - -The poor officer was too much amazed and thunder-struck to be chagrined -at his defeat. He made a rush for the cell; shouted to the prisoners; -and half a minute later Chauncey, green August overcoat and all, was in -his uncle’s arms. - -The sergeant turned to the smiling police captain. - -“Allow me to present----” - -He was interrupted by a yell; Chauncey had glanced up at the clock. - -“Good heavens!” he cried. “We’ve ten minutes to make the train!” - -Chauncey, aristocratic and Chesterfieldian Chauncey, alas, I blush to -record it, had forgotten in one instant that there was such a thing on -earth as a rule of etiquette. He forgot that there was such a person on -earth as a police captain. He never even looked at him. His two friends -at his side, he made one wild dash for the door. - -He was not destined to get out of it, however. During the excitement no -one had noticed the approach of another white shirt front and in rushed -Millionaire No. 2. - -No. 2 had the chief of police! - -“You’ve a prisoner here named Smith----” cried the latter excitedly. -“Release----” - -Just then the millionaire caught sight of Chauncey, and again there -were handshakes and apologies, another scurrying toward the door. - -“I can’t stop, I tell you!” roared Chauncey. “I’ll miss the -train--quick--bah Jove, ye know, I’ll be ruined--I----” - -There was another clatter of wheels at the door. - -“Good gracious!” gasped the unfortunate cadet. “It’s somebody else! Bah -Jove! Deuce take the luck!” - -Nothing has been said of the unfortunate sergeant during this. He was -leaning against his desk in a state of collapse. Millionaire No. 3 had -entered the room. - -Millionaire No. 3 had a police commissioner! - -“You’ve a prisoner here named Smith,” cried he. “Release----” - -This time the plebes were desperate. They could stand it no longer. -Chauncey had forced his way to the door and made a dash for one of the -carriages. - -“Drive----” he began, and then he stopped long enough to see -another carriage rush up--Millionaire No. 4. Millionaire No. 4 had -somebody--Chauncey didn’t know who. But the agonized sergeant did. - -It was no less a personage than his honor, the mayor. - -(His honor the mayor was mad, too, and you may bet the sergeant caught -it.) - -With that our three friends had nothing to do. They had piled into the -carriage, Millionaire No. 1 with them, and likewise the captain, to -make sure that they weren’t arrested for fast driving. And away they -rattled down the street. - -“Christopher Street--seven minutes!” roared Chauncey. “For your -life--bah Jove!” - -After which there was fun to spare. New York streets aren’t made for -race tracks, and the way that carriage swayed and bumped was a caution. -The driver had taken them at their word and was going for dear life. -Three times the captain had to lean out of the window to quell some -policeman who was shouting at them to slow up. - -As for the plebes, there was nothing for them to do but sit still and -wait in trembling anxiousness. Chauncey’s uncle had a watch in his hand -with the aid of which he told off the streets and the seconds. - -“If we make it,” said he, “we won’t have ten seconds to spare. Faster, -there, faster!” - -The poor cadets nearly had heart failure at that. - -“If we miss it,” groaned Mark, “we are gone forever. The whole -story’ll come out and we’ll be expelled sure as we’re alive. What time -did you say it was?” - -“Drive, there, drive!” roared Chauncey. - -All things come to an end. Those that haven’t will some day. It seemed -an age to the suffering plebes, but that drive was over at last. And -the end of it was so terrible that they would have preferred the -suspense. - -The carriage was yanked up and brought to stop in front of the ferry -gates just as the boat was gliding from her slip. - -The look that was upon the faces of the three would have moved a Sphinx -to tears. They sank back in the carriage and never said one word. It -was all over. West Point was gone. To the three that meant that life -was no longer worth the living. - -It seemed almost too terrible to be true. Mark Mallory pinched himself -to make sure he was alive; that all this dream had really happened, -that he really was beyond hope. - -And then suddenly the police captain gave vent to a startled -exclamation and whacked his knee. - -“Desbrosses Street!” he roared to the startled driver, and an instant -later the carriage was speeding away down along the wharves. - -Where they were going, or why, none of them had the least idea, except -the captain; and he said nothing. The trip was a short one, only three -or four blocks. At the end of it he sprang from the carriage. - -“Quick, quick!” he cried, and made a dash for one of the piers. - -The rest did not need to be urged to follow. They beat the captain -there in their haste. For they saw then where he was going; a police -tug was lying at the wharf. - -“Quick!” roared the captain, leaping aboard. “Follow that ferry!” - -And half a minute later the engines of the tug were throbbing and the -tug was sweeping out into the river. - -A few minutes after that there were three tough-looking tramps -contentedly dozing in a Pullman car of the West Shore express. - -The same three sneaked into Camp McPherson at the very moment when -Cadet Corporal Vance (of the Bull Harris gang) was superintending the -loading of the réveille gun. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -A CHALLENGE. - - -“Hey, there, wake up!” - -“Um--um. Don’t bother me.” - -“Wow! Git up, man----” - -“Say, Texas, didn’t I tell you I wanted to sleep this hour? Haven’t I -been awake now two nights in succession helping you haze the yearlings? -Now I want to take a nap; so let me alone.” - -“Wake up!” repeated Texas. “Ain’t you got sense enough, Mark Mallory, -to know I’m not pesterin’ you fo’ nothin’? Git yo’ eyes open thar and -listen. I got something to tell you. I know you’re sleepy--thar ain’t -no need tellin’ me that aire ag’in. I know you were up night afore last -hazin’ them ole yearlin’s, an’ last night, too, ’cause they tied us up -an’ fired us into that freight train goin’ to New York. But this hyar’s -more ’portant than sleepin’!” - -“What is it?” demanded Mark. - -“There’s a committee from the first class wants to see you.” - -“What!” - -“Thar, naow! I knew you’d get yo’ eyes open,” laughed the other -triumphantly. - -“What do they want?” inquired Mark. - -“You know what they want well as I do,” responded Texas. “They want -you. They want you ’cause you’re the most B. J. plebe ever came to West -Point, ’cause you dared to defy ’em, to refuse to be hazed, to lick ’em -when they tried it, an’ to all ’round raise the biggest rumpus this -hyar ole place ever see. That’s what!” - -“Do you mean,” laughed Mark, “that they want me to fight some more?” - -“Course they do!” roared Texas. “You old idiot, you! Why ain’t yo’ up -hustlin’ fo’ the chance? You don’t appreciate yo’ opportunity, sah. Ef -I had the chance to wallop them ole cadets like you’ve got--wow! You -know what I’d do?” - -“I’m not a fire-eating, wild and woolly cowboy hunting for fight,” -responded Mark. - -“That’s all right,” grinned the other. “You’ll do it when the time -comes. I never see you run yit when you ought to be fightin’, an’ -neither did them ole cadets. An’ say, Mark! There’s fun ahead! Whoop! -You remember ever since you had the nerve to go to the hop, somethin’ -no plebe ever dared do afore, them ole first class fellers vowed they’d -make you sorry. You made ’em madder since by lickin’ one of ’em when -they dared you to. An’ now they’re comin’ ’roun’ to git square.” - -“Do you mean they’re going to make me fight every man in the class, as -they said?” inquired Mark. - -“That’s jes’ what I do!” cried Texas, gleefully. “Jes’ exactly! Come -out hyer an’ see ’em yo’self.” - -Mark had been making his toilet before the little looking-glass that -hung on the tent pole; he turned then and accompanied his friend out of -camp and over to Trophy Point, where sat in all stateliness and dignity -three solemn-looking seniors, a committee from the first class to Mark -Mallory, the desperate and defiant and as yet untamed “B. J.” plebe. -But he wasn’t going to remain untamed very long if that committee had -anything to do with it. - -They arose at his approach. - -“Mr. Mallory?” said the spokesman. - -Mr. Mallory bowed. - -“You come from the first class, I believe,” he said. “Let us proceed -right to business.” - -The committee, through its spokesman, cleared its throat with a solemn -“Ahem!” - -“Mr. Mallory,” said he, “I presume you have not forgotten that a short -while ago you ventured to defy our class openly. The class has not -forgotten it, for such conduct in