"And just see here!" continued Harry, pulling an official envelope, out of his pocket. "Here's my appointment as first lieutenant in our navy."
"I don't care," exclaimed Tom. "I don't want to see it. I can't stop to talk to you, either, for I am in a great hurry."
"O, we'll not detain you," said Harry. "We'll walk with you. Did you ever hear of a man being an officer in both the army and navy at the same time? Well, I am. I am captain of company A, and executive officer of the yacht. I wanted to be commander of her; but Bill Steele passed a better examination than I did. The students who are studying navigation are to act as her crew, and, in a few days, the colonel is going to put her into commission. He is going to send to Boston for a couple of small cannon for her, and as soon as they arrive, we're going on a cruise."
"O, now, I don't know whether you are or not," roared Tom, who had made several unsuccessful attempts to interrupt Harry. "I'll show you something before you are many days older. I've got an idea."
"Whew!" whistled the first lieutenant of the Storm King, opening his eyes in amazement. "Have you organized another society, Newcombe, and do you intend to go to sea in the yacht as we did in the Swallow?"
Harry, as we know, had formerly been a member of the Night-hawks, and had taken an active part in Tom's runaway scheme; but the one month extra duty adjudged by the court-martial had opened his eyes, and as soon as he had worked out the sentence, he turned over a new leaf. The result was now apparent. He was the ranking captain at the academy, and the second in command of the Storm King. He was well acquainted with Tom, and it was a favorite saying of his that, when he got an idea into his head, he was dangerous.
"I didn't tell you what I intend to do, did I?" drawled Tom.
"No," replied the lieutenant, "but you have said enough to put me on my guard. Now, Newcombe, if you want to see some fun, bring on your society and make an attempt to capture the Storm King. We'll take every one of you to the academy as prisoners of war."
If any other boy in the village had hinted that it was his intention to capture the yacht, Harry would have thought it a capital joke; but coming from the source it did, and knowing that Tom had accomplished wonders in this line, he deemed it best to be prepared for any emergency. He returned to the academy immediately, and reported the matter to the lieutenant-colonel, who, just before dark, sent a guard of twelve students on board the yacht. It was fortunate for the members of the Crusoe band that they did not attempt to capture her.