“Come on then,” said Short. Grabbing the midshipman’s cap from his open trunk he threw open the door, and in a moment both young men were in the hotel corridor and soon in the street.
“What a lark,” laughed Creelton, hugely enjoying himself. “Where shall we go, Tom?”
“Anywhere, I don’t care. Who are those midshipmen coming along, ahead of us?”
“It’s too dark to see; they’re evidently out for a saunter.”
“I’ll turn my head as they pass. I don’t care to take any chances of being recognized,” remarked Short, doing so as the two midshipmen passed them.
“Did you see who they were?” asked Creelton impressively.
“No. Why, do I know them?”
“They were your particular friends, Osborn and Bollup. They looked right at me, and didn’t know me from Adam.” And Creelton chuckled.
“Let’s see where they go,” said Short, and turning around they followed slowly after Ralph and Bollup.
It was Ralph’s first day of freedom, for that morning his two months of restriction had been completed; and in the evening having liberty, he and Bollup wandered about the streets of the ancient city.