The first classmen as they poured in upon the scene, furious and out of breath, took in the situation in one glance. They saw their friend and classmate, the mighty6 Wright, stretched helpless on the turf, and they knew that Mark Mallory, the hated plebe, had defied them successfully, had outwitted them, and stood now in all his impudence8, his purposes completely achieved. And their rage rose to bounds beyond the possibility of description.
But they had him now! Though triumphant9, he was in their power, alone with no soul to help him in all that lonely forest! And like so many wild animals they leaped upon him.
You have read of the fury of a mob? And you know[Pg 209] what a mob may do? It is far more than any single one of them, any half dozen of them, would ever dream of doing. This mob had everything to urge them on, nothing to restrain them. Had not this plebe tormented10 their very eyes out? Had they not sworn to punish him within an inch of his life if he dared to fight with their lieutenant11? And was not the lieutenant lying there now, half dead, calling upon them for vengeance12?
One and all they sprang upon him. The leader seized him roughly by the shoulder, flung him backward; the next moment Mark's arm shot out and the man went down like a log. That made the crowd still more furious; a dozen of them reached the bold plebe at once, and then there was the wildest kind of a time.
Mark could not tell very clearly what happened; he was vaguely13 conscious of shouts and imprecations; of flying arms and closely pressing bodies; of blows and kicks that blinded him, stifled14 him. He himself was striking out right and left, and he felt that he was landing, too. He saw another figure beside him doing likewise, and he knew that the gallant15 old Parson was at his side. And after that his head began to swim; lights danced before his eyes, and his strength began to fail him. He went down, and that was all he knew.
There was no restraining those wild cadets, though fully7 half among them were manly16 enough to try. The[Pg 210] brute17 passions of the rest were let loose and there was no stopping them. They still pressed about the two struggling plebes, a crowd roaring for vengeance and satisfaction. And they meant that nothing should prevent their having it, either.
Something did, none the less. And it was something startling and unexpected. The reader will remember that we left the five hot upon the trail. The five were upon the trail still.
They had followed the crowd down the railroad track. The crowd had hired a schooner19 the day before, having learned that Mallory and Wright were going to attempt to cross the next morning; they had followed in that, and the five under the leadership of Texas had broken the lock on a rowboat they found and had pursued the cadets across. They had landed a few minutes later; they had heard the shouts of the crowd; and now, wild and reckless with rage at what they saw, they were rushing from the woods to the rescue.
To the rescue? It bid fair to be a weak attempt, for there were just five to attempt it, and of the others there may have been fifty. No one could count them; they were a mob, a wild-eyed, furious mob. But of the unevenness21 of the conflict the gallant five never once thought. They knew that their leader was in peril, and that it was their business to rescue him. And that was all.
[Pg 211]Foremost among them was the wild Texan and he was a sight to put a hundred in a panic, a sight to rival Hercules and his club. Texas had snatched an oar18 from the boat, and as he ran he was brandishing22 that. His hair was ruffled23, his face was red, and his eyes staring and wild. From his mouth came a series of yells and whoops25 that made the forest echo. And a moment later he struck the crowd of cadets.
How that mighty oar did cut the air! If it had been a broadsword it could not have swept a clearer furrow26. And behind it came the other four, all armed with clubs, making a V formation that was simply irresistible27.
So long as the cadets were unarmed the fight was very one-sided, indeed, and the five might have rescued Mark in no time. But quick as a wink28 one of the cadets stooped and seized a stick; his example was followed instantly, and in half a minute the gallant rescuers were confronted with a score of clubs and assailed29 by a shower of stones that beat them back in confusion—stalled!
No, not quite! There was one rescuer left, a resource that Texas alone had. Texas had received a cut across the face that made him simply crazy. He dropped the oar, slung30 his hands around to his hip20 pockets, and a moment later with two huge six-shooters opened fire point-blank at the crowd.
