Argosy All-Story Weekly, July 11, 1925 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

172 gained his commission through the acad- More. He saw more than a gulf of dis- cipline. There was a social and an economic gulf as well, and this in his case amounted to a human gulf. When, on a Monday morning, the new apprentice reported for duty, alive with his new enthusiasm and visualizing an un- paralleled chance to be free with the ap- purtenances he so desired, Ensign Tenflair succinctly assigned him to duty at the outer desk. And there Cyrus found he must sit all day long, receiving visitors, answering questions, and keeping charge of the time clock with its punch which recorded the entrances and exits of all employees, offi- cers as well as men. He was, in a word, an office boy. Here, thus quickly, had ended, appar- ently, his dreams of association with the means to perfect*his invention. It was worse, infinitely worse, than tending target in the Linkersport shooting gallery. One morning Ensign Tenflair was late— very late. He came in a few minutes be- fore twelve o’clock. As Cyrus was. about to punch his. time the ensign seized his hand and said: ‘‘ Make it nine o’clock, that’s a good fel- low.” “ But I can’t,” said Cyrus; “ the — is automatic.” “Then don’t punch it at all. forgot.” The ensign disappeared. The next day Cyrus was called to the office of the new commandant to report the hour of Ensign Tenflair’s arrival. He could not lie about it, and, on cross-éxamination, was obliged to tell the truth. Before he left he told the new commandant of his disappoimtment in his work, recalled the promise that had been made, and protested that he “ wanted a chance to see the big guns work.” “Why don’t you apply for assignment to a battleship then?” the new commandant replied. “ If you make such an application Tl approve it. Ask for clerical duty. There are some yeomen vacancies.” The application was made and granted, Say you : =. in. due time, but before Cyrus could get Wig ts “Tra , gt 2 yt ee ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. away from his time clock Ensign Tenflair sought him, after hours. “Yow infernal gob!” he exploded. “Why did you snitch on me?” Cyrus protested: “TI didn’t snitch. The commandant asked me what. happened, and I told him.” “Oh! Just like that—eh! Well, let me tell you something: I’m going to lay for you and I’m going to get you, and get _ good, for this. Do you hear?” “ Very. well, sir.” Before the ensign could have a chance to effect any such announced purpose Cy- rus. had left the Navy Yard for good. But Tenflair was to be woven into his life, as the dark motif of his naval career. The draftman’s apprentice was. assigned to the battleship Kansas as a yeoman. He sailed, two days later, to join the Atlantic fleet, in the Caribbean. For three weeks he did not know what his duties were, for he was so sick he could not lace his shoes. Unable to walk, he was excused from duty by day, and so spent all his time in his hammock, which was slung behind one of the starboard seven-inch guns, in the yeoman division, Here he was “ broken,” a word used alike for wild colts and for new sailors. As the boson said: : “Tt takes the starch out of ’em, but it makes ’em men.” His. kit consisted of a ditty box, made of oak, and about as big as the boxes used by bootblacks, a canvas bag about the size of those used by golfers, and his hammock, with a blanket. These were his sole world- ly belongings. His only hold on life—so it seemed in those retching hours of agony— was to cling precariously to the white- washed ceiling of the deck while he swung viciously back and ferth above the pol- ished brass breech of the seven-inch gun. But the tropics came—and surcease, for the ship slithered into harmony and poise. Then he could not sleep for the heat and the lack of air; and the first night he found courage to imitate others whom he saw littering the superstructure forward. As he crept along the rail, blanket in hand, searching for the place he felt he 00 Comic S ia =, yh et ee ee pe 5 ae -