a plebe cannot be tolerated here. -Your conduct ever since you came has been unbearably defiant; you have -set at naught every cadet law of the academy. And therefore, as the -class warned you beforehand, you must expect trouble.” - -Mr. Mallory bowed; he’d had a good deal of it already, he thought to -himself. - -“The class has been waiting,” continued the other, “for you to recover -from the effects of a dislocated shoulder, an injury due to another -unpleasant--ahem--accident----” - -“Or, to be more specific,” inserted Mark, very mildly, “due to the fact -that I was--er--attacked by some--ahem--fifty members of the first -class in a body.” - -“Not quite so many,” said the chairman, flushing. “The incident is -regretted by the class.” - -“By me also,” said Mark, rubbing his shoulder suggestively. - -“It appears,” the other continued hurriedly, “that you are now -recovered. Therefore, to be brief, the class has sent us to inquire as -to your wishes concerning the duty you undertook when you ventured to -defy them. You know what I mean. You stand pledged, and you will be -compelled to defend yourself before every member of our class in turn -until you agree to apologize and become a plebe once more.” - -The spokesman stopped and Mark answered without hesitation, looking him -squarely in the eye. - -“Tell the class,” said he, “that I am ready to meet any one it may -select, to-day if necessary, and in any place they choose. Tell them -also if they could manage to select one of those who helped to injure -my shoulder I should consider it a favor. Tell them that I have nothing -to apologize for. Tell them that I renew my defiance, with all possible -courtesy, of course; tell them I once more refuse to be hazed, and -shall refuse even when I am beaten; and----” - -Here the excitable ex-cowboy, who had been listening with most evident -delight, sprang forward with a whoop. - -“An’ tell ’em,” he roared, “doggone their boots, ef they lick Mark fair -or foul they ain’t hardly begun what they’ll have to do! Tell ’em, -sah, there’s a gennelman, what never yit run from man or devil, named -Jeremiah Powers, sah, son o’ the Honorable Scrap Powers, o’ Hurricane -County, Texas. Tell ’em he’s jes’ roaring for a scrap, an’ that he’ll -start in whar Mallory quits! An’ tell ’em----” - -But the committee had turned away and started across the parade ground -by that time. The committee didn’t consider it necessary to listen to -Mr. Jeremiah Powers. - -Mark had listened however; and as he took Texas by the hand the -excitable Texas saw in his eyes that he appreciated the offer. - -“And now,” said Mark at last, “if I am to do some fighting I’d best -go back and finish that nap. I’ll need to make up for the sleep I’ve -missed.” - -An important event had happened to that company that day, one that had -made a great change in their lives. A month and a half of drill and -discipline, the most rigorous possible, had been judged to have had its -effect. And that day the plebes were honored by being put in the cadet -battalion. - -Previously they had “herded” alone, a separate roll call, separate -drills, separate seats in mess hall. But now all was changed. The plebe -company was broken up, the members each going to their own company in -the battalion, to hear their names called with the others at roll call, -to march down to meals and sit with them, too. And that afternoon for -the first time the plebes were to march on parade, Mark and Texas under -the command of Fischer, cadet-captain of Company A. - -Concerning Fischer, the high and mighty first classman, it may be -well to say a word, for he will figure prominently in this story. -Fischer was a member of the first class, and its idol. Tall, handsome -and athletic, he made an ideal captain; even the plebes thought that, -and strange to say, our B. J. plebes most of all. For Fischer was a -fair-minded, gentlemanly fellow and more than once he had interfered to -see that Mallory got fair play with his enemies. - -He came in that same afternoon to have a word with Mark as to the -latest excitement; it was an unusual thing indeed for a cadet-captain -even to speak to a plebe, but Fischer chose to be different. And, -moreover, Mallory had earned for himself many privileges most plebes -had never dreamed of. - -“I got a letter from your friend, Wicks Merritt,” said Fischer. “His -furlough is coming to an end. Poor Wicks is very much agitated for -fear you’ll be hazed out of West Point before he gets here. But I told -him there wasn’t much danger. I think you’ll stick.” - -“I shall try,” laughed Mark, while Texas sat by in awe and gazed at the -young officer’s chevrons and sash. “I shall try. Have you heard of my -engagement--the latest?” - -“Yes,” answered the other, “I have. That’s what I came in for. I don’t -envy you.” - -“I don’t myself,” said the plebe thoughtfully. “I don’t like to fight. -I’d a thousand times rather not, and I always say ‘no’ when I can. But -I’ve vowed I wouldn’t stand the kind of hazing I got, and I don’t mean -to so long as I can see.” - -“I wish you luck,” said Fischer. “I’ve told the men in my own class -that, for I haven’t forgotten, as they seem to, the time you rescued -that girl in the river.” - -“Do you know who’ll be the first man I meet?” inquired the other, -changing the subject. - -“I do not; the class is busily holding a conclave now to decide who’s -the best. They’ll send their prize bantam the first time, though I -doubt if we’ve a man much better than Billy Williams, the yearling you -whipped. Still you’ve got to be at your best, I want to tell you, and -I want you to understand that. When a man’s been three years here at -West Point, as we have, he’s in just about as perfect trim as he ever -will be in his life.” - -“So am I,” responded Mark. - -“You are not,” said Fischer, sharply. “That’s just the trouble. I -wouldn’t be warning you if you were. I’ve heard of the monkey shines -you’ve been kicking up; Bull Harris, that good-for-nothing yearling, -was blowing ’round that he’d put you on a train for New York. The whole -thing is you’ve been losing sleep.” - -Mallory tried to pass the matter over lightly, but Fischer was bound to -say what he’d come for. - -“I suppose it’s none of my business,” he continued, “but I’ve tried to -see you get fair play. And I want to say this: You rush in to fight -those fellows to-day, as they’ll try to make you, and you’ll regret -it. That’s all. As the challenged party the time is yours to name. If -you refuse for a week at least, I’ll back you up and see that it’s all -right, and if you don’t you’ll wish you had.” - -Having delivered himself of which sage counsel the dignified captain -arose to go. Perhaps his conscience troubled him a little anyhow that -he’d stayed so long in a plebe tent. - -He thought of that as he came out and espied three members of his own -class coming down the street and looking at him. They hailed him as he -passed. - -“Hey, Fischer!” - -They were three who had been the “committee”; they were a committee -still, but for a different purpose. Their purpose was to see Fischer, -and when he came toward them, they led him off to one side. The message -that committee had to give was brief, but it nearly took Fischer off -his feet. - -“Fischer,” said one, “the fellows have decided about that Mallory -business.” - -“Yes,” said Fischer. “What?” - -“They’ve decided that you’ll be the man to meet him first.” - -And the committee wondered what was the matter with Fischer. