CHAPTER VII--THE RED-HEADED BOY'S SURPRISE
"I should say it had!" exclaimed the amazed officer. "Let me see therifle."
He examined the weapon critically, Sam standing at attention, expectingevery moment to be severely rebuked.
"When did this happen?"
"About an hour ago, sir."
"You were hurt?"
"I don't know. I was laid out. I guess I would have drowned if I hadn'tcome to when I did," answered the lad, forgetting to add the "sir." Thelieutenant commander appeared not to observe the slip.
"You regained consciousness, and have been on your extra duty tour eversince?"
"Yes, sir."
"Come with me."
Sam wonderingly followed his superior officer to barracks A. The officerled the way right into the mess hall. Looks of surprise greeted theappearance of the couple, which soon gave place to broad grins, for SamHickey at that moment was the most disreputable figure possible toimagine.
"Attention!" called the petty officer in charge of the mess when he sawthe lieutenant commander entering.
Dan saw at once that something had happened, yet he could not understandit at all, unless Sam had been in a fight. That was the first thing thatoccurred to Davis.
All hands had risen to their feet, and had come to attention at command.
"Mr. Coda," said the lieutenant commander sharply, "you assigned thisman to extra duty, did you not?"
"Yes, sir," answered the quartermaster. "Acting on your command, asdelivered to me by the man himself."
"Exactly. How long did he tell you he was to remain on duty?"
"Two hours, sir. I was to give him his orders when the tour of extraduty was ended, sir."
"Do you know how long he has been on duty?"
"About four hours, I think, sir."
"Exactly," answered the line officer dryly.
"The storm came on and I lost sight of this man. There were three otherextra duty squads out in different parts of the grounds. These I roundedup, but I will confess that I entirely forgot the man Hickey, sir,"continued the quartermaster, saluting as he spoke.
"After mess, report to my office. I have something to say to these mennow."
"Are they to carry on, sir?"
"By no means until I direct them to do so. What I have to say should beheard standing."
"Very good, sir."
"Men," began the lieutenant commander, running his eyes over the brownfaces of the apprentices, "I am very glad to be able to give you anobject lesson. I hope every man of you will keep it in mind for the restof his career in the Navy."
The officer paused, glancing at the attentive faces before him.
"It is in reference to this young man, Hickey. He was assigned to extraduty for a slight offense. The offense, I am now satisfied, was withoutintent to violate any rule of discipline, and the punishment wasintended more to point a moral than otherwise. Hickey was told to patrolhis tour until relieved by the quartermaster. Those were your orders,Mr. Quartermaster, were they not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hickey walked his tour over his time. A severe storm came up, but stillhe walked. He was obeying orders. Thunder and lightning even could notswerve him from doing that. Then Hickey was struck down by a bolt oflightning. You see his rifle, or what is left of it."
The lieutenant commander took Sam's gun from him, and, stepping overtoward the others, held it out for their inspection. The boys looked atthe twisted weapon, then at Sam Hickey. Amazement was written on theirfaces.
"Hickey was struck as well, as that mark on the left cheek will prove toyou. He fell in a puddle of water, where he lay half-drowned, untilfinally he regained consciousness. I wonder how many of you here wouldnot have started for cover as fast as he could run? I hope none of youwould have done so. Hickey did not run, either. Instead, he straightenedout his broken, ruined weapon as best he could, came to a right shoulderarms and began his tour of duty once again. I have not the least doubtthat he would have continued all night had he not been relieved. He wasobeying orders. As I have said before, not even lightning could swervehim from that. Young men, that is the kind of man the United States Navywants--men who will obey orders, who will carry them out, no matter whatmay happen; who will do their full duty as long as there is a breathleft in them. Quartermaster, are there any marks against this boy?"
The petty officer consulted the records.
"No, sir. He has been here a very short time, sir, hardly long enough toget any."
"Very good. You will see to it that his name is placed on record andread out in General Orders. Hickey, you will be appointed apprenticegunner's mate, your promotion to take effect immediately. It will not,however, continue after you go aboard a ship on a regular detail. Theappointment is for the Training Station alone. It carries with it aslight increase in pay. You have made a good beginning, and I shall lookfor you to continue. Do so, and your rise in the United States Navy willbe rapid. You are relieved from duty for the rest of the day. Carry on,men!"
Mess being over, the quartermaster, as directed, repaired to the officeof the lieutenant commander to receive the reprimand that he supposedwas in store for him. He was right. The lieutenant commander was verysevere upon the quartermaster for the latter's failure to relieve Hickeyat the proper time. The quartermaster, in his turn, had nothing butwords of regret and apology, and was dismissed with a word of cautionfor the future.