With that Ralph had to be satisfied, for Captain Waddell did not seem disposed to talk any more about the young man’s uncle.
“Now, Ralph, be at the train at four o’clock. I’m stopping with the superintendent and am to be present at the graduation ceremonies. I want you to write out for me a complete history of what you know of that Short and of all of these mishappenings that have occurred to you at different times, and write a full and complete account of that alleged hazing. At Washington I will get a copy of the record of the proceedings of your court. Good-bye; I’ll see you at four o’clock.”
After Captain Waddell had departed Ralph wondered why his court martial and his dismissal were illegal; he had not the slightest notion and soon dismissed that puzzle from his mind, but he had not the faintest doubt of what the captain had told him.
So he danced about the room in a state of happy exhilaration, attending to sending his luggage off, and then he went to the Maryland Hotel where he wrote the account asked for by Captain Waddell and a letter eloquent with love and affection to his Uncle George; he then had a late lunch and afterward went to the Maryland Avenue gate where he had agreed to meet Himski and Bollup and Streeter at three o’clock, to exchange good-byes. Sympathizing deeply with Ralph in his trouble, it was natural that they should be sorrowful and totally unprepared for the rush of happy enthusiastic spirits which Ralph poured over them.
He laughed and rallied them merrily because of their woebegone demeanor.
“What’s the matter with you three chaps?” he cried, as he gave them each a hug. “You look as if you’d been to a funeral instead of a graduation.”
Bollup stared at him in amazement, then got close to Ralph’s mouth with his own nose and sniffed audibly three times. This was too much for Ralph. He burst into peal after peal of laughter; then he drew their heads together and breathed into their faces and said: “There’s nothing there but Maryland Hotel grub. I know what you think, Bollup, but I’ve never taken a drink in my life; but I was never so happy, never so happy.”
There was no doubt that Ralph’s good spirits were perfectly natural and unaffected, and being so they were infectious and soon Himski, Bollup and Streeter bubbled over with happiness and nonsense.
These comrades loved each other, and seeing Ralph so wildly happy the gloom that had so enveloped them was as quickly and as completely dispelled as a northwest wind lifts a thick fog from the Maine coast.
They escorted Ralph to the railway station and good-byes and mutual promises to write were exchanged, and thus Ralph left Annapolis.