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -“I HAVE THE COURAGE TO BE A COWARD.” - - -Something which happened immediately after Fischer left the tent -effectually drove from Mark’s mind all ideas of fights and first -classmen. It was the blessed long-expected signal, a roll upon the -drum, the summons to fall in for the evening’s dress parade. - -And oh, how those plebes were “spruced up!” The four members of the -Banded Seven who roomed in Mark’s tent had taken turns looking over -each other in the effort to find a single flaw. A member of the -guard trying for colors was never more immaculate than those anxious -strangers. Of the many pair of duck trousers allotted to each cadet -every pair had been critically inspected so as to get the very whitest. -Buttons and belt plates were little mirrors, and every part of guns and -equipments shone. When those four “turned out” of their tent they felt -that they were worthy of the ceremony. - -It was an honor to be in the battalion, even if you were in the rear -rank and could see nothing all the time but the stiffly marching backs -in front. And it was an honor to have your name called next to a -first classman’s on the roll. The cadet officer had known the roll by -heart and rattled it off in a breath or two; but now he had to read it -slowly, since the new names were stuck in, which bothered him if it did -delight the plebes. - -It was a grand moment when each plebe answered very solemnly and -precisely to his own; and another grand moment when the cadet band -marched down the long line to its place; and another when the cadet -adjutant turned the parade over to the charge of the officer in -command; and finally, last of all, the climax, when the latter faced -about and gave the order, “Forward, march!” when the band struck up -a stirring tune and amid waving of flags and of handkerchiefs from -hundreds of spectators, the all-delighted plebes strode forward on -parade at last. - -How tremblingly and nervously he stepped! How gingerly and cautiously -he went through the manual of arms! And with what a gasp of relief he -finally broke ranks at the sunset gun and realized that actually he had -gotten out of it without a blunder! - -Then they marched him down to supper. Formerly the plebes had marched -dejectedly in the rear and sat over in an obscure corner of the room. -That had its advantages, however, for he did not have to pour the -water and wait till everybody else was helped, and he was not subject -quite so much to the merry badinage of the merciless yearling. On the -whole he was rather glad when supper was over and after marching back -to camp was dismissed for that day at last. - -Mark and his chum, who as we have seen were now interested in nothing -quite so much as sleep, or lack of it, made for their tents immediately -to go to bed. But once more the fates were against them, for scarcely -had they entered the door before another cadet rushed in. It was the -excited first captain, and he was in such a hurry that he had not even -stopped to remove his sword and sash, the remnants of “parade.” He bore -the news that the committee had imparted to him; and its effect upon -Mallory may be imagined. - -“Fight you,” he gasped. “For Heaven’s sake, man, you’re wild.” - -“I’m as serious as I ever was in my life,” replied the other. “The -committee from the class told me just before parade.” - -“What on earth made them select you?” - -“I don’t know,” groaned Fischer. “I had a couple of fights here--I -whipped Wright, the man you knocked out the time when the class -attacked you so disgracefully. And they seem to think I’d stand the -most chance, at least that’s what the committee said.” - -“And what did you tell them?” inquired Mark, in alarm. - -“Tell them? I haven’t told them anything yet. I was too horrified to -say a word. I’ve come over to see you about it. I’m in a terrible fix.” - -“Well, refuse, that’s all.” - -“I can’t!” - -“But why not?” demanded Mark. - -“My dear fellow,” protested the other, “you don’t understand how the -class feels about such things. I’m a member of it, and when I’m called -upon to defend the class honor I daren’t say no. When you have been -here as long as I have you’ll understand how the cadets would take it. -They’d be simply furious.” - -“Then do you mean,” gasped the other, staring at him in consternation, -“that I’m expected to fight you?” - -“I don’t see what else,” responded the captain, reluctantly. “What can -I tell the class? If I simply say that I’ve been rather friendly with -you, they’ll say I had no business to be. And there you are.” - -“No business to be,” echoed Mark, thoughtfully, gazing into space. “No -business to be! Because I’m a plebe, I suppose. And I’ve got to fight -you!” - -“What else are we to do,” protested the other. “I’m sure I shan’t mind -if you whip me, which you probably will.” - -“Whip you!” cried Mark; he had sprung to his feet, his hands clinched. -And then without another word he faced about and fell to striding up -and down the tent, the other watching him anxiously. - -“Mr. Fischer,” he demanded suddenly, without looking at the other, -“suppose I refuse to fight you?” - -“Don’t think of it!” cried Fischer, in horror. - -“Why not?” - -“Because you would be sneered at by the whole corps. Because they would -call you a coward and insult you as one, cut you dead! You could not -stand it one week.” - -“What else?” inquired Mark, calmly. - -“What else! What else could there be! For Heaven’s sake, man, I won’t -have it! I couldn’t make the class understand the reason. You’d be an -outcast all the time you were here.” - -“Is that all?” - -“Yes.” - -And Mark turned and gazed at the other, his brown eyes flashing. - -“Mr. Fischer,” he began, extending his hands to the other, “let me tell -you what I have thought of you. You have been the one friend I have had -in this academy outside of my own class and Wicks Merritt; you have -been the one man who has had the fairness to give me my rights, the -courage to speak for me. I have not always taken your advice, but I -have always respected you and admired you. And, more than that, I owe -my presence here to you.” - -Mark paused a moment, while his thoughts went back to the time. - -“I had enemies,” he continued at last, slowly, “and they had me in -their power. They had persuaded the superintendent that I was a -criminal, and I looked for nothing but disgrace. And it was you, then, -and you only of all the cadets of this academy, who had honor and the -courage to help Texas prove my innocence. And that debt of gratitude -is written where it can never be effaced. My debt to you! And now they -want me to fight you!” - -The captain shifted uneasily. - -“My dear fellow,” he began, “I can stand it.” - -“It is not for you to stand,” said Mark. “It is for me. It is I who owe -the debt, and I shall not pay it with blows. Mr. Fischer, I shall not -fight you.” - -“But what will you do? You will be reviled and insulted as a coward.” - -“Yes,” said Mark, firmly; “I will. But as I once told Texas, there are -a few things worse than being called a coward, and one of them is being -one.” - -“I know,” protested Fischer. “But then----” - -“There are times,” Mark continued, without heeding him, “times, I say, -when to fight is wrong.” - -“Yes!” cried the other. “This is one.” - -“It is,” said Mark. “And at such times it takes more courage not to -fight than to fight. When an army goes out to battle for the wrong the -brave man stays at home. That is a time when it takes courage to be a -coward. And Mr. Fischer----” - -Mark took the other by the hand and met his gaze. - -“Mr. Fischer, I have the courage to be a coward.” - -There was silence after that, except for a muttered “Oh!” from Texas. -Mark had said his say, and Fischer could think of nothing. - -“Mr. Mallory,” he demanded at last, “suppose you let me do the -refusing?” - -“It would be best for me to do it,” said Mark, with decision. “Disgrace -would be unbearable for you. You have your duty to your class; I have -no duty to any one but myself. And moreover, I am a plebe, cut by -everybody already and pledged to fight every one. To fight them a few -times more will not hurt. And I really like to defy them. So just leave -it to me.” - -That was the end of the talk. Fischer sat and looked at Mark a few -moments more, feeling an admiration he did not try to express. But when -he arose to go the admiration was in the grip of his hand. - -“Mr. Mallory,” he said. “You do not realize what you attempt. But you -may rest assured of one thing. I shall never forget this, never as long -as I live. Good-night.” - -And as the captain’s figure strode up the street Mark turned and put -his hands on Texas’ shoulders. - -“Old fellow,” said he, “and have you any courage?” - -“Say,” protested Texas, solemnly, “I’ll fight----” - -“I don’t mean that kind of courage,” said Mark. “I mean courage of the -eye, and the heart. Courage of the mind that knows it’s right and cares -for nothing else. I mean the courage to be called a coward?” - -“I dunno,” stammered Texas, looking uneasy. Poor Texas had never -thought of that kind of courage. “I ain’t very sho’,” he said, “’bout -lettin’ anybody call me a coward.” - -“That is what I mean to do,” said Mark. “I mean to let them call it, -and look them in the eye and laugh. And we’ll see what comes of it. -I won’t fight Fischer, and they can’t make me. The more they taunt -me, the better I’ll like it. When they get through perhaps I’ll get a -chance to show them how much of a coward I am.” - -With which resolution Mark turned away and prepared for bed. