At one o'clock his watchfulness was rewarded. He saw the figure of a man steal up over the terrace and across the passageway. And in the moonlight he recognized the same hat, moustache, beard and sack coat.
Bligh sat perfectly still, and it was not long before the thread in his hand suddenly pulled and snapped. Bligh quickly stepped to the doorway of his room and looked out, and there going down the corridor was Harry Blunt in his service uniform.
Then Mr. Henry Bligh, midshipman, fourth class, gave a pleased laugh and went to bed.
CHAPTER IX
ROBERT GETS BAD NEWS
"Stone," said Robert Drake one Saturday in March, "let's call on the Blunts this afternoon. Captain Blunt is home on leave; his ship, the 'New Orleans,' arrived in New York last month. He's a splendid man."
Stonewell laughed. "Come along," he replied, "and perhaps I'll have a chance to see Mrs. Blunt; she's such a pleasant woman; and then there's that scamp of a son of hers; perhaps he may be at home. I haven't seen much of him since the football season ended. I never see him nowadays if he sees me first. Mark my words, Bob, Harry Blunt is up to some mischief, and he'll be getting into a lot of trouble before long. Every time I pass him he looks conscious. By the way, Bob, whom have you asked to present the flag to your company? You expect to win it, of course."
"Come along, Stone, and quit your fooling. You know I'll be glad to see Captain Blunt, and nowadays I don't need an excuse to call on Helen. She is always pleasant and cordial. I hope her brother won't get into any trouble, but I've an idea he's taking lots of liberties with the regulations. I imagine there are not many of the six hundred and sixty-five that he's not broken. I hope it won't come my way to have to report him for anything; I wish he were in some other company than the first."