True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

SE A Te aw ae * a tle. — ~ a ae ~ >.” - nn, - - : , p ‘ ete : oe i , * - . av § Ws ie < 4 _~<.) ‘Ade P P ae rei af c to a ‘ 4 6 ~ « . - ” > 4 c . a é ” “ z Nae - r ‘ ~ i . >? + * 7 . P » it * es “ y et ey So . - eS > ty: * ma 36 TRUE BLUE “Ouite.”’ “In three days, though?” “| shan't be here three hours. Of course, we got what information we wanted from them day before yesterday, but | led them on to gull them and ease any suspicions they might have indulged.” “Suspicions? Lhose arrant lunkheads!” scoffed the other. “Why, they re soft as soap! Honestly, | wouldn't credit an Esquimaux of good sense taking in what went down with them slick as grease!” “Well, they-are disposed of, you are safe, and the real business of the occasion lies before us.” Clif's senses became animated. The “‘real business” had a certain unctuous and promising sound to it. lie decided to linger and listen, at all hazards. In the swim of something of a mystery, considerable of a plot, feeble though its promptings might be, he was anxious to glean the details. = > ° The hoodoo had simply hoaxed Chawncey De Lawncey, | or rather trapped him, and had sent him about his busi- . ness stuffed full of promises and predictions he never meant to fulfill, The essence of the affair now resolved itself prac- tically down to the two in sight and hearing. Had not the hoodoo alluded to “information” secured irom Chawncey, Clif would have simply considered that they were scheming mountebanks who had gulled a stake out of a soft mark, and were ready to move on to new helds and pastures green. ) That word set the naval cadet thinking, however. and he lay where he was, eagerly awaiting further develop- ments. “You're slightly mottled!’ pronounced the hoodoo, with a glance at his companion’s face. “Am (7° “Yes, rubbed'‘off most of the black. lope you didn’t show up that way coming here?” _ No, it’s crouching in that stuffed up old chest in hid- ing. See if those three have gone.” ~ Ih! they're rone.” ‘Then let me get outside and take a breath of air. I’ve : been nearly suffocated.” .