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -MARK, THE COWARD. - - -The taunting of which Mark spoke with such grim and quiet determination -was soon to begin; in fact, he was not destined to lie down for that -night of rest without a taste of it. He had barely removed the weight -of his uniform jacket, with its collar fastened inside, before he heard -a sound of voices near his tent. - -He recognized them instantly; it was the “committee,” and a moment -later, in response to his invitation, the three first classmen entered, -bowing most courteously as usual. - -“Mr. Mallory,” said the spokesman, “I have come, if you will pardon my -disturbing you, to deliver to you the decision of our class.” - -“Yes,” said Mark, simply. “Well?” - -It was evident that Fischer had not seen them, and that they suspected -nothing. A storm was brewing. Mark gritted his teeth. - -“It might just as well come now as any time,” he thought. “Steady!” - -“The class will send a man to meet you this evening in Fort Clinton,” -said the cadet. - -“Ah,” responded Mark. “Thank you. And who is the man?” - -“He is the captain of your company, Mr. Fischer. And that is about all, -I believe.” - -“It is not all,” observed Mark, very quietly; and then, as the other -turned in surprise, he clinched his fists. “I refuse to fight Mr. -Fischer,” he said. - -“Refuse to fight him?” - -The three gasped it all at once, in a tone of amazement that cannot be -shown on paper. - -“And pray,” added the spokesman, “why do you refuse to fight Mr. -Fischer?” - -“My reasons,” said Mark, “are my own. I never try to justify my conduct -to others. I simply refuse to fight Mr. Fischer. I’ll fight any other -man you send.” - -“You’ll fight no one else!” snapped the cadet. “Mr. Fischer is the -choice of the class. If you refuse to meet him, and give no reason, it -can only be because----” - -“Because you know he’s too good a man for you!” put in one of the -others. “Because you’re afraid of him!” - -Mark never winced at that; he gave the man a look straight in the eye. - -“There are some people,” he said, “I am not afraid of. I am not afraid -of you.” - -The cadet’s face turned scarlet, and he clinched his fists angrily. - -“You shall pay for that,” he cried. “You----” - -But the spokesman of the committee seized him and forced him back. - -“Shut up, old man,” he exclaimed. “Don’t you see what he’s trying to -do. He’s afraid of Fischer, and he’s trying to force a fight with some -one else. He’s a dirty coward, so let him alone.” - -Mark heard that plainly, but he never moved a muscle. It was too much -for our tinder-box Texan, however; Texas had been perspiring like a -man in a torture chamber during this ordeal, and just then he leaped -forward with a yell. - -“You ole white-faced coyote, you, doggone your boots, I’ll----” - -“Texas!” said Mark, in his quiet way. - -And Texas shut up like an angry oyster and went back into the corner. - -“Now, gentlemen,” said Mark, “I think our interview is at an end. You -understand my point. And that is all.” - -“And as for you,” retorted the other. “Do you understand your position? -You will be branded by the cadets as a coward. You will fight Fischer -as sure as the class can make you. And you will fight no one else, -either, until you fight him.” - -Mark bowed. - -“And you’ll allow me to express my opinion of you right here,” snapped -the insulted one, who was going to fight a moment ago. “You needn’t -get angry about it, either, because you’ve no redress till you fight -Fischer. You’re a coward, sir! Your whole conduct since you came here -has been one vulgar attempt to put up a bluff with nothing to back it. -And you lack the first instincts of a gentleman, most of all, sir, -because you’ll swallow such insults from me instead of fighting, and -taking the licking you’ve earned. You can’t fight me till you’ve fought -Fischer.” - -“Can’t, hey! Say, d’ you think I’m a-goin’ to stan’ sich----” - -“Texas!” - -And once more there was quiet, at the end of which the indignant -committee faced about without a word and marched out in disgust. - -“He’s not worth fooling with,” said the spokesman, audibly. “He’s a -coward.” - -After which Mark turned to Texas and smiled. - -“That was the first dose, old man,” said he. “How did you like it?” - -From Texas’ face he liked it about as well as a mouthful of quinine, -and if Texas hadn’t been very, very sleepy he would probably have lain -awake all night growling like an irate volcano, and wondering how Mark -could snore away so happily while such things were happening. - -Though Mark slept, there were no end of others who didn’t sleep on -account of him. The committee, just as soon as they had gotten outside, -had rushed off to tell the story of “Mallory’s flunk,” and pretty soon -there were groups of first classmen and yearlings standing about the -camp indignantly discussing the state of affairs. There were various -opinions and theories, but only one conclusion: - -That plebe Mallory’s a coward! - -Fischer was not there to gainsay it, he being absent on duty, and so -the cadets had no one to shed any light on the matter, which they -continued to rave about right up to the time for tattoo. The first -class was so worked up over it that there was an impromptu meeting -gathered to discuss it just outside of the camp. - -The angry mob was reduced to an orderly meeting a little later by the -president of the class, who appeared on the scene and called the cadets -to order to discuss ways and means of “swamping Mallory.” For every -one agreed that something ought to be done that very night. As has -been stated, they never dispersed until the very moment of tattoo; by -that time they had their campaign mapped out. It was a very unpleasant -programme for poor Mark. - -He had to dress and turn out, of course, at tattoo to answer to his -name before he retired for the night. Not a word was said to him then; -yet he could see by the angry looks and frowns he met with that the -story of his conduct was abroad. But Mark had not the least idea of -what was coming, and he went back to his tent and fell asleep again in -no time. - -It is an old, old story, an old, old incident. To tell it again would -weary the reader. That night a dozen men, chosen by the class for their -powerful build, instead of going to sleep when taps sounded, lay awake -and waited till the camp got quiet. They waited till the tac had gone -the rounds with his lantern, and then to his tent for the night. They -waited till the sentry’s call had been heard for the fourth time since -taps. - -“Twelve o’clock and all’s we-ell!” - -They they got up and dressed once more, and stole silently out into the -darkness of the night. Outside, in the company street, they met and had -a whispered consultation, then surrounded a certain “plebe hotel” and -finally stole away in triumph, bearing four helpless plebes along with -them. A while later they had passed the sentry and had their victims -bound and gagged, lying in a lonely corner of old Fort Clinton. - -The cadets thought four would be enough that night. They meant to -give those plebes the worst licking they had ever had in their lives. -That would be a pretty severe one, especially for Mallory, who had -been roughly handled before. But the first classmen had agreed among -themselves that there was no call for mercy here. - -The reader may perhaps wish to be spared the details of the -preparation. Suffice it to say that those heavily bound unfortunates -were stretched out upon the ground, that their backs were bared, and -then that the four brawniest of the desperate cadets took four pieces -of rope in their hands and stepped forward. It was estimated that when -they stepped back those four plebes would be in a more docile mood than -previously. - -A dead silence had fallen upon the group; it had increased in numbers -every moment, for other cadets had stolen out to see what was being -done. And just then every one of them was leaning forward anxiously, -staring at Mallory, for nobody cared anything much about the other -three, whether they were attended to or not. It was Mallory, the -coward, against whom all the hatred was; Mallory, whom the biggest -man had been deputed to attend to. All the other “executioners” were -waiting, leaning forward anxiously to see how Mallory took it. - -The cadet who held the rope seized it in a firm grip, and swung it -about his head. A moment later it came down through the air with a -whirr. It struck the white flesh of the helpless plebe with a thud that -made the crowd shudder. A broad red streak seemed to leap into view, -and the victim quivered all over. The cadet raised the lash once more -and once more brought it down; and again an instant later. - -The end of it came soon, fortunately; and it came without waiting the -wish of the “hazers.” - -Once before that game had been tried on Mallory, then by the infuriated -yearlings. An alarm from camp had interrupted it at an earlier stage. -And that happened again. This time there broke upon the stillness of -the midnight air the sharp report of a gun. It came from nearby, too, -and it brought no end of confusion with it, confusion that will be told -of later. - -As to the hazers, they glanced at each other in consternation. That gun -would awaken the camp! And they would be discovered! There was not a -second to lose! - -In a trice the four plebes were cut loose, left to get back to their -tent as best they could; and a few moments later a mob of hurrying -figures dashed past the sentry and into Camp McPherson, which they -found in an uproar. The hazing of Mallory was over for that night -beyond a doubt. