Ralph at first had great hopes of Bollup as four striper. In his secret heart he felt that he had something to do with the giving of that rank to his winsome friend. He had certainly saved him from a report that would have meant expulsion. Ralph was at first disappointed and then became grieved. He essayed a number of times to talk seriously to Bollup, but the latter at first only laughed good-naturedly at him.
“Look here, Os,” he said, “don’t preach to me; I didn’t ask for these four stripes and I didn’t bootlick for them either; and I’m going to do just as I please.”
“All the same, you ought to have some regard for the position you occupy,” argued Ralph; “you’re the first four striper I ever heard of that Frenched.”
“Now, Os, don’t take advantage of your friendship; if I French it’s my own business,” replied Bollup with some temper. “I don’t interfere with you and I should hate to have any coolness come between us. I don’t blame you for being rigid with yourself and with others when you are on duty, but I’m a little too old and have been at the Academy too long to have any one tell me what I ought or ought not to do.”
“Nevertheless, Bollup, hating to interfere, and only interfering because of my friendship and interest, I must again ask you to reflect upon the course you are running. You are four striper, the senior midshipman here, and yet you repeatedly French. If you have no regard for your personal influence then it is up to you to have some for the stripes on your sleeve. And if this reasoning doesn’t touch you then just think what would happen to you if you should get spotted, Tom. I appeal to you first because of your duty, and second for your own interests.”
“Look here, Osborn,” cried Bollup, in sudden anger, “let me tell you that as cadet lieutenant-commander of the battalion I’ll talk duty with my cadet lieutenants, not with a clean sleever; and as for my personal matters, I’ll ask you to attend to your own affairs and leave mine alone.”
“Oh,” said Ralph, stung to the heart, “I thought I was talking to a friend; I forgot I was speaking to the cadet lieutenant-commander.”
Bollup walked off in high dudgeon. He had, in fact, become puffed up and conceited with his high cadet rank and foolishly chose to resent the friendly advice of his best friend, one to whom he owed, though he did not know it, the very stripes he wore. This was in the middle of April, six weeks from graduation. In this way a coolness sprang up between Ralph and Bollup. The former was sadly hurt in his feelings, and in the latter’s conceit he resented a clean sleever presuming to dictate to his high superior officer. It is seen here that Bollup took naturally to the prerogative of rank.
And so this once warm friendship became strained, and Ralph and Bollup, though they spoke to one another, no longer had those daily meetings and close interchange of thought that once had been so precious to each. Ralph grieved at this but it is not likely that Bollup gave it much thought.
As first classman Ralph took his turn in coming on as midshipman in charge of floor and officer of the day, and when on such duty, had had routine inspection and reports to make. It was natural, in view of the serious trouble and difficulties he had had, that he should have been very rigid in matters of duty. Midshipmen are most reluctant to report classmates for violation of regulations and generally avoid doing so except when absolutely necessary, but in this respect Ralph was entirely conscientious and at times did report some of his own class. These respected the reasons that animated him and he did not lose popularity because of such occasional reports.