Fernando, who was in total ignorance of the manner in which the uniform
was procured, asked:
"How did you get them?"
Terrence told him the whole story, and Fernando, despite his wretched
headache, laughed until the tears coursed down his cheeks.
"That's not all, me foine boy. The whole thing is out. The papers
printed this morning are full of it. They say the captain was seen just
before daylight goin' down the street to his boat with a sheet wrapped
about him."
Again the youngsters roared. It was such a madcap frolic as students,
utterly reckless of consequences, might engage in; but, after all, it
was a serious affair. The clothes had to be returned; then the
perpetrators of the outrage would be known at the college, and they
might be expelled from the institution in disgrace.
The clothes were returned. That was a point of honor which Fernando
insisted upon, as he would neither agree to steal or wear stolen goods.
For a day or two he was indisposed, and good, honest Sukey was afraid
his friend was "going to be real sick." On the evening of the second day
after their madcap frolic, Fernando told Sukey all about it and asked
his advice. After the tall young westerner had heard him through,
he said:
"Well, Fernando, I am sorry you were in the game at all; but you are in
it, and now the best thing is to go to the college and make a clean
breast of it to the president. It's your first, you know, and then a
fellow just from the woods like us is liable to stumble into bad
scrapes. Make a clean breast of it and keep out of such games in
the future."
This was really the best advice that could have been given, and
Fernando, after consulting Terrence, decided to follow it. Consequently
they all three presented themselves to the president of the faculty and,
in the best way they could, laid the story before him. Terrence brought
all the pathos and eloquence which he naturally possessed to the aid of
his friend and got both of them off pretty well.
The old professor was one of the best-hearted men in the world, and when
he came to contemplate the lonely condition of the boys so far from
home, he forgave them freely, and Fernando went out of his presence
resolved never to be guilty of another unseemly trick again.
"Now, if that divil's own ship the _Xenophon_ would only lave port, I'd
fale better," remarked Terrence as they wended their way to their
rooms. Fernando could not see any harm the _Xenophon_ could
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