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -A TEST OF COURAGE. - - -The story of the sacred geese that saved the city of Rome is known to -every schoolboy. Not so long ago the classic Parson, of the Banded -Seven, told of a spider who saved the life of Bruce the Scot, by -building a web over the entrance of the log he hid in. As life-savers, -dogs and even horses are famous, too, but it is left to the historian -of these pages to tell of how a rescue was effected by a mouse. - -Perhaps you think to be told it was a mouse who fired that gun and -saved Mark. Well, in a sense it was true. - -The mouse who is our hero lived in the West Point Hotel, situated a -very short way beyond the camp. And the tale of his deed, unlike the -mouse’s tail, is a very short one. It was simply that some one left -a box of matches upon a table in the kitchen, and that the mouse got -after those matches. There you have it. - -Some of them fell to the floor, and the mouse went after them. He bit -one, after the fashion of inquisitive mice; then, scared at the result, -turned and scampered off in haste. Inquisitive persons sometimes make -no end of trouble. - -There was a piece of paper near the match, and then more paper, and -the leg of the table. There was also plenty of time and no one to -interfere. Every one who was in that building, except the clerks and -the watchman in the office, was sleeping soundly by that time of night, -and so the small crackling fire was in no hurry. It crept up the leg -of the table, its bright forked tongues dancing about gayly as it did -so. Then it leaped over to a curtain at the window, and then still more -swiftly to the window frame, and still there was no one to see it. - -Quietly at rest in that hotel, and unsuspecting, were some dozens of -guests, including one that interests us above all others, Grace Fuller. -Her room was now on the top floor of the hotel, and in the corner of -the building that was fast getting warm and choking. - -It is a horrible thing, the progress of a fire through the still -watches of the night. Creeping ahead and crackling it goes, so slowly -and yet with such deadly and inevitable purpose. It has been called -a devouring fiend; it has greedy tongues that steal on and lick up -everything, and grow hungrier and more savage as they feed. And it -breathes forth volumes of deep black poison that stupefy its victims -till it comes to seize them. - -The unguarded kitchen of the hotel was soon a roaring furnace, and -then the fire crept out into the hall, and as the glass of the windows -cracked and a rush of fresh air fanned in, the flames leaped up the -staircase as if it had been the chimney, and then spread through the -parlor, and on upward, farther and farther still. And how were people -to get down those stairs if they did not hurry about it? - -The people were not thinking of that; they were not even beginning to -have bad dreams until the smoke got just a little thicker, until the -halls outside got just a little hotter, until the fire had moved on -from the basement to the ground floor, and from the ground floor to the -next above. And even then they were not destined to discover it. That -task was left to some one else. - -It was a sentry, a sentry of the regular army, facing the walk called -Professor’s Row. That sentry had no business to leave his post, but -he did it none the less, and dashed across the street to look, as he -caught sight of that unusual glare from the windows of the old hotel. -An instant later he had swung up his musket to his shoulder, snapped -back the trigger, and then came the roar of the gun that the startled -cadets had heard from the deep recesses of the fort. - -The sentry, the instant he had fired, lowered the gun, snapped out -the cartridge, and slid in another to fire again. Before the camp had -gotten its eyes open a third report had come also, the dreaded signal -of fire. The sentry had done his duty then, and he set out once more to -march back and forth upon his post. - -The wild excitement that ensued it is impossible to picture; everything -in camp was moving and shouting at once. Lieutenant Allen, the tac of -Company A, on duty for the night, had leaped from his bed at the first -bang, and from his tent at the second. His yell for the drum orderly -brought that youngster out flying, and the third report of the gun -was echoed by a rattle of drums that seemed never to stop. It was the -dreaded “long roll.” - -Cadets sleep in their underclothing, like firemen, ready for just such -an emergency as this. They were springing into their clothing before -they were entirely awake, and rushing out to form in the company street -before they were half in their clothing. Those who had been into Fort -Clinton were the first in line, and as the others followed they heard -the cadet adjutant rattling through the list of names, and Lieutenant -Allen shouting orders as if trying to drown the other’s mighty voice. -And above it all rang shrieks and cries from the now awakened inmates -of the building, the glare of the fire shining through the trees. - -It was the matter of but a minute or two for the company fire battalion -to be out and ready for duty. But at such times as these seconds grow -to hours. Fischer, out of his tent among the first, and quick to think, -spoke a few words to the lieutenant, and at his nod dashed on ahead -with the cadets from the guard tent at his heels. And it is Fischer we -must follow now. - -Things were happening with frightful rapidity just then. Fischer and -his little command, when they got there, found that fully half the -occupants of the place had managed to get out already. They had gotten -a ladder and were raising it to the piazza roof. Up that ladder the -cadets rushed, and then raised it after them and put it up to the next -floor and sped on. Into the smoke-laden rooms they dashed, and through -the glaring flames in the halls, pausing at nothing, hearing nothing -but the ringing commands of their leader. There was work for the -members of the guard detail that night, and glory for Fischer. - -They were still at work helping women and children out when the -battalion put in an appearance, coming on the double-quick with a cheer -of encouragement. They bore buckets and more ladders, and behind them, -still faster, clattered the members of the cavalry company of the post. -The two bodies reached the scene at about the same instant, and each -went to work with a will. - -The white uniforms of the cadets shone in the yellow glare of the -flames; there were some pale faces staring into that light and some -trembling knees. But there was no trembling or hesitating among the -officers in command. They had the pumps working, and long lines of -bucket passers formed in no time. And there were ladders at the windows -and details of cadets searching the smoke-laden rooms. - -The work of rescue was nearly over, however, by the time the battalion -got there, thanks to the fearless efforts of the first captain’s prompt -little band. Fischer had thought all were out, and had settled down to -emptying water on the flames, when the alarm we have to do with was -given. - -It came from a white-haired figure, an old gentleman, who rushed up -breathless and panting to the scene. Every one recognized him, and -started in horror as they heard his cry. It was Judge Fuller. - -“My daughter! My daughter!” he shrieked. “Oh, save her!” - -He rushed to one of the ladders, about to spring into the very center -of the flames. Several of the cadets forced him back, and at the same -instant a ringing cheer broke from the whole battalion. It was Fischer -once more; he had been standing on the roof when he heard the cry, -and like a flash he had turned and bounded in at the window. He was -lost then to view, swallowed up in the smoke and flames. And, scarcely -breathing, the crowd outside stood and stared at the windows and waited. - -Perhaps you are asking what of Mark, with Grace Fuller, the joy of his -life, in peril. Mark was down in the long line, passing buckets like -any dutiful plebe. He had heard Judge Fuller’s