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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis, by H.
+Irving Hancock
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis
+
+Author: H. Irving Hancock
+
+Release Date: June 29, 2004  [eBook #12774]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: US-ASCII
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT
+ANNAPOLIS***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig
+
+
+
+DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS
+
+Two Plebe Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy
+
+by
+
+H. IRVING HANCOCK
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+CHAPTERS
+    I. Two Admirals in the Bud
+   II. The First Day at the Naval Academy
+  III. A Taste of Hazing
+   IV. The "Youngsters" Who Became "Spoons On"
+    V. Invited to Join the "Frenchers"
+   VI. Dave Passes the Lie
+  VII. On the Field of the Code
+ VIII. The Man Who Won
+   IX. Dan Just Can't Help Being "Touge"
+    X. "Just For Exercise!"
+   XI. Midshipman Henkel Does Some Thinking
+  XII. A Chronic Pap Frapper
+ XIII. Midshipman Farley's About-Face
+  XIV. The Trap in Midshipman's Quarters
+   XV. Air "The Rogue's March"
+  XVI. Brimmer Makes a New Friend
+ XVII. Tony Baits the Hook
+XVIII. In the Days of "Old Two-Five"
+  XIX. The Collision of the Chesapeake
+   XX. In the Line of Duty
+  XXI. Official and Other Report
+ XXII. The "Bazoo" makes Trouble
+XXIII. The Spectre at the Fight Party
+ XXIV. Conclusion
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+TWO ADMIRAL'S IN THE BUD
+
+
+"Dave, I'm getting nervous!"
+
+"Is that the best way you can find to enjoy yourself?" demanded
+the taller boy.
+
+"But I am, Dave--dreadfully nervous!" insisted Dan Dalzell positively.
+
+"Well, you'll have to conceal it, then.  The doctors at the United
+States Naval Academy won't pass any nervous wrecks," laughed Dave
+Darrin.
+
+"Don't you understand?" demanded Dan, in a hurt voice.  "The nearer
+we get to Annapolis the more nervous I'm getting."
+
+"You'd better drop off, then," hinted Dave ironically, "and take
+the next car back to Odenton and Baltimore.  What earthly good
+would a Naval officer be who was going to get nervous as soon
+as he came in sight of an enemy?"
+
+"But I wouldn't get nervous in the sight the enemy," flared up
+Dan Dalzell.
+
+"Then why get nervous about the folks down at the Naval Academy?
+They all intend to be your friends!"
+
+"I guess that is true," Dan went on.  "Of course, back in April,
+we went before the Civil Service Commission and took our academic
+examinations.  We passed, and haven't got that to go up against
+again."
+
+"We passed the home medical examiner, too," retorted Dave.  "In
+fact, you might say that we passed the sawbones with honors.
+
+"But that medical chap put in a long time listening at my chest,"
+complained Dan Dalzell, who was undeniably fidgeting in his seat.
+"Then, too, the civil service sawbones told me that, while he
+passed me, as far as he was concerned, I'd have to stand the ordeal
+again before the Naval surgeons at Annapolis."
+
+"Well, he did just the same thing with me," rejoined Darrin.
+"You just keep your eye on me, Dan!  Do you see me shaking?  Do
+you hear my voice falter?  See me burning any blue lights?
+
+"Perhaps, Dave, you don't take the whole business as much to heart
+as I do," continued Dan Dalzell almost tremulously.  "Why, Great
+Scott, if they drop me at the Naval Academy, I'll be the bluest
+fellow you ever saw!  But maybe you won't care, Dave, whether
+you are dropped or not."
+
+"Won't I?" grumbled Darrin.  "The Navy is the only thing in life
+that I care about!"
+
+"Then aren't you nervous, just now?" demanded Dan.
+
+"If I am, I'm not making a show of myself," retorted Darrin.
+
+"But are you nervous?" begged Dan.
+
+"No!" roared Dave, and then he allowed a grin to creep over his face.
+
+"Oh, go ahead and say so tonight," jeered Dan.  "Tomorrow, if
+you have the good luck to get sworn in, you'll have to quit fibbing
+and begin practicing at telling the truth.  A midshipman at the
+Naval Academy, I understand, is kicked out of the service if he
+tells lies."
+
+"Not quite--only in case he gets caught," laughed Dave Darrin.
+
+"But really, about being nervous--"
+
+"Oh, forget that sort of nonsense, won't you, Dan, old fellow?"
+begged his chum.  "Just get your eye on the lovely country we're
+going through."
+
+It was just about the first of June.  Our two young travelers
+had come by train, from Baltimore to a little country junction.
+Thence they had traveled, briefly, by trolley, to Odenton. There,
+after a wait of some minutes, they had boarded another trolley
+car, and were now bowling along through the open country of that
+part of Maryland.  At the end of their journey lay the historic
+little town of Annapolis.  It was now after seven o'clock; still
+daylight, the fag end of a beautiful June day in Maryland.
+
+Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell had been appointed as midshipmen at
+the United States Naval Academy.  If they should succeed in passing
+the four years' course in the big government school at Annapolis,
+they would then be sent to sea for two years, as midshipmen, after
+which they would return to Annapolis for their final examinations.
+Passing these last examinations, they would then be commissioned
+as ensigns in the United States Navy, with the possibility of
+some day becoming full-fledged admirals.
+
+Readers of our High School Boys Series have no need of further
+introduction to Dave and Dan.
+
+These two young men will be remembered as former members of Dick
+& Co., six famous chums back in the lively little city of Gridley.
+
+Dick Prescott, Greg Holmes, Dave Darrin, Dan Dalzell, Tom Reade
+and Harry Hazleton had composed the famous sextette who, in their
+day at Gridley High School, had been fast chums and leaders in
+all pertaining to High School athletics in their part of the state.
+
+Following their High School days, however, the six chums had become
+somewhat widely scattered.  Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes secured
+appointments to the United States Military Academy.  Readers of
+our West Point Series are already familiar with the stirring doings
+and life of Dick and Greg at the fine old Army Academy on the
+Hudson.  At the time this present narrative opens Dick and Greg
+had been nearly three months as plebe cadets, as told in the first
+volume of the West Point Series, under the title, "DICK PRESCOTT'S
+FIRST YEAR AT WEST POINT."
+
+Tom Reade and Harry Hazleton had gone from Gridley High School
+to the far West, where they had connected themselves with a firm
+of civil engineers engaged in railway construction.  What befell
+Tom and Harry is told in "THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO," the
+first and very entertaining volume in the Young Engineers Series.
+
+Readers of "THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM" recall how Dave
+Darrin won his appointment to the Naval Academy, as did Dick Prescott
+his chance for West Point, from the Congressman of the home district.
+Dalzell's appointment, on the other hand, came from one of the
+two United States Senators from that state.
+
+And here Dave and Dan were, on a trolley car from Odenton, rapidly
+nearing Annapolis.
+
+At the forward end of the car was a small compartment set apart
+for the use of smokers Dave and Dan did not smoke; they had take
+seats in this compartment because they wished to be alone.
+
+"You asked me to let you know when we got near Annapolis, gentlemen,"
+announced the conductor, a cheery-faced young man, thrusting his
+head in.  "There is the town right ahead of you."
+
+"You said that you go by the hotel, I think?" Dave asked.
+
+"I'll stop and call the hotel," replied the conductor.  "We'll
+be there in less than two minutes."
+
+It was a quaint, old-fashioned, very pretty southern town that
+the car now entered.
+
+"I'll bet they're a thousand years behind the times here," sighed
+Dalzell, as they gazed about them.
+
+"Not at the Naval Academy, anyway," retorted Dave Darrin.
+
+"Oh, of course not," Dan made haste to agree.
+
+The car passed an imposing-looking brick building that housed
+the post-office, then sped along past the handsome, dignified
+old residence of the Governor of Maryland.  Up on a hill at their
+left the State Capitol stood out.  Then the car bell clanged,
+and the car stopped.
+
+"Maryland Hotel!" called the conductor.
+
+Dave and Dan caught up their suit cases and descended from the
+car.  At their right, the found the steps leading to the porch
+of the roomy old hotel.  In another moment they were in the office,
+registering.
+
+"You want a room together, gentlemen?" asked the clerk.
+
+"Surely," retorted Dan.  "My friend is always afraid when the
+gas is turned off.  My presence quiets him."
+
+"Pardon me, gentlemen, but are you on your way to the Naval Academy?"
+queried the clerk.
+
+"Yes," nodded Dave quietly.
+
+"Then you will want a room with bath, of course.  You'll have
+to strip before the medical examiners tomorrow.
+
+"A room with bath, of course," assented Dan.  "I never have stopped
+at a hotel without a bathroom."
+
+Dan didn't mention that this was the first time he had ever stopped
+at a hotel in his short life.
+
+"Front!" called the clerk.
+
+A small black boy in knee trousers came forward, picked up their
+suit cases and led the way to the next floor.
+
+"My!  I wonder who else is expected," muttered Dalzell, as the
+two young travelers found themselves in their room after the boy
+had left them.
+
+It was an enormous room, and the three beds in it did not crowd
+the apartment in the least.  All the furniture was of a massive
+and old-fashioned pattern.
+
+A few minutes later, with face and hands washed--clean collars,
+clothes neatly brushed, the two clear-eyed, manly-looking young
+fellows returned to the first floor.
+
+"I suppose this hotel is full of young men like ourselves, wondering
+what tomorrow will bring them, when they get before the sawbones,"
+muttered Dan.
+
+"Candidates, like ourselves, you mean?" suggested Darrin.  "We'll
+inquire."  With that, he approached the clerk and made the inquiry.
+
+"Oh, no," replied the clerk, in answer to Dave's question.  "There
+are only two other candidates besides yourselves stopping here.
+There are a good many young men in town, of course, but most
+of them have been here for some weeks, and are in lodging houses.
+A good many young men come here, you know, to attend the Naval
+preparatory schools before they go up for their examinations."
+
+"We've had our academic examinations, and have passed," announced
+Dan.
+
+"What about supper, sir?" asked Dave, who, in his short trip through
+the South, had noticed that in this part of the country the "sir"
+is generally employed.
+
+"You'll find supper ready, gentlemen," replied the clerk, pointing
+the way to the dining room.
+
+So the two young men passed in and enjoyed their first sample of
+southern cookery.
+
+At this hour there were only a half dozen other people in the
+dining room--none of them interesting, Darrin decided, after
+hastily surveying the other diners.
+
+The meal over, the two young candidates sauntered again out into
+the hotel office.
+
+"Any midshipmen out around the town, sir?" Darrin asked.
+
+"Hardly, sir," replied the clerk, with a smile.  "At this hour
+the young gentlemen are in their rooms at Bancroft Hall."
+
+"What does a midshipman look like?" ventured Dalzell.
+
+"Like a human being, of course," Dave laughed.
+
+"You mean the uniform?" inquired the clerk. "A midshipman, sir,
+wears a dark blue uniform, like an officer's, and a visored cap,
+Naval pattern.  He also wears the anchor insignia on each side
+of his coat collar."
+
+Dave and Dan soon walked over to the open doorway and stood looking
+out upon the street, in which, at this time, few people were passing.
+Hearing a step in the office, Dan quickly turned.  He saw
+a young man coming through the office, holding himself very erect.
+This young man was in dark blue uniform, with visored cap, and
+on each side of his collar was the anchor insignia.  Past the
+anchor were two bars, but Dalzell didn't notice that at the moment.
+
+"There's a real midshipman," whispered Dan, plucking at Dave's
+sleeve.  "I'm going to speak to him."
+
+"Don't you do it," warned Dave, in an undertone.  "You may make
+a mistake."
+
+"Mistake?" echoed Dan.  "With that anchor on his collar?"
+
+Hastily Dan Dalzell slipped back into the office, going up to
+the young man in uniform, who had stopped before the desk.
+
+"Good evening," began Dan politely.  "I'd like to introduce myself.
+'Tomorrow I expect to be one of the crowd.  You're a midshipman,
+aren't you?"
+
+"I'm an officer of the Navy," replied the uniformed stranger coldly,
+as he half turned to glance briefly at Dalzell.  "You are a candidate,
+I suppose?  Then I fancy you will report at the superintendent's
+office in the morning."
+
+With that the Naval officer turned away, leaving poor Dalzell
+feeling decidedly dumfounded.
+
+"Wasn't that a midshipman?" gasped Dan, in a whisper.
+
+"That gentleman is a lieutenant in the Navy," replied the clerk,
+with a slight smile.
+
+Crestfallen Dan hurried back to Darrin, brushing off his sleeves
+with his hands as he walked.
+
+"Served you right; you must get over being fresh," Dave Darrin
+rebuked his chum.  "But what is the matter with your sleeves?"
+
+"I'm brushing the frost off of them," murmured Dan dejectedly.
+"Did you notice the ice-bath that fellow threw over me?"
+
+"Come out for a walk," urged Dave.  "But be careful where you
+step and what you say to others."
+
+The two young men strolled down the street.
+
+"Well," smiled Darrin, "I must say, Dan, that you appear to be
+getting all over your nervousness."
+
+"No; I'm still nervous," protested Dan.  "Before, I was afraid
+I wouldn't get into the Naval Academy.  Now, I'm only afraid that
+I shall."
+
+"What nonsense are you talking now?" demanded Darrin, giving his
+chum a sharp look.
+
+"Why, if they're all going to be as chesty as that near-officer I
+spoke to in the hotel," blinked Dan, "I'm not so sure that I want to
+go in with the bunch."
+
+"That officer wasn't either chesty or snobbish," rejoined Darrin.
+
+"Then you will kindly explain what he tried to do to me?"
+
+"That's easy enough.  That Naval officer recognized in you a rather
+common type--the too-chummy and rather fresh American boy.  Down
+here in the service, where different grades in rank exist, it is
+necessary to keep the fresh greenhorn in his place."
+
+"Oh!" muttered Dan, blinking hard.
+
+"As to your not wanting to go into the service," Dave continued,
+"if you should fail, tomorrow, in your physical examination, you
+would be as blue as indigo, and have the blue-light signal up
+all the way back home."
+
+"I don't know but that is so.  Yes; I guess it is," Dalzell assented.
+
+"Now, there are at least ninety-nine chances in a hundred that
+you're going to pass the Navy doctors all right, Dan," his chum
+went on.  "If you do, you'll be sworn into the Naval service as
+a midshipman.  Then you'll have to keep in mind that you're not
+an admiral, but only a midshipman--on probation, at that, as
+our instructions from the Navy Department inform us.  Now, as
+a new midshipman, you're only the smallest, greenest little boy
+in the whole service.  Just remember that, and drop all your jolly,
+all your freshness and all your patronizing ways.  Just listen
+and learn, Dan, and study, all the time, how to avoid being fresh.
+If you don't do this, I'm mighty confident that you're up against
+a hard and tough time, and that you'll have most of the other
+midshipmen down on you from the start."
+
+"Any more 'roast' for me?" asked Dalzell plaintively.
+
+"No; for, if you need any more, you'll get it from other midshipmen,
+who don't know you as well as I do, and who won't make any allowances
+for your greenness and freshness."
+
+"My!" murmured Dan enthusiastically.  "Won't I quiver with glee
+the first time I see you being called for twelve-inch freshness!"
+
+Yet, despite their wordy encounters, the two remained, as always,
+the best and most loyal of friends.
+
+For an hour and a half the two youngsters roamed about Annapolis,
+taking many interested looks at quaint old buildings that had
+stood since long before the Revolutionary War.
+
+At last they turned back to the hotel, for, as Dalzell suggested,
+they needed a long night's sleep as a good preparation for going
+before the Naval surgeons on the next day.
+
+Five minutes after they had turned out the gas Dave Darrin was
+soundly, blissfully asleep.
+
+In another bed in the same room Dan Dalzell tossed for fully
+half an hour ere sleep caught his eyelids and pinned them down.
+In his slumber, however, Dan dreamed that he was confronting
+the superintendent of the Naval Academy and a group of officers,
+to whom he was expounding the fact that he was right and they
+were wrong.  What the argument was about Dan didn't see clearly,
+in his dream, but he had the satisfaction of making the
+superintendent and most of the Naval officers with him feel like a
+lot of justly-rebuked landsmen.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+THE FIRST DAY AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY
+
+
+A few minutes before nine o'clock, the next morning, Dave and
+Dan were strolling through Lover's Lane, not far from the
+administration building at the United States Naval Academy.
+
+Their instructions bade them report at 9.15.  Dan was for going
+in at once and "calling on" the aide to the superintendent.  But
+this Dave vetoed, holding that the best thing for them to do was
+to stick to the very letter of their orders.
+
+So, as they waited, the young men got a glimpse of the imposing piles
+of buildings that compose the newer Naval Academy.  Especially did
+handsome, big, white Bancroft Hall enchain their admiration.  This
+structure is one of the noblest in the country.  In it are the
+midshipmen's mess, the midshipmen's barracks for a thousand young
+men, numerous offices and a huge recreation hall.
+
+"That's a swell hotel where they're going to put us up for four
+years, isn't it?" demanded Dan.
+
+"I fancy that we'll find it something more--or less--than a
+hotel, before we're through it," was Dave's prophetic reply.
+
+As, at this time in the morning, all of the enrolled midshipmen
+were away at one form or another of drill or instruction, the
+central grounds were so empty of human life that the onlooker
+could form no idea of the immense, throbbing activity that was
+going on here among the hundreds of midshipmen on duty.
+
+"Here's some of our kind," spoke Dan, at last, as he espied more
+than a dozen young men, in citizen's dress, strolling along under
+the trees.
