A Cadet's Honor: Mark Mallory's Heroism Read online

  A CADET'S HONOR

  Or

  Mark Mallory's Heroism

  by

  LIEUT. FREDERICK GARRISON, U. S. A.

  Author of "Off for West Point," "On Guard," "A West Point Treasure," etc.

  BOYS' OWN LIBRARY]

  PhiladelphiaDavid Mckay, Publisher610 South Washington Square

  Copyright, 1903By Street & Smith

  A Cadet's Honor

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER PAGE I--A "Yearling" Meeting 7 II--Mark's Mysterious Visitor 19 III--Trouble for Mark 26 IV--The Explanation 38 V--Mark in Disgrace 46 VI--Indian's Re-examination 58 VII--The Examination of the Parson 66 VIII--The Rescue Party 72 IX--Heroism of the Parson 76 X--More Troubles 81 XI--Disadvantages of "Coventry" 85 XII--The Embassy of the Parson 91 XIII--Preparations for the Battle 99 XIV--The Affair at the Fort 109 XV--Two Plebes in Hospital 117 XVI--The Parson's Indignation 124 XVII--Indian in Trouble 133 XVIII--To the Rescue 146 XIX--The Alliance is Completed 156 XX--Indignation of the Yearlings 162 XXI--A Mild Attempt at Hazing 171 XXII--The Bombshell Falls 177 XXIII--In the Shadow of Dismissal 185 XXIV--A Letter 193 XXV--A Swimming Match 204 XXVI--The Finish of a Race 211 XXVII--What Mark Did 219 XXVIII--Mark Meets the Superintendent 231 XXIX--The Seven in Session 239 XXX--The Move into Camp 248 XXXI--"First Night" 257 XXXII--Conclusion 268

  A CADET'S HONOR

  CHAPTER I.

  A "YEARLING" MEETING.

  The whole class came to the meeting. There hadn't been such an importantmeeting at West Point for many a day. The yearling class had beenoutrageously insulted. The mightiest traditions of the academy had beenviolated, "trampled beneath the dust," and that by two or three vile anduncivilized "beasts"--"plebes"--new cadets of scarcely a week'sexperience. And the third class, the yearlings, by inherent right theguardians of West Point's honor, and the hazers of the plebe, had vowedthat those plebes must be punished as never had plebes been punishedbefore.

  The first and third classes of cadets had gone into summer camp theprevious day, immediately after the graduation exercises. From thatdate, the middle of June to July 1, they have a comparative holiday,with no drills and no duties except guard-mounting, dress parade towardevening, and inspections. And it was during the first of the holidaymornings that the above-mentioned "meeting" was held, beneath the shadytrees of Trophy Point, a short distance from the camp.

  "I move," shouted a voice in the crowd, "that we elect Bud Smithchairman."

  The motion was carried with a shout, and Bud Smith, just out of hospitalby the way, was "boosted" up onto one of the guns, which served as the"chair." Bud Smith was a tall, heavily-built youth with a face coveredby court-plaster and "contusions," as the results of a West Point fightare officially designated by the hospital surgeon.

  "This meeting will please come to order," said the chairman. "And thegentlemen will oblige me by keeping quiet and not compelling me to usemy voice much. For I am--er--not feeling very well to-day."

  And Bud illustrated his statement by gently mopping his "contusions"with a damp handkerchief.

  "We have met," began the chairman, as soon as this formality wasover--"we have met, I believe, to consider the cases of three 'beasts,'Powers, Stanard and Mallory, by name (a low groan from the class), andto consider the best method of reducing them to submission. I don'tthink it is necessary for me to restate the complaints against them, foryou are probably all as familiar with the incidents as I. 'Texas'Powers, or as he calls himself, Jeremiah, son o' the Honorable ScrapPowers, o' Hurricane County, Texas, must be disciplined because he failsto understand what is expected of him. He dared to order a superiorofficer out of his room, and last Monday morning he succeeded indefeating no less than four men in our class--myself among them."

  And Cadet Smith again mopped his "contusions," and went on.

  "Of course we have got to find somebody to whip him. Then, too, Stanardlost his temper and attacked half a dozen of our class, for no otherreason on earth than that they tied him in a sack and carried him outonto the cavalry plain. He, too, was victorious, I am told. And then,last of all, but of all the offenders most insolent and lawless,comes----"

  The chairman paused solemnly before he pronounced the name.

