The Submarine Boys and the Middies Part 17

"Aren't you going to report the robbery to the police?" demanded Hal, opening his eyes in surprise.

"Not in a rush," Jack answered. "If I do, the police may start at once, and that mulatto and his friends, being on the watch, will take the alarm and get away. If I wait two or three days, then the mulatto's crowd will think I've dropped the whole thing. I reckon the waiting game will fool them more than any other."

"Yes, and all the money they got away from you will be spent," muttered Eph.

Jack, none the less, decided to wait and think the matter over.

Supper over, the submarine boys, for want of anything else to do, sat and read until about nine o'clock. Then Jack looked up.

"This is getting mighty tedious," he complained. "What do you fellows say to getting on sh.o.r.e and stretching our legs in a good walk?"

"In town?" grinned Eph, slyly.

Jack flushed, then grinned.

"No!" he answered quietly; "about the Academy grounds."

"I wonder if it would be against the regulations for a lot of rank outsiders like us to go through the grounds at this hour?"

"'Rank outsiders'?" mimicked Jack Benson, laughing. "You forget, Hal, old fellow, that we're instruct-hem! civilian instructors-here."

"I wonder, though, if it would be in good taste for us to go prowling through the grounds at this hour?" persisted Hal.

"There's one sure way to find out," proposed Benson. "We can try it, and, if no marine sentry chases us, we can conclude that we're moving about within our rights. Come along, fellows."

Putting on their caps, the three went up on the platform deck. The engine room door was locked and Williamson and Truax had already turned in. There was a sh.o.r.e boat at the landing. Jack sent a low-voiced hail that brought the boat out alongside.

"Will it be proper for us to go through the Academy grounds at this hour?"

Jack inquired of the petty officer in the stern.

"Yes, sir; there's no regulation against it. And, anyway, sir, you're all stationed here, just now."

"Thank you. Then please take us ash.o.r.e."

At this hour the walks through the grounds were nearly deserted. A few officers, and some of their ladies living at the naval station, were out.

The cadets were all in their quarters in barracks, hard at study, or supposed to be.

For some time the submarine boys strolled about, enjoying the air and the views they obtained of buildings and grounds. Back at Dunhaven the air had been frosty. Here, at this more southern port, the October night was balmy, wholly pleasant.

"I wonder if these cadets here ever have any real fun?" questioned Eph Somers.

"I've heard-or read-that they do," laughed Hal.

"What sort of fun?"

"Well, for one thing, the cadets of the upper cla.s.ses haze the plebe cadets a good deal."

"Humph! That's fun for all but the plebes. Who are the plebes, anyway?"

"The new cadets; the youngest cla.s.s at the Academy," Hal replied.

"What do they do to the plebe?" Eph wanted to know.

"I guess the only way you could find that out, Eph, would be to join the plebe cla.s.s."

"Reckon, when I come to Annapolis, I'll enter the cla.s.s above the plebe,"

retorted Somers.

The three submarine boys had again approached the cadet barracks building.

"Here comes a cadet now, Eph," whispered Jack. "If he has the time, I don't doubt he'd be glad to answer any questions you may have for him."

Young Benson offered this suggestion in a spirit of mischief, hoping the approaching cadet, when questioned, would resent it stiffly. Then Eph would be almost certain to flare up.

The cadet, however, suddenly turned, coming straight toward them, smiling.

"Good evening, gentlemen," was the cadet's greeting.

"Good evening," was Jack's hearty reply.

"You've never been here before, have you, sir?"

"Never," Jack confessed.

"Then I take it you have never, sir, seen the camelroorelephant?"

"The cam-" began Eph Somers.

Then he stopped, clapping both hands to his right jaw.

"Won't you please hand that to us in pieces?" begged Eph, speaking as though with difficulty.

The cadet laughed heartily, then added:

"Don't try to p.r.o.nounce it, gentlemen, until you've seen the camelroorelephant. It's a cadet joke, but it's well worth seeing. Shall I take you to it?"

"Why, yes, if you'll be good enough," Jack a.s.sented, heartily.

The cadet glanced quickly about him, then said in a low voice:

"This way, please, gentlemen."

He led the strangers quickly around the end of barracks to an open s.p.a.ce in the rear. Here he halted.

"Gentlemen, I must ask you to close your eyes, and keep them closed, on honor, until I ask you to open them again. You won't have to keep your eyes closed more than sixty seconds before the camelroorelephant will be ready for inspection. Now, eyes closed, please."

Lingering only long enough to make sure that his request had been met, the cadet stole noiselessly away.