by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER III
UNCLE SAM'S UNINVITED GUESTS
"Right down to the sick bay[#] with him," ordered an officer as Tommywas carried over the side in the strong arms of Sergeant Dorlan, who, onclimbing up the gangway, had tenderly taken the boy from the sailorholding him. "Hurry along, Sergeant, the surgeon is already therewaiting."
[#] Sick bay--The ship's hospital.
After giving these directions the officer turned to the four drippinglads and said:
"Are you boys injured in any way?"
"No," they replied as if with one breath.
"You look as though you had been struck in the eye pretty badly," saidthe officer, giving Dick's bruised cheek a close scrutiny, and for amoment the boy blushed as if caught in a misdemeanor.
"I was hit in the eye yesterday," he finally managed to stammer; "itwasn't caused by anything that happened to-day," and then to change thesubject if possible, he inquired:
"May we have permission to go down where they have taken Tommy Turner?We are all mighty anxious about him."
"Don't you all want to get on some dry clothes first?" inquired theofficer.
The boys preferred, however, to hear first the news as to their friend'scondition; consequently they were taken below, where already the ship'ssurgeon and his assistants were working hard to restore life to thestill unconscious Tommy.
Sitting on a mess bench which some men had placed for them, each boywrapped in blankets furnished by other thoughtful members of the crew,they waited silently and with palpitating hearts while a long half hourslowly ticked away. Though many sailors were continually passing to andfro they were all careful not to disturb the four shipwrecked boys whosat there with eyes fastened in anxious hopefulness on the door to the"sick bay," as the hospital is called on shipboard.
After what seemed an eternity, the door opened and Sergeant Dorlan cameout quietly, closing it behind him. Immediately the watchers jumped totheir feet.
"Is he all right?" whispered Dick, plucking at Dorlan's wet sleeve. "Ishe----"
"Lord love ye, me lads, he's as fit as a fiddle and will live to laughat ye in yer old age," replied Dorlan, cheerfully, and it was with amutual sigh of relief they heard the announcement. A messengerapproaching at this moment, called to the boys:
"The Officer of the Deck says, seeing your friend's all right, that youare to follow me to the Junior Officers' Quarters, where you can get abath and your clothes will be dried out for you."
"We'd like to see our friend first, if we might," suggested Dick.
"The little lad's asleep and old 'Saw Bones' wouldn't let ye in todisturb him for love nor money. Go ahead and get policed up," suggestedthe sergeant, turning aft towards the marines' compartment as he spoke.
"We do not know your name, Sergeant," spoke up Gordon, placing adetaining hand on the marine's arm, "but we all want to thank you forsaving Tommy Turner's life. It was just too fine for words, and I forone should like to shake hands with you."
"It's all in the day's wurruk, me lad," said Dorlan, confused by thisfrank praise, "but it's happy I am to shake the hands of such pluckylads as ye are yersel's, so put her there," and he extended a brownhorny hand which they all grasped simultaneously.
"When ye git all fixed up and dhried out, come on back here and it'sproud I'll be to show ye about the old tub," with which remark he leftthem at liberty to follow the Officer of the Deck's messenger to theJunior Officers' Quarters.
Divesting themselves of their soaked garments on arrival there they weresupplied with soap, towels and bath robes and were soon enjoying thebath. With spirits no longer depressed for fear of danger to theirfriend, the four lads were now beginning thoroughly to enjoy their novelexperience.
"Which fellow said he wished he could visit a man-of-war?" questionedDonald from the confines of a little enclosure where the sound ofsplashing water announced he was already under the shower.
"It was the Sphinx," laughingly answered Gordon from his own particularcubby hole.
"I didn't want to come on board in quite the manner I did, though,"called out Robert, "and furthermore, don't call me Sphinx in the future.If I'd had the sense of that old hunk of stone, I could have foreseenthe danger and been able to avoid it."
"Hurry up, you fellows, and don't talk so much. Let me have a whack atone of those showers," called Dick, who had been forced to wait, therebeing not enough bathing places to allow all to indulge at the sametime. "I want to hurry out of this and take a look around this shipbefore I go ashore."
"Speaking of leaving," remarked Gordon as he emerged for a rub down,"how do you suppose we are going to leave?"
"To tell the truth, I hadn't thought of that," Dick replied, "and howabout your boat? It's all smashed up."
"She was about ready for the junk pile, anyway," said Gordon, "and I wasgoing to give her to the boat club before I left for Annapolis nextweek."
"I wonder what Uncle Sam does when he smashes up your boats like that?"questioned Donald.
"In this case," Dick vouchsafed, "I rather guess 'Uncle Sam' will say itis altogether our own fault. Poor Tommy was so rattled that he pulled onthe wrong rope and steered us right in front of the motor boat evenafter they had veered off to avoid hitting us."
"Well, if they permit us to take a look around the ship, I am willing tocall it square," Gordon remarked philosophically.
A little later the boys were escorted to a vacant stateroom or cabinwhere they found their underwear already dry and waiting to be donned.
"I call that quick work," exclaimed Gordon, and while he was speaking aknock sounded at the door.