[Pg 212]It happened that those revolvers held only "blanks." Mark had insisted upon that beforehand, for he knew his friend's sudden temper. But that made no difference to the cadets. When they saw those weapons flash in the pale moonlight, saw them in the hands of that wild-haired, wild-eyed figure, heard the deafening31 reports and saw the powder flash blindingly in their faces, they turned as one man and fled in terror to the cover of the woods.
And they left their victims lying on the ground!
Texas was not so mad but that he had some cunning left. He saw his chance, and shouted to his companions. The four seized the half-unconscious, sorely-battered32 pair in their arms, and whirling suddenly, made a dash for the shore. Texas himself scorned to run. He gazed about him defiantly33, balancing his revolvers in his hands; and when he saw that the alarmed cadets did not contemplate34 a sally, he backed slowly through the woods and rejoined the other plebes.
The cadets had not the nerve to face those revolvers again, at least not at once. They had a moment later when they discovered to their horror what the plebes were going to do.
It was a horrible revenge. Instead of going to their own rowboat, the crowd deliberately35 marched out upon[Pg 213] a little dock where the schooner lay. They put their charges into that, and then while the big Texan coolly faced about with his guns, the others seized the two rowboats and deliberately proceeded to tie them on behind.
They were going to leave the whole class stranded36!
A yell of fury, of horror, of fright went up from the crowd! Leave them! Impossible! It lacked then two hours of reveille. And for them to be absent meant disgrace, court-martial, dismissal! Wild with alarm the crowd made a dash for the schooner, leaping into the water, running for the dock, shouting and yelling. And Texas calmly raised his revolvers, and stood thus, firm and terrible in the clear moonlight.
Before that figure they quailed37 an instant; that instant was enough. The big vessel38 swung off from the dock, the night breeze filling her sails. And Texas turned like an antelope39 and made a leap for the boat.
The crowd saw him land on the stern; they saw the white glistening40 track bubble up as the vessel glided41 away; then in blank horror they turned and gazed at each other—lost!
Texas meanwhile, soon as he saw the boat clear, had but one thought in his devoted42 mind. He made a dash for Mark and staring in horror and anguish43 at his white and[Pg 214] bloody44 face, fell to flinging water upon him. And he gasped45 with relief when he saw Mark open his eyes.
Mark's body was still stripped, and Texas, even Texas, shuddered46 as he saw the bruises47 upon it. There was one that made the victim cry out as his friend touched it, and Texas started back in alarm.
"Good heavens!" he cried; "his shoulder is broken."
Mark smiled feebly; and at the same instant a chorus of cries arose from the despairing cadets on the shore.
"Tell Mallory we'll leave him alone if he'll come back," was one of them.
"B'gee!" cried Dewey, "did you hear that? What do you say?"
And Mark raised himself with a struggle.
"No, no," he gasped. "Don't! I mean to fight them."
"Fight them! How can you fight with a broken shoulder?"
"I—I won't tell them it's broken!" panted Mark.
"Wow!" roared Texas, wildly. "Ef you don't lick 'em I will! Whoop24! An' as fo' them cowards on the shore, let 'em get fired an' bust48!"
"Bully49, b'gee!" echoed Dewey.
And the battered old Parson chimed in with a feeble and gasping "Yea, by Zeus!" while the schooner sailed on in disdainful triumph.
The first class, as it seemed, did not get fired. They[Pg 215] ran all the way to Garrisons50, the town opposite the point, and there begged a boat secretly to cross. But the news when it spread next morning made them the laughingstock of all creation. And Mark, in the hospital, was the hero of the whole cadet corps51.
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1
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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7
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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12
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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14
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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15
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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unevenness
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| n. 不平坦，不平衡，不匀性 | |
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brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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23
ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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24
whoop
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| n.大叫，呐喊，喘息声；v.叫喊，喘息 | |
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25
whoops
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| int.呼喊声 | |
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furrow
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| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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28
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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29
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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30
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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31
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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32
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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33
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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34
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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35
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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36
stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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37
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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39
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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40
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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41
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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42
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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43
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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44
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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45
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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46
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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47
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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48
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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49
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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50
garrisons
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| 守备部队，卫戍部队( garrison的名词复数 ) | |
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51
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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