The liberty party from the old Monongahela was composed of one-half of the port watch, and the forty odd cadets composing it glanced back in gleeful triumph at their less fortunate mates, who were watching their progress with lugubrious2 faces from the forward deck.
Conspicuous3 among the latter were Grat Wallace and Trolley4, neither of whom were member of that half of the port watch.
They were doubly sorry that their names had not been included. They regretted that they were not going ashore and also that Clif, whom they liked and admired more than words could tell, would not be able to go with them on the morrow.
For Clif was in one of the boats speeding ashore, and naval5 cadets on a practice cruise are not permitted liberty two days in succession.
With Clif in the leading cutter were Joy and Nanny. And in the whaleboat following were Judson Greene and Chris Spendly.
Judson was very thoughtful on the way to the beach. He replied only in monosyllables to the chatter6 of his crony. He was evolving in his mind a scheme by which the boy Pedro’s newly developed hatred7 of Clif could be worked to the latter’s undoing8.
And he was also going over in his mind the reasons why he, himself, hated Clif so bitterly. The thoughts carried him back to Annapolis and beyond.
There was a long list of little plots and conflicts and rather shady schemes Judson had originated, but he always had been worsted in all these conflicts.
This enmity started in Hartford, Conn., from which city both had entered the academy, and it had continued until the present moment.
When the cadets landed at the main dock they found a crowd of idlers gathered there, possibly attracted by the rumor9 that a number of American naval cadets would pay a visit ashore.
Curious spectators, beggars, small boys, boatmen, and all that go to make up the water-front population of a city like Lisbon, thronged10 the street outside the gate and made complimentary11 and other remarks as the boys passed from the dock.
In the background, partially12 concealed13 behind a group of spectators, was a lean, brown-skinned boy with shifty, furtive14 eyes and a shock of black hair.
He was clad only in a light shirt and trousers, both of which showed signs of recent contact with water. As the naval cadets trouped15 past he watched them eagerly until three walking together and laughing merrily came into view.
Then his little eyes contracted, his face darkened with rage, and the nails of his clinched16 fists bit deep into the flesh.
He drew back, but not before he was observed by two cadets who had loitered behind their companions. They walked on a few paces, then dropped back and approached the barefoot boy.
“I say, aren’t you the chap who was diving for pennies alongside the ship this morning?” asked one, with assumed carelessness.
The boy glared at them defiantly17, and made a reply in Portuguese18.
“drop that lingo,” sharply exclaimed the cadet. “I know you can speak English because I heard you. Your name is Pedro, and you were defeated in a dive by one of our fellows.”
Pedro made an inarticulate sound in his throat and moved away as if with the intention of leaving the newcomers.
“I guess you had better wait a while if you care to get square with that fellow,” said Judson Greene—for it was he—placing one hand upon the lad’s shoulder. “We know all about the affair, and we are ashore to help you out a little if we feel like it. Any place about here where we can get a drink and have a quiet chat?”
Pedro eyed them for a moment from under his black brows, then he gave a little nod, and without a word, trotted19 off.
A brief period later the three precious rascals20, Judson, Chris Spendly and Pedro were busily talking in the back room of a low fonda, or drinking resort, on one of the side streets leading from the water front.
In the meantime the rest of the liberty party was merrily proceeding21 toward the center of the city, attracting favorable greetings from shopkeepers, and glances of
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