"Drake," replied Harry, "are you advising me as a friend or speaking to me officially as my company commander?"
"As a friend, I hope."
"Well, then," rejoined Harry in a short, snappy way, "as a friend will you kindly mind your own business?" and the young man started away, whistling as he went, but was instantly stopped by a sharp military order of "Halt." Robert stood before him with flashing eyes, and in menacing tones said: "I'll not address you again as a friend, Mr. Blunt; you will please to realize that when I speak to you hereafter it will be your company commander who is talking. And you'll do no more whistling in my face. That will do, sir. About face, march off."
Harry Blunt had a new sensation; he was actually intimidated. He really liked Robert as much as a third classman ever likes a cadet officer, and in his heart was sorry he had provoked Robert's displeasure. "But Drake is a good chap," he later said to himself; "he'll come around all right."
From here Robert went to his room. "Hello, Bob," greeted Stonewell; "there's a letter for you." Stonewell was busy writing and after a few moments he looked up, and suddenly cried out: "Why, Bob, what's the matter; no bad news from home, I hope?"
Robert, with the letter clutched in his hand, and with a quivering chin, looked the picture of woe. He had evidently received some news that made him very unhappy.
"What's the matter, old chap?" inquired Stonewell anxiously; "something has happened; what is it?" and the comforting kindness of his tone went straight to Robert's heart.
"Stone," he said, "this is a letter from father; a month ago the railway company that employed him was reorganized and he lost his position. He has been half sick ever since, and it's impossible for him to get employment. He hadn't intended to tell me, but he felt he ought to. You know mother has been an invalid for years. Stone, I've got to resign, there's no other way out of it. Mother and father are sick, and no money is coming in. I've got to go home to take care of them."
Stonewell regarded him with his eyes full of sympathy. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Bob," he said; "I'm sure your father will get employment. But don't talk of resigning; you might find it very difficult to secure employment for yourself; you're too near graduation to resign, and after you graduate you will be in a position to help your father financially, if he needs it. It would distress him terribly if he thought for a moment you contemplated leaving the naval service. I'm going out for a while, Bob; now don't you feel so badly; I'm sure matters will right themselves."
Stonewell left and Robert paced up and down the room with blurred eyes and a sad heart. The condition of his father and mother, ill and without resources, filled him with agony. He longed to relieve them from their troubles and anxieties; he dreaded the unfriendliness and coldness dealt to people without means, and thinking of the mental torture his father was in overwhelmed him with grief.