Ralph instantly understood what had been done by his friends, but he felt dazed and stunned; a mist swam before his eyes and feelings difficult to control poured from his heart. He was almost unaware of the little ceremony that now was taking place. As soon as Himski had read the last order, he and Bollup went to Ralph. Bollup tore off the braid carrying four stripes on his sleeve. Each braid, specially prepared for this occasion, was held by but a thread, and in less than a moment they were pinned to Ralph’s sleeves. Not a word was spoken. Bollup now saluted in a natural manner, came to an about face, and marched to the company Ralph had left.
Ralph faced the battalion now as commander where but a moment before he had been but a private in ranks. He looked at the stripes on his sleeves. His heart was full of emotion.
“The battalion is ready to be marched to supper, sir,” reported Himski, in his adjutant voice.
“Give the order, I—I cannot,” replied Ralph brokenly, not trusting himself to speak further.
“Battalion, fours right, march!” snapped out the adjutant and several hundred silent, erect young men swung into the march to the mess hall.
Ralph hesitated a moment, then went to the officer-in-charge who had purposely absented himself when Bollup had pinned his stripes on Ralph’s sleeves.
“May I absent myself from supper, sir?” he asked, in a husky voice; “I don’t feel as if I could go into the mess hall to-night.”
“Certainly,” was the reply.
And Cadet Lieutenant-Commander Osborn went to his room, his mind stirred with conflicting emotions. He had had strange vicissitudes and marked triumphs at the Academy, but best of all were the friendships he had made.
He most heartily wished Bollup had kept his stripes; he would have vehemently protested against this change had he known of it in time, yet he realized there was nothing now for him to do but accept his new status. It cannot be said that Ralph took any elation in his promotion. The year was nearly over; the time was too short for him to have any effect upon the battalion. Yet, knowing how Bollup prized these stripes, Ralph was touched to the core at his classmate’s action, and the realization of what Bollup had given up, not what Ralph had received (which now he did not value highly), was what affected him. He had been delighted to get his watch back, but these stripes were but an empty, valueless honor to him. But as a measure of Bollup’s friendship and in this respect only, to Ralph they were of enormous value. And with this striking evidence of that dear friendship Ralph could not but be very happy.