+
+"I guess they're candidates, fast enough," nodded Darrin, after
+briefly looking at the approaching group.
+
+"Cheap-looking lot, most of them, aren't they?" asked Dalzell
+cheerfully.
+
+"Probably they're saying the same thing about us," chuckled Dave
+dryly.
+
+"Let 'em, then.  Who cares?" muttered Dalzell.
+
+"Dan, my boy, I reckon you'll need to put the soft pedal on your
+critical tendencies," warned Dave.  "And, if you want my friendly
+opinion, I've a big idea that you're going to talk your way into
+a lot of trouble here."
+
+"Trouble?" grinned Dalzell.  "Well, I'm used to it."
+
+In truth Dan had been victor in many a hard-fought schoolboy
+disagreement, as readers of the High School Boys Series are aware.
+
+As the young men in question drew nearer they eyed Darrin and
+Dalzell with a disapproval that was not wholly concealed.  The
+truth was that Dave and Dan were recognized as not being boys
+who had studied at one of the Naval prep. schools in Annapolis.
+The assumption was, therefore, that Dave and Dan had not been
+able to afford such a luxury.
+
+"Good morning, gentlemen," was Dave's pleasant greeting.  "You
+are candidates, like ourselves, I take it?"
+
+This fact being acknowledged, Dave introduced himself and his
+friend, and soon some pleasant new acquaintances were being formed,
+for Darrin had a way that always made him popular with strangers.
+
+"Have you two got to go up before the June exams. here?" asked
+one of the young men, who had introduced himself as Grigsby.
+
+"Part of it," grinned Dan.  "We've already gone through the primer
+tests and the catechism, and that sort of thing; but we still
+have to go before the barber and the toilet specialists and see
+whether our personal appearance suits."
+
+"You're lucky, then," replied Grigsby.  "Our crowd all have to
+take the academic exams."
+
+"Cheer up," begged Dan.  "Any baby can go past the academic exams.
+Arithmetic is the hardest part.  One funny chap on the Civil
+Service Commission nearly got me by asking me how much two and
+two are, but Darrin saved me, just in the nick of time, by holding
+up five fingers; so I knew the answer right off."
+
+Some of the candidates were already surveying Dan with a good
+deal of amusement.  They had heard much of the severe way upper
+classmen at the Naval Academy have of taking all the freshness
+out of a new man, and, like Dave, these other candidates scented
+plenty of trouble ahead for cheerful, grinning Dan Dalzell.
+
+"Gentlemen," broke in Dave quietly, "do you see the time on the
+clock over on the academic building?  It's nine-fourteen.  What
+do you say if we step promptly over to the administration building
+and plunge into what's ahead of us?"
+
+"Good enough," nodded one of the new acquaintances.  "Suppose
+you lead the way?"
+
+So, with Dan by his side, Dave piloted the others over to the
+administration building, just beyond the chapel.
+
+As they stepped inside, and found themselves in a hallway, a marine
+orderly confronted them.
+
+"Candidates, gentlemen?  Walk right upstairs.  An orderly there will
+direct you to the office of the superintendent's aide."
+
+"Thank you," replied Dave, with a bow, and led the way upstairs.
+
+Near the head of the stairs another marine, in spick-and-span
+uniform, wearing white gloves and with a bayonet at his belt,
+called out quietly:
+
+"Candidates?  First two, step this way please."
+
+He swung open a door.  Dave and Dan stepped into an office where
+they found a young-looking though slightly bald gentleman in uniform,
+seated behind a flat-top desk.
+
+"We have come to report, sir, according to our instructions,"
+announced Dave Darrin, happily.
+
+"You are candidates, then?" asked Lieutenant-Commander Graham,
+reaching for a pile of bound sheets.
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Names?
+
+"David Darrin and Daniel Dalzell, sir."
+
+"Have you your papers, Mr. Darrin?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+Dave drew an official-looking envelope from an inner pocket and
+handed it to Lieutenant-Commander Graham.
+
+These the Naval aide scanned closely, after which he looked up.
+
+"You have your papers, Mr. Dalzell?"
+
+"Yes," nodded Dan.
+
+A more than perceptible frown flashed across the face of the officer.
+
+"Mr. Dalzell, whenever you answer an officer you will say 'yes,
+sir,' or 'very good, sir.'"
+
+Rather red in the face Dan handed over his envelope.
+
+Mr. Graham examined these papers, too.  Then, pulling a pile of
+blanks before him, he filled out two, bearing the names of the
+young men, and signed them, after which he handed one of the signed
+blanks to each.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, you will inquire of the orderly downstairs your way
+to the office of the commandant of midshipmen.  You will then
+at once present yourself before the commandant, handing him this
+paper."
+
+"Yes, sir; thank you, sir," replied Dave, with a slight bow.
+
+"Mr. Dalzell, stick close to your friend and you will find out
+what to do."
+
+"Yes, sir," murmured Dan, again reddening.
+
+The orderly below directed the two young men how to proceed to the
+main entrance of Bancroft Hall, there to turn to their left and
+inquire again their way to the commandant's office.
+
+"You see," lectured Dave pleasantly, as the chums plodded along
+one of the walks, "you have already received your first lesson.
+You answered the superintendent's aide without saying 'sir.'  You'll
+have to work out of this freshness."
+
+"That wasn't freshness; it was ignorance," protested Dalzell.
+"Don't you worry, Dave; I shall soon get the Naval trotting gait
+to such an extent that I shall be saying 'sir' at every other word."
+
+This declaration was more prophetic than Dalzell could guess at
+that moment.
+
+Each lad had a queer feeling at heart as he began to climb the
+long series of white steps that lead to the main entrance to Bancroft
+Hall.  What would be the outcome?  Were they hence-forth to find
+this huge pile "home" for four years to come?  Would they, through
+all after life, look back upon this great government training
+school as their alma mater?  It all seemed to depend, now, on
+the verdict of the examining Naval surgeons!
+
+But there was little time for thought.  Once inside, they were
+ushered, by a white-gloved midshipman, into the office of Commander
+Jephson, commandant of midshipmen.
+
+That gentleman, also in uniform, as were all Navy officers on
+duty at the Academy, looked briefly as the two young men stood
+before him.
+
+"Candidates, gentlemen?"
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Dave.
+
+"Your orders?"
+
+Each young man handed over the slip given him by the aide.  Commander
+Jephson scanned each sheet closely, then made some entries on
+a set of papers of his own.
+
+Next the commandant touched a button on his desk.  Almost immediately
+footsteps were heard outside.  Another white-gloved midshipman
+entered, raising his hand smartly to his cap in salute.  This
+salute the commandant acknowledged in kind.
+
+"Mr. Salisbury, conduct Candidates Darrin and Dalzell outside.
+Ascertain how soon the surgeons will be ready to examine them,
+and conduct the candidates to the Board Room at the time assigned
+for their examination."
+
+"Very good, sir," replied Midshipman Salisbury, in measured tones.
+Again the inter-change of salutes, after which Midshipman Salisbury
+led Dave and Dan to an outer office.
+
+"Wait here," directed the midshipman briefly, "I'll let you know when
+it's time to go to the Board Room."
+
+Five minutes later the midshipman again approached them.
+
+By this time there were seven more candidates in the room.  The
+aide to the superintendent and the commandant were passing the
+young men quickly through the mill.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, Mr. Dalzell!" called the midshipman master of ceremonies.
+As Dave and Dan started to their feet their conductor added:
+
+"Follow me to the Board Room."
+
+Down the corridor and into the Board Room the two chums were led.
+There, awaiting them, they found three Naval medical officers,
+all in their proper uniform and one of them seated at a desk.
+
+"Strip, with the least delay possible," ordered the senior surgeon.
+
+In a very short space of time Dave and Dan stood forth, minus
+clothes and, it must be confessed, both very nervous as to what
+these medical men might or might not find.
+
+Thorough, indeed, was the examination, which began with the heart.
+But it went much further, including the hair, scalp, eyes, teeth,
+the condition of the tonsils, the appearance of the tongue, and
+so on, by regular stages, down to the soles of their feet.
+
+"If there's a square quarter of an inch these fellows have missed,
+I didn't notice it," muttered Dan to himself.
+
+"You may dress, Mr. Darrin," announced the senior surgeon, and
+Dave went to the chair on which his clothing lay.
+
+"Mr. Dalzell, come here a moment"
+
+Dan began to feel queer.  What had they missed?  On what point
+was his physical condition doubtful?
+
+"Open your mouth," directed one of the surgeons.
+
+Then followed some more exploration of his teeth.
+
+"Oh," murmured Dan, when the medical men gave him a rest for a
+moment.  "It's only my teeth, eh?  That's not a vitally important
+point, is it, sir?"
+
+"We reject candidates for what might seem very slight defects
+of the teeth," replied the senior surgeon, with emphasis.  "Open
+your mouth again."
+
+The cold ooze stood out on Dan's brow this time.  Joke as he might,
+he did not want to be dropped out of the Navy.  Were these medical
+officers going to find, in his mouth, the clue his disqualification?
+
+"Hm!" said the senior surgeon, watching while another medical
+officer did the probing and the holding of the dental mirrors.
+
+That "hm!" sent a cold chill of dread coursing down young Daniel's
+spine.
+
+"Your teeth just about pass," remarked the senior officer.  "You
+may dress, Mr. Dalzell."
+
+It was not long before Dave and Dan both had their clothing on.
+As Dan was finishing, Dave turned to the senior surgeon.
+
+"Is it improper, sir, for me to ask whether we have passed?" asked
+Darrin quietly.
+
+"You have both passed," nodded the surgeon.  "Mr. Dalzell, however,
+will do well to take the most wholesome care of his teeth hereafter."
+
+Just then the door opened and two more candidates were shown in.
+
+"Come with me," directed the same midshipman master of ceremonies.
+
+Dan was indiscreet enough to range up alongside their conductor,
+just missing a vigorous nudge that Dave tried to give him.
+
+"Well, we slipped by the drug-store sign all right," Dan confided
+to the white-gloved midshipman.  "Now, how soon do we get our
+messenger-boy uniforms?
+
+"Never, I hope," replied their conductor frigidly, "unless you
+can learn to speak of the uniform of the service with more respect."
+
+Dan fell back abashed.  His style of humor, he was fast discovering,
+did not seem to make a hit at Annapolis.
+
+Back in the same waiting room the two young men lingered until
+nearly eleven o'clock.  More than two score of candidates had
+passed the medical examiners by this time, and some others had
+failed to pass.  Yet many of these successful candidates had yet
+to take their scholastic examinations over in Academic Hall, and
+so did not wait with Dave and Dan, who had now passed in everything.
+
+By eleven there were fully a dozen young men who, like Dave and
+Dan, were ready to be sworn in.  These were now led to the commandant's
+office.  Here each signed a paper agreeing to serve in the United
+States Navy for a term of eight years, unless sooner legally discharged.
+Each also signed a statement to the effect that he took this step
+with the full permission of parents or guardian.
+
+Then the commandant of cadets ordered them to form in a line facing
+his desk.  A notary appeared, who administered to them the oath
+of loyalty and obedience.  These young men were at last actual
+members of the brigade of midshipmen.
+
+Commander Jephson now delivered a short address to the lined-up
+dozen.  He pointed out where the lines of their duty lay, and
+exhorted them to seek their duty and to perform it at all times.
+In closing the commandant put emphasis on these words:
+
+"One word more, young gentlemen.  Until this moment perhaps all
+of you have been wont to look upon yourself as boys.  That time
+has passed.  From the moment that you were sworn into the Navy
+of the United State--remember--you became men.  All of your
+superior officers will now look to you to realize most fully that
+you are men--men in word, deed, thought and judgment."
+
+Now another midshipman, a cadet petty officer, appeared and conducted
+the new members of the brigade outside.
+
+"Fall in by twos," he directed.  "When I give the word, move forward
+as well as you can, in the idea of marching."
+
+It was, indeed, a busy hour that followed.  The young men were
+led before the midshipmen's pay officer, with whom each deposited
+the sum of two hundred and sixty-four dollars and ninety-eight
+cents.  This amount from each new midshipman is required by law.
+Of this sum sixty dollars is applied to the purchase of books
+needed by the new midshipman.  The balance of the sum goes to
+pay for uniforms, articles of equipment, etc.  From this it would
+seem that an absolutely poor boy had no chance to enter the Naval
+Academy.  It usually happens, however, that, when a very poor
+boy is appointed to the Naval Academy, his Congressman, or some
+of his friends or fellow townsmen will loan him the money, returnable
+after he enters the service as an officer.
+
+In addition to the amount required by law to be deposited with
+the Academy authorities each midshipman is ordered to turn over
+any other money that may be in his possession, this extra amount
+to be credited to him.  A midshipman, on entering the service,
+receives a salary of six hundred dollars a year.  Nearly all of
+this, however, is required to pay his ordinary expenses.  Each
+midshipman is allowed a very small amount of spending money, with,
+however, a more liberal allowance when visiting ports during a
+cruise.
+
+It is forbidden for a midshipman to receive spending money from
+home or friends.  Midshipmen sometimes disobey this latter regulation,
+but, if detected, are liable to severe punishment.
+
+Afterwards the new midshipmen were taken to the storekeeper's, where
+each was supplied with one of the uniform caps worn by midshipmen.
+
+Thence the young men were marched back to Bancroft Hall and out
+onto the terrace over the mess hall.
+
+"Halt!  Break ranks!" commanded their instructor, Midshipman Cranthorpe.
+"You will now pay close heed and endeavor to learn rapidly.  Mr.
+Darrin, step over here."
+
+Dave went forward, Midshipman Cranthorpe placing him.
+
+"The others will form in line of platoon front, using Mr. Darrin
+as their guide," directed the young instructor.
+
+Then followed some rapid-fire drilling in dressing, facings, counting
+fours, marching and halting.  The material in hand was excellent,
+or Midshipman Cranthorpe might have been in despair.
+
+Presently their instructor gave the order to break ranks, showing
+the new men where to stand, up against the building, out of the
+way.  Almost immediately a bugler sounded a call.  Then the new
+men were treated to a sight that made their blood dance.
+
+Out of Bancroft Hall hastily poured scores and scores of midshipmen,
+until nearly six hundred had assembled.  These were the members
+of the three upper classes.
+
+The brigade of midshipmen is divided into two battalions, each
+of two divisions, six companies.  The first and fourth companies
+formed on the right of the first battalion, the seventh and tenth
+companies on the right of the second battalion.  The divisions
+formed with intervals of two paces between companies preparatory
+to muster.  Second call was sounded quickly on the bugle, immediately
+after which the first petty officer of each company began briskly
+to call the roll.  Each man answered just loudly enough to be
+heard.  While roll-call was going on company commanders stepped
+briskly along inspecting their companies.
+
+As the muster of each company was completed the first petty officer
+commanded, "count off!"
+
+"One, two, three, four!  One, two, three four!" went the count
+along each company line.  Then the first petty officer of each
+company wheeled about, saluted his company commander, and reported:
+
+"Sir, all present or accounted for!"
+
+Company commanders next corrected the alignment on the right center
+company of each line.
+
+Battalion commanders, seeing the divisions of their respective
+battalions aligned, faced about, while the battalion adjutants
+took post to right and rear.  The brigade adjutant then faced
+about, saluted the brigade commander, reporting: "Sir, the brigade
+is formed."
+
+Receiving the word from his superior, the brigade adjutant next
+read the orders, after which he was ordered to take his post.
+
+While this was going on Midshipman Cranthorpe had formed his awkward
+squad to the rear, behind the first battalion.
+
+Now orders rang out crisply for battalion commanders to take charge.
+Thereupon each battalion commander marched his command in column
+of squads into the mess hall; battalion commanders preceding their
+battalions, company commanders preceding their companies and the
+junior officers of each company following the company.  Last of
+all came Midshipman Cranthorpe's awkward squad.
+
+And very awkward, indeed, these young men felt.  Each had a burning
+conviction that he was being watched curiously by hundreds of
+pairs of eyes.  The new men might as well have saved themselves
+their worry.  Barely an upper class man in the hall was paying
+any heed whatever to these self-conscious plebes.
+
+The meal, a mid-day dinner, was an excellent one.  Few of the
+new men, however, had any notion of what it consisted.
+
+Mess hall was left with almost the same amount of formality.
+In the short recreation period that followed the new men, painfully
+conscious that their caps were the only part of the uniform they
+wore, were hurried away by Midshipman Cranthorpe.
+
+Now they were quickly assigned to the rooms that they would occupy
+during their first year at the Naval Academy.
+
+The midshipmen are not roomed by classes.  Instead, each is assigned
+to a company, and there are three companies to a division.  Each
+division occupies a floor in Bancroft Hall.  It is not called
+a "floor" but a "deck."  Dave and Dan were assigned to the armory
+wing of the lowest deck, on what was virtually the basement floor
+of Bancroft Hall, or would have been, but for the mess hall underneath.
+
+As far as wood work went it was a handsome room.  When it came
+to the matter of furniture it was plain enough.  There was the
+main or study room.  Off at either side was an alcove bedroom.
+There was also a closet in which stood a shower bath.  The one
+window of the room looked over across the Academy grounds in the
+direction of Academic Hall.
+
+A cadet petty officer from the first class briefly, crisply instructed
+them concerning the care of their room, and their duties within
+its walls.
+
+What followed that afternoon put the heads of the new midshipmen
+in a whirl.  Afterwards they had a confused recollection of having
+been marched to the tailor at the storekeeper's, where they were
+measured for uniforms, all of which are made to order.  They recalled
+receiving a thin, blue volume entitled "Regulations of the U.S.
