True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

° + . ‘ TRUE BLUE. “I'm with you—tired of this rat-haunted, mold-chilling hole of a place!’ said the hoodoo. “Wait tll I pack up the few traps I care to carry along.” Clif had heard every word spoken; he recalled, re- viewed, weighed them over now. They afforded cold comfort; not one clear, tangible statement had been made; merely hints. Not understanding the base of the sinister structure of mystery, fraud or crime these fellows were. rearing, Clit was still all at sea. The conversation had simply served to whet his curt- osity, to torment him with the conviction that ‘some scheme against his well-being was brewing, without his being able to surmise what it was or why projected. The blacked-up man sat thoughtfully scanning the ground during the absence of his comrade. Meantime he took the letter that had been returned to him and began tearing it up. Clif viewed hungrily the sheet of paper being divided, quartered, torn across and dwindling into minute frag- ments. That missive—having bearing on the case, he was con- fident—perused, might prove decidedly enlightening. “All right!” sang out the hoodoo, reappearing lugging two satchels. The blacked-up man gave the torn-up letter a high toss in the air. - The fragments dispersed like snowflakes, some particles scurrying far and wide with the breeze. “What you got in there?” inquired their late possessor, indicating the nearest satchel. “Togs. I'll take care of this, you bring along the other,” and he dropped it and his companion seized ats handle. “Heavy enough!” commented the latter, not at all fa- vorably. “Is it? If you don’t like “Valuable ?” The hoodoo laughed. “Simply ballast.” he winked. “What do you mean by that?” “Mostly bricks.” %9 > 9 ® al *. “< # a s : ae we © se * : «+ aad é -“comicboo Cm 3 Ica sy r a $ "< 4 » ee *s ‘ .) ) bs " e , %... bad 4 7 S | t )