The superintendent, for it was he, looked at Ralph, who, with flushed face and panting breath, the irons in hand, now felt much relieved. The superintendent then addressed the stranger. “Who are you, sir?” he demanded.
“A free American citizen,” returned the man sulkily, “about my own business.”
“Officer, arrest that man on a charge of burglary. Go through his pockets and let me see what papers he has in them.”
“I protest against this indignity,” cried the man; “you’ll pay for this;” but his protests were unavailing. He was searched, and in a moment a paper was handed the superintendent.
“Professor,” asked the superintendent, “is this the examination the candidates are to have Monday?”
The officer with the superintendent looked at the paper and instantly replied, “It is indeed, sir.”
“Very well; officer, I’d like to have you lock that man up over night. I’ll prefer charges against him to-morrow. The watchmen will go with you to help take him to the jail.”
And then the superintendent looked at Ralph; his steel gray eyes seemed to pierce him through and through. He then offered Ralph his hand and said: “Good-night, Mr. Osborn. I congratulate you; you have done well, sir. Continue as you have begun and you will be an honor to the Navy.”
Ralph, overcome with feeling at the superintendent’s words of commendation, could stammer but unintelligibly in reply. And for some time after the superintendent had left, Ralph stood in the middle of his room, andiron still firmly grasped, wondering at the exciting events he had just experienced.
The bars of the Annapolis jail may be sufficiently strong to keep securely negro crap shooters, but they were hardly child’s play to the skilful Sunny Jim, who had broken through and was far away long before morning.