“Wednesday Morning, 3 o’clock.—We have delayed the issue of our paper until this morning, hoping to obtain direct information from Hamilton; but we have heard nothing but vague rumors, which grew out of all proportion as they traveled. That the academy boys had a brush with the strikers is evident. They were met before reaching the city by an immense mob, and a fight ensued, in which some of our boys were wounded. The following despatch, taken from last night’s Town Line Democrat, despite some inaccuracies, probably has a few grains of truth in it:
‘This evening, when the Bridgeport Cadets got into Hamilton they were stopped by striking rioters, who shoved their car upon a side track, and then commenced stoning and shooting them. The Cadets, after standing the fusillade for some time, opened fire and delivered volley after volley, wounding thirty persons and killing many. The rioters finally succeeded in getting upon the car and overpowering the company, capturing the guns, and driving the boys out of the city.’
“Nine members of the academy company, having become separated from their fellows in the mêlée, took the back track and are expected home to-day.”
After making himself master of everything in the paper that related to the fight, Bert went into the academy and handed the sheet to the orderly, with the request that he would give it to the superintendent as soon as he got up. It was probable, he thought, that the latter would want to do something to assist those nine boys who were now on their way home. When they arrived he might be able to learn something about Don; and in the mean time he could do nothing but wait.
No study-call was sounded that morning, and the day promised to be a dark and gloomy one; but about ten o’clock little rays of sunshine began breaking through the clouds. The first came when the word was passed for Bert Gordon. He hurried into the superintendent’s office and was presented with a despatch. He was about to go out with it when the superintendent said:
“Read it here, sergeant. There may be news in it, and we should like to know what it is, if you have no objections.”
Bert tore open the envelope and read aloud the following from Don, who had telegraphed at the very earliest opportunity:
“Got in this morning after a night of trouble. No violence offered in the city. I am all right, and so is Curtis, but our unlucky friend Hop is missing, and Egan is wounded.”
Every one present drew a long breath of relief when Bert read these words. This was the first reliable news they had received, and it removed a heavy burden of anxiety from their minds.
“So it seems that the company was not cut to pieces after all,” said the superintendent. “It is probable that the boys were roughly handled, but that didn’t keep them from going into the city. I feel greatly encouraged.”