True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

* he 7? a Ps e + ~~ —) -_ 4 ~~ Zs «cm * [>> > @) . * * 4 a Can. » - w ~ f _ £ ad - ‘ , . ~s as : - ; _ a : ” a > ‘ be! | Be -— a” . . = a “we 4 — : ‘TRUE BLUES © “I dropped it or dat hoodoo put a spell on it, but it gone from de saddle bow!" “What is—speak ?” ordered Clif impatiently. “De dispatch case!" ~\ CHAPTER dt. THE FOUR SLIPS OF PAPER. “Yon have lost * began Chit with a start, “De dispatch case!" repeated Hannibal with a groan. They “did thivgs up in style” at Annapolis, Clif’s mts- chievous ‘little friend, Nanny, the smallest plebe in the academy, kad often asserted. The present cruise and encampment of the Fourth Class proved this, for:as much system, discipline and dignity attended-every step of the service as if an admiral were in command, and real, grim-visagedwar on the boards, Thus, Lieutenant Disston, of the academy staff of of- ficers. in. command ofsthe Fourth Class camp, held trt- weekly communication. with the academy superintendent, as would two separated partiesstn a reaLea’mpaign keep in constant touch. — | By steamer, rail and coach and bicycle, the brief dash with dispatches had in turm been made, tn order that a practical familiarization with all modes of trayel in case of exigency might result. This last trip was on horseback, and the concomitant of the dispatch case was quite a new wrinkle, being a suggestion from one of the cadet engineers who “had been with Dewey at Manila.” He had brought back the case in question as a relic, and he loaned it.to Clif with the observation ; “Be naval, my dear -Faraday—in the lack of real hatr- raising effects, be technically naval on all occasions!" This dispatch case was a mete leather envelope with a stout lock. but each ‘corner was bound with squares of sheet lead. This had been done so that in case a messenger Was pursued and overtaken by the enemry, he might quickly drop it over the side of a beat and it would sink out of sieht and reach. Clif had entrusted the precious receptacle containing the 4 , Fat — - ait. ot Wo < oe. « oe . >. , Pa _ a 6 i ~~ comicbooks.com