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

of Sam’s did not interfere with his military work. Instead of that it inspired him with new fervor, and he now strove to be a perfect soldier not only for its own sake, but for her sake too.

Meanwhile Saunders began to imagine that Sam looked at his fiancée a little too frequently and long, and he determined to punish him for it. How was this to be done? In his deportment toward the upper-class men Sam was absolutely perfect, and had begun to win golden opinions from instructors and cadets alike. He always did more than was required of him, and did it better than was expected. He treated all upper-class men with profound respect, and he did it without effort because it came natural to him. He never ventured to look them in the eye, and he blushed and stammered when they addressed him. Saunders tried to find a flaw in his behavior so that he might have the matter taken up by the class committee, but there was no flaw to be found. Self-respect prevented him from giving the real reason, his jealousy; besides, it was out of the question to drag in the name of a lady.

One day Saunders, Captain Clark, Smith, and some other cadets were discussing the matter of fourth-class discipline, and the merits of some recent fights which had been ordered between fourth-class men and their seniors for the purpose of punishing the former, when Saunders tried skilfully to lead the conversation round to the case of Sam Jinks.

“There are some fellows in the fourth class that need a little taking down, don’t you think so?” he asked.

“If there are, take them down,” said Clark laconically. “Who do you mean?”

“Why, there’s that Jinks fellow, for instance. He struts about as if he were a major-general.”

“He is pretty well set up, that’s a fact,” said Smith, “but you can’t object to that. I must say he does his work for me up to the handle. Look at that for a shine”; and he exhibited one of his boots to the crowd.

“I wonder if he can fight?” said Saunders, changing his tactics. “He’s a well-built chap, and I’d like to see what he can do. How can we get him to fight if we can’t haul him up for misbehaving?”

“It’s easy enough, if he’s a gentleman,” answered Clark, who was a recognized authority in matters of etiquette.

“How?” asked Saunders.

“Why, all you’ve got to do is to insult him and then he’ll have to fight.”

“How would you insult him?” asked Saunders eagerly.

“The best way,” said Clark sententiously, “is to call him a hog in public, and then, if he is a gentleman, he will be ready to fight.”

“I’ll do it,” said Saunders. “I’m dying to see that fellow fight. Of course, I don’t care to fight him. We can get Starkie to do that, I suppose.”

“Yes,” said Clark. “We’ll select somebody that can handle him and teach him his place, depend on that.”

Saunders set out at once to carry out the program. As soon as he found Jinks in a group of fourth-class men, he went up to him, and cried in a loud voice,

“Jinks, you’re a hog.”

“Yes, sir,” said Sam, saluting respectfully.

“Do you hear what I say? you’re a wretched hog.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re a hog, and if you’re a gentleman you’ll be ready to fight if you’re asked to.”

“Yes, sir,” responded Sam, as Saunders turned on his heel and walked away. Somehow Clark’s plan did not seem to have worked to perfection, but it must be all right, and he hastened to report the affair to his class committee, who promptly determined that Cadet Jinks must fight, and that their classmate Starkie be requested to represent them in the encounter. Starkie weighed at least thirty pounds more than Sam, was considerably taller, had several inches longer reach of arm, and was a practised boxer. Sam had never boxed in his life. These facts seemed to the committee only to enhance the interesting character of the affair.

“We’re much obliged to you, Saunders,” said the chairman. “You’ve done just right to call our attention to this matter. These beasts must be taught their place. The only manly way to settle it is by having Starkie fight him. You have acted like a gentleman and a soldier.”

The fight was arranged for a Saturday afternoon on the familiar hazing-ground near the old fort. Sam selected Cleary and another classmate for his seconds, and Starkie chose Saunders and Smith.

“Jinks,” said Smith in a moment of unwonted affability, “you’ve got a chance now to distinguish yourself. I’ll see that you get fair play. Of course, you’ll have to fight to a finish, but you must take your medicine like a man.”

“Did General Gramp ever have to fight here?” asked Sam, touching his cap.

“Of course,” said Smith, “and on that very ground, too. You don’t seem to have read much history.”

The prospect of the fight gave Sam intense joy. His sense of glory seemed to obliterate all anticipation of pain. This was his first opportunity to become a real hero. When he was hazed he only had to suffer; now, on the other hand, he was called upon to act. He got Cleary to show him some of the simplest rules of boxing, and he practised what little he could during the three intervening days. He was quite determined to knock Starkie out or die in the attempt.

At four o’clock on the day indicated a crowd of first- and third-class men were collected to see the great event. No fourth-class men were allowed to attend except the two seconds. A ring was formed; Captain Clark was chosen as referee; and the two combatants, stripped to the waist, put on their hard gloves and entered the ring. Starkie eyed his antagonist critically, while Sam with a heavenly smile on his face did not focus his eyes at all, but seemed to be dreaming far away. When the word was given, however, he dashed in and