An Annapolis First ClassmanBeach, Edward L. (Edward Latimer)
General
An Annapolis First Classman
Beach, Edward L. (Edward Latimer)
United States Naval Academy -- Juvenile fiction
"I do indeed; pretty hard luck, wasn't it? Say, Captain Blunt is a fine
fellow, isn't he? I've just read that his ship, the 'New Orleans,' now
on the Asiatic station, is to come home in a few months. I trust his
hopeful son will not be bilged by that time; that young man is in
constant danger of getting into trouble." Stonewell picked up his cap
and continued, "I'm going down the corridor; I'll be back in a little
while."
"Hold on, Stone, I want to talk about that time we Frenched. Now I've
never asked you any particulars; you told me you had to go out to see a
brother who was in some terrible trouble, and you've never said a word
about him since--and I've never asked you. Now can't you tell me
something about him, Stone? It isn't mere idle curiosity, but you are
so much in my thoughts that I can't help but be interested in your
brother. Is he like you?"
Stonewell sat down, saying: "Bob, you were very good to me at that time
and were most considerate then and have been ever since in not asking
questions. I went out that night to see my brother Frank. Frank is
entirely unlike me in character, though people say we resemble one
another very much in appearance; from his earliest boyhood he has
constantly been getting into scrapes, and some of these have been
serious. He is wild and impulsive. Frank wouldn't intentionally do a low
or a wrong thing, but has done some crazy acts which have resulted
badly.
"Now, the day I Frenched, when you followed me, I had received word that
Frank had passed a forged check, and the same day I learned he was
hiding in Annapolis; I was beside myself. You see I didn't know but what
if it was true. Well, it came out all right. Frank hadn't passed a bad
check, but an older man with whom he spent much time had, and Frank's
name was brought in. He was badly scared; he was only sixteen at the
time, and he came here to me. You see there was no real occasion for his
being scared and coming here or for my being so upset. But I didn't know
how bad it was and I was nearly crazy until the next morning, when I
received word that everything was all right. Still, it isn't a very
pleasant recollection, and I have never felt inclined to talk about it.
Now, Bob, I think I've answered your question. Do you want to know
anything more about Frank?"
"Yes, where is he now?"
"He's a sophomore at Princeton," returned Stonewell.
"Well, you are the greatest fellow, Stone; if I had a brother at
Princeton I couldn't help but talk about it; all my friends here would
know it."
Stonewell smiled. "Come on, Bob," he said, picking up his cap again.
"Let's go out and see what fellows have come back. The entire squad
should be here by this time."
CHAPTER IV
ACADEMY LIFE BEGINS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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