CHAPTER X--THEIR FIRST DETAIL

Summary court-martial met on the following afternoon. Louis Flink was found guilty, the recommendation of the court being that he be dismissed from the service.

At a general muster the findings of the court-martial, approved by the commandant of the station, were read out by the executive officer. It was an impressive scene to the Battleship Boys--one that they never forgot, showing as it did that the United States Navy is no place for a man guilty of a dishonorable act.

Louis Flink was read out of the service and driven from the grounds of the Training Station, a disgraced man.

"I'm sorry for the poor fellow, though I have no sympathy for him," murmured Dan.

"What's the difference?" demanded Sam.

"Difference between what?"

"The difference between feeling sorry for a man and having sympathy for him? I, for one, am mighty glad to see him go, but I'm sorry I did not get a chance at him first. I'll never get over that."

"He must have been the one who was the cause of our other trouble, Sam."

"Of course he was, beginning with the pie he threw at us. But what are we going to do with the marks against us? We were no more to blame for the things we were disciplined for than we are for having our jackets ruined."

"We shall have to take our medicine; that is all," answered Dan ruefully.

Two days later, the boys were summoned to the office of the executive officer. They went rather apprehensively, wondering what could be the reason for the unusual summons.

Arriving at the executive office the lads stated their business to the sentry, and were admitted after a little delay, coming to a halt and saluting as they reached Lieutenant Commander Devall's desk.

The salute was quickly answered, after which the boys stood at attention, hats in hands.

"I presume you would like to join a ship, would you not?" he asked.

"Join a ship? Indeed we should," answered Dan, his eyes glowing with pleasure.

"You boys, I believe, joined from the same place?"

"Yes, sir."

"H-m-m-m!" mused the executive officer, consulting the enlistment record of the two apprentices. "Piedmont?"

"Yes, sir."

"You would like to be shipmates, would you not?"

"We should like it very much, indeed. If it were possible, I wish we might be placed on the same ship," replied Dan.

"I will arrange it," replied Lieutenant Commander Devall, consulting several papers from the mass with which his desk was littered. "Several details are being sent out to various ships to-day. I was under the impression that one ship on my list asked for two ordinary seamen. Ah, yes, here it is. Yes, that will be all right. I shall assign you, but, of course, I cannot promise that you will be retained indefinitely in that way. You may be reassigned to some other part of the service at any time, but it is not likely that this will be done for some time, yet."

"May I ask, sir, to what ship you will assign us?"

"Yes; the battleship 'Long Island.'"

"The 'Long Island,'" mused Dan.

"The 'Long Island,'" repeated Sam under his breath.

"That is the new battleship, is it not, sir?"

"The newest one in the Atlantic fleet. She has just had her trial trip, and has been accepted by the government. I am very glad to be able to give you this detail, for you are a pair of likely young men. Your record at the station has been a splendid one, and your promotion deserved."

"Thank you, sir. You know we have some marks against us," spoke up Dan.

"I was thinking of that. Let me see. There appears to be some doubt about those extra duty tours--I mean to say as to whether you men were wholly in the wrong. Have you any reason to suspect that others were trying to get you into trouble?"

"Yes, sir; we have had reason to suspect as much," answered Dan after an instant's hesitation.

"Whom did you suspect?"

"There can be no harm now, sir, in saying that we suspected the fellow Flink."

"Yet you made no report of it?"

"How could we, sir? We had little on which to base our suspicions, and besides it did not seem the manly thing to do, to carry tales about one's shipmates."

"He's the fellow, sir, who threw the pie," spoke up Hickey.

"What's that?"

"Threw the pie." Sam did not heed the warning look from his companion. "The day we entered the training school."

"I recall the incident, and I also recall that you both refused to state what you knew. Always obey the command of an officer; bear that in mind, young men. No matter if it does mean getting an associate into trouble. Your officers will never make a request of you that is not for the good of the service. You are well fitted for the duties that are before you. Be obedient, courteous and willing. Never allow soreheads--'sea lawyers' we call them on board ship--to make you discontented on board. Remember that there is no more honorable calling in the world than that which you have chosen. See that you do honor to it."

"We shall try, sir."

"And, by the way, you are entitled to a leave of absence for four weeks from this time, with a full allowance of pay. You may join your ship later, at the expiration of leave. I take it that you lads would like to go home and show yourselves in your uniforms."

Dan hesitated.

"Of course, we should like it, sir, but I think we should prefer to join ship at once."

"Very good, then; you will join the 'Long Island' to-morrow. In the meantime I shall arrange to have the marks against you canceled, so that there may be no bar to your progress. You will go aboard with a clean bill of health in every way."

"May I ask where the 'Long Island' is, sir?" questioned Sam.

"New York."

"At the Navy Yard, sir?"

"No, she is lying in the North River; I think about off Riverside Drive. Do you know where that is?"

"No, sir."

"That is nearly opposite General Grant's tomb. You can find the place easily. Any policeman will tell you how to get there."

"Yes, sir; when do we go, sir?"

"On the night boat. You came up here on that, did you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will have your papers prepared and your transportation ready at five o'clock. You will call here for them. The quartermaster will instruct you as to what you are to take with you and how to proceed. My lads, I trust I shall hear good reports from you. We always feel a keen interest in the young men who have had their first instruction here at the Training School. That will be all."

Two hands were brought to foreheads in precise salute, and, executing a right about face, the Battleship Boys, marched steadily from the room, their faces grave, their shoulders thrown well back.

Once outside, Sam turned a bronzed, freckled face toward his companion.

"We are the people--the real people--aren't we, Dan?" he questioned, with a sly wink.

"We are," answered Dan soberly.

The heads of the Battleship Boys were in a whirl of expectancy for the rest of the day. The afternoon hours dragged slowly along, but at last the evening mess was over, and they quickly gathered their dunnage, starting for the New York boat with light and happy hearts.

Each boy had nearly fifty dollars in his pockets as the result of his three months' service at the Training Station. This money, however, they had decided to deposit with the paymaster of the 'Long Island' as soon as possible after arriving on board.

The next morning Dan and Sam were up just as the Fall River Line boat was about to pass under the Brooklyn bridge.

"Look!" cried Dan. "Do you recognize that yellow building over there?"

"Can't say that I do. What building is it?"

"It is the recruiting station where you and I joined the service three months ago. And now, just think of it, we are jackies. Everybody knows we are jackies as soon as they look at our handsome uniforms."

"Yes," breathed Sam, "and there's the very Flag under which we enlisted."

Instinctively the Battleship Boys removed their caps and came to attention, in which position they stood until the towering Sound steamer had swept on and began rounding the Battery.