+Naval Academy," a book which they were advised by a first clansman
+instructor to "commit to memory."
+
+"In former days, in the old-time academy, there were something
+more than six hundred regulations," dryly remarked the cadet petty
+officer in charge of them.  "In the new up-to-date Naval Academy
+there are now more than one thousand regulations.  You are all
+expected to appreciate this merciful decrease in the number of
+things you are required to remember."
+
+There were also two periods of drill, that afternoon, and what-not
+more.
+
+Supper came as a merciful release.  When the meal was over, while
+many of the upper class men remained outside in the warm June
+air, the plebes were ordered to go to their rooms and start in
+making themselves familiar with the thousand-and-more regulations.
+
+"Thank goodness they give us some time for light reading," muttered
+Dan Dalzell, as he stalked into his room, hung up his uniform
+cap and sank into a chair.  "Whew!  What a day this has been!"
+
+"I've rather enjoyed it," murmured Dave, as he sank into the chair
+on the opposite side of the study table.
+
+"Huh!  You have liberal ideas, then, about enjoyment.  How many
+hundred rules are you going to commit to memory tonight?
+
+"I don't know," returned Dave.  "But I do know that my head is
+in a big whirl, and that I'm going to rest it for a few minutes.
+By the way, Dan, there's one thing I hope you remember."
+
+"What is that?" demanded Dalzell.
+
+"What did they tell us this lower deck was named?"
+
+"Dunno," grunted Dan.  "But I have my own name for it.  _I_ call
+it the pinochle deck."
+
+"I'm afraid that won't do to repeat," laughed Dave.
+
+At that moment the handle of the door was turned.  Five upper
+class midshipmen entered, closing the door behind them.  Then
+they stood there, glaring at the two poor plebes in "cit." clothes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+A TASTE OF HAZING
+
+
+"Good evening, gentlemen," nodded Dave pleasantly, as he rose
+and stood by the study table, waiting to hear the pleasure of
+his visitors.
+
+Dan Dalzell favored his callers with a nod, but remained seated,
+both hands thrust deep in his pockets.
+
+"Get up on your feet, mister!" ordered one of the midshipmen,
+so sternly that Dan obeyed like a shot.
+
+"Excuse me," he began hastily.  "I didn't know you came here in
+an official capacity.  I thought--"
+
+"Silence, mister!" commanded another of the visitors.  Dan subsided.
+
+"What's your name, mister?" demanded the last speaker, as he favored
+Dave with his next glance.
+
+"Why, my name is Dave Darrin," replied that plebe pleasantly.
+
+"Say 'sir,' mister, when you address an upper class man.  When
+asked your name, reply, 'Darrin, sir.'"
+
+"Darrin, sir," replied Dave promptly.
+
+"Stand at attention, both of you!" commanded another visitor.
+
+Both plebes obeyed.  Now still another caller wheeled upon Dan.
+
+"What's your name, mister."
+
+"Dan Dalzell."
+
+"Dalzell--Sir!" thundered Dan's questioner.
+
+"Dalzell, sir," Dan responded meekly enough.
+
+"It is plain enough that both of you plebes need a good deal of
+practice in the use of the word, sir.  Therefore, in your next
+answers, you will be careful to employ 'sir' after each word that
+you utter in your reply.  Mister," to Dave, "what did you come to
+the Naval Academy for?"
+
+"To, sir, become, sir, a sir, Naval, sir, officer.  Sir."
+
+"Very good, mister.  Mister," to Dalzell, "why did you come here?"
+
+"For sir, the same pur--"
+
+"Sir, sir, sir, sir!" interrupted the quizzer.  "Now, try again,
+mister."
+
+"For, sir, the, sir, same, sir, purpose, sir."
+
+"Now, mister," continued the quizzing visitor, transfixing Dalzell
+with a look of tremendous sternness, "can you talk French?"
+
+Dan's eyes twinkled briefly.
+
+"I don't know, sir.  I never tried, sir," replied Dalzell, in pretended
+embarrassment.
+
+For a moment it looked as though Dan had turned the tables of
+mischief upon his tormentors.  His reply was so absurd that all
+of the upper class men, for a moment, betrayed signs of twitching
+at the corners of their mouths.  Then all of them conquered the
+desire to laugh and returned to the inquest with added severity.
+The late questioner turned to one of his classmates, remarking
+scornfully:
+
+"_Touge!_"
+
+"Very touge, indeed" replied the one addressed.
+
+A "touge" plebe, in Naval Academy parlance, is one who is wholly
+"fresh."
+
+"Mister," continued Dan's quizzer, "we find you too full of levity
+for one who intends to embrace the profession of quarter-deck
+lounger.  In our belief it will be necessary for you to let some
+new ideas soak into your head.  Mister, get your wash basin and
+fill it exactly half full of water.  Remember, mister--neither
+a drop nor less than exactly half full."
+
+Dan's first impulse was to grin, his second to laugh.  Yet something
+in the tone and look of the last speaker made "touge" Dalzell
+feel that the simplest way out of difficulty would be for him
+to obey as carefully and speedily as he could.  So, with a hurried
+"very good, sir," Dalzell turned in quest of his basin.  He brought
+it, just about half full, for the inspection of his imperious
+visitor.
+
+"Place it there on the floor, beside the wall," ordered the tormentor
+
+Dan obeyed.
+
+"Now, mister, stand on your head in that water!"
+
+Dan flushed hotly, for an instant.  He even clenched his fists.
+Then, with a sudden rush of good sense to the head, he bent over
+to carry out the order that he had received.
+
+It was not as easy a feat as might be supposed, even for a rather
+well trained and hardened athlete like Dan Dalzell.
+
+He got his head into the bowl all right, and rested his hands
+on the floor on either side of the bowl.  It was when he tried
+to throw his feet up against the wall that he came to grief.
+His feet slid along the wall and came down to the floor again.
+
+Dan fell out of the bowl with a good deal of splash.
+
+"If, at first, you don't succeed, mister," began Midshipman Trotter,
+who had constituted himself chief of the tormentors, "try, try
+some more."
+
+"I'll make it, sir," responded Dan cheerily, and his very manner,
+now, inclined his tormentors to go a little more lightly with him.
+
+At the third trial, with his eyes closed, just below the level of
+the water, Dalzell succeeded in standing very solidly on his head.
+
+The upper class men, who were all third class men, or "youngsters"
+as they are unofficially termed, watched the performance with
+interest.
+
+"Rather well done, for a beginner," commented Midshipman Trotter.
+"As you were, mister."
+
+Dan, unfortunately, tried to be a bit "smart."  He made a half
+somersault forward, trying to spring up on his feet.  He fell
+back, however, and sat down squarely in what was left of the water.
+
+"Never mind a little wet, mister," advised Midshipman Trotter,
+with a very serious face.  "We always rate a man as highly awkward,
+however, if he breaks the washbowl."
+
+"Which one of you is the better athlete?" suddenly asked Midshipman
+Harris.
+
+Neither chum intended to be caught, by this crowd, as wanting
+in modesty.
+
+"He is, sir," replied Dan, with great promptness, nodding toward
+Darrin.
+
+"Dalzell is, sir," contended Dave.
+
+"In view of this conflicting testimony, we shall have to settle
+the question by actual test," replied Mr. Trotter.  "Mister,"
+to Dan, "bale out your boat."
+
+From the nod which accompanied this command Dalzell understood
+that he was to empty the water from his wash basin so he promptly
+obeyed.
+
+"Mister," to Darrin, "launch your boat on this water here."
+
+Plainly the "water" signified the floor.  Dave brought out his
+own wash basin with alacrity.  Under further orders the chums
+placed their bowls about four feet apart.
+
+"Here," announced Midshipman Trotter, taking two toothpicks from
+a pocket, "are a pair of oars."
+
+Dave Darrin received the toothpicks with a grin.
+
+"And here are your oars, mister," supplemented Mr. Trotter, handing
+another pair of toothpicks to Dan Dalzell.
+
+At this instant a faint knock was heard at the door, which opened
+immediately after.
+
+"Got a pair of beasts at work, fellows?" asked a voice.  "Here
+are some more young admirals who need a little help."
+
+Four new midshipmen, in the custody of three youngsters, now stepped
+into the room and the door was closed.
+
+"Bender's in charge of the floor tonight, you know," nodded one
+of the newly-arrived youngsters, "and Bender's duty-crazy.  Besides,
+he belongs to the second class, and hardly admits that we're alive."
+
+On each floor a midshipman is detailed to be in charge through
+the evening.  He is responsible for discipline on his floor, and
+must report all breaches of the rules.  A midshipman who wishes
+to stand well with his comrades may, when in charge of the floor,
+conveniently fail to see a good many minor breaches of discipline.
+When the man in charge of the floor reports all breaches that
+come to his notice he is said to be duty-crazy.  He is also charged
+with "trying to make his mark in grease."  "Grease" is high standing
+on the efficiency report.  As a rule the man who stands well in
+"grease" stands somewhat lower in general popularity.
+
+Midshipman Bender, second class, was, at this time, regarded as
+one of the worst "greasers" of all.
+
+"What's on?" inquired Midshipman Hayes, one of the newcomers in
+the room.  "Tub race?"
+
+"No, sir; fast spurt in single-pair shells," replied Midshipman
+Trotter impressively.
+
+"Whew!  You've caught some real athletes, have you?"
+
+"That's what we want to find out," responded Mr. Trotter.  "Now,
+then, misters, we warn you against approaching this noble sport
+in any spirit of levity!  You are not to think that this work
+is for your own amusement, or for anyone else's.  You must try
+yourselves out fairly and squarely.  Our purpose is to find out
+which is the better oarsman, and also which rows with the more
+finish.  Take your seats in your craft."
+
+Dave and Dan seated themselves, with all possible gravity, in their
+respective wash basins.
+
+"Up oars!" commanded Mr. Trotter.
+
+As neither plebe knew just what was meant by this command they
+had to be shown how to sit holding their "oars" straight up in
+the air.
+
+"Let fall!"
+
+This time the two new men guessed fairly well.  They went through
+the motions of allowing their toothpick oars to fall into row-locks.
+
+"Now, at the outset, take your strokes from my count," directed
+Mr. Trotter.  "One, two three, four, five, six, seven--"
+
+And so on.  It was all ludicrously absurd, to see Dave and Dan
+bending to their tasks as seriously as though they were rowing
+real craft with actual oars.
+
+One of the visiting plebes was stupid enough to giggle.
+
+"Go over and stand by the window in arrest, mister," ordered Midshipman
+Hayes.  "You shall be tried later!"
+
+Then the "boat race" continued.  It soon proved to be more than
+absurd; it was decidedly fatiguing.  Both Dave and Dan found that
+their strained positions, and the motions required of them, made
+backs and shoulders ache.  Their legs, too, began to suffer from
+cramp.
+
+It was not until both showed signs of decided weariness that the
+race was brought to an end.
+
+Then the cadet who had giggled was called forward, ordered to
+half fill one of the washbowls and to stand on his head in it.
+
+While this was going on there was not a smile from anyone.  From
+the serious faces of all this might have been one of the most
+important bits of drill in the whole course at the Academy.
+
+Dave, however, made the best impression upon the youngsters.
+All the other new men came sooner or later, to the ordeal of standing
+on their heads in the wet bowl, but Dave seemed destined to escape.
+
+The rowing was carried on until all of the youngsters had tired
+of this sport.
+
+"Fall in, in platoon front," directed Midshipman Trotter.
+
+The six plebes, solemn as owls, stood up in line, "dressing" their
+line carefully.
+
+"Now, attend me carefully," cautioned Mr. Trotter, sweeping a
+stern glance down the line of plebes.  "I am about to tell you
+a bit of the day's news from over in Sleepy Hollow, which place
+is known to Maryland geographers as the village of Annapolis.
+You must attend me with extreme care, for, after I have narrated
+the news, I shall question you concerning it.  Do you follow me,
+misters?"
+
+"Yes, sir," came in a chorus.
+
+"You need not answer quite as loudly," warned Midshipman Trotter,
+sending a backward look over his shoulder at the door.  "Now,
+then, the police over in Sleepy Hol--Annapolis--today learned
+the details of a yellow tragedy.  Some weeks ago three Chinamen
+came to town and opened a clean--I mean, a new--laundry.  During
+the last week, however, the public noted that the door leading
+from the office to the rear room was always closed.  You follow
+me?"
+
+"Yes, sir," came in an almost whispered chorus.
+
+"Finally," continued Mr. Trotter, "one customer, more curious
+than the others, reported his observations to the police.  Today
+the Johnny Tinplates made a raid on the place.  A most curious
+state of affairs came to light.  So--but is this tangled tale
+clear to you all as far as I have gone?"
+
+"Yes, sir," came the whispered chorus.
+
+"What the police learned," went on Mr. Trotter, in a voice that
+now sounded slightly awestruck, "was this: a week ago the three
+Chinese partners had a serious row.  They quarreled, then fought.
+Two of the yellow partners killed the third!  And now, a serious
+problem confronted the two survivors of that misunderstanding.
+What was to be done with the remains of the unsuccessful disputant?"
+
+Midshipman Trotter looked at each of the wondering plebes in turn.
+It looked as though he were asking the question of them.
+
+"I don't know, sir," admitted Dan Dalzell, at the left of the line.
+
+"I don't know, sir," admitted the man next to Dan.  So it went
+down the line, until Dave Darrin, at the further end, had admitted
+himself to be as much in the dark as were the others.
+
+"Then, listen," resumed Mr. Trotter impressively.  "The Chinese,
+being descended from a very ancient civilization, are not only
+very ingenious but also very thrifty.  They were burdened with
+two hundred pounds of evidence on the premises.  In their extremity
+the two survivors cut up their late partner, cooked him, and disposed
+of the flesh at meal times."
+
+From the gravity of the narrator's expression he appeared to be
+reciting a wholly true story.
+
+"Now, then," rasped out Midshipman Trotter, "that being the state
+of affairs at the laundry--_what was the telephone number_?"
+
+Trotter's gaze was fixed on Dan Dalzell's face almost accusingly.
+
+"How the--" began startled Dan gruffly.  Then, instantly realizing
+that he was making a mistake, he broke in hastily:
+
+"Beg your pardon, sir, but I don't understand how to get at the
+telephone number."
+
+"You try, mister," ordered Midshipman Trotter, turning to the
+plebe next to Dalzell.
+
+"I can't solve the problem, sir."
+
+So it ran, straight down the line, each confessing his ignorance,
+until finally Mr. Trotter glared at Dave Darrin.
+
+"Come, come, mister, from the very exact narrative that I have
+given, can't you deduce the telephone number of that laundry?"
+
+"Yes, sir; I think so," answered Darrin, with a slight smile.
+
+"Ah!  Then there's a man in the squad who is more than a mere
+saphead.  Let us have the telephone number, mister!
+
+"Two-ate-one-John," replied Dave promptly.
+
+This was the correct answer.  Dave had heard that "gag" before.
+
+"Mister," beamed Mr. Trotter, "I congratulate you.  You are no
+mollycoddle.  Your head is not over-fat, but somewhat stocked
+with ideas.  As soon as you have soaked in a few more ideas you
+will be fit to associate with the young gentlemen at this
+sailor-factory.  You may, therefore, take the washbowl, fill it
+half full of ideas, and stand on your head in them until they have
+soaked well in!"
+
+Poor Dave, his face flushed crimson, could have dropped in his
+humiliation at having thus fallen into the trap.  But he started
+manfully for the washbowl, which he half filled with water.  Meanwhile
+the other five plebes were choking.  They could have screamed
+in their glee--had they dared!
+
+Placing the bowl where ordered, Dave bent down to his knees, immersing
+the top of his head in the water.
+
+With hands on opposite sides of the bowl he balanced his feet,
+preparatory to hoisting them into place against the wall.
+
+"Up oars!" commanded Mr. Hayes dryly.
+
+From one of the visiting plebes came an incautious giggle.  Mr.
+Hayes turned and marked his man with a significant stare that
+made the unfortunate giggler turn red and white in turn with alarm.
+
+At the order, "up oars," Dave Darrin sent his feet aloft.  By
+rare good luck he succeeded the first time trying.
+
+There he remained, his head in the bowl of water, his feet resting
+against the wall.
+
+Just at this moment, though, the sound of trouble was in the air,
+even if it reached interested ears but faintly.
+
+A step was heard in the corridor outside.  There was a faint knock.
+
+The upper class midshipmen knew on the instant what the knock
+meant--and so indeed did Dave Darrin.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+THE "YOUNGSTERS" WHO BECAME "SPOONS ON"
+
+
+It was a most critical moment in the life histories of several
+young men who had grown to consider themselves as future officers
+in the United States Navy!
+
+Such a man as Midshipman Bender was certain to report any form
+of hazing he detected.
+
+Now, the usual punishment meted out to hazers at either Annapolis or
+West Point is dismissal from the service!
+
+True, this was not brutal hazing, but merely the light form of
+the sport known as "running" the new man.
+
+Nevertheless, "all hazing looks alike" to the public, when posted
+by the newspapers, and the Naval Academy authorities deal severely
+with even "running."
+
+So, for all of the "youngsters," or third class men, who had been
+conducting the evening's festivities, all the elements of trouble,
+and perhaps of dismissal, were at hand.
+
+But Dave Darrin had been the first to hear the soft approach of
+footsteps, and somehow, he had guessed at the meaning of it all.