terrible warning, and -had been quick to spring forward. But the watchful “tac” had had his -eye on Mark, knowing his friendship for the girl. Lieutenant Allen did -not mean to have his lines broken up in that way; there were others to -attend to that rescue, and he ordered Mallory back to his place with a -stern command that Mallory dared not disobey. Now he was standing like -a warrior in chains amid the battle’s roar, watching with the rest, and -trembling with horror and dread. - -What if Fischer should fail--be beaten back? What if smoke should -overcome him, and he should sink where he was? What if Grace Fuller---- - -And then, oh, how he did gasp for joy! And what a perfect roar of -triumph rose from the anxious crowd. There was the gallant captain, -smoke-stained and staggering, standing in a window on the top floor, -holding in his arms a figure white as snow. The girl was safe! - -But how was she to get down? - -That was the dreadful thought that flashed over the trembling cadet. -They stood irresolute, and so did the cadet in the window, hesitating -at times when a second might mean the difference between life and death. - -And yet who could advise him? The girl’s waving hair and dress would -catch at the slightest flame; to try the roaring staircase was suicide. -Then should he drop her? The crowd shuddered to think of that, yet what -else could he do? There was no ladder to reach halfway. He must! He was -going to! - -Picture the state of Mark Mallory’s mind at that moment. Himself -helpless, watching Fischer preparing for that horrible deed. He saw the -cadet drag a half-blazing mattress from one of the rooms, laying it on -the roof below. He heard the agonized shriek of the girl’s father, he -pictured that lovely figure perhaps dying, certainly maimed for life. -He saw Fischer passing the body through the window, his figure wreathed -in smoke, with a setting of fire behind. And then, with a shout that -was a perfect roar of command, Mark leaped forward. - -“Stop! Stop!” - -A thousand tacs could not hold him then; he was like a wild man. He saw -a chance, a chance that no one dared. But he--what was he, compared -with perfection, Grace Fuller? - -He fairly tore a path up the ladder. - -He paused but an instant on the roof of the piazza, to shout to -Fischer, then seized in his hand a rope that some were vainly trying to -toss up to the window. That rope Mark took in his teeth; ran his eye up -the long rainspout on the wall; and an instant later gave a spring. - -“Take care!” shouted one of the cadets, who saw his purpose. “It’s hot!” - -Hot? It burned his hands to the bone, but what did Mark care? Again -and again he seized it, again and again with his mighty arms he jerked -himself upward, gripping the pipe between his knees, gripping the rope -like death, higher and higher! - -How the crowd gasped and trembled! He reached the first floor, halfway. -He might have climbed that on a ladder, if he had only thought. But it -was too late now. On! on! The smoke curled about him and choked him, -hid him from view; bright flames leaped out from the seething windows -and enveloped him. - -“His clothes are afire!” shouted one. “Oh, heavens!” - -Out of the smoke he came. Tongues of fire were starting at his -trousers, at the end of his coat, getting larger, climbing higher, upon -him. And still on he went, his flesh raw, his lungs hot and dry, his -strength failing him. And ever about was the fluttering of white, a -signal of distress that nerved him to clutch the burning iron yet once -again. - -Fischer was leaning from the window, straining every nerve, almost -hanging by his knees, with outstretched hands. Mallory was climbing, -fainting, almost unconscious, still gazing up and gasping. And the -crowd could not make a move. - -And then an instant later it was over. They saw Fischer give a sudden -convulsive clutch beneath him; they saw the gallant plebe totter and -sway, cling an instant more, and then, without uttering a sound, plunge -downward like a flaming shot and strike with a thud upon the mattress -below. But Fischer held the rope! - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -THE FRUITS OF VICTORY. - - -Grace Fuller was safe then, and everybody knew it. But somehow that -crowd did not give a single cheer; in fact, every one seemed to have -forgotten that she and Fischer were there, and all made a rush for -Mallory. - -Fischer fastened the rope inside the building, wrapped it about his -wrist, took the unconscious figure in his one free arm, and slid -swiftly down to safety, just in time to see the flames that threatened -Mallory extinguished by the cadets. Grace Fuller was unconscious, so -she knew nothing of this, but Fischer did, and he staggered over toward -the gallant plebe. - -“How is he?” he cried. “How is he? Don’t tell me he’s----” - -Fischer hated to say the word, but as he stared at the motionless -figure he feared that it was true, that Mallory had given his life for -his friends. - -A surgeon was at his side an instant later, bending over the prostrate -form--Mallory was unconscious and nearly dead from exhaustion and pain -alone. His legs were burned to a blister, his hands were a sight to -make one sick. As to the fall, who could say? The surgeon shook his -head sadly as he got up and called for a stretcher to carry the lad -down to the hospital. - -That incident once past the battalion turned its energies to -extinguishing the flames. But they were listless and careless energies -for some reason. There seemed to be something on the battalion’s mind. - -A guilty conscience is a poor companion for any work. And the thought -of Mallory and what he had done, and what they had done to him, gave -the cadets a very guilty conscience indeed. - -Those who had taken part in that beating were the most worried and -unhappy of all, for they had done something they might never be able -to atone for. They seemed to hear those words of Mallory’s--and they -thought of how true they had come--“Some day I may have a chance to -show you how much of a coward I am.” - -They got the fire out entirely in an hour or two, and then sadly the -corps marched back to the silent camp. There was a noticeable lack of -satisfaction one might have expected to see after the weary task was so -creditably performed. The thought of Mallory was a weight of lead upon -the heart of every one. That plebe had suddenly become the one object -of all the hopes and prayers of the corps. - -Groups of silent lads gathered about the tents, conversing in low -and subdued whispers when they said anything at all. The picture of -Mallory’s figure clinging to the side of that burning house was before -their eyes every moment. Fischer had told them the story of Mallory’s -reasons for daring their wrath, and his news put the plebe’s action in -quite a different light. It made the cadets yet more remorseful for -their cruelty. - -George Elliot has remarked that “when Death, the great Reconciler -comes, it is not our leniency, but our harshness we repent of.” - -The drug sounded taps a few minutes later for the second time that -night. The cadets scattered silently to their tents, realizing that -they would have to wait until the morrow to get tidings of poor -Mallory’s fate. - -It seemed, however, that West Point’s interest in the matter was so -great that even military rules could not stand before it. The cadets -had scarcely fallen asleep again, before several members of the guard -went from tent to tent with the glad tidings from the hospital that -Cadet Mallory and Miss Grace Fuller were conscious and would surely -recover. And the news was sent by order of Lieutenant Allen himself. - -Two days later Mark was lying upon a bed in the cadet hospital. We -would scarcely have known Mark, to look at him; his face was pale and -his arm trembled when he moved it. But Mark was happy for all that. - -He was reaping the fruits of his bravery, then. He was still in pain, -it is true; any one who has ever blistered one’s finger with fire may -be able to imagine the feelings Mark got from those two bandaged hands -of his. But he had forgotten all about that for a time. - -The reason for that is not far to seek. The sunlight as it streamed -into that room was reflected from a wealth of golden hair that in turn -lit up Mark’s pale features. It was Grace Fuller who was sitting by his -bedside; and Grace Fuller was trying to thank him for what he had done -for her. - -Her tone was low and earnest as she spoke: - -“Mark,” she said--“I have never called you Mark before, but I will now, -if you will let me--the debt I owe to you I can never repay; but if -true friendship is anything you may have that. That is all I can give.” - -Mark