demerits beginning to pile up, was compelled in courtesy to wait for May’s answer. He hoped it would be favorable and short.
“Listen, Willie darling,” said May, “for the last time, because we’re all finished. I’m a poor Bronx girl with a lot of problems. I don’t want to add a hopeless romance to them. I have a mother and father with a fruit store that doesn’t pay, one brother in the Army and another a plain bum that we never see except when he needs money to get out of trouble. All I want is a chance to make some money and live in peace. I was a fool to fall in love with you, and I don’t know why I did, because you’re a bigger fool than I am. Emotionally you’re about fifteen, and when your hair stands up in back you look like a rabbit, which is frequently. I guess I’m a sucker for comparative literature. Hereafter I’ll steer clear of any man with more than a public-school education and- For God’s sake,” she broke off irritably, “why do you keep looking at your watch?”
“I’m getting demerits,” said Willie.
“Get out-get out of my life. I’ll never see you again(“ stormed the girl. “You must be my punishment for not going to mass. Get out!”
“May, I love you,” said Willie, opening the door.
“Drop dead,” cried May. She pushed him out and slammed the door.
Willie raced into Furnald Hall. Awaiting him was a huge clock over the entrance which grinned four minutes past twelve. And under the clock, terrible in his gloating happiness, grinned Ensign Brain.
“Ah, Midshipman Keith, I believe.”
“Yes, sir,” panted Willie, erect and trembling.
“The check list showed you as absent over leave-the only one in Furnald, Midshipman Keith. I had hoped there was some mistake.” His wreathing smiles indicated that probably he had hoped harder there was no mistake. All his wrinkles were bent upward with pleasure.
“Sorry, sir. Circumstances-”
“Circumstances, Midshipman Keith? Circumstances? The only relevant circumstance that I am aware of, Midshipman Keith, is that you now have twenty demerits, the highest figure in Furnald, Midshipman Keith. What do you think of that circumstance, Midshipman Keith?”
“I’m sorry about it, sir.”
“You’re sorry about it. Thank you for informing me you’re sorry about it, Midshipman Keith. I was stupid enough to imagine that you were glad about it, Midshipman Keith. But probably you’re used to such stupidity in your superiors. You probably think we’re all stupid. You probably think all the rules of this school are stupid. Either you think that, or you think you’re too good to have to obey rules made for the common herd. Which is it, Midshipman Keith?”
To help the midshipman in making this interesting choice, he thrust his corrugated face within two inches of Willie’s nose. The midshipmen standing guard on the “quarterdeck” watched the dialogue out of the corners of their eyes, and wondered how Willie would get out of that particular alley. Willie stared at the sparse fuzz atop Ensign Brain’s head and had the sense to keep quiet.
“Fifty demerits mean expulsion, Midshipman Keith,” purred the drillmaster.
“I know, sir.”
“You’re well on the way, Midshipman Keith.”
“There won’t be any more, sir.”
Ensign Brain withdrew his face to a normal distance. “Wars are fought by the clock, Midshipman Keith. Attacks are made when ordered. Not four minutes late. A four-minute delay can cause ten thousand men to die. A whole fleet can be sunk in four minutes, Midshipman Keith.” Ensign Brain was following the usual pattern, shading his cat-and-mouse delights into lofty morality, though the morality was sound enough. “Dismissed, Midshipman Keith.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Willie saluted, and walked up nine flights of steps in despair. The elevator had stopped at midnight.
CHAPTER 5
Orders for Midshipman Keith
The next day, Sunday, was sunny and clear, and the midshipmen were thankful. A review
“Listen, Willie darling,” said May, “for the last time, because we’re all finished. I’m a poor Bronx girl with a lot of problems. I don’t want to add a hopeless romance to them. I have a mother and father with a fruit store that doesn’t pay, one brother in the Army and another a plain bum that we never see except when he needs money to get out of trouble. All I want is a chance to make some money and live in peace. I was a fool to fall in love with you, and I don’t know why I did, because you’re a bigger fool than I am. Emotionally you’re about fifteen, and when your hair stands up in back you look like a rabbit, which is frequently. I guess I’m a sucker for comparative literature. Hereafter I’ll steer clear of any man with more than a public-school education and- For God’s sake,” she broke off irritably, “why do you keep looking at your watch?”
“I’m getting demerits,” said Willie.
“Get out-get out of my life. I’ll never see you again(“ stormed the girl. “You must be my punishment for not going to mass. Get out!”
“May, I love you,” said Willie, opening the door.
“Drop dead,” cried May. She pushed him out and slammed the door.
Willie raced into Furnald Hall. Awaiting him was a huge clock over the entrance which grinned four minutes past twelve. And under the clock, terrible in his gloating happiness, grinned Ensign Brain.
“Ah, Midshipman Keith, I believe.”
“Yes, sir,” panted Willie, erect and trembling.
“The check list showed you as absent over leave-the only one in Furnald, Midshipman Keith. I had hoped there was some mistake.” His wreathing smiles indicated that probably he had hoped harder there was no mistake. All his wrinkles were bent upward with pleasure.
“Sorry, sir. Circumstances-”
“Circumstances, Midshipman Keith? Circumstances? The only relevant circumstance that I am aware of, Midshipman Keith, is that you now have twenty demerits, the highest figure in Furnald, Midshipman Keith. What do you think of that circumstance, Midshipman Keith?”
“I’m sorry about it, sir.”
“You’re sorry about it. Thank you for informing me you’re sorry about it, Midshipman Keith. I was stupid enough to imagine that you were glad about it, Midshipman Keith. But probably you’re used to such stupidity in your superiors. You probably think we’re all stupid. You probably think all the rules of this school are stupid. Either you think that, or you think you’re too good to have to obey rules made for the common herd. Which is it, Midshipman Keith?”
To help the midshipman in making this interesting choice, he thrust his corrugated face within two inches of Willie’s nose. The midshipmen standing guard on the “quarterdeck” watched the dialogue out of the corners of their eyes, and wondered how Willie would get out of that particular alley. Willie stared at the sparse fuzz atop Ensign Brain’s head and had the sense to keep quiet.
“Fifty demerits mean expulsion, Midshipman Keith,” purred the drillmaster.
“I know, sir.”
“You’re well on the way, Midshipman Keith.”
“There won’t be any more, sir.”
Ensign Brain withdrew his face to a normal distance. “Wars are fought by the clock, Midshipman Keith. Attacks are made when ordered. Not four minutes late. A four-minute delay can cause ten thousand men to die. A whole fleet can be sunk in four minutes, Midshipman Keith.” Ensign Brain was following the usual pattern, shading his cat-and-mouse delights into lofty morality, though the morality was sound enough. “Dismissed, Midshipman Keith.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Willie saluted, and walked up nine flights of steps in despair. The elevator had stopped at midnight.
CHAPTER 5
Orders for Midshipman Keith
The next day, Sunday, was sunny and clear, and the midshipmen were thankful. A review
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