"Come in!" he called out, and a colored mess boy stuck his woolly headinto the room.
"Yoh clo'es will be ready foh yoh all in jest a jiffy, sah. Here am yohrubber shoes dry a'ready an' de tailor am a-pressing yoh pants and yohcoats, sah."
"Where did you find our coats?" inquired Dick. "They were in the rowboatthe last I knew."
The colored boy grinned broadly, showing an expansive row of shiningwhite teeth.
"Ah don't rightly know foh shu, boss, but Ah reckon dey foun' 'emfloatin' on de water an' fetched 'em aboahd wid yoh boat, sah."
"You mean to say they have rescued the rowboat too and have it on boardthis ship?" asked Gordon incredulously.
"Shu as shootin', sah, an' Chips wid his little Chips is fixin' of herup good as new. Dey ain't nuthin' we cain't do on one ob Unc' Sam'sships, sah."
With which closing encomium the black face was withdrawn and the doorclosed.
"Wonder what he meant by his 'Chips wid his little Chips'?" laughinglyquestioned Robert Meade.
"You will have to ask Dick," answered Gordon rather enviously. For nowthat he had become so enthusiastic over his determination to follow hisfather's wishes and become a naval officer he felt he had neglected manypast opportunities for learning about the service.
"He meant the Chief Carpenter and his helpers, I 'reckon. 'You see,'Chips' is a nickname in the Navy for the man who handles the saw andhammer," Dick announced.
"When you boys are dressed come out into the mess room. Put on yourbath robes till your clothes are ready for you," called a voice from thepassageway outside their door and needing no second bidding they allwalked out into the comfortable room where a number of junior officerswere standing about.
"I am Ensign Whiting, and these are the junior officers of the ship,"announced the officer who had previously called to them, and heintroduced the lads to the others with an easy wave of his hand. "Sitdown and tell us all about the accident. By the way, your friend Tommyis still sleeping, and as it is noon we should be very glad if you wouldaccept our invitation to lunch. The Captain sent word he wishes to seeyou, but I told him you probably would eat with us, so, unless you arein a hurry to get away, you need not go up to see him till later."
The boys gladly accepted the kind invitation and as the meal wasimmediately announced they sat down in the places already
provided andproceeded to enjoy thoroughly their first meal on board a battleship.
During the repast they related how the accident occurred, and all werehigh in praise of the marine sergeant who so promptly came to theirrescue. They learned that their wrecked boat had been towed back to theship and hauled out on board, and the damage to it was not so great butthat the ship's carpenters could easily repair it.
"Mike Dorlan is a bit too fond of the firewater," volunteered one of theofficers, "but when it comes to being the right man in the right placeat the right time, it would be hard to find his equal."
"We tried to thank him for rescuing Tommy," said Gordon, "but we couldnot make him understand what a noble thing it was."
"That's Mike all over. He's a gruff old chap as a rule, and I supposesaving anyone in such an easy manner, as he would call it, doesn't seemmuch to him," remarked Ensign Whiting. "Mike already owns gold andsilver life-saving medals presented to him by the Navy Department."
"I never knew that," said an officer who had been introduced to the boysas a Lieutenant of Marines. "He never wears them at inspection nor theribbons for them at other times."
"Dorlan? Wear medals? Not that old leatherneck!"[#] exclaimed Whiting."Yet I happen to know that he has several in his ditty box[#] and if youtackle him just right he will spin you some mighty interesting yarns.Why, he was all through the Spanish War, first on a ship and then ashoreat Guantanamo; he fought in the Philippine Insurrection and was one ofthe first marines to enter Pekin during its relief at the Boxer uprisingin 1900, and later he was in Cuba during the insurrection there in 1906,and I believe he has landed for one reason or another in about everyplace there ever was trouble brewing in the last fifteen years. To capthe climax he even has a medal of honor which he received for somewonderfully impossible stunt he did out in China. Ah! Old Mike is awonder, all right!"
[#] Leatherneck--A sobriquet often applied to marines. Supposed to haveoriginated from the leather collar which formed part of the uniform ofmarines in the early days of the last century.
[#] A small wooden box issued to the men in which they keep writingpaper, ink, and odds and ends. It is fitted with a lock.
"Do you suppose we can see Sergeant Dorlan later?" asked Dick eagerly."You see, he promised to show us over the ship, and this being the firsttime that any of us has ever been lucky enough to get on board a UnitedStates ship, we all want to make the best of fortunate misfortune, asyou might say."
"Why, certainly: right after you see the Captain," replied EnsignWhiting, "and as your clothes are now ready, suppose you get into themat once and I will take you up above for your interview."
Captain Cameron, of the U.S.S. _Nantucket_, flagship of the BattleshipDivision of the Atlantic Fleet, was a big jovial man of ruddy complexionand his greeting of the shipwrecked boys who were ushered into his cabinby the marine orderly was hearty, and complimentary.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, young gentlemen," he said, shaking eachof them by the hand. "I only regret your introduction on board my shipwas attended by such an unhappy incident. However, it is to be hopedthat you won't bear the Navy any grudge after I explain to you that weare doing our best to make full amend for the accident. Mr. Ennis, theship's carpenter, reports that his men will soon have your boat innearly perfect condition, and the surgeon states your young friend willhave no ill effects from his experience. Please be seated and makeyourselves at home, for I have a few questions to ask you."