+
+Just in the fraction of a second before the knock had sounded
+at the door Dave had made a fine handspring that brought him from
+his topsy-turvy attitude to a position of standing on his feet.
+And, at the same time, he held the washbowl in his hand without
+having spilled a drop of the water.  Like a flash Dave few across
+the room, depositing the bowl where it belonged.  With a towel
+he wiped his hair, then swiftly mopped his face dry.  Hair brush
+and comb in hand, he turned, saving:
+
+"Why, I suppose, gentlemen, Dalzell and myself were very fair
+athletes in the High School sense of the word.  But it's a long
+jump from that to aspiring to the Navy football team.  Of course
+we'll turn out for practice, if you wish, but--"
+
+At this moment, Lieutenant Bender, the "duty-crazy" one, thrust
+the door open.
+
+Here Dave, on his way to the mirror, hairbrush and comb in hand,
+halted as though for the first time aware of the accusing presence
+of Bender, midshipman in charge of the floor for the day.
+
+"Uh-hum!" choked Midshipman Bender more confused, even, than he
+had expected the others to be.
+
+"Looks like rather good material, doesn't he, Bender?" inquired
+Mr. Trotter.  "Green, of course, and yet--"
+
+"I didn't come here to discuss Navy athletics," replied Midshipman
+Bender.
+
+"Oh, an official visit--is that it?" asked shipman Hayes, favoring
+the official visitor with a baby-stare.  "As it is past graduation,
+and there are no evening study hours, there is no regulation against
+visiting in the rooms of other members of the brigade."
+
+"No," snapped Mr. Bender, "there is not."
+
+Saying this the midshipman in charge turned on his heel and left
+the room.
+
+An instant after the door had closed the lately scared youngsters
+expressed themselves by a broad grin, which deepened to a very
+decided chuckle as Mr. Bender's footsteps died away.
+
+"Mister," cried Midshipman Trotter, favoring Darrin with a glance
+of frank friendliness, "do you know that you saved us from frapping
+the pap hard?"
+
+"And that perhaps you've saved us from bilging?" added Midshipman
+Hayes.
+
+"I'm such a greenhorn about the Navy, sir, that I am afraid I
+don't follow you in the least, sir," Darrin replied quietly.
+
+Then they explained to him that the "pap" is the conduct report,
+and that "to frap" is to hit.  To "frap the pap" means to "get
+stuck on" the conduct report for a breach of discipline.  A "bilger"
+is one who is dropped from the service, or who is turned back
+to the class below.
+
+"I judged that there was some trouble coming sir," Dave confessed,
+"and I did the best that I could.  It was good luck on my part that
+I was able to be of service to you."
+
+"Good luck, eh?" retorted Midshipman Trotter.  "Third class men,
+fall in!"
+
+As the "youngsters" lined up Mr. Trotter, standing at the right
+of the line, asked coaxingly:
+
+"Mister, will you be condescending enough to pass down the line
+and shake hands with each of us?"
+
+Flushing modestly, but grinning, Dave did as asked--or directed.
+
+"Mister," continued Midshipman Trotter impressively, "we find
+ourselves very close to being 'spoons on' you."
+
+For a youngster to be "spoons on" a new fourth classman means
+for the former to treat the latter very nearly as though he were
+a human being.
+
+"Now, you green dandelions may go," suggested Mr. Trotter, turning
+to the four "visiting" plebes.
+
+As soon as this had come about Trotter turned to Dave Darrin.
+
+"Mister, we humble representatives of the third class are going
+to show you the only sign of appreciation within our power.  We
+are going to invite you to stroll down the deck and visit us in
+our steerage.  Your roommate is invited to join us."
+
+Dave and Dan promptly accepted, with becoming appreciation.  All
+of the youngsters escorted Dave and Dan down the corridor to
+Midshipman Trotter's room.
+
+In the course of the next hour the youngsters told these new midshipmen
+much about the life at the Naval Academy that it would otherwise
+have taken the two plebes long to have found out for themselves.
+
+They were initiated into much of the slang language that the older
+midshipmen use when conversing together.  Many somewhat obscure
+points in the regulations were made clear to them.
+
+Lest the reader may wonder why new fourth class men should tamely
+submit to hazing or "running," when the regulations of the Naval
+Academy expressly prohibit these upper class sports, it may be
+explained that the midshipmen of the brigade have their own internal
+discipline.
+
+A new man may very easily evade being hazed, if he insists upon it.
+
+His first refusals will be met with challenges to fight.  If he
+continues to refuse to be "hazed" or "run," he will soon find
+himself ostracized by all of the upper class men.  Then his own
+classmates will have to "cut" him, or they, too, will be "cut."
+The man who is "cut" may usually as well resign from the Naval
+Academy at once.  His continued stay there will become impossible
+when no other midshipman will recognize him except in discharge
+of official duties.
+
+The new man at Annapolis, if he has any sense at all, will quietly
+and cheerfully submit to being "run."  This fate falls upon every
+new fourth class man, or nearly so.  The only fourth class man
+who escapes bring "run" is the one who is considered as being
+beneath notice.  Unhappy, indeed, is the plebe whom none of the
+youngsters above him will consent to haze.  And frequent it happens
+that the most popular man in an upper class is one who, while
+in the fourth class, was the most unmercifully hazed.
+
+Often a new man at the Naval Academy arrives with a firm resolution
+to resist all attempts at running or hazing.  He considers himself
+as good as any of the upper class men, and is going to insist on
+uniformly good treatment from the upper class men.
+
+If this be the new man's frame of mind he is set down as being
+"ratey."
+
+But often the new man arrives with a conviction that he will have
+to submit to a certain amount of good-natured hazing by his class
+elders.  Yet this man, from having been spoiled more or less at
+home, is "fresh."  In this case he is called only "touge."
+
+Hence it is a far more hopeful sign to be "touge" than to be "ratey."
+
+The new man who honestly tries to be neither "touge" nor "ratey,"
+and who has a sensible resolve to submit to tradition, is sometimes
+termed "almost sea-going."
+
+Dave Darrin was promptly recognized as being "almost sea-going."
+He would need but little running.
+
+Dan Dalzell, on the other hand, was soon listed as being "touge,"
+though not "ratey."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+INVITED TO JOIN THE "FRENCHERS"
+
+
+Within the nest few days several things happened that were of
+importance to the new fourth class men.
+
+Other candidates arrived, passed the surgeons, and were sworn into
+Naval service.
+
+Many of the young men who had passed the surgeons, and who had
+gone through the dreary, searching ordeals over in grim old Academic
+Hall, had now become members of the new fourth class.
+
+As organized, the new fourth class started off with two hundred
+and twenty-four members--numerically a very respectable battalion.
+
+At the outset, while supplied only with midshipmen's caps, and
+while awaiting the "building" of their uniforms, these new midshipmen
+were drilled by some of the members of the upper classes.
+
+This state of affairs, however, lasted but very briefly.  Graduation
+being past, the members of the three upper classes were rather
+promptly embarked on three of the most modern battleships of the
+Navy and sent to sea for the summer practice cruise.
+
+The night before embarkation Midshipman Trotter looked in briefly
+upon Dave Darrin and his roommate.
+
+"Well, mister," announced the youngster, with a paternal smile,
+"somehow you'll have to get on through the rest of the summer
+without us."
+
+"It will be a time of slow learning for us, sir," responded Darrin,
+rising.
+
+"Your summer will henceforth be restful, if not exactly instructive,"
+smiled Trotter.  "In the absence of personal guidance, mister,
+strive as far as you can to reach the goal of being sea going."
+
+"I'll try, sir."
+
+"You won't have such hard work as your roommate," went on Trotter,
+favoring Dalzell with a sidelong look.  "And, now, one parting
+bit of advice, mister.  Keep it at all times in mind that you
+must keep away from demoralizing association with the forty per cent."
+
+Statistics show that about forty per cent of the men who enter
+the U.S. Naval Academy fail to get through, and are sent back
+into civil life.  Hence the joy of keeping with the winning "sixty."
+
+The next morning the members of the three upper classes had embarked
+aboard the three big battleships that lay at anchor in the Severn.
+It was not until two days afterwards that the battleships sailed,
+but the upper class men did not come ashore in the interval.
+
+Soon after the delivery of uniforms to the new fourth class men
+began and continued rapidly.
+
+Dave and Dan, having been among the first to have their measure
+taken, were among the earliest to receive their new Naval clothing.
+
+A tremendously proud day it was for each new midshipman when he
+first surveyed himself, in uniform, in the mirror!
+
+The regular summer course was now on in earnest for the new men.
+
+On Mondays those belonging to the first and second divisions marched
+down to the seamanship building, there to get their first lessons
+in seamanship.  This began at eight o'clock, lasting until 9.30.
+During the same period the men who belonged to the third and
+fourth divisions received instruction in discipline and ordnance.
+In the second period, from 10 to 11.30 the members of the first
+and second division attended instruction in discipline and ordnance
+while the members of the third and fourth divisions attended seamanship.
+
+In the afternoon, from 3 to 4.45, the halves of the class alternated
+between seamanship and marine engineering.
+
+All instruction proceeded with a rapidity that made the heads
+of most of these new midshipmen whirl!  From 5 to 6 on the same
+afternoon the entire fourth class attended instruction in the
+art of swimming--and no midshipman hope to graduate unless he
+is a fairly expert swimmer!
+
+Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were devoted to athletics and
+recreation.
+
+A midshipman does not have his evenings for leisure.  On the first
+five evenings of each week, while one half of the class went to
+the gymnasium, the other half indulged in singing drill in Recreation
+Hall.
+
+"What's the idea of making operatic stars out of us?" grumbled
+Dan to his roommate on day.
+
+"You always seem to get the wrong impression about everything,
+Danny boy," retorted Darrin, turning to his roommate with a
+quizzical smile.  "The singing drill isn't given with a view to
+fitting you to sing in opera."
+
+"What, then?" insisted Dan.
+
+"You are learning to sing, my dear boy, so that, later on, you will
+be able to deliver your orders from a battleship's bridge in an
+agreeable voice."
+
+"If my voice on the bridge is anything like the voice I develop
+in Recreation Hall," grimaced Dalzell, "it'll start a mutiny right
+then and there."
+
+"Then you don't expect sailors of the Navy to stand for the kind
+of voice that is being developed in you in Recreation Hall?" laughed
+Darrin.
+
+"Sailors are only human," grumbled Dalzell.
+
+The rowing work, in the big ten-oared cutters proved one of the most
+interesting features of the busy summer life of the new men.
+
+More than half of these fourth class midshipmen had been accustomed
+to rowing boats at home.  The work at Annapolis, however, they found
+to be vastly different.
+
+The cutter is a fearfully heavy boat.  The long Naval oar is
+surprisingly full of avoirdupois weight.  True, a midshipman has to
+handle but one oar, but it takes him many, many days to learn how to
+do that properly.
+
+Yet, as August came and wore along, the midshipmen found themselves
+becoming decidedly skilful in the work of handling the heavy cutters,
+and in handling boats under sail.
+
+Competitive work and racing were encouraged by the Navy officers who
+had charge of this instruction.
+
+Each boat was under the direct command of a midshipman who served
+as crew captain, with thirteen other midshipmen under him as crew.
+
+When the post of crew captain fell to Dan Dalzell he embarked
+his crew, gave the order to shove off and let fall oars, and got
+away in good style.
+
+Then, leaning indolently back Dan grinned luxuriously.
+
+"This is the post I'm cut out for," he murmured, so that stroke-oar
+heard him and grinned.
+
+Yet, as "evil communications corrupt good manners," Dan's attitude
+was reflected in his crew of classmates.  The cutter was manned
+badly at that moment.
+
+"Mr. Dalzell!" rasped out the voice of Lieutenant Fenton, the
+instructor, from a near-by boat.
+
+Dan straightened up as though shot.  But the Navy officer's voice
+continued sternly:
+
+"Sit up in a more seamanlike manner.  Pay close attention to the
+work of your boat crew.  Be alert for the best performance of
+duty in the boat that you command.  For your inattention, and
+worse, of a moment ago, Mr. Dalzell, you will put yourself on
+the conduct report."
+
+The next morning, at breakfast formation, Dan's name was read
+from the "pap."  He had been given five demerits.  This was below
+the gravity of his offense, but he had been let off lightly the
+first time.
+
+"You've got to stick to duty, and keep it always in mind," Darrin
+admonished his chum.  "I don't intend to turn preachy, Dan; but
+you'll surely discover that the man who lets his indolence or
+sense of fun get away with him is much better off out of the Naval
+Academy."
+
+"Pooh!  A lot of the fellows have frapped the pap," retorted Dalzell.
+"Demerits don't do any harm, unless you get enough of 'em to cause
+you to be dropped."
+
+"Well, if there is no higher consideration," argued Dave, "at
+least you must remember that the number of demerits fixes your
+conduct grade.  If you want such liberties and privileges as are
+allowed to new midshipmen, you'll have to keep your name away from
+the pap."
+
+"Humph!  Setting your course toward the grease mark are you?"
+jeered Dan.
+
+"Think it over!" urged Dave Darrin patiently.
+
+Before August was over the new fourth class men marched "like
+veterans."  They had mastered all the work of drill, marching and
+parade, and felt that they could hold their own in the brigade when
+the upper class men returned.
+
+On the 28th of August the three big battleships were sighted coming
+up the bay in squadron formation.  A little more than an hour
+later they rode at anchor.
+
+It was not, however, until the 30th of August that the upper classmen
+were disembarked.
+
+August 31 was devoted to manifold duties, including the hurried
+packing of light baggage, for now the members of the three upper
+classes were to enjoy a month's leave of absence before the beginning
+of the academic year on October 1.
+
+Then, like a whirlwind mob, and clad in their "cit." clothes, the
+upper class men got away on that hurried, frenzied leave.
+
+There was no leave, however, for the new midshipmen.
+
+In lieu of leave, through the month of September, the new fourth
+class men spent the time, each week-day, from ten o'clock until
+noon, at the "Dago Department," as the Department of Modern Languages
+is termed.
+
+Here they made their start in French.
+
+"When Trotter comes back," muttered Dan, "if he asks me whether
+I can talk French, I'll tell him that I've tried, and now I know
+I can't."
+
+It was the last night before the upper classmen were due back from
+their leave.
+
+Dave and Dan were in their room, poring hard over French, when
+a light tap sounded on the door.
+
+Right on top of the tap Midshipman Farley, fourth class, entered
+on tiptoe, closing the door behind him.
+
+This accomplished, Farley dropped his air of stealth, strolling
+over to the study desk.
+
+"There's a nice little place in town--you know, Purdy's," began
+Farley significantly.
+
+"I've heard of it as an eating place," responded Darrin.
+
+"It's more than that," returned Farley, smacking his lips.  "It's
+an ideal place for a banquet."
+
+"I accept your word for it," smiled Dave.
+
+"I don't ask you to, Darrin," grinned Farley.  "Like any honest
+man I'm prepared to prove all I say.  Purdy has received--by
+underground telegraph--orders to prepare a swell feast for eight.
+It's to be ready at eleven tonight.  We had the eight all made
+up, but two fellows have flunked cold.  We're to French it over
+the wall tonight, leaving here a few minutes after taps.  Are you on?"
+
+Farley's enthusiastic look fell upon the face of Dalzell.
+
+"I'm on!" nodded Dan
+
+"No; you're not" broke in Dave quietly.
+
+"I'm afraid I must disagree with you, little David," murmured Dan.
+
+"Oysters, clams, fish--watermelon!" tempted Midshipman Farley.
+
+"Um-yum!" grunted Dan, his eyes rolling.
+
+"Then you're with us, Dalzell?" insisted Farley.
+
+"Well, rather--"
+
+"--not!" interjected Dave Darrin with emphasis.
+
+"Now, what are you butting in for, you greasy greaser?" demanded
+Farley, giving Dave a contemptuous glance.  "Maybe you won't join
+us, and maybe we'd just as soon not have as greasy a midshipman
+as you at the festive board, but Dalzell isn't tied to your apron
+strings, are you, Dalzell?"
+
+"No; he's not," replied Darrin, speaking for his chum.  "Dalzell
+will speak for himself, if he insists.  But he and I have been
+chums these many years, and we've often given each other good
+advice in trying or tempting times.  Dalzell will go with you,
+if he cares to, for he already knows all that I have to say on
+the subject."
+
+"You've had your nose stuck down deep in the grease-pot ever since
+you struck Annapolis!" cried Farley angrily.  "I hope you bilge,
+Darrin; with all my heart I hope you bilge soon.  We don't need
+a mollycoddle like you here in the Naval Academy!"
+
+"Isn't that about all you want to say?" demanded Dave, looking
+up with a frown.
+
+"No; it's not half what I have to say," cried Farley hotly.  "Darrin,
+your kind of fellow is a disgrace to the Naval service!  You're
+a sneak--that's what--"
+
+"You may stop, right there!" frowned Darrin, rising from his chair.
+
+"I'll stop when I'm proper ready!" retorted Farley hotly.
+
+"If you don't stop right now, you'll finish while engaged in landing
+on your ear in the hall outside!" warned Dave, stepping forward.
+
+There was a new look in Darrin's usually patient eyes.  It was
+a look Farley hadn't seen there before, and it warned the hot-headed
+midshipman that he was in danger of going too far.
+
+"Oh, fudge on you, Darrin!" jeered Farley, turning on his heel.
+"Going to be with us, Dalzell?
+
+"No," replied Dan promptly.  "I never travel with the enemies of
+my friends."
+
+"Greasers, both of you!" flung back the caller, and left them.
