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Full Title
Civilian Against Plebe; or, Trying to Down Clif Faraday / by Ensign Clarke Fitch, U.S.N.
Author
Fitch, Clark. Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1898-12-31
Publisher
New York : Street & Smith
Series
True blue : a weekly devoted to the stirring adventures of our boys in blue > no. 34
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Trying to Down Clif Faraday. True blue : a weekly devoted to the stirring adventures of our boys in blue, no. 34, December 31, 1898.
Topic
Popular literature > Specimens. Dime novels > Specimens. United States. > Navy > Juvenile literature. Sea stories, American. Spanish-American War, 1898 > Juvenile fiction. Faraday, Clif (Fictitious character) > Juvenile fiction.
About
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Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
ee
16 TRUE
some muffled but significant remarks and
some spirited and sensational action.
“Tt’s him?” sounded an intense whisper. |
“Yes, Faraday!” ~
“Tie him fast, then—he’s a squirmer !”
“And quick, for he’s chain lightning, with
half a chance!”
“Now then!”
“Bolt!”
Clif gave a groan.
He was not in the hands of the Grigsby
crowd, but of the academy philistines. .
Twenty times had the snare been set to lure
him outside of the academy precincts and
“do” him.
Twenty times had clever, vigilant Clif ¢ es-
caped the fowler’s net.
With two exceptions, he was the only mem-
ber of the Fourth Class who had not been
“hazed” by the “Druids.”
The Druids was a time-honored, sinister in-
stitution that was discussed before green ar-
rivals in awed whispers. —
- It was composed of a mixed crowd in the
academy—mostly proficients in mischief and
rough fun.
Chawncey De Lawncey had been nearly
battered to pieces joining it, but he had ac-
counted the brilliant distinction conferred by
membership as full amends for his frightful
experience.
Clif had received more than one hint that
Chawncey had made more than one vow on
the original and only Druidical skull of the
order that he would not rest until he had
shown his rival through the same course of
sprouts,
Now they had got Clif, and academy ethics
forbade him from showing much resistance,
even if he had been afforded the chance.
It was unfortunate that he was thus caught
up at a moment vital with outside unimpor-
tant issues, but there seemed no help for it.
The bag that inclosed Clif was made of
heavy sacking, and provided with eight stout
1ope-woven handles.
In a jiffy it was wound round and round
with rope, till Clif felt himself encased like a
mummy.
Then there was a jerk up and a bolt for-
ward.
Someone was chuckling mightily—Clif fan-
BLUE.
cied it must be Chawncey De Lawncey. .
Someone was snorting derisive half whis-
tles as he tugged ahead—and Clif guessed it
was the brawny Scot, McFatrick.
He knew this as he caught the slight under-
tone from the latter:
“Where’s Kafoozelum ?”
“Offish—said he wanted to see some one -
particularly before he left the academy.”
“Myself! comprehended Clif at once, and
realizing what he had missed by missing
Kafoozelum.
‘In the light of what Hannibal had over-
heard that morning and of Kafoozelum’s ex-
traordinary behavior, Clif understod matters
fully now.
Kafoozelum must have been apprised of
the intended hazing, and had oscillated all day
long between sworn duty and the meanness
of allowing his new champion to tumble into a
set trap.
“He would probably have hinted a warning
had I seen him before leaving the academy,”
ruminated Clif; “if not an entire give-away
ofthe whole scheme. Well, I am in it, and
must go through with it. Unless
Clif made this reservation with. a resolve
to watch his chances.
Escape was permissible if possible, but no
outlook in that direction was afforded for the
ensuing half-hour.
When he was dropped to the ground finally,
Clif guessed where he was.
His captors had carried him to the top of
a hill sweeping sharply one way toward the
main cross-country road, the other as sharply
_to the waters of the picturesque Severn.
When the bag was dropped the tension on
its mouth was released, its gathering strings
loosened somewhat, and the captive naval
cadet could look-out and around.
There were a dozen or more students in the
group now hustling about.
“Where are the beacons?”
leader of the crowd.
“Yonder,” was responded—“four pitched
nail kegs all ready to flare.”
“Very good—and the padded hogshead p”
“There she is.”
There “she” was, with two bracing splin-
ters sct beneath,
inquired the
pee we : Ze