answered nothing; but he gazed at the girl earnestly. - -“This is the second time,” continued she, “that you have been in this -hospital for me. I do not know what others think of it, but I know that -I shall never forget it as long as I live.” - -Concerning what others thought, Grace was very speedily to learn. It is -necessary to interrupt her thankful words, for just then an unpoetic -attendant came into the room. - -“Mr. Mallory,” said he, “there are some cadets outside who want to see -you. The surgeon says that they may----” - -“Send them in,” said Mark, weakly. And then he added to Grace, with a -faint attempt at a smile: “I wonder if they want me to fight.” - -Grace said nothing to that, but her eyes flashed for a moment. She had -heard the story of how the cadets had treated Mark, and she had made up -her mind that if they had anything more to say about cowardice she was -going to take a hand. Grace Fuller had her own ideas on the subject of -cowards. - -The cadets entered the room a moment later, and when Mark glanced at -them he started with no little surprise. It was the committee from the -first class, the same committee that had been taunting him a few days -previously. - -“Well, gentlemen?” said Mark, inquiringly. - -Evidently the cadets had an embarrassing task before them. They had -sidled into the room rather awkwardly, all the more so when they espied -Grace Fuller’s beautiful face, which was all the more beautiful for its -present paleness. - -Once in the room they had backed up against the wall, eying the two -uneasily. - -“Ahem!” said the spokesman. - -“Well?” inquired Mark again. - -By way of answer the spokesman took from beneath his jacket a folded -paper. This he opened before him with some solemnity. - -“Mr. Mallory,” he began--“ahem! I have been appointed, together with my -two classmates here, to--er--convey to you the following notice from -the first class.” - -Here the spokesman stopped abruptly and shifted uneasily. Mark bowed, -as well as he could under the circumstances. - -“This letter,” continued the cadet, “is from the president of the -class. Listen, please: - - “‘CADET MALLORY, West Point: - - “‘DEAR SIR: As president of the first class of the corps of cadets I - have the duty and pleasure of submitting to you the following set of - resolutions adopted unanimously by the class at a meeting held this - morning. - “‘Respectfully Yours, - “‘GEORGE T. FISCHER, - “‘Cadet Captain, Company A.’” - -After that imposing document the spokesman paused for breath. Mark -waited in silence. When the cadet thought that there had been suspense -enough for so important an occasion he raised the paper and continued: - - “‘Whereas-- - - “‘Cadet Mallory of the fourth class has performed before the whole - academy an act of heroism and self-sacrifice which merits immediate - and signal recognition. - - “‘Resolved-- - - “‘That the class hereby desires, both as a class and as individuals, - to offer to Cadet Mallory their sincere apology for all offensive - remarks addressed to him under any circumstances whatsoever. - - “‘That the class hereby expresses the greatest regret for all attacks - made by it upon Cadet Mallory. - - “‘That the class hereby extends to Cadet Mallory its assurance of - respect. - - “‘And that the president of the class be requested to forward a copy - of these resolutions to Cadet Mallory at once.’” - -At the close of this most imposing document the young cadet folded the -paper and put it away, then gazed at Mark with a what-more-do-you-want? -sort of air. As for Mark, he was lying back on his pillow gazing into -space and thinking. - -“That’s pretty decent,” he observed, meditatively; then he raised -himself up and gazed at the three quizzically. - -“Tell the first class,” said he, “that I cannot make much of a speech, -but that I accept their apology with the same sincerity it’s given. I -thank them for their regards, and also for having released me from my -fighting obligations. And now,” he added, “since this appears to be a -time of mutual brotherly love, concession and reciprocity, I don’t mind -taking a share myself. Tell the class that it’s very probable that when -I join them again----” - -Here Mark paused in order to let his important announcement have due -weight. - -“I’ll try to be a little less B. J. Good-afternoon.” - -“Say, that letter’s great!” cried Texas, when he heard of it. “Whoop! I -almost feel like hurrahing for them old first classers.” - -“It’s very nice,” said the Parson. “Yea, by Zeus, it’s all right.” - -“Couldn’t do less, b’gee!” cried Dewey. “Mark shamed ’em all, b’gee.” - -And the Banded Seven agreed--just as they always did. - - -THE END. - - - - -_THE CREAM OF JUVENILE FICTION_ - -THE BOYS’ OWN LIBRARY - -A Selection of the Best Books for Boys by the Most Popular Authors - -The titles in this splendid juvenile series have been selected with -care, and as a result all the stories can be relied upon for their -excellence. They are bright and sparkling; not over-burdened with -lengthy descriptions, but brimful of adventure from the first page to -the last--in fact they are just the kind of yarns that appeal strongly -to the healthy boy who is fond of thrilling exploits and deeds of -heroism. Among the authors whose names are included in the Boys’ Own -Library are Horatio Alger, Jr., Edward S. Ellis, James Otis, Capt. -Ralph Bonehill, Burt L. Standish, Gilbert Patten and Frank H. Converse. - - * * * * * - -SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE BOYS’ OWN LIBRARY - -All the books in this series are copyrighted, printed on good paper, -large type, illustrated, printed wrappers, handsome cloth covers -stamped in inks and gold--fifteen special cover designs. - - _150 Titles--Price, per Volume, 75 cents_ - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price by -the publisher, - - DAVID McKAY, - 610 SO. WASHINGTON SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA, PA. - - -HORATIO ALGER, Jr. - -One of the best known and most popular writers. Good, clean, healthy -stories for the American Boy. - - Adventures of a Telegraph Boy - Dean Dunham - Erie Train Boy, The - Five Hundred Dollar Check - From Canal Boy to President - From Farm Boy to Senator - Backwoods Boy, The - Mark Stanton - Ned Newton - New York Boy - Tom Brace - Tom Tracy - Walter Griffith - Young Acrobat - - -C. B. ASHLEY. - -One of the best stories ever written on hunting, trapping and adventure -in the West, after the Custer Massacre. - - Gilbert, the Boy Trapper - - -ANNIE ASHMORE. - -A splendid story, recording the adventures of a boy with smugglers. - - Smuggler’s Cave, The - - -CAPT. RALPH BONEHILL. - -Capt. Bonehill is in the very front rank as an author of boys’ stories. -These are two of his best works. - - Neka, the Boy Conjurer - Tour of the Zero Club - - -WALTER F. BRUNS. - -An excellent story of adventure in the celebrated Sunk Lands of -Missouri and Kansas. - - In the Sunk Lands - - -FRANK H. CONVERSE. - -This writer has established a splendid reputation as a boys’ author, -and although his books usually command $1.25 per volume, we offer the -following at a more popular price. - - Gold of Flat Top Mountain - Happy-Go-Lucky Jack - Heir to a Million - In Search of An Unknown Race - In Southern Seas - Mystery of a Diamond - That Treasure - Voyage to the Gold Coast - - -HARRY COLLINGWOOD. - -One of England’s most successful writers of stories for boys. His best -story is - - Pirate Island - - -GEORGE H. COOMER. - -Two books we highly recommend. One is a splendid story of adventure at -sea, when American ships were in every port in the world, and the other -tells of adventures while the first railway in the Andes Mountains was -being built. - - Boys in the Forecastle - Old Man of the Mountain - - -WILLIAM DALTON. - -Three stories by one of the very greatest writers for boys. The stories -deal with boys’ adventures in India, China and Abyssinia. These books -are strongly recommended for boys’ reading, as they contain a large -amount of historical information. - - Tiger Prince - War Tiger - White Elephant - - -EDWARD S. ELLIS. - -These books are considered the best works this well-known writer ever -produced. No better reading for bright young Americans. - - Arthur Helmuth - Check No. 2134 - From Tent to White House - Perils of the Jungle - On the Trail of Geronimo - White Mustang - - -GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. - -For the past fifty years Mr. Fenn has been writing books for boys -and popular fiction. His books are justly popular throughout the -English-speaking world. We publish the following select list of his -boys’ books, which we consider the best he ever wrote. - - Commodore Junk - Dingo Boys - Golden Magnet - Grand Chaco - Weathercock - - -ENSIGN CLARKE FITCH, U. S. N. - -A graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and thoroughly -familiar with all naval matters. Mr. Fitch has devoted himself to -literature, and has written a series of books for boys that every -young American should read. His stories are full of very interesting -information about the navy, training ships, etc. - - Bound for Annapolis - Clif, the Naval Cadet - Cruise of the Training Ship - From Port to Port - Strange Cruise, A - - -WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDON. - -An author of world-wide popularity. Mr. Graydon is essentially a friend -of young people, and we offer herewith ten of his best works, wherein -he relates a great diversity of interesting adventures in various parts -of the world, combined with accurate historical data. - - Butcher of Cawnpore, The - Camp in the Snow, The - Campaigning with Braddock - Cryptogram, The - From Lake to Wilderness - In Barracks and Wigwam - In Fort and Prison - Jungles and Traitors - Rajah’s Fortress, The - White King of Africa, The - - -LIEUT. FREDERICK GARRISON, U. S. A. - -Every American boy takes a keen interest in the affairs of West Point. -No more capable writer on this popular subject could be found than -Lieut. Garrison, who vividly describes the life, adventures and unique -incidents that have occurred in that great institution--in these famous -West Point stories. - - Off for West Point - Cadet’s Honor, A - On Guard - West Point Treasure, The - West Point Rivals, The - - -HEADON HILL. - -The hunt for gold has always been a popular subject for consideration, -and Mr. Hill has added a splendid story on the subject in this romance -of the Klondyke. - - Spectre Gold - - -HENRY HARRISON LEWIS. - -Mr. Lewis is a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and has -written a great many books for boys. Among his best works are the -following titles--the subjects include a vast series of adventures in -all parts of the world. The historical data is correct, and they should -be read by all boys, for the excellent information they contain. - - Centreboard Jim - King of the Island - Midshipman Merrill - Ensign Merrill - Sword and Pen - Valley of Mystery, The - Yankee Boys in Japan - - -LIEUT. LIONEL LOUNSBERRY. - -A series of books embracing many adventures under our famous naval -commanders, and with our army during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. -Founded on sound history, these books are written for boys, with the -idea of combining pleasure with profit; to cultivate a fondness for -study--especially of what has been accomplished by our army and navy. - - Cadet Kit Carey - Captain Carey - Kit Carey’s Protegé - Lieut. Carey’s Luck - Out With Commodore Decatur - Randy, the Pilot - Tom Truxton’s School Days - Tom Truxton’s Ocean Trip - Treasure of the Golden Crater - Won at West Point - - -BROOKS McCORMICK. - -Four splendid books of adventure on sea and land, by this well-known -writer for boys. - - Giant Islanders, The - How He Won - Nature’s Young Nobleman - Rival Battalions - - -WALTER MORRIS. - -This charming story contains thirty-two chapters of just the sort of -school life that charms the boy readers. - - Bob Porter at Lakeview Academy - - -STANLEY NORRIS. - -Mr. Norris is without a rival as a writer of “Circus Stories” for boys. -These four books are full of thrilling adventures, but good, wholsome -reading for young Americans. - - Phil, the Showman - Young Showman’s Rivals, The - Young Showman’s Pluck, The - Young Showman’s Triumph - - -LIEUT. JAMES K. ORTON. - -When a boy has read one of Lieut. Orton’s books, it requires no urging -to induce him to read the others. Not a dull page in any of them. - - Beach Boy Joe - Last Chance Mine - Secret Chart, The - Tom Havens with the White Squadron - - -JAMES OTIS. - -Mr. Otis is known by nearly every American boy, and needs no -introduction here. The following copyrights are among his best: - - Chased Through Norway - Inland Waterways - Unprovoked Mutiny - Wheeling for Fortune - Reuben Green’s Adventures at Yale - - -GILBERT PATTEN. - -Mr. Patten has had the distinction of having his books adopted by the -U. S. Government for all naval libraries on board our war ships. While -aiming to avoid the extravagant and sensational, the stories contain -enough thrilling incidents to please the lad who loves action and -adventure. In the Rockspur stories the description of their Baseball -and Football Games and other contests with rival clubs and teams make -very exciting and absorbing reading; and few boys with warm blood in -their veins, having once begun the perusal of one of these books, will -willingly lay it down till it is finished. - - Boy Boomers - Boy Cattle King - Boy from the West - Ron Kirke’s Mine - Jud and Joe - Rockspur Nine, The - Rockspur Eleven, The - Rockspur Rivals, The - - -ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE. - -Mr. Rathborne’s stories for boys have the peculiar charm of dealing -with localities and conditions with which he is thoroughly familiar. -The scenes of these excellent stories are along the Florida coast and -on the western prairies. - - Canoe and Camp Fire - Paddling Under Palmettos - Rival Canoe Boys - Sunset Ranch - Chums of the Prairie - Young Range Riders - Gulf Cruisers - Shifting Winds - - -ARTHUR SEWELL. - -An American story by an American author. It relates how a Yankee boy -overcame many obstacles in school and out. Thoroughly interesting from -start to finish. - - Gay Dashleigh’s Academy Days - - -CAPT. DAVID SOUTHWICK. - -An exceptionally good story of frontier life among the Indians in the -far West, during the early settlement period. - - Jack Wheeler - - -The Famous Frank Merriwell Stories. - - -BURT L. STANDISH. - -No modern series of tales for boys and youths has met with anything -like the cordial reception and popularity accorded to the Frank -Merriwell Stories. There must be a reason for this and there is. Frank -Merriwell, as portrayed by the author, is a jolly whole-souled, honest, -courageous American lad, who appeals to the hearts of the boys. He -has no bad habits, and his manliness inculcates the idea that it is -not necessary for a boy to indulge in petty vices to be a hero. Frank -Merriwell’s example is a shining light for every ambitious lad to -follow. Twenty volumes now ready: - - Frank Merriwell’s School Days - Frank Merriwell’s Chums - Frank Merriwell’s Foes - Frank Merriwell’s Trip West - Frank Merriwell Down South - Frank Merriwell’s Bravery - Frank Merriwell’s Races - Frank Merriwell’s Hunting Tour - Frank Merriwell’s Sports Afield - Frank Merriwell at Yale - Frank Merriwell’s Courage - Frank Merriwell’s Daring - Frank Merriwell’s Skill - Frank Merriwell’s Champions - Frank Merriwell’s Return to Yale - Frank Merriwell’s Secret - Frank Merriwell’s Loyalty - Frank Merriwell’s Reward - Frank Merriwell’s Faith - Frank Merriwell’s Victories - - -VICTOR ST. CLAIR. - -These books are full of good, clean adventure, thrilling enough to -please the full-blooded wide-awake boy, yet containing nothing to which -there can be any objection from those who are careful as to the kind of -books they put into the hands of the young. - - Cast Away in the Jungle - Comrades Under Castro - For Home and Honor - From Switch to Lever - Little Snap, the Post Boy - Zig-Zag, the Roy Conjurer - Zip, the Acrobat - - -MATTHEW WHITE, JR. - -Good, healthy, strong books for the American lad. No more interesting -books for the young appear on our lists. - - Adventures of a Young Athlete - Eric Dane - Guy Hammersley - My Mysterious Fortune - Tour of a Private Car - Young Editor, The - - -ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. - -One of the most popular authors of boys’ books. Here are three of his -best. - - Mark Dale’s Stage Venture - Young Bank Clerk, The - Young Bridge Tender, The - - -GAYLE WINTERTON. - -This very interesting story relates the trials and triumphs of a Young -American Actor, including the solution of a very puzzling mystery. - - Young Actor, The - - -ERNEST A. YOUNG. - -This book is not a treatise on sports, as the title would indicate, but -relates a series of thrilling adventures among boy campers in the woods -of Maine. - - Boats, Bats and Bicycles - - -DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - - Alternate or archaic spelling has been retained from the original. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WEST POINT TREASURE*** - - -******* This file should be named 64609-0.txt or 64609-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/4/6/0/64609 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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