+
+"If that fellow had talked an hour longer I believe I might have
+lost my patience," smiled Darrin, as he turned back to his desk.
+"But I'm glad you're not with that outfit tonight Danny boy.
+It may turn out a big scrape."
+
+"Why should it turn out a big scrape." demanded Dan.
+
+"Oh, you never can tell," replied Darrin, as he picked up his
+book.
+
+Farley did not succeed in getting two more midshipmen to join
+in the Frenching.  Twenty minutes after taps, however, the original
+six of the fourth class slipped out of Bancroft Hall.
+
+Slyly they made their way to where they had a board hidden near
+the wall of the Academy grounds.
+
+One at a time, and swiftly, they went up this board, and over
+the wall.
+
+At Purdy's they found a meal to tempt the most whimsical appetite.
+The meal over they spent much time in singing and story-telling.
+
+It was nearly two in the morning when Farley and his fellow feasters
+tried to get back into the grounds, over the wall.
+
+They got over the wall, all right, but only to fall into the hands
+of one of the watchmen, who seemed to have known exactly where
+to expect their return.
+
+All six were reported to the officer in charge.  At breakfast
+formation Midshipmen Farley, Oates, Scully, Brimmer, Henkel and
+Page were assigned fifty demerits each for unauthorized absence
+during the night.
+
+Farley and his friends were furious.  More, they were talkative.
+
+Had Dave Darrin been less occupied that day he would have noted
+that many of his classmates avoided him.
+
+Dan did notice, and wondered, without speaking of the matter.
+
+That day all the upper class men returned, and Bancroft Hall hummed
+for a while with the bustle of the returning hundreds.
+
+Just before the dinner formation Youngster Trotter encountered
+Dave in the corridor.
+
+"Hullo, mister!" was Trotter's greeting, and the youngster actually
+held out his hand.
+
+"I hope you had a mighty pleasant leave, sir," replied Dave, returning
+the handclasp.
+
+"Passably pleasant, passably, mister," returned Midshipman Trotter.
+"But see here, mister, what's this about you and your class that
+I've heard?
+
+"Nothing, so far as I know, sir," replied Dave, scanning the youngster's
+face closely.
+
+"It must be more than nothing," returned Trotter.  "I understand
+that more than half of your class are furious with you over something
+that happened last night.  I've heard you called a sneak, mister,
+though I don't believe that for a single minute.  But I've heard
+mutterings to the effect that your class will send you to coventry
+for excessive zeal in greasing, to the detriment of your classmates.
+What about it all, mister?"
+
+Dave Darrin gazed at the youngster with eyes full of wonder.
+
+"What about it?" repeated Dave.  "That's the very thing I'd like to
+know, sir, for this is the very first word I've heard of it."
+
+Nor could Midshipman Trotter doubt that Dave Darrin had answered
+in all sincerity.
+
+"Well, you certainly must be innocent, mister, if you're as puzzled
+as all this," replied the youngster.  "Then it must be that malicious
+mischief is brewing against you in some quarter.  Take my advice,
+mister, and find out what it all means."
+
+"Thank you.  I most certainly will, sir," replied Dave, his eyes
+flashing.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+DAVE PASSES THE LIE
+
+
+Dalzell looked up wonderingly as Darrin marched swiftly into their
+room.
+
+"Danny boy, have you heard any talk against me today?" demanded
+Dave.
+
+"Do I look as though I had been fighting?" queried Dan promptly.
+
+"I've just heard, from Trotter, that a good many of the fellows
+in our class are scorching me, and talking of sending me to coventry.
+Will you--"
+
+"I sure will," broke in Dan, dropping his book, rising and snatching
+at his cap.  "I'll be back as soon as I've heard something, or have
+settled with the fellow who says it."
+
+Dan was out of the room like a flash.
+
+Dave sat down heavily in his chair, his brow wrinkling as he tried
+to imagine what it all meant.
+
+"It must all be a mistake that Trotter has made," argued Dave
+with himself.  "Of course, Trotter might be stringing me, but
+I don't believe he would do that.  Now, to be sure, I came near
+to having words with Farley last night, but that wouldn't be the
+basis for any action by the fourth class.  That, if anything,
+would be wholly a personal matter.  Then what am I accused of
+doing?  It must be some fierce sort of lie when the fellows talk
+of taking it up as a class matter."
+
+For ten minutes more Dave puzzled and pondered over the problem.
+Then the door flew open and Dan bolted hastily in.
+
+"You haven't been hitting anyone have you?  asked Dave, noticing
+the flushed, angry face of his chum.
+
+"No!  But one of us will have to do some hitting soon," burst hotly
+from Dalzell.
+
+"It'll be my hit, then, I guess," smiled Dave wearily.  "Have
+you found out--"
+
+"Dave it's the most absurd sort of lie!  You know that Farley
+and his little crowd got caught last night, when they returned
+from their Frenching party over the wall?"
+
+"Frenching" is taking unauthorized leave from the academic limits
+by going over the wall, instead of through the gate.
+
+"Yes; I know Farley and his friends got caught," rejoined Darrin.
+"But what has that to do with me?
+
+"Farley and his friends are sore--"
+
+"They ought not to be," said Darrin quietly.  "They took the chance,
+and now they ought to be ready to pay up like good sportsmen."
+
+"Dave, _they say you informed on them, and got them caught!_"
+
+"What?" shouted Darrin, leaping to his feet.  His face was deathly
+white and the corners of his mouth twitched.
+
+He took two bounding steps toward the door, but Dalzell threw
+himself in his chum's way.
+
+"Not just this minute, Dave!" ordered Dan firmly.  "We don't want
+any manslaughter here--not even of the 'justifiable' kind!
+Sit and wait until you've cooled off--some.  When you go out
+I'm going with you--whether it's out into the corridor, or out
+of the Naval Academy for good.  Sit down, now!  Try to talk it
+over coolly, and get yourself into a frame of mind where you can
+talk with others without prejudicing your case."
+
+"My case?" repeated Dave bitterly, as he allowed Dan to force
+him back into his chair.  "I haven't any case.  I haven't done
+anything."
+
+"I know that, but you've got to get cool, and stay so, if you want
+to make sure that others have a chance to know it," warned Dan.
+
+"Does Farley say that I sneaked in information against him?"
+
+"Farley and the others are so sore over their demerits that they
+believe almost anything, now, and they say almost anything.  Of
+course, Farley remembers the row he had with you last night.
+In a fool way he puts two and two together, an decides that you
+helped set the trap for them."
+
+"If I had done a dirty thing like that, then I'd deserve to be
+cut by the whole brigade," retorted Dave, his face flushing.
+
+"But I want to tell you, right now, Dave, that some of the fellows
+of our class know you too well to believe any such thing against you."
+
+"I'm properly grateful to the few, then," retorted Darrin, his eyes
+softening a trifle.  "But come along, Dan, if you will.  I mean to
+start in at once to sift this thing down."
+
+"Let me look at you," ordered Dalzell, grappling with his chum,
+and looking him over.
+
+Then, a moment later, Dan added:
+
+"Yes; you're cool enough, I think.  I'll go with you.  But remember
+that the easiest way to destroy yourself is to let your temper
+get on top.  If anybody is to get mad before the crowd, let me
+do it.  Then you can restrain me if I get too violent."
+
+Dave Darrin took his uniform cap down from the nail and put it
+on with great deliberation.  Next, he picked up his whisk broom,
+flecking off two or three imaginary specks of dust.
+
+"Now, I guess we can go along, Danny boy," he remarked, in a tone
+of ominous quietness.
+
+"Where are you headed?" murmured Dalzell, as they reached the
+room door.
+
+"To Farley's room," answered Dave Darrin coolly.  "Do you suppose
+he's there?"
+
+"He was, a few moments ago" Dan answered.
+
+"Then let us hope he is now."
+
+Carrying himself with his most erect and military air, Darrin
+stepped down the corridor, Dalzell keeping exactly at his side.
+
+The chums arrived before the door of the room in which Farley was
+lodged.
+
+Dave raised his hand, sounding a light knock on the door, which
+he next pushed open.
+
+Farley and a dozen other members of the fourth class were in the
+room.  Moreover, it was evident instantly that some of those present
+were discussing the burning class issue.
+
+"But are you sure he did it?  Farley?" one midshipman inquired,
+as the chums entered.
+
+"Sure?" repeated Farley.  "Of course I am!  Didn't I tell you what
+a hot row we had.  Darrin--"
+
+"I'm here to speak for myself, Farley," boomed in the quiet, steady
+voice of Dave Darrin.  "But I'll hear you first, if you wish."
+
+"Oh, you're here, are you?" cried Farley hotly, wheeling about
+on the visitors.
+
+Some of the other fourth class men present turned and glanced
+coldly at the two last-comers.  Others looked on with eager curiosity.
+
+"I've heard," announced Darrin, "that you are saying some things
+about me that don't sound well.  So I've come to ask you what you
+are saying."
+
+"I won't keep you waiting," jeered Farley.  "You know, from hearing
+morning orders, that six of us were given fifty demerits apiece."
+
+"For going over the wall to a late supper in town," nodded Dave.
+
+"You wouldn't go with us," continued Farley angrily, "and gave
+us a greaser's talk-fest instead."
+
+"I didn't advise you against going," responded Dave, standing
+with his arms folded, utterly cool as he eyed his accuser.
+
+"Then, after we went, some one went and wised the powers," charged
+Farley.  "Now, no one but a most abandoned greaser would do that."
+
+To "wise the powers" is to give information to the Naval officers.
+
+"The fellow who would wilfully tell on you would be worse than
+what you term a greaser," agreed Dave.
+
+"Careful," warned Farley ironically.  "You know who told, or who
+caused the wise word to leak to the powers."
+
+"I don't," Dave denied bluntly.
+
+"You're the sneak, yourself!" cried Farley angrily.
+
+"I am not," spoke Dave, with clear denial.
+
+"Do you mean to say I lie?" demanded Midshipman Farley threateningly,
+as he took a step forward.
+
+"Do you deliberately state that I informed upon you, or caused
+you to be informed upon?" demanded Dave Darrin.
+
+"Yes, I do!
+
+"Then you lie!" returned Darrin promptly.
+
+With a suppressed yell Farley sprang at Darrin, and the latter
+struck out quickly.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ON THE FIELD OF THE CODE
+
+
+Midshipman Farley had the bad judgment to stop that blow with
+the side of his neck.
+
+Across the room he spun, going down in a heap, his head under
+the study table.
+
+Dave Darrin looked on with a cool smile, while Farley lay there
+for an instant, then scrambled out and up onto his feet.
+
+But two or three other new midshipmen sprang in between Dave and
+his accuser.
+
+"We can't have a fight here, Farley," urged two or three in the
+same breath.
+
+"Let me at the sneak!" sputtered Farley who was boiling over with
+rage.
+
+"Yes; let him at me," voiced Dave coolly, "and I'll send him into
+the middle of next term!"
+
+But three of the midshipmen clung to Farley, who furiously strove to
+fling them off.
+
+"Let me at him!" insisted the accuser.  "He struck me."
+
+"You struck at him first, and didn't land," replied one of the
+peacemakers.  "You go on with a fight here, and you'll bring the
+officer in charge down on us all.  Farley, if you feel you've
+a grievance you are privileged to take recourse to the regular
+code in such matters."
+
+"The fellow has lied about me, and I'm ready to settle it with
+him now, or outside by appointment," broke in Dave, speaking as
+coolly as before.
+
+"He calls me 'fellow' and 'liar,'" panted Farley, turning white.
+"Do you think I can stand that?
+
+"You don't have to," replied one of those who held Farley back.
+"Send Darrin a challenge, in the regular way."
+
+"I will!" panted Midshipman Farley.  "And I'll hammer him all over
+and out of the meeting-place!"
+
+"Then it's settled for a challenge," interposed Dan Dalzell.
+"That will suit us all right.  We'll be ready whenever the challenge
+comes.  And now, to prevent getting a lot of decent fellows into
+a needless scrape, Darrin and I will withdraw."
+
+Dan took Dave by the arm, and both turned to leave the room.
+
+"You--" began Farley hoarsely, when another midshipman clapped
+a hand over his mouth.
+
+"Shut up Farley!  Save all of your undoubted grit for the field, when
+you two meet."
+
+The door closed softly behind Darrin and Dalzell.
+
+"Why didn't you let me at the sneak?" bellowed Farley, released,
+now, from interfering hands.
+
+"See here, Farley," advised one of his friends, "cool down and keep
+your face in a restful attitude.  Darrin behaved twice as well as
+you did.  If you don't look out you'll lose the sympathy of the
+class.  Just keep cool, and restrain your tongue from wagging until
+you've met Darrin.  Don't try to start the row again, this side of
+the field where you meet.  If you do, you'll get many a cold shoulder."
+
+Other midshipmen present spoke in the same vein.  Farley, who
+wanted to be popular at all times, presently allowed himself to
+be advised.
+
+Of course the news of the meeting, and of the more emphatic one to
+come spread fast through Bancroft Hall.  There is an unknown
+wireless that carries all such news on wings through the brigade
+of midshipmen.
+
+Within half an hour Henkel and Page brought the challenge to Dave
+Darrin.  Dan, in the meantime, had been busy, and had induced
+Midshipman Rollins, of the fourth class, to act with him as second.
+Rollins, indeed, needed little urging.  He was eager to see the
+fight.
+
+Tyson, of the second class, was secured as referee, while Trotter,
+of the third class, gladly agreed to act as time-keeper.
+
+The time was set for an hour before taps, as, on this evening,
+it would be easy for all the young men involved to slip away and
+be back in time for taps.
+
+"I won't let the thing run over two rounds," promised Farley,
+who had an excellent idea of himself as a fighter.
+
+That afternoon Dave and Farley were obliged to pass each other.
+Dave did not even seem to know that his enemy was around.  Farley,
+on the other hand, glared ferociously at Darrin as he passed.
+
+Midshipman Trotter certainly would have come around to offer Dave
+friendly counsel, had not his position as one of the officials
+of the fight restrained him.
+
+Dave, by his prompt action, had veered many of his classmates
+around to his side.  The bulk of opinion in the class, however,
+was that Farley would make good in his boasts of victory.  He
+was a heavily-built yet very active young man, who had shown great
+promise in boxing bouts in the gymnasium.
+
+At half-past eight that evening, while scores of cadets strolled
+through the grounds, thinking of the academic term to begin on
+the morrow, some little groups made their way more directly across
+the grounds.  Many interested glances followed them.
+
+Over in the direction of the Old Government Hospital stepped Dave,
+accompanied by Dan and Rollins.
+
+They were the first to arrive, though a few minutes later Midshipmen
+Tyson and Trotter appeared.
+
+"Farley doesn't seem in as a big hurry as he was," remarked Dan
+Dalzell laughingly.
+
+It was not, in fact, until close to the time that Farley, Henkel
+and Page came on the scene.
+
+"We want to put this mill through briskly, gentlemen," announced
+Midshipman Tyson, in a low tone.  "Both principals will be good
+enough to get ready as rapidly as possible."
+
+Dave Darrin had been only awaiting the order.  Now he took off
+his cap and uniform blouse, handing them to Dan, who folded the
+coat and laid it on the ground, placing the cap on top of it.
+
+By this time Darrin had pulled his shirt over his head.  Dan took
+that also, while Rollins produced a belt which Dave strapped about
+his waist with care.
+
+Then he stepped forward, like a young war horse, sniffing the
+battle.
+
+Farley was more leisurely in his preparations, though he did not
+appear nervous.  In fact, Farley wasn't a bit nervous.  But he
+meant "wind up" the fight in such short order that there would
+be an abundance of time to spare.
+
+"There's no use in giving you any advice, old fellow," murmured
+Dan.  "You've been in too many fights, back in the good old High
+School days of Dick & Co."
+
+"I can handle myself," nodded Dave, "unless Farley proves to be
+a veritable wonder."
+
+"He certainly thinks he is," warned Rollins.  "And a good many
+of the fellows believe Farley to be the best man of the class
+in this line of work."
+
+"They won't think so much longer," returned Dan, as simply as
+though merely stating a proved fact.  "You see, Rollins, you never
+had the great good luck to get your kid training with Dick & Co.
+Our old crowd always went in to win just because we were blind
+to the idea that there was any possible chance of losing."
+
+"Did you always make good?" asked Rollins curiously.
+
+"Just about always, I reckon," nodded Dan confidently.
+
+"You must have been a wonder-bunch then," smiled Rollins.
+
+Farley was ready, now, and coming forward with a second on either
+side of him.
+
+"Step in Dave old fellow." directed Dan.
+
+Dave came forward to where Midshipman Tyson awaited them.
+
+"Gentlemen," announced the referee, "this is to be a fight to
+the finish, bare hands.  As time is short you are urged to mix
+it up briskly to a conclusion.  The usual ring rules will guide
+the officials of this meeting.  Hand-shaking will dispensed with.
+Are you ready?"
+
+"Ready!" hissed Farley venomously.
+
+"Ready," nodded Dave coolly.
+
+"Time!"
+
+With a yell Farley leaped in.  He didn't want it to last more
+than one round, if it could be helped.
+
+The fury of his assault drove the lighter Darrin back.  Farley
+followed up with more sledge-hammers.  He was certainly a dangerous
+man, with a hurricane style.  He was fast and heavy, calculated
+to bear down a lighter opponent.
+
+Before that assortment of blows Dave Darrin was forced to resort
+to footwork.
+
+"Stand up and fight!" jeered Farley harshly as he wheeled and
+wheeled, still throwing out his hammer blows.  "Don't play sneak
+on the field!"
