Captain Jinks, Hero, Ernest Howard Crosby [free e books to read TXT] 📗

a week!” exclaimed Sam. “But I can’t skip drills and everything for a week!”

“Now, don’t you worry, Massa Jinks. You’re pretty lucky. We’ve had some men here hurted themselves that had to go home for good, and some of ’em, two or three, never got well, and died. But bless you, you’ll soon be all right. Doctor said so.”

Sam had to get what consolation he could from this. His memory began to come back, and he recalled the beginning of the hazing.

“Is Cadet Cleary in the hospital?” he asked.

“No, sah.”

“Won’t you try to get word to him to come and see me here, if he can?”

“Yes, Massa, I’ll try. But they won’t always let ’em come. Maybe they’ll let him Sunday afternoon.”

Sure enough, Cleary succeeded in getting permission to pay Sam a call on Sunday.

“Well, old man, I’ve got to thank you for letting me out of a lot of trouble,” he cried as he clasped Sam’s hand and sat down by the bedside.

“Did they duck you, too?” asked Sam. “You must be stronger than I am. It’s a shame I couldn’t stand it.”

“No. When they’d nearly killed you they let me off. Don’t you be ashamed of anything. They kept you in there five minutes⁠—I’m not sure it wasn’t ten. If you weren’t half a fish, you’d never have come to, that’s all there is of that. And after you’d drunk all that tabasco, too!”

“Is my voice quite right?” asked Sam.

“Yes, thank fortune, there’s no danger of your squeaking like Captain Clark.”

Sam sighed.

“And is my nose quite straight?”

“Yes, of course; why shouldn’t it be?”

Sam sighed again.

“I’m afraid,” he said, “that no one will know that I’ve been hazed.”

He was silent for a few minutes. Then a smile came over his face.

“Wasn’t it grand,” he went on, “to think that we were following in the steps of all the great generals of the century! When I put my head into the tub and felt my legs waving in the air, I thought of General Meriden striking his head so manfully against the bottom, and I thanked heaven that I was suffering for my country. I tried to bump my head hard too, and it does ache just a little; but I’m afraid it won’t show.”

He felt his head with his hand and looked inquiringly at Cleary, but his friend’s face gave him no encouragement, and he made no answer.

“I think I saw somebody taking a snapshot of me up there,” said Sam. “Do you think I can get a print of it? I wish you’d see if you can get one for me.”

“It’s not so easy,” said Cleary. “He was a third-class man, and of course we are not allowed to speak to him. They’ve just divided us fourth-class men up among the rest to do chores for them. My boss is Captain Clark, and he’s the only upper-class man I can speak to, and he would knock me down if I asked him about it. You’d better try yourself when you come out.”

“Who am I assigned to?” asked Sam.

“To Cadet Smith, and he’s a much easier man. You’re in luck. But my time’s up. Goodbye,” and Cleary hurried away.

Sam Jinks left the hospital just one week after his admission. He might have stayed a day or two longer, but he insisted that he was well enough and prevailed upon the doctor to let him go. He set to work at once with great energy to make up for lost time and to learn all that had been taught in the week in the way of drilling. The morning after his release, when guard-mounting was over, Cleary told him that Cadet Smith wished to speak to him, and Sam went at once to report to him.

“Jinks,” said Smith, when Sam had approached and saluted, “I am going down that path there to the right. Wait till I am out of sight and then follow me down. I don’t want anyone to see us together.”

“All right, sir,” said Sam.

When Smith had duly disappeared, Sam followed him and found him awaiting him in a secluded spot by the river. Sam saluted again as he came up to him.

“I suppose you understand, Jinks, that none of us upper-class men can afford to be seen talking to you fourth-class beasts?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Of course, it wouldn’t do. Don’t look at me that way, Jinks. When an upper-class man is polite enough to speak to you, you should look down, and not into his face.”

Sam dropped his eyes.

“Now, Jinks, I wanted to tell you that you’ve been assigned to me to do such work as I want done. I’m going to treat you well, because you seem to be a pretty decent fellow for a beast.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Sam.

“Yes, you seem disposed to behave as you should, and I don’t want to have any trouble with you. All you’ll have to do is to see that my boots are blacked every night, keep my shirts and clothes in order, take my things to the wash, clean out my tent, and be somewhere near so that you can come when I call you; do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, then, of course, you must make my bed, and bring water for me, and keep my equipments clean. If there’s anything else, I’ll tell you. If you don’t do everything I tell you, I’ll report it to the class committee and you’ll have to fight, do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That will do, Jinks; you may go.”

“I beg your pardon, sir. May I ask you a question?”

“What?” shouted Smith. “Do you mean to speak to me without being spoken to?”

“I know it’s very wrong, sir,” said Sam, “but there’s something I want very much, and I don’t know how else to get it.”

“Well, I’ll forgive you this time, because I’m an easygoing fellow. If it had been anybody else but me, you’d have got your first fight. What is it? Out with it.”

“Please, sir, when I was haz⁠—I mean exercised the other