The officer turned white; and would have burst out into a violent answer, had not a couple of friends at his elbow begged him to restrain himself. The boy evidently meant nothing; besides, he was only a boy, and what could be done with him? Besides which, again, one of them put in, though he was only a boy, he looked an awkward customer. This latter argument weighed more with the lieutenant than any other.
Ralph was not yet seventeen, and looked much younger than a French lad of the same age would do; but in point of size he was considerably taller than the officer of Mobiles, and his broad shoulders gave promise of unusual strength. There was, too, a look of fearlessness and decision about his face which marked him emphatically as an "awkward customer." Seeing this, the lieutenant burst into a constrained fit of laughter; and said that it was "very good--really very good, for a boy."
Everyone else was so occupied in the endeavor to stifle their laughter that the lieutenant again took up the part of questioner.
"I suppose, young gentleman, that you come from Saint Cyr or the Polytechnic; although I should hardly imagine that you have completed your studies, in either of them?"
"I have not the advantage of having been at either of the military academies," Ralph said quietly. "Have you?"
Again there was a laugh and, by this time, most of those in the room had gathered round.
"May I ask to which arm of the service you belong?" the officer asked, with difficulty keeping his temper.
"You may ask, certainly; and I have no objection to answer," Ralph said. "My brother and myself both belong to the general staff."
The officer looked surprised.
"Have you served already, sir, or has your service yet to commence?"