+
+Dave didn't even flush.  Trained with Dick Prescott at Gridley
+High School, Darrin was too old a hand to be taunted into indiscretion.
+
+In spite of his footwork, however, Farley succeeded in landing
+upon him twice, though neither blow did much damage.
+
+Then a third blow landed, against the side of Darrin's head, that
+jarred him.  It was all he could do to stand off Farley until
+he recovered his wits enough to dodge once more.
+
+Yet, all the while, Darrin was watching his chance.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+THE MAN WHO WON
+
+
+"This isn't a sprint!" yelled Farley, in high disgust.  "Come back
+here!" Dave did come back.
+
+Wheeling suddenly, he struck his right arm up under Farley's now
+loose guard.
+
+In the same fraction of a second Dave let fly with his left.
+
+Smack!
+
+It wasn't such a very hard blow--but it landed on the tip of
+Farley's nose.
+
+With a yell of rage Farley made a dive at his lighter opponent.
+
+"_Time!_"
+
+In his rage Farley tried to strike after that call, but Dave bounded
+to one side.
+
+Then, turning his back, Darrin walked away to where Dan and Midshipman
+Rollins awaited him.
+
+"Be careful, Mister Farley," warned Second Class Man Tyson, striding
+over to him.  "You struck out after the call of time.  Had the
+blow landed I would have been compelled under the rules to award
+Darrin the fight on a foul."
+
+"First blood for our side!" cheered Dan, as he sprang at Dave
+with a towel.
+
+In a few moments the young man had been well rubbed down, and
+now Dan and Rollins, on opposite sides, were kneading his muscles.
+
+From over in Farley's corner came a growl:
+
+"I came here to fight, not to go in for track work.  That fellow
+can't fight."
+
+"Queer!" remarked Dan cheerfully.  "We hold all the honors so far."
+
+Quickly enough the call of time came.
+
+Farley, the flow of blood from his nose stanched, came back as
+full of steam as before.
+
+Dave's footwork was as nimble as ever.  Speed and skill in dodging
+were features of Darrin's fighting style.
+
+Yet Farley caught him, with a blow on the chest that sent him
+to his knees.
+
+Like a flash, however, Darrin was upon his feet, and Farley lunged
+at him swiftly and heavily.
+
+In the very act of reaching his feet, however, Dave Darrin leaped
+lightly to the left.
+
+With an exclamation of disgust Farley turned and swung again.
+
+But Dave dropped down, then shot up under his opponent's guard
+once more.
+
+_Biff!_
+
+This time an exclamation of real pain came from Farley, for the
+blow had landed solidly on his left eye, just about closing it.
+
+A second time Darrin might have landed, but he was taking no chances
+under a steam-roller like Farley.
+
+As Dave danced away, however, followed up by his opponent, bellowing
+from the sudden jolt his eye had received, he saw that Farley
+was fighting almost blindly.
+
+Dan Dalzell now jumped in as close as he had any right to be.
+He wanted to see what would happen next.
+
+Nor was he kept long guessing, for Dave had slipped around on
+the blind side of his opponent.
+
+"Confound you!  Can't you stand up and fight square?" demanded
+Farley harshly.
+
+Dave flushed, this time.  Dodging two of Farley's blows he next
+moved as though about to retreat.
+
+Instead, however, Darrin leaped up and forward.
+
+Pound!  Dave's hard left fist landed crushingly near the point
+of Farley's jaw.
+
+Down went the larger man, while his seconds rushed to him.
+
+Midshipman Trotter, watch in hand, began calling off the seconds.
+
+Steadily he counted them, until he came to "--eight, nine,
+_ten_!"
+
+Still Farley lay on the ground, his good eye, as well as his damaged
+one, closed.
+
+If he was breathing it was so slightly that his seconds, not permitted
+under the rules to go close, could not detect the movements of
+respiration.
+
+"He loses the count," announced Second Class Man Tyson, in businesslike
+tones.  "I award the fight to Mister Darrin."
+
+Always the ceremonious "mister" with which upper class men refer
+to new fourth class men.  It is not until the plebe becomes a
+"youngster" that the "mister" is dropped for the more friendly
+social address.
+
+Farley's seconds were kneeling at his side now.
+
+"Can you bring him out easily?" asked Midshipman Tyson, going
+over to the defeated man's seconds.
+
+"He's pretty soundly asleep, just now," put in Midshipman Trotter.
+"My, but that was a fearful crack you gave your man, mister!"
+
+"I'm sorry if I have had to hurt him much," replied Dave coolly.
+"I am not keen for fighting."
+
+Dan and Rollins offered their services in helping to bring Farley
+to, only to met by a curt refusal from Midshipman Henkel.
+
+So Dave and his seconds stood mutely by, at a distance, while
+the two officials in the late fight added their efforts to those
+of the seconds of the knocked-out man.
+
+At last they brought a sigh from Farley's lips.
+
+Soon after the defeated midshipman opened his eyes.
+
+"Is--Darrin--dead?" he asked slowly, with a bewildered look.
+
+Midshipman Trotter chuckled.
+
+"Not so you could notice it, mister.  But you surely had a close
+call.  Do you want to try to sit up?"
+
+This Farley soon concluded to do.  Then his seconds dressed him.
+
+"Now, see if you can stand on your feet," urged Midshipman Tyson.
+
+By this time Farley's wits had returned sufficiently for him to
+have a very fair idea of what had passed.
+
+Aided by Henkel and Page Midshipman Farley got to his feet.  There
+he stood, dizzily, until his late seconds gave him stronger support.
+"You can't go back to Bancroft while you are in this condition,
+mister," hinted Tyson decidedly.  "You'll have to pass in review
+before one of our medical gentlemen, and do whatever he deems best."
+
+"Dan," murmured Dave, "go over and ask Farley whether he cares
+to shake hands."
+
+Dan crossed in quest of the information.
+
+"Never!" growled Farley, with a hissing intake of breath.
+
+"It's a shame to have bad blood after the fight is over," muttered
+Tyson rebukingly.
+
+"I don't want anything to do with that fellow until we meet again,"
+growled Farley.
+
+"Great Scott, mister!  You don't think of calling Mister Darrin
+out again, do you?" demanded Tyson, with a gasp.
+
+"Yes; if he can be made to fight fair!" snarled Farley.
+
+"He fought fairly this time, mister," replied Second Class Man
+Tyson, almost with heat.  "You're a fast, heavy and hard scrapper
+for your age, mister, but the other man simply out-pointed you
+all through the game.  If you call him out again, and he meets
+you, he can kill you if he sees fit."
+
+"Misters," directed Midshipman Trotter, addressing Henkel and
+Page, "you'd better hurry to get your man over to a surgeon if
+you want to be in your rooms at lights-out time."
+
+As Page and Henkel started away with their unfortunate comrade,
+Dave approached Tyson.
+
+"Sir, do you believe that I fought with entire fairness?" asked
+Darrin of the referee.
+
+"Fair?  Of course you did, mister," replied Tyson.  "Come along,
+Trotter."
+
+Dave, who had dressed some time before, now turned with Dan and
+Rollins and started back.  They took pains not to be seen close
+to the upper class men.
+
+"Who won?" demanded a fourth class man, curiously, as they neared
+Bancroft Hall.
+
+"Farley will tell you tomorrow if he's able," grinned Dan.
+
+When taps sounded on the bugle, that evening, all of the midshipmen,
+save Farley, were in their rooms.
+
+Promptly as the last note of taps broke on the air the last of the
+midshipmen was in bed, and the electric light was turned off from a
+master switch.  The inspection of rooms was on.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+DAN JUST CAN'T HELP BEING "TOUGE"
+
+
+Fourth Class Man Farley did not put in an appearance at breakfast
+formation in the morning.
+
+As this was the opening day of the first term of the academic
+year it was a bad time to be "docked for repairs" at the hospital.
+
+Merely reading over the list of the fourth class studies did not
+convey to the new men much idea of how hard they were to find
+their work.
+
+In the department of Marine Engineering and Naval Construction
+there were lessons in mechanical drawing.
+
+No excuse is made for a midshipman's natural lack of ability in
+drawing.  He must draw satisfactorily if he is to hope to pass.
+
+In mathematics the new man had to recite in algebra, logarithms
+and geometry.
+
+In addition to the foregoing, during the first term, the new midshipman
+had courses in English and in French.
+
+As at West Point, the mathematics is the stumbling block of the new
+man at Annapolis.
+
+In the first term algebra, logarithms and geometry had to be finished,
+for in the second term trigonometry was the subject in mathematics.
+
+Shortly before eight in the morning the bugle call sounded for the
+first period of recitation.
+
+The midshipmen fell in by classes in front of Bancroft Hall.
+After muster the classes marched away by sections.
+
+Each section contained an average of ten men, under command of
+one of their number, who was known as the section leader.
+
+It was the section leader's duty to march his section to the proper
+recitation room in Academic Hall, to preserve discipline while
+marching, and to report his section to the instructor.
+
+At the beginning of the academic year the fourth class men were
+divided into sections in alphabetical order.  Afterwards the sections
+would be reorganized according to order of merit.
+
+So, at the outset, Darrin and Dalzell were in the same section,
+and Dave, as it happened, had been appointed section leader.
+
+When the command rang out Dave marched away with his section,
+feeling somewhat proud that he had attained even to so small a
+degree of command.
+
+It was an interesting sight to see hundreds of midshipmen, split
+up into so many sections, marching across the grounds in so many
+different directions, for not all the sections were headed for
+Academic Hall.
+
+Dave knew the number of the room to which his section was bound, and
+knew also the location of the room.
+
+Sections march, in step, at a brisk gait, the clicking of so many
+heels against the pavements making a rhythmic, inspiring sound.
+
+Some of the midshipmen in Dave's section however, felt low-spirited
+that morning.  They had been looking through their text-books,
+and felt a dread that they would not be able to keep up the stiff
+pace of learning long enough to get past the semi-annual examinations
+in the coming January.
+
+Dave and Dan, however, both felt in good spirits.  They had looked
+through the first lessons in algebra, and felt that they would
+not have much trouble at the outset, anyway.  They believed that
+they had been well grounded back in their High School days.
+
+On their way Darrin's section was passed by three officers of
+the Navy.  Midshipmen must always salute officers of the Navy.
+While marching in sections, however, the only midshipman who
+salutes is the section leader.
+
+Three times Dave's hand came smartly up to the visor of his cap
+in salute, while the other men in his section looked straight ahead.
+
+Reaching Academic Hall Dave marched his section mates into the
+recitation room.
+
+Lieutenant Bradshaw, the instructor, was already present, standing
+by his desk.
+
+Darrin saluted the lieutenant as soon as he had halted the section.
+
+"Sir, I report all members of the section present."
+
+Five of the midshipmen were directed by Lieutenant Bradshaw to go
+to their seats.  The rest were ordered to blackboards, Dave and Dan
+among the latter number.
+
+Those at the blackboards were each given a problem to lay out
+on the blackboard.  Then the instructor turned to the fourth class
+men who remained in their seats.
+
+These he questioned, in turn, on various aspects of the day's lesson.
+
+All the time the midshipmen at the blackboard worked busily away,
+each blocking out phase after phase of his problem.
+
+Dave Darrin was first to finish.  He turned his back to the board,
+taking the position of parade rest.
+
+Dan was third to finish.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, you may explain your work," announced Lieutenant
+Bradshaw.
+
+This Dave did, slowly, carefully, though without painful hesitation.
+When he had finished the instructor asked him several questions
+about the problem, and about some other phases of the day's work.
+Darrin did not jump at any of his answers, but made them thoughtfully.
+
+"Very good, indeed, Mr. Darrin," commented the instructor.  "But,
+when you are more accustomed to reciting here, I shall hope for
+a little more speed in answering."
+
+As Dave was returning to his seat Lieutenant Bradshaw marked him
+3.8 per cent on the day's work.
+
+That was an excellent marking, 4 being the highest.  The lowest
+average in a study which a midshipman may have, and hold his place
+in the Naval Academy, is 2.5.  Anything below 2.5 is unsatisfactory,
+which, in midshipman parlance is "unsat."  Taking 4 to represent
+100 per cent., 2.5 stands for 62.5 per cent.  This would not be
+a high average to expect, as courses are laid down in the average
+High School of the land; but as most of our American High Schools
+go 2.5 at Annapolis is at least as good a marking as 90 per cent
+would be in a High School.
+
+"Good old Dave leaks too slow at the spout, does he?" chuckled
+Dan to himself, as he waited at parade rest.  "When it comes my
+turn, then, as I happen to know my problem as well as the fellow
+who wrote the book, I'll rattle off my explanation at a gait that
+will force the lieutenant to stand on his feet to hear all I say."
+
+Dalzell was the fourth man called upon at the blackboard.
+
+Taking a deep breath, and assuming a tremendously earnest look,
+Dan plunged into the demonstration of his problem as fast as he
+could fire the words out.
+
+Lieutenant Bradshaw, however, listened through to the end.
+
+"Your demonstration is correct, Mr Dalzell," said the instructor
+quietly.  "However while speed in recitation is of value, in the
+future try to speak just a little more slowly and much more distinctly.
+You are fitting yourself to become a Naval officer one of these
+days.  On shipboard it is of the utmost importance that an officer's
+voice be always distinct and clear, in order that every word he
+utters may be instantly understood.  Try to keep this always in
+mind, Mr. Dalzell, and cultivate the habit of speaking distinctly."
+
+The rebuke was a very quiet one, and courteously given.  But Dan,
+who knew that every other man in the section was grinning in secret
+over his discomfiture, was quickly losing his nerve.
+
+Then, without favor, Lieutenant Bradshaw questioned Dan searchingly
+on other details of the day's work.  Dan stammered, and forgot
+much that he had thought he knew.
+
+Lieutenant Bradshaw set down a mark of 2.9, whereas Dalzell, had
+he stuck sensibly to the business in hand, would have been marked
+as high as Dave had been.
+
+As the section was marching back to Bancroft Dan whispered:
+
+"Dave, did you hear the old owl go 'too-whoo' at me in the section
+room?"
+
+"Stop talking in section!" ordered Dave crisply.
+
+"Blazes!  There isn't a single spot at Annapolis where a fellow
+can take a chance on being funny!" muttered Dalzell under his breath.
+
+"Dave, old chum," cried Dan tossing his cap on the bed as they
+entered their room.  "Are you going to turn greaser, and stay greaser?"
+
+"What do you mean?" asked Darrin quietly.
+
+"You told me to shut up in the ranks."
+
+"That was right, wasn't it?  I am under orders to see that there
+is no talking in the section when marching."
+
+"Not even a solitary, teeny little word, eh?"
+
+"Not if I can stop it," replied Dave.
+
+"And what if you can't stop it?"
+
+"Then I am obliged to direct the offender to put himself on the
+report."
+
+"Great Scott!  Would you tell your chum to frap the pap for a
+little thing like that, and take demerits unto himself?"
+
+"If I had to," nodded Dave.  "You see, Dan, we're here trying
+to learn to be Naval officers and to hold command.  Now, it's
+my belief that a man who can't take orders, and stick to them,
+isn't fit to give orders at any period in his life."
+
+"This sort of thing is getting on my nerves a bit," grumbled Dan.
+"Just think of all the freedom we had in the good old days back
+at Gridley!"
+
+"This is a new life, Dan--a different one and a better one."
+
+"Maybe," half assented Dalzell, who was beginning to accumulate
+the elements of a "grouch."
+
+"Dan," asked Darrin, as he seated himself at his desk and opened
+a book preparatory to a long bit of hard study, "don't you know
+that your bed isn't the regulation place to hang your cap?"
+
+"Oh, hang the cap, and the regulations, too!" grumbled Dalzell.
+"I'm beginning to feel that I've got to break through at some
+point."
+
+"Pick up your cap, and put it on its hook--do," begged Darrin
+coaxingly.
+
+At the same time he looked us with a smile which showed that he
+thought his friend was acting in a very juvenile manner.
+
+Something impelled Dan to comply with his chum's request.  Then,
+after hanging the cap, with great care, on its nail, the disgruntled
+one slipped to the study table and picked up a book.
+
+Just as he did so there came a knock on the door.
+
+Then Lieutenant Stapleton, in white gloves and wearing his sword,
+stepped into the room, followed by a midshipman, also white-gloved.
+
+Lieutenant Stapleton was the officer in charge, the young man
+the midshipman in charge of the floor.
+
+"Good morning, gentlemen," said the Lieutenant pleasantly, as
+both midshipmen promptly rose to their feet and stood at attention.
+Dave and Dan remained standing at attention while the lieutenant
+stepped quickly about the room, taking in everything with a practiced
+glance.
+
+"Everything in order," commented the lieutenant, as he turned
+to the door.  "Resume your work, gentlemen."
+
+"Maybe you're glad you hung your cap up just in time," grinned
+Dave.
+
+"Oh, bother the whole scheme!" grunted Dan "The idea of a fellow
+having to be a jumping-jack all the time!"
+
+"A midshipman has to be a jumping-jack, I reckon," replied Dave,
+"until he learns to be a man and to live up to discipline as only
+a man can."
+
+"See here, do you mean to say--"
+
+"Go on with your study of English, unless you're sure you know
+all the fine points of the language," interrupted Darrin.  "I
+know I don't and I want time to study."
+
+Dan gazed steadily at his chum, but Darrin seemed too deeply absorbed
+in his work to be conscious of the gaze.
+
+On the whole studies and recitations passed off rather pleasantly
+for both chums that day, though both could see that there were
+breakers ahead.