  "Mark Mallory."

  And the storm of hisses and jeers that followed could have been heard atbarracks. It was evident that the yearlings had no love for MarkMallory, whoever Mark Mallory might be.

  "Mark Mallory commenced his tricks," the chairman continued, "evenbefore he was a cadet. He was impudent then. And the other day he daredto act as Powers' second. And, worse than all, yesterday, to show howutterly reckless and B. J. he is, he deliberately locked Bull Harris andBaby Edwards up in an icehouse, with the intention of making them absentat taps and compelling them to remain imprisoned all night. It was onlyby the merest accident, they succeeding in forcing the door, that thisplan was frustrated. Now, gentlemen, this thing is about as serious asit can possibly be. Mark Mallory's conduct shows that he's gotten theidea into his head that not only can he avoid being hazed, but even turnthe tables upon us and bid us defiance. His attack upon the two cadetswas absolutely unprovoked. Bull told me personally that he had notattempted to haze him, and had not even spoken to him. It was a purecase of freshness and nothing else. And he's got to be licked for ituntil he can't stand up."

  Bud Smith finished his speech amid a round of applause, and then fell tosoothing his "contusions" again.

  It may as well be stated here that Bull Harris' account of the incidentthat was just now causing so much talk was an absolute falsehood. Astold in a previous volume, entitled "Off for West Point," Bull and hisgang had made an attempt to lock Mark up, and had failed, and beenlocked up themselves instead. That was all. But Bull and his gang sawfit to omit that part of the story. It was safe, for no one couldgainsay it; Mark's account was not asked for.

  "I move, Mr. Chairman," said Corporal Jasper, rising, "that inasmuch asMallory seems to be the leader of this fool business, that we lick himfirst, and that, too, to-morrow morning. For it's growing worse everyminute. The plebes are getting so downright B. J. that a fellow can'teven give an order without fearing to be disobeyed. To-morrow morning, Isay. And I call for some one to volunteer."

  The young officer's motion took the crowd's fancy.

  "Who'll fight him? Who'll fight him?" became the cry, and was followedby a chorus of names offered as suggestions. One was predominant, andseemed to be the most popular.

  "Williams! Billy Williams. Get up, Billy! Speech!"

  And "Billy" arose from the ground as the cry grew louder, and said thathe was "very much honored," and that if the class really selected him hewould be most happy to do the best he possibly could.

  "Hooray! Billy's going to lick him! 'Ray for Billy."

  "I move, Mr. Chairman, that a committee be appointed to convey thechallenge on behalf of the class."

  "Carried," said the chairman. "I appoint Corporal Jasper and CadetSpencer. This meeting stands adjourned."

  And the yearlings scattered, bearing "Billy Williams" off in triumph.

  The committee, much as it hated to, was obliged to delay the sending
ofthe challenge. There were two reasons: In the first place, Mark Mallory,together with the rest of the plebes, was being bullied and tormentedjust then in the course of a squad drill; and, in the second place, oneof the committee, Cadet Spencer, was engaged in doing the bullying,having been appointed "on duty over plebes."

  After supper, however, came a blissful half hour of rest to thelast-named unfortunates; and then the three yearlings gathered together,took an extra quantity of dignity, and sallied forth to find the three"B. J.'s."

  "B. J.," it may be added, is West Point for fresh, and stands for"before June."

  Entering barracks, the committee made straight for Mark Mallory's roomand knocked.

  "Come in, thar!" shouted a voice.

  There were four occupants in the room. One was a round, fat-faced boywith an alarmed, nervous look, Cadet Joseph Smith, of Indianapolis,commonly known as "Indian."

  In a chair by the window sat a still more curious figure, a lank, bonyindividual with ill-fitted, straying clothes and a long, sharp face.

  Upon his big, bulging knees rested a leather-bound volume labeled"Dana's Geology," and opened at the Tertiary fossiliferous strata of theHudson River Valley. "Parson" Peter Stanard was too much interested tonotice the entrance of the cadets. He was trying to classify a Cyathophylloid coral which he had just had the luck to find.

  Sprawled upon the bed was another tall, slender fellow, his feet hoistedup on the pile of blankets at the foot. All the committee saw of "Texas"Powers was a pair of soles, for Texas didn't care to move.

