Part 20 (2/2)

”That wasn't the way at East Point,” said Cleary. ”They didn't take fellows of their size there.”

”That's against our rules anyway,” said Corker.

”It must be a civilian rule,” said Sam, beginning to feel his superiority again. ”The military rule as we were taught it at East Point was to take a smaller man if you could, and you see, the army does just the same thing. We tackled Castalia and then the Cubapines, and they weren't of our size. We don't fight the powerful countries.”

”That's queer,” said Corker, drinking a lemonade.

”It's perfectly right,” said Sam. ”When a man's in the right, and of course we always are, if he fights a man of his size or one bigger than he is, he gives the wrong a chance of winning, and that is clearly immoral. If he takes a weaker man he makes the truth sure of success.

And it's just the same way with nations.”

Corker did not seem to be much interested by this disquisition, and Cleary dragged his friend away after they had respectfully bade the pugilist good-night. A crowd of soldiers was waiting outside to see Corker get into his carriage. They paid no attention whatever to Sam and Cleary.

”When it comes to real glory a prize-fighter beats a colonel all hollow,” said Cleary, and they parted for the night.

Sam was retained on the general staff and a.s.signed to the important post of censor of the press. His duties were most engrossing, for not only were the proofs of all the local newspapers submitted to him, but also all other printed matter. One day a large number of handbills were confiscated at a printer's and brought in for his inspection. He was very busy and asked his native private secretary to look them over for him. In a half-hour he came to him with a translation of the doc.u.ment.

”What does it say?” cried Sam. ”I have no time to read it through.”

”It says that governments are made to preserve liberty, and that they get their only authority from the free will of the people who are ruled by them,” answered the clerk.

”That's clearly seditious,” said Sam. ”There must be some plot at the bottom of it. Have the whole edition burned and have the printer locked up.”

A few days later a newspaper was brought to him announcing that the Moritos had ma.s.sacred the garrison stationed among them, that the whole province of San Diego was in revolt, and that the regiment there would probably have to fall back on Havilla. Sam was much scandalized, and sent at once for the native editor.

”What does this mean?” said he.

”Pardon, my colonel,” said the little man apologetically, ”this is a newspaper and this is news. I am sure it is true.”

”That is the civilian conception of news,” said Sam, with disdain.

”Officially this is not true. We have instructions, as you have often been told, not to allow anything to be printed that can injure the Administration at Whoppington. Any one can see how this would injure it, and news that can injure it is, from the military point of view, untrue. General Notice is making a tour of the country at home, receiving ovations everywhere on account of the complete subjugation of the islands. What effect will such news have upon his reception? Is it a proper way to treat a general who has deserved well of his country?”

”But,” interposed the editor, ”don't the people know that you are continually sending out more troops?”

”The people do not mind a little thing like that,” said Sam. ”When an officer and a gentleman says the war is over, they believe it, and they show their grat.i.tude by voting money to send new regiments. Your action in printing this stuff is most disloyal. I will send one of my a.s.sistants around to your office with you to see that this edition is destroyed, and if you repeat the offense you will be deported.”

The unfortunate man retired, shrugging his shoulders. As he went out Cleary came running in with a copy of the paper.

”Oh! you've got a copy of that, have you?” said Sam. ”It's an outrage to print such things, isn't it?”

”I'm afraid it's true,” said Cleary.

”What difference does that make?” exclaimed Sam. ”It's the business of an army to conquer a country. We've done it twice, and we can do it as often as we like again.”

”Hear, hear!” cried Cleary. ”You're becoming more and more of a soldier as you get promoted. You have the true military instinct, I see. Of course it makes no difference who holds the country, but I'm a little disappointed in the Moritos. As for San Diego, Colonel Booth of your old regiment is in command, and I half think he didn't back up the Morito garrison out of jealousy toward you. He wanted to have the Morito country go back, so as to belittle our exploit. But we'll get even with him. I've seen the cable-censor, and not a word about it will go home. I have just sent a despatch saying that the whole island is entirely in our hands and that the natives are swearing allegiance by thousands.”

”That's right,” said Sam. ”It's really a kindness to the people at home, for if they think it's true it makes them just as happy as if it were true, and I think it's positively cruel to worry them unnecessarily.”

”To be sure,” said Cleary. ”And if it does get out, we'll throw all the blame on the Secretary of War and his embalmed beef. They say he's writing a book to show that a diet of mummies is the best for fighting men--and so the quarrels go on. By the way, I just stopped a piece of news that might have interested you. Do you know that you have suppressed the Declaration of Independence?”

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