+
+After supper a few minutes were allowed for recreation, which
+consisted mostly of an opportunity for the midshipmen to chat
+with each other.  Then came the call that sent them to their rooms
+to study for two solid hours.
+
+"I wish the powers that be would let us sit up an hour later,"
+sighed Dave, looking up from his book in the middle of the study
+period.
+
+"I'd rather they'd let us sleep an hour later in the morning,"
+grumbled Dan.
+
+"But, really, it would be great to have chance to study an hour
+more each evening," insisted Dave.
+
+"Huh!"
+
+"Yes; I begin to feel that we're going to need more study time
+than we get, if we're ever to pass."
+
+At 9.30 the release bell rang.  Dan closed his book with a joyful
+bang, Darrin closing his much more reluctantly.
+
+"I'm going visiting," declared Dalzell, starting toward the door.
+
+Before he could reach the door, however, there sounded a slight
+knock and two midshipmen of the third class stepped in.
+
+"Mister, what's your name?" demanded one of the visitors.
+
+"Dalzell, sir," replied Dan, standing at attention.
+
+"What's yours, mister?
+
+"Darrin, sir."
+
+"Stand on your head, mister."
+
+Dave obeyed with good-natured speed.
+
+"That will do, mister.  Now, on your head, mister."
+
+Dan made a grimace, but obeyed.
+
+Then the other visitor demanded:
+
+"Do either of you fourth class men intend to try to be ratey?"
+
+"No, sir," replied Darrin promptly.
+
+"Do you, mister?" turning to Dalzell.
+
+"No, sir."
+
+"Are you both a bit touge?" asked the youngster questioner.
+
+"I hope not, sir," replied Dave.
+
+"Do you feel that way, mister?"--looking at Dan.
+
+"What way, sir?"
+
+"Do you feel inclined to be touge, mister?"
+
+"I'm willing to be anything that's agreeable, and not too much
+work, sir," replied Dan, grinning.
+
+It is offensive for a fourth class man to grin in the presence
+of an upper class man.
+
+Moreover, two other youngsters had just stepped into the room
+to watch proceedings.
+
+"Mister," commanded the youngster whom Dan had answered, "wipe
+that grin off your face."
+
+Dalzell drew out his handkerchief, making several elaborate passes
+across his countenance with it.
+
+"Touge!" growled his inquisitor.
+
+"Very touge, indeed," assented the other three youngsters.
+
+"Why did you bring out your handkerchief, mister?"
+
+"Just obeying orders," replied Dan, with another grin.
+
+"Wipe that grin off your face, sir!--no, not with your handkerchief!"
+
+So Dalzell thrust the handkerchief away and applied his blouse
+sleeve to his face.
+
+"Stop that, mister!
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Dalzell meekly.
+
+"Don't you know how to wipe a grin off your face?"
+
+"I'm not sure, sir," Dan admitted.
+
+"Mister, you are wholly touge!  I'm not sure but that you're a
+ratey plebe as well."
+
+Thereupon Youngster Quimby plunged into a scathing lecture on
+the subject of a plebe being either touge or ratey.  At first
+Dan listened with a becoming air of respect.  Before long, however,
+a huge grin began to illumine Dalzell's face.
+
+"Wipe that grin off, mister!" commanded Mr. Quimby sternly.
+
+"I--I simply can't!" gasped Dan, then began to roar with laughter.
+
+"Why can't you?" insisted Quimby.  "What's the matter?
+
+"It's--it's your face!" choked Dan.
+
+"My face?" repeated Quimby, reddening "What do you mean, sir?"
+
+"I--I--it would be a shame to tell you!" sputtered Dalzell between
+spasms of laughter.
+
+Truth to tell, Midshipman Quimby did look funny when he attempted
+to be over-stern.  Quimby's face was one of his sensitive points,
+anyway.  Yet it was not, strictly speaking, the face, but the
+look of precocious authority on that face which had sent Dan,
+with his keen sense of humor, off into spasms of laughter.  But
+the youngster didn't propose to see the point.
+
+"Mister," spoke Midshipman Quimby, with an added sternness of
+look that sent Dan off into another guffaw, "you have been guilty
+of insulting an upper class man.  Your offense has been so
+serious--so rank--that I won't accept an apology.  You shall
+fight, mister!"
+
+"When?  Whom?" asked Dan, the big grin still on his face.
+
+"_Me_, mister--and as soon as the thing can be pulled off."
+
+"Oh, all right, sir," nodded Dalzell.  "Any time you like, then,
+sir.  I've been accustomed, before coming here, to getting most
+of my exercise out of fighting.  But--pardon me, if I meet, I
+shall have to hit--pardon me--that face."
+
+"Call this plebe out, Quimby, and trim him in good shape," urged
+one of the other youngsters present.  "He's touge all the way
+through.  He'll need trimming."
+
+"And he'll get it, too," wrathfully promised Midshipman Quimby, who
+was rated high as a fighter at the Naval Academy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+"JUST FOR EXERCISE"
+
+
+"Now, then, mister, keep your eyes on my humorous face!"
+
+It was the next evening, over behind the old government hospital.
+
+Midshipman Quimby had just stepped forward, from the hands of
+his seconds, two men of the third class.
+
+"I can't keep my eyes away from that face, and my hands are aching
+to follow the same route, sir," grimaced Dalzell.
+
+He, too, had just stepped forward from the preliminary care of
+Dave and of Rollins, for that latter fourth class man was as anxious
+to see this fight as he had been the other one.
+
+"Stop your talk, mister," commanded Midshipman Ferris, of the
+second class, who was present to officiate as referee.  "On the
+field you talk with your hands.  Don't be touge all the time,
+or you'll soon have a long fight calendar."
+
+"Very good, sir," nodded Dan, his manner suddenly most respectful--as
+far as appearance went.
+
+Dave Darrin did not by any means approve his chum's conduct of
+the night before, but Dave was on hand as second, just the same,
+and earnestly hoping that Dan might get at least his share of
+the honors in the event that was now to be "pulled off."
+
+"Gentlemen," began Mr. Ferris, in the monotonous way of referees,
+"this fight is to be to a finish, without gloves.  Hand-shaking
+will be dispensed with.  Are you ready?"
+
+"Ready!" assented both.
+
+"Time!"
+
+Both men advanced warily.
+
+Quimby knew well enough that he could whip the plebe, but he didn't
+intend to let Dalzell get in any blows that could be guarded against.
+
+Both men danced about until Mr. Ferris broke in, rather impatiently:
+
+"Stop eating chocolates and mix it up!"
+
+"Like this, sir?" questioned Dan.  Darting in, on a feint, he
+followed Quimby's block with a blow that jolted the youngster's
+chin.
+
+Then Dan slipped away again, grinning gleefully, well aware that
+nothing would anger Quimby more easily than would that same grin.
+"I'll wipe that disgrace off your face myself," growled Quimby,
+closing in briskly.
+
+"Come over here and get it," taunted Dan, showing some of his
+neatest footwork.
+
+Quimby sent in three blows fast; two of them Dalzell blocked,
+but one hit him on the chest, staggering him slightly.  Midshipman
+Quimby started to follow up his advantage.  In another moment,
+however, he was backing away with a cut lip.
+
+"There's something to wipe off your own face," suggested Dan,
+grinning harder than ever.
+
+Stung, Mr. Quimby made strenuous efforts to pay back with worse coin.
+He was still trying when the call of time sounded.
+
+"You didn't half go in after him, Dan," murmured Dave, as the latter
+and Rollins quickly toweled their man in the corner.
+
+"If I had, I might have gotten more of him than I wanted," muttered
+Dalzell.
+
+"Why don't you mix it up faster?" queried Rollins.
+
+"Because," proclaimed Midshipman Dan, "I don't want to fight or
+get hurt.  I'm doing this sort of thing just for exercise, you
+understand."
+
+Then they were called into the second round.  Quimby, in the meantime,
+had been counseled to crowd the plebe hard, and to hammer him when
+he got close.
+
+So, now, Quimby started in to do broadside work.  At last he scored
+fairly, hitting Dalzell on the nose and starting the flow.
+
+But, within ten seconds, Dalzell had return the blow with interest.
+After that things went slowly for a few more seconds, when time
+was again called.
+
+"That plebe isn't exactly easy," Quimby confided to his seconds.
+"I've got to watch him, and be cautious.  I haven't seen a plebe as
+cool and ready in many a day."
+
+In the third round Quimby was perhaps too cautious.  He did not
+rush enough.  Dan, on the other hand, bore down a bit.  Just before
+the call of time he closed Quimby's right eye.
+
+Both Quimby and his seconds were now dubious, though the youngster's
+fighting pluck and determination ran as high as ever.
+
+"I've got to wipe him off the field in this fourth round, or go to
+the grass myself," murmured Quimby, while his seconds did the best
+they could with him.
+
+"I'm warming up finely," confided Dan to Dave and Rollins.
+
+"You're coming through all right," nodded Dave confidently.  "At
+present you have twice as much vision as the other fellow, and only
+a fraction as much of soreness.  But keep on the watch to the end."
+
+For the first twenty seconds of the new round it was Quimby who
+was on the defensive.  Dan followed him up just warmly enough
+to be annoying.
+
+At last, however, Dan straightened, stiffened, and there was a
+quick flash in his eyes.
+
+He saw his chance, and now he jumped in at it.  His feint reached
+for Quimby's solar plexus, but the real blow, from Dalzell's right
+hand, hammered in, all but closing Quimby's other eye.
+
+Smack!  Right on top of that staggerer came a hook that landed
+on the youngster's forehead with such force that Quimby fell over
+backward.  He tried to catch himself, but failed, and lurched
+to the ground.
+
+"--six, seven, eight--" counted the timekeeper.
+
+Quimby staggered bravely to his feet, but stood there, his knees
+wobbling, his arms all but hanging at his side.
+
+Dan did not try to hit.  He backed off slightly keeping only at
+half-guard and watching his opponent.
+
+"What's the matter, Quimby" called Mr. Ferris.  "Can't you go on?"
+
+"Yes; I'm going on, to the knock-out!" replied the youngster doggedly.
+
+He tried to close in, but was none too steady on his feet.  Dan,
+watching him, readily footed it, merely watching for the youngster
+to lead out.
+
+"Time!"
+
+Quimby's two seconds rushed to his side.  Midshipman Ferris and
+the time-keeper also gathered around.
+
+"Quimby," spoke the referee, "you're in no shape to go on."
+
+"I can stand up and be hit," muttered the youngster gamely.
+
+"Mr. Dalzell, do you care to go further?" asked Mr. Ferris.
+
+"I shan't attempt to hit Mr. Quimby, sir, unless he develops a
+good deal more steam."
+
+Ferris looked at Quimby's seconds.  They shook their head.
+
+"I award the fight to Mister Dalzell," declared Midshipman Ferris.
+
+"Oh, give it to Mr. Quimby, if you don't mind, sir," begged Dan.
+"He got the game, and might as well have the name along with it."
+
+"Mister, don't be touge all the time," cried Mr. Ferris sharply.
+
+"I don't mean to be, sir," replied Dan quite meekly.  "What I
+meant to convey, sir, is that I don't care anything about winning
+fights.  The decision, sir, is of very little importance to me.
+I don't fight because I like it, but merely because I need the
+exercise.  A fight about once a week will be very much to my liking,
+sir."
+
+"You'll get it, undoubtedly," replied Midshipman Ferris dryly.
+
+"Whee, won't it be great!" chuckled Dan, in an undertone, as he
+stepped over to his seconds.  "Give me that towel, Dave.  I can
+rub myself off."
+
+While Dan was dressing, and Quimby was doing the same, one of
+the seconds of the youngster class came over, accompanied by the
+timekeeper.
+
+"Mister, you really do fight as though you enjoyed it," remarked
+the latter.
+
+"But I don't," denied Dan.  "I'm willing to do it, though, to
+keep myself in condition.  Say once a week, except in really hot
+weather.  A little game like this tones up the liver so that I
+can almost feel it dancing inside of me."
+
+As he spoke, Dalzell clapped both hands to his lower left side
+and jumped up and down.
+
+"You heathen, your liver isn't there," laughed the time-keeper.
+
+"Isn't it?" demanded Dan.  "Now, I'm ready to maintain, at all
+times, that I know more about my liver and its hanging-out place
+than anyone else possibly can."
+
+There was a note of half challenge in this, but the time-keeper
+merely laughed and turned away.  Members of the second class usually
+feel too grave and dignified to "take it out of" plebes.  That
+work is left to the "youngsters" of the third class.
+
+A little later Mr. Quimby presented himself for medical attendance.
+His face certainly showed signs of the need of tender ministration.
+"Dan, why in the world are you so fresh?" remonstrated Dave,
+when the two chums were back in their room.  "You talk as though
+you wanted to fight every man in the upper classes.  You'll get
+your wish, if you don't look out."
+
+"Old fellow," replied Dalzell quizzically, "I expect to get into
+two or three more fights.  I don't mean to be touge, but I do
+intend to let it be seen that I look upon it as a lark to be called
+out.  Then, if I win the next two or three fights also, I won't
+be bothered any after that.  This is my own scheme for joining the
+peace society before long."
+
+Nor is it wholly doubtful that Dan's was the best plan, in the
+long run, for a peaceful life among a lot of spirited young men.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+MIDSHIPMAN HENKEL DOES SOME THINKING
+
+
+"Busy" asked Midshipman Henkel, of the fourth class, stepping
+into the room which Farley and Page shared.
+
+The release bell had just sounded, giving all of the young men
+a brief interval of freedom before taps.
+
+"Not especially," laughed Farley, as he finished stacking his
+books and papers neatly.
+
+It was about a week after the night of Dan's fight with Midshipman
+Quimby.
+
+"Let me get a good look at your face, Farley, under the light,"
+continued Henkel.  "Why, it looks almost natural again.  My, but
+it was a rough pounding that fellow, Darrin, gave it!"
+
+"Yes," nodded Farley, flushing.
+
+"Let me see; isn't it about time that you squared matters up with
+Darrin?" went on Midshipman Henkel.
+
+"How?  What do you mean?" demanded Farley, while Page, too, looked
+on with interest.
+
+"Well, first of all, Darrin gets the whole bunch of us ragged by the
+watchman.  The when you object, he pounds your face at his own sweet
+will."
+
+"What are you trying to do?" laughed Farley.  "Are you trying to fan
+up the embers of my wrath against Darrin?"
+
+"Such embers shouldn't need much fanning," retorted Mr. Henkel coolly.
+"Surely, you are not going to let the dead dog lie?"
+
+"Darrin and I fought the matter out, and he had the good fortune
+to win the appeal to force," replied Plebe Farley stiffly.  "I
+don't associate with him now, and don't expect to, later on, if
+we both graduate into the Navy."
+
+"That satisfies your notions of honor, does it, with regard to
+a man who not only injured you, but pounded your face to a fearful
+pulp?"
+
+Henkel's tone as he put the question, was one of bitter irony.
+
+"Do you know," demanded Farley, rising, his face now flushing
+painfully, "I don't wholly like your tone."
+
+"Forget it, then," begged Henkel.  "I don't mean to be offensive
+to you, Farley.  I haven't the least thought in the world like
+that.  But I take this whole Darrin business so bitterly to heart
+that I suppose I am unable to comprehend how you can be so meek
+about it."
+
+"Meek?" cried Farley.  "What do you mean by that word?"
+
+"Well, see here," went on Henkel coaxingly, "are we men of spirit,
+or are we not?  We fellows devise a little outing in the town
+of Annapolis.  It's harmless enough, though it happens to be against
+the rules in the little blue book.  We are indiscreet enough to
+let Darrin in on the trick, and he pipes the whole lay off to
+some one.  Result--we are 'ragged' and fifty 'dems.' apiece.
+When you accuse Darrin of his mean work he gives you the lie.
+True, you show spirit enough to fight him for it, but the fight
+turns out to be simply more amusement for him.  Now, I've been
+thinking over this thing and I can't rest until the mean work
+is squared.  But I find you, who suffered further indignities
+under Darrin's fists, quite content to let the matter rest.  That's
+why I am astonished, and why I say so frankly."
+
+Having delivered this harangue with an air of patient justice,
+Henkel seated himself with one leg thrown over the edge of the
+study table, waiting to hear what Farley could say in reply.
+"Well, what do you plan to do further in the matter?" insisted
+Midshipman Farley.
+
+"To get square with Darrin!"
+
+"How?"
+
+"Well, now see here, Farley, and you, too, Page, what has happened?
+At first we had the class pretty sore against Darrin for getting our
+crowd ragged.  Since the fight, however, in which you were pummeled
+like--"
+
+"Never mind my fate in the fight," interposed Farley.  "It was
+a fair fight."
+
+"Well, ever since the fight," resumed Henkel, "Darrin has been
+climbing up again in class favor.  Most of the boobies in the
+fourth class seem to feel that, just because Darrin hammered you
+so, the beating you received proves Darrin's innocence of a mean
+act."
+
+"I can't help what the class concludes," retorted Farley stiffly.
+
+"Page, you have more spirit than that, haven't you?" demanded
+Henkel, wheeling upon Midshipman Farley's roommate.
+
+"I hope I have spirit enough," replied Page, bridling slightly,
+"but I am aware of one big lack."
+
+"What is that?"
+
+"I seem to lack the keen intelligence needed to understand what
+you are driving at, Henkel."
+
+"That's the point, Henkel," broke in Midshipman Farley, walking
+the floor in short turns.  "Just what are you driving at?  Why
+are you trying to make me mad by such frequent references to the
+fact that Darrin won his fight with me?"
