"I—I—personally do not desire to press any complaint," continued young
Crane. "I am sorry that my friends took such a step."
"Then you consider, Mr. Crane," pressed the superintendent, "that the knock-down blow you received from a midshipman was in the nature of a merited punishment?"
"I—I won't say that," cried Crane quickly. "No, sir! I won't admit it!"
"Then, as we know that Midshipman Totten was your assailant," continued the superintendent, "we shall have to place that young man on trial. We shall be obliged to summon you as a witness at that trial, Mr. Crane."
"But I have no intention, sir, of appearing as a witness," blustered that young man.
"Mr. Crane, you can have no choice in the matter. If we summon you, you can be brought here from any part of the United States."
"I—I—can't the matter be dropped, sir?" urged the young man anxiously.
"Not unless you confess yourself in the wrong, and exonerate Mr. Totten. In any other event the case will have to come to trial before a court-martial, and you, Mr. Crane, since we are certain that you possess material evidence, will be forced to appear as a witness."
Mr. Crane looked almost as uncomfortable as he felt.
"Mr. Totten," continued the superintendent, "states that you grossly insulted his cousin, a young woman, and that he met you on purpose to avenge that insult."