Two Boys of the Battleship Part 14

"What's going on here?" he asked sternly.

"My hammock gave way with me, sir," reported Ned, saluting.

"Did some one pull it down?"

"I don't think so, sir."

Frank, who had been bending over the end of the hammock, gave a startled cry.

"The ropes have been cut!" he exclaimed.

CHAPTER XIII-TARGET PRACTICE

For a moment silence followed Frank's startling announcement. Then the officer asked:

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, sir," replied Frank, "that the ropes of my brother's hammock were partly cut through, so that when his weight came on them they gave way. That is how it happened."

"Are you sure?"

"You may look for yourself, sir."

In the gleam of the incandescent deck lights Frank held out the end of the hammock where the ropes were joined to the canvas. Ned had limped to one side and sat down, for his leg pained him.

"You are right," said the officer, after a quick inspection. "Who cut those ropes?" he asked, sternly.

Of course no one answered. Probably the officer did not expect that any one would. He looked about at the circle of jackies, some of whom were grinning broadly. Frank looked angry-Ned had a pained look on his face.

"If I find out who did this," went on the officer, "I'll make him smart for it. Turn in, all of you! I'll have another hammock a.s.signed to you,"

he remarked to Ned. "Do you need medical a.s.sistance?"

"No, sir. Thank you. I think I'll be all right."

The officer wheeled about and marched off, and a little later one of the sailors, who had charge of the store room, came and told Ned where he could get a hammock.

"I'll get it," offered Frank. "You take it easy."

"Oh, I'm not so badly off as all that."

"Well, save yourself all you can. I'll get the hammock." And Frank did.

As he came back with it he heard Hank saying to some one:

"Well it happened all right, didn't it?"

"What happened?" asked Frank, quickly, a suspicion growing rapidly in his mind.

"None of your business! I wasn't talking to you," was the sharp retort.

"I'll make it my business," said Frank, as he slung Ned's hammock for him.

"Here you! Quiet down back there!" came the orders from a petty officer, as he heard the talking.

Ned limped as he made his way across the deck to his new hammock, and Frank had to help him up into it.

"Queer sort of game," murmured the younger lad, as he settled himself comfortably on the mattress. "Who do you suppose cut those ropes?"

"Don't you know?" asked Frank.

"I can't imagine."

"It was that bully, Hank, of course. I saw him monkeying near your lashings when I made up, but I didn't think, then, that he was up to any tricks. But I'll pay him out all right."

"Say, don't get into trouble on my account," begged his brother.

"Oh, I won't get into any trouble, don't worry," was the answer. "But I'll pay him back all right," Frank murmured as he leaped up into his swinging bed.

Neither Frank nor Ned rested well that night. Ned on account of the pain in his hip, and Frank because he was wondering why Hank, or any one, for that matter, should have such a grudge against him or his brother as to cut the hammock ropes.

"I guess Hank, who did it, just wanted to play a mean trick," thought Frank. "But I'll have it out with him just the same. He needs a lesson!"

Ned groaned as he tried to get out of his hammock the next morning.

"Stiff?" asked Frank, who tumbled out at reveille.

"Dead lame, I'm afraid. I'll have to report sick, I guess."

"Well, maybe you'd better. No use taking any chances."

"It's tough luck," said Ned. "And I wanted to be in for target practice, too," for it had become known that the day would be given over to that drill.

"Never mind," Frank consoled him. "You'll have your chance later."

So while Frank, with the others, went through the early morning duties, Ned did not. Of course his absence was noted by the officer in charge of his division, who each day inspected the men under his charge and made a report to the executive. In turn Ned's name reached the captain as not being at his post, but that was merely a matter of routine.

At 8:30 each day, aboard the battleships, there is what is known as sick-call. At that time all who are not well must consult the medical officer. But Ned could not do this as he could only limp, so he was taken on a stretcher and it was found that he was suffering from a severe bruise. He was sent to the hospital, where he was told he would have to stay in bed for two or three days.

And so Ned missed the first target practice, which was with three-inch guns. Frank told him about it afterward.

"Oh, well, that isn't so bad, if it was only three-inch guns," remarked the invalided lad. "I was afraid I'd miss the big ones."

"They come later," Frank remarked.

"Say, Frank," whispered Tom Dawson, one of the recruits from Norfolk, to Ned's brother a little later, "do you know who it was cut the ropes of the hammock?"