  The fourth party was a handsome, broad-shouldered chap, with curly brownhair. And to him Corporal Jasper, the spokesman, addressed himself.

  "Mr. Mallory?" said he.

  Mr. Mallory bowed.

  "We have come as a committee representing the yearling class."

  "I am honored," said Mr. Mallory.

  "Pray do not feel so in the least," said Corporal Jasper, witheringly."The class desires to express, in the first place, its entiredispleasure, both as a class and as individuals, at your unprovokedconduct toward two of its members."

  "Um," said Mark, thoughtfully. "And did the two members tell you theattack was unprovoked?"

  "They did."

  "Then I desire to express, in the first place, my entire displeasure,both as a class and as an individual, at being thus grosslymisrepresented."

  "Bully!" came the voice from behind the mattress.

  "In short," continued Mark, "I desire to call the statement of Messrs.Harris and Edwards a downright, unmitigated and contemptible lie."

  "Sock it to 'em!" chuckled the voice from the mattress. "Wow!"

  "Well put!" added "Parson" Stanard. "Worthy of the great Patrick Henryhimself."

  "Bless my soul!" chimed Indian, ready to run.

  Cadet Jasper took it coolly, like the gentleman he was.

  "It is customary, Mr. Mallory," he said, calmly, "for a man to have toearn the right to call a higher class man a liar."

  "I am quite ready, sir," responded Mr. Mallory.

  "That is fortunate. The class offers you such an opportunity. We aredirected to bring a challenge from Cadet Williams, of the third class,to meet him at Fort Clinton at four o'clock to-morrow morning."

  "I will consider it a favor," said Mark, politely, "if you will be goodenough to inform the class that I am most happy to accept."

  "An' look a yere," cried Texas, Mark's chum, raising his head andpeering out between his feet. "Look a yere! Whar do I come in, in thisbizness?"

  "Your seconds?" inquired Jasper, not noticing the interruption.

  "Mr. Powers and Mr. Stanard."

  "And is there any other information?"

  "None."

  "Remember, Fort Clinton at four A. M."

  "I shall be there without fail. And I thank you for your trouble in thematter."

  Cadets Jasper and Spencer bowed and withdrew, while the four "beasts"sat and looked at each other in silence.

  "Well," Mark said, at last, "what do you think of it?"

  "Think?" growled Texas. "I think it's a skin, that's what I think. An'it's jest like you an' your luck, Mark Mallory!"

  And, so saying, Texas kicked the mattress off the bed.

  "If you don't do that feller Williams, whoever he is, in the firstround, I'll kick you out an' do it myself!"

  "But who is this Williams?" inquired Mark, as he picked up the mattressand threw it at Texas. "Does anybody here know?"

  "I do," said the "Parson," reverently depositing Dana on the floor. "Ido know, and I shall, forsooth, be very happy to tell you about him.Williams is, in the first place, as to physical proportions, the largestman in his class; in the second place, he is the best all-aroundman----"

  "All round like Indian?" inquired Texas, gravely.

  "Inasmuch as," continued the "Parson," "he won a considerable proportionof the Olympic contests, which are celebrated here under the designationof 'the spring games.'"

  "That sounds promising," said Mark, thoughtfully. "I wonder if he canfight."

  "As to his pugilistic abilities, I am by no means so accuratelyinformed, but if my conjecture be of any value whatsoever, I should beinclined to infer, from the fact that our enemies, the representativesof tyranny and oppression, who are endeavoring to reduce us tosubmission, have selected him as their champion and representative inarms, that----"

  "He's a beaut," put in Texas, to save time. "And I only wish I'd hadMark's luck."

  "And I wish," added the Boston student, "that I could contrive toaccount for the presence of this Cyathodhylloid fossil in a sandstone ofTertiary origin."

  It was not very long after this that "tattoo" sounded. But before it didthe little band of rebels up in the barracks had time to swear eternalfealty, and to vow by all that man held dear to be present "at FortClinton at four A. M. to-morrow," there, as the "Parson" classically putit, to fire a shot for freedom that should be heard around the world.Mark swore it, and Indian, too; Texas swore it by the seventeen gunswhich were stowed away in his trunk, and by the honor of his father,"the Honorable Scrap Powers, o' Hurricane County;" and Peter Stanardswore it by Bunker Hill and, yea, even by Lamachus, he of the Gorgon'screst.

  And then the meeting adjourned.