Part 11 (2/2)
”Report to the executive officer in the chief yeoman's office on the balcony above,” commanded the quartermaster.
”Aye, aye, sir,” replied Sam, with a salute.
He made his way up the stairs, and at the door of the office gave the orderly his name. After a moment the orderly reappeared, motioning Sam to follow him.
The lad walked into the private office of the executive officer, where he stood twisting his hat in his hands awkwardly. The executive officer eyed him disapprovingly.
”What's your name?”
”Samuel Hickey, sir.”
”How long have you been here?”
”One day, sir.”
”You are the man who threw the man Flink against me, are you not?”
”Yes, sir,” answered Sam, making a great effort to suppress the grin that curled the corners of his mouth.
”Tell me how it happened?”
”We were having a c.o.c.k-fight, sir.”
”Yes; go on.”
”They were all down except the fellow Flink and myself. We were fighting it out. He was a pretty tough proposition, and I had a hard time of it.”
”You employed no unnecessary roughness?”
”I was not very gentle about it, sir,” answered Sam truthfully. ”I was trying to b.u.mp him over.”
”And you did not care particularly how hard you hit him?”
”I hit him as hard as I could every time, sir.”
”There is bad blood between you and this man, is there not?”
Sam looked surprised. He was not aware that the executive officer knew anything about that.
”I don't like him, sir, if that is what you mean.”
”Why not?”
”I would rather not say, sir.”
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