"An offense? Fighting is another, under a strict interpretation
of the rules," Dave replied coldly.
"And I do not intend to fight you," replied Clairy, still speaking
smoothly.
"Perhaps I should know better than to challenge you," replied
Midshipman Darrin. "The spirit of the brigade prohibits my fighting
any one who is not a gentleman."
"If that is all you have to say, Mr. Darrin, I will leave you.
You cannot provoke me into any breach of the regulations."
Clairy walked away calmly, leaving Dave Darrin fuming with anger.
Page was sent for next, then Dalzell. Both denied utterly the
charges on which Clairy had ordered them to report themselves.
Again Mr. Clairy was sent for, and once more he asserted the
complete truthfulness of his charges.
It was so in the cases of the five remaining midshipmen under
charges, though still Mr. Clairy stuck to the correctness of the
report.
Action in all of the eight cases was suspended by the commandant,
who went post-haste to the superintendent. That latter official,
experienced as he was in the ways of midshipmen, could offer no
solution of the mystery.
"You see, my dear Graves," explained the superintendent, "it is
the rule of custom here, and a safe rule at that, to accept the
word of a midshipman as being his best recollection or knowledge
of the truth of any statement that he makes. In that case, we
would seem to be bound to accept the statements of Mr.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148