It was indeed an interesting place to sit, being filled with curioswhich the Captain during his many years of service in the Navy hadcollected in nearly every corner of the world, and while he talked theyfound it difficult to keep their eyes from wandering about the room oncursory inspection of the idols, weapons, pictures and objects of art,attractively arranged on walls and tables.
"Now that we are all comfortable, suppose you tell me how the accidentoccurred," said their host, turning first to Dick, who was seatednearest him. Whereupon the boy told him the entire story and each of theothers added the details that came to their minds.
"It is needless to say that I wish it had not happened," said he; "mycoxswain was at fault for coming around so close under the stern of theship, but I can see that you are inclined to place the blame on your owncoxswain, who steered you across the bow of the motor boat after she hadblown the proper whistles. However, I have endeavored to do the best Ican by you. Your boat is nearly repaired; your oars and stretchersreplaced, your clothes recovered, and though they may have suffered alittle from their wetting I do not imagine any great harm has resulted.It is true you lost your lunches but I am inclined to believe you havenot suffered on that account either, and even the box of fish lines waspicked up. The only thing really worrying me is your friend Tommy, buteven in his case nothing more than a slight bruise on the forehead hasresulted. Now I want to know if there is anything else I can do to evenup our account?"
"Well, sir," Richard answered, looking a little embarrassed while heturned the edge of a rug with the toe of his shoe, "there is one morething you may do for us if you will."
Captain Cameron, believing he had already done more than he was calledupon to do under the circumstances, was surprised at this reply.
"And what may that be?" he inquired rather sharply.
"If you would permit all of us to have a good look around your ship,sir, before we leave, it would be greatly appreciated and also, sir, weshould like it very much if Sergeant Dorlan could act as the guide. Yousee, he offered to do it," and Richard ended his request by lookingdirectly at his host.
"If that is all, my boys," said the Captain, once again his genial self,"I gladly grant it, and furthermore, during our stay in port I shall behappy to see you on board at any time outside of working hours."
Ringing a bell, the marine orderly answered the summons.
THE MARINE ORDERLY ANSWERED THE SUMMONS]
"Orderly, present my compliments to Captain Henderson and ask him todetail Sergeant Dorlan to accompany these young gentlemen on aninspection tour of the ship."
The marine snapped his hand to his cap in salute, and after his "Aye,aye, sir," which is the naval way of replying to an order, he turned andleft the cabin, followed by the delighted youngsters.
Captain Kenneth Henderson, United States Marine Corps, was holdingfive-inch gun drill when the orderly found him. After receiving themessage from his Commanding Officer he immediately called SergeantDorlan and gave him his instructions.
"Before you start out, Sergeant, you had better stop in the sick bay andpick up the other member of the party. When I came by there a while agohe was feeling fine and getting ready to dress. He of course will wishto go around with you."
Tommy was feeling perfectly well. A small blue mark still remained onhis forehead showing where he had been hit by some part of the wreckagein the accident and knocked insensible. Being fully dressed when theothers arrived, they all were soon investigating the wonderfulbattleship. For two full hours they pestered the patient Dorlan withmore questions and inquiries than he could have answered in a lifetime.In the course of their personally conducted trip they were on a visit tothe bridge when their attention was again attracted to the small buglerof marines who had been the innocent cause of their presence on boardthe flagship. He was again sounding the call which they had beendiscussing when the motor boat dashed under the stern of the vessel andcrashed into them.
"What is the meaning of that call?" asked Dick of their guide.
"He's callin' away the motor sailer," replied Dorlan.
"Is he a marine--the little fellow blowing the bugle?" inquired Tommy.
"Surest thing ye know," was the answer.
"Why! He can't be as old as we are," remarked Dick; "how old do youhave to be to enlist in the Marines?"
"Those kids sometimes come in at the age of fifteen," answered Dorlan;"they enlist as drummers and trumpeters and serve till they'retwenty-one years old."
"May anyone enlist?" Dick asked.
"And work your way up to a commission, as they do in the army?"
"Indeed ye can, if ye've got it in ye," replied the Sergeant; "CaptainHenderson come up from the ranks, and a mighty good officer he is, too,"he added.
After this talk Richard Comstock remained very thoughtful. A suddenidea had come to his mind, and he wanted to think it over. The sight ofthe neat-looking marines, their military bearing, smart uniforms andsoldierly demeanor attracted him powerfully, and when he learned thatenlisted men were afforded the opportunity to rise in rank to that ofcommissioned officer, he saw in this a means of following a careerwhich, if not exactly the one he had always desired to pursue, wassimilar in many respects, at least.
A little later the boys were taken ashore in one of the flagship'ssteamers, first being assured that their own boat would be sent to theboat club in the morning.