+
+"I'm sounding you fellows," admitted Henkel.
+
+"That's just what it rings like," affirmed Midshipman Page, nodding
+his head.  "Well, out with it!  What's your real proposition?"
+
+"Are you with me?" asked Midshipman Henkel warily.
+
+"How can we tell," demanded Farley impatiently, "until you come
+down out of the thunder clouds, and tell us just what you mean?"
+
+"Pshaw, fellows," remarked Mr. Henkel, in exasperation, "I hate
+to think it, but I am beginning to wonder if you two have the
+amount of spirit with which I had always credited you."
+
+"Cut out the part about the doubts," urged Farley, "and tell us,
+in plain English, just what you are driving at."
+
+"Fellows, I believe, then," explained Midshipman Henkel, "that
+we owe it to ourselves, to the Naval Academy and to the Navy,
+to work Dave Darrin out of here as soon as we can."
+
+"How?" challenged Farley flatly.
+
+"Why, can't we put up some scheme that will pile up the 'dems.'
+against that industrious greaser?  Can't we spring a game that
+will wipe all his grease-marks off the efficiency slate?" asked
+Midshipman Henkel mysteriously.
+
+"Do you mean by putting up a job on Darrin?" inquired Page.
+
+"That's just it!" nodded Henkel, with emphasis.
+
+"Putting up a job on a man usually calls for trickery, doesn't it?"
+questioned Farley.
+
+"Why, yes--that is--er--ingenuity," admitted Henkel.
+
+"Trickery isn't the practice of a gentleman, is it?" insisted
+Farley.
+
+"It has to be, sometimes, when we are fighting a rascal," retorted
+Midshipman Henkel.
+
+"I'm afraid I don't see that," rejoined Page, shaking his head.
+"Dirty work is never excusable.  I'd sooner let a fellow seem to win
+over me, for the time being, than to resort to trickery or anything
+like underhanded methods for getting even with him."
+
+"Good for you, Page!" nodded Farley "That's the whole game for
+a gentleman--and that's what either a midshipman or a Naval officer
+is required to be.  Henkel, old fellow, you are a little too hot
+under your blouse collar tonight.  Wait until you've cooled off,
+and you'll sign in with us on our position."
+
+"Then you fellows are going to play the meek waiting game with
+Darrin, are you?" sneered Henkel.
+
+"We're going to play the only kind of game that a gentleman may
+play," put in Page incisively, "and we are not going to dally with
+any game about which a gentleman need feel the least doubt."
+
+"You've spoken for me, Page, old chap," added Farley.
+
+Midshipman Henkel took his leg off the desk, stood there for a
+moment, eyeing his two comrades half sneeringly, then turned on
+his heel and left the room.  Just before he closed the door after
+him Henkel called back:
+
+"Good night, fellows."
+
+"Well, what do you think of that?" demanded Farley, a moment later.
+
+"I think," replied Midshipman Page, "just as you do, that Darrin,
+in his desire to bone grease somewhere, played a dirty trick on
+us.  I consider Darrin to be no better than a dog, and I apologize
+to the dog.  But we're not going to make dogs of ourselves in order
+to even up matters."
+
+"We're certainly not," replied Farley, with a nod.  "Oh, well,
+Henkel is a mighty good fellow, at heart.  He'll cool down and
+come around all right."
+
+At that instant, however, Midshipman Henkel, with a deep scowl
+on his face, was whispering mysteriously with his roommate Brimmer.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+A CHRONIC PAP FRAPPER
+
+
+Another week had passed.
+
+By this time all of the new midshipmen had had a very strong taste
+of what the "grind" is like at the U.S. Naval Academy.
+
+If the lessons had seemed hard at the outset, the young men now
+regarded the tax demanded on their brains as little short of inhuman.
+
+The lessons were long and hard.  No excuse of "unprepared" or
+otherwise was ever accepted in a section room.
+
+The midshipman who had to admit himself "unprepared" immediately
+struck "zip," or absolute zero as a marking for the day.  Many such
+marks would swiftly result in dragging even a bright man's average
+down to a point where he would fall below two-five and be "unsat."
+
+"I thought we plugged along pretty steadily when we were in the
+High School," sighed Dave Darrin, looking up from a book.  "Danny
+boy, a day's work here is fully three times as hard as the severest
+day back at the High School.
+
+"David, little giant," retorted Dalzell, "your weak spot is arithmetic.
+It's just seven times as hard here as the worst deal that we ever got
+in the High School."
+
+"Oh, well," retorted Darrin doggedly, "other men have stood this
+racket before us, and have graduated into the Navy.  If they did
+it, we can do it, too.  Mr. Trotter was telling me, yesterday,
+that the plebe year is the hardest year of all here."
+
+"Mr. Trotter is a highly intelligent individual, then," murmured
+Dan Dalzell.
+
+"He explained that the first year is the hardest just because the
+new man has never before learned how to study.  After our first
+year here, he says, we'll have the gait so that we can go easily
+at the work given us."
+
+"If we ever live through the first year," murmured Dan disconsolately.
+"As for me, I'm hovering at the 'unsat.' line all the time, and
+constantly fearing that I'm going to be unseated.  If I could
+see myself actually getting through the first year here, with
+just enough of an average to save me, I'd be just as happy as
+ever a fourth class man can hope to be here."
+
+"Remember the old Gridley spirit, Danny boy," coaxed Dave.  "We
+can't be licked--just because we don't know how to take a licking.
+We're going to get through here, Danny, and we're going to become
+officers in the Navy.  It's tough on the way--that's all."
+
+"And we green young idiots," sighed Dalzell, "thought the life
+here was just a life of parading, with yachting thrown in on the
+side.  We were going to feel swell in our gold lace, and puff
+out our chests under the approving smiles of the girls.  We were
+going to lead the german--and, say, Dave, what were some of the
+other fool things we expected to find happiness in doing at Annapolis?
+
+"It served us right," grunted Darrin, "if we imagined that we
+were going to get through without real work.  Danny boy, I don't
+believe there's a single thing in life--worth having--a fellow
+can get without working hard for it!"
+
+"There goes the call for mathematics, Dave.  We'll tumble out and
+see whether we can get a two-six today.
+
+"Or a two-seven," suggested Darrin hopefully.  "My, but how far
+away a full four seems!
+
+"Did anyone ever get a full four?" asked Dan, opening his eyes
+very wide.
+
+As each, with his uniform cap set squarely on, and his book and
+papers carried in left hand, turned out, he found the corridor
+to be swarming with midshipmen fully as anxious as were this pair.
+
+A minute later hundreds of midshipmen were forming by classes.
+Then the classes parted into sections and the little groups marched
+away in many directions, all going at brisk military gait.
+Dave got through better, that forenoon, than usual.  He made
+a three-one, while Dalzell scored a two-eight.
+
+Then this section, one of many, marched back.
+
+As Dave and Dan swung down the corridor, and into their own room,
+they halted, just inside the door, and came quickly to attention.
+Lieutenant Hall, the officer in charge for the day, stood there,
+and with him the midshipman who served as assistant cadet officer
+of the day.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," spoke Lieutenant Hall severely, "here is your dress
+jacket on the floor, and with dust ground into it."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Dave, saluting.  "But I left it on its proper
+hook--I am sure of that."
+
+Up came Dan's hand in quick salute.
+
+"May I speak, sir?"
+
+"Yes, Mr. Dalzell," replied the officer in charge.
+
+"I remember seeing Mr. Darrin's coat hanging properly on its hook,
+sir, just before we marched off to math. recitation."
+
+"Did you leave the room, Mr. Dalzell, after Mr. Darrin, or even
+with him?" questioned Lieutenant Hall.
+
+"No-o, sir.  I stepped out just ahead of Mr. Darrin."
+
+"That is all, then, Mr. Dalzell.  Mr. Darrin, there is a pair
+of your shoes.  They are in place, but one of them is muddy."
+
+Dave glanced at the shoes uneasily, a flush coming to his face.
+
+"I am certain, sir, that both shoes were in proper condition when
+I left to go to the last recitation."
+
+"Then how do you account for the dust-marked dress jacket on the
+floor, and the muddy shoe, Mr. Darrin?"
+
+"I can think of no explanation to offer, sir."
+
+"Nor can I imagine any excuse," replied Lieutenant Hall courteously,
+yet skeptically.
+
+Lieutenant Hall made a further inspection of the room, then turned
+to Dave.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, you will put yourself on the report for these two
+examples of carelessness of your uniform equipment."
+
+"Very good, sir."
+
+Saluting, Dave crossed to the study table, laying his book and
+papers there.  Then, once more saluting, he passed Lieutenant
+Hall and made his way to the office of the officer in charge.
+
+Taking one of the blanks, and a pen, Dave Darrin filled out the
+complaint against himself, and turned it over.
+
+"Dave, you didn't leave your things in any such shape as that?"
+burst from Dan as soon as Dave had returned to his room.
+
+"I didn't do it--of course I didn't," came impatiently from Darrin.
+
+"Then who did?"
+
+"Some fellow may have done it for a prank."
+
+Dan shook his head, replying, stubbornly:
+
+"I don't believe that any fellow in the Naval Academy has a sense
+of humor that would lead him to do a thing like that, just as
+a piece of what he would consider good-natured mischief.  Dave,
+this sort of report against you on pap means demerits."
+
+"Fortunately," smiled Darrin, "the pap sheet is so clear of my
+name that I can stand a few demerits without much inconvenience."
+
+But at breakfast formation, the next morning, Dave's name was
+read off with twenty demerits.
+
+"That's a huge shame," blazed forth Dan, as soon as the chums were
+back in their room, preparing to march to their first recitation.
+
+"Oh, well, it can't be helped--can it?" grimaced Dave.
+
+Within the next fortnight, however, Darrin's equipment and belongings
+were found to be in bad shape no less than five other times.
+With a few demerits which he had received in the summer term Dave
+now stood up under one hundred and twenty demerits.
+
+"I'm allowed only three hundred demerits for the year, and two
+hundred by January will drop me," muttered Dave, now becoming
+thoroughly uneasy.
+
+For, by this time, he was certain that some unknown enemy had
+it "in for him."  Darrin felt almost morally certain that some
+one--and it must be a midshipman--was at the bottom these troubles.
+Yet, though he and Dan had done all they could think of to catch
+the enemy, neither had had the least success in this line.
+
+"Eighty demerits more to go," muttered Dave, "and the superintendent
+will recommend to the Secretary of the Navy that I be dropped
+for general inaptitude.  It seems a bit tough, doesn't it, Danny
+boy?"
+
+"It's infamous!" blazed Dalzell.  "Oh, if I could only catch the
+slick rascal who is at the bottom of all this!"
+
+"But both of us together don't seem to be able to catch him,"
+replied Darrin dejectedly.  "Oh, well, perhaps there won't be
+any more of it.  Of course, I am already deprived of all privileges.
+But then, I never care to go into Annapolis, and I am never invited
+to officers' quarters, anyway, so the loss of privileges doesn't
+mean so very much.  It's the big danger of losing my chance to
+remain here at the Naval Academy that is worrying me."
+
+Yet outwardly, to others, Dave Darrin was patient.  His surplus
+irritation he vented in extraordinary effort in the gymnasium,
+where he was making a remarkable record for himself.
+
+But of course his worries were reflected in his studies and recitations.
+Dave was dropping steadily.  He seemed soon destined to reach
+the "wooden section" in math.  This "wooden section" is the section
+composed of the young men who stand lowest of all in a given study.
+The men of the "wooden section" are looked upon as being certain
+of dismissal when the semiannual examinations come along.
+
+Now, for five days, things went along more in a better groove.
+Nothing happened to Darrin, and he was beginning to hope that
+his very sly persecutor had ceased to annoy him for good.
+
+On the sixth day, however, the chums returned from recitation
+in English.
+
+"Nothing seems to be wrong here," remarked Dave, with a sigh of
+satisfaction.
+
+"Umf--umf!" sniffed Dan, standing still in the middle of the
+room.  "Doesn't it smell a little as though some one had been
+smoking in here?"
+
+"Don't even suggest the thing!" begged Dave turning white at the
+thought.
+
+Tap-tap!  sounded at the door.  In walked the white-gloved cadet
+assistant officer of the day.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, you will report immediately to the officer in charge."
+
+"Very good, sir," Dave answered.
+
+This was again Lieutenant Hall's day to be in charge.  Dave walked
+into that gentleman's office, saluted, reported his presence under
+orders and then stood at attention.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," began Lieutenant Hall, "I had occasion to inspect
+your room.  The air was quite thick with tobacco smoke.  I felt
+it necessary to make a very thorough search.  In the pocket of
+your rain-coat I found"--Lieutenant Hall produced from his desk
+a pouch of tobacco and a well-seasoned pipe--"these."
+
+The officer in charge looked keenly at Darrin, who had turned
+almost deathly white.  Certainly Dave had the appearance of one
+wholly guilty.
+
+"Have you anything to say, Mr. Darrin?" continued the officer in
+charge.
+
+"I have never, in my life, sir, smoked or used tobacco in any form,"
+Darrin truthfully answered.
+
+"Then how did these articles come to be in your possession?"
+
+"They were _not in my possession_, sir, were they?" Darrin asked,
+with the utmost respect.
+
+Lieutenant Hall frowned perceptibly.
+
+"Mr. Darrin, do not attempt any quibble.  The circumstances under
+which these articles were found place them sufficiently in your
+possession.  What have you to say that will clear you?"
+
+"I can offer, sir, the testimony of my roommate, Mr. Dalzell,
+who will declare most positively that he has never known me to
+use tobacco."
+
+"Did Mr. Dalzell leave your room with you when you went to your
+last recitation?"
+
+"No, sir; he left fifteen minutes before, by permission, to go
+to his locker in the gymnasium to look over certain articles there."
+
+"Then you are unable to call your roommate to support your assertion
+that you did not smoke before going with your section to recitation
+in English?"
+
+"I have only my unsupported word, sir, as a midshipman and a gentleman,
+to offer."
+
+"Under almost all circumstances, Mr. Darrin, a midshipman's word
+of honor should be sufficient.  But you have been reported several
+times of late, and with apparent justice.  You will make in writing,
+Mr. Darrin, at once, such report as you wish to hand in on this
+incident, and the report against you will be considered in the
+usual way."
+
+Dave returned to his room.  Though he was discouraged his face looked
+grim, and his air was resolute.
+
+Taking pen and paper he began to prepare his report on this latest
+charge.
+
+Having finished and signed, Dave next picked up a bit of exercise
+paper and began to figure.
+
+"What are you doing, old chap?" asked Dan sympathetically.
+
+"My head is in too much of a whirl for me to trust myself to any
+mental arithmetic," Darrin answered.  "I have been figuring how
+much further I have to go.  First offense of having tobacco in
+possession calls for twenty-five demerits.  That brings the total
+up to one hundred and forty-five.  Dave, I have a lease of life
+here amounting to fifty-four more demerits in this term.  The
+fifty-fifth signs my ticket home!
+
+"The next trick of this kind attempted," cried Dalzell, his face
+glowing with anger, "must sign, instead, the home ticket of the
+rascal who is at the bottom of all this!"
+
+"But how?" demanded Dave blankly.  "He has been entirely too slick
+to allow himself to be caught."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+MIDSHIPMAN FARLEY'S ABOUT-FACE
+
+
+The gloom that now hung over Dave Darrin was the thickest, the
+blackest that he had ever encountered in his short life.
+
+He was fully convinced, of course, that his troubles were the
+work of some determined and unscrupulous enemy or enemies.
+
+Yet he was equally convinced that he was not likely to catch the
+plotter against his happiness.  He and Dan had already done all
+that seemed to be in their power.
+
+On the Saturday afternoon following the tobacco incident the first
+ray came to light up the gloom--though it did not take away any
+of awesome demerits that had piled up against him.
+
+Dave and Dan were standing chatting in a group of about a score of
+fourth class men when Farley and Page stepped briskly in their
+direction.
+
+Dave glanced at the pair in some astonishment, for it was weeks
+since he had been on speaking terms with either of them, and now
+both looked as though about to address him.
+
+"One moment gentlemen, all, if you please," called out Midshipman
+Farley.  "Let no one leave just now.  I have something to say
+that I wish to make as public as possible."
+
+Then, turning toward the astonished Darrin, Mr. Farley continued:
+
+"Darrin, I got into a bad scrape once, and I accused you of carrying
+the information that resulted in several others and myself being
+detected.  I was positive in my charge.  I now wish to make you the
+most public apology that is possible.  I know now that you did not
+in any way betray myself and my companions."
+
+"I am glad you have come to this conclusion," Dave Darrin replied.
+
+"It is not exactly a conclusion," replied Farley frankly.  "It is
+a discovery."
+
+"How did you find it out, Farley?" asked Dan Dalzell, speaking to
+that midshipman for the first time in many weeks.
+
+"I have the word of the watchman who caught us.  That is old Grierson,
+and there isn't a more honest old fellow in the yard."
+
+"Did you ask Grierson, Farley?" questioned another midshipman
+gravely.
+
+"No; for that would be to pile on another offense," replied Farley
+readily.  "I am well enough aware that a midshipman has no right
+to go to a watchman about a matter in which the watchman has reported
+him.  But a civilian is under no such restrictions.  As some of
+you fellows know, my cousin, Sloan, was here at the Academy yesterday.
+Now, Ben Sloan is a newspaper man, and a fellow of an inquiring
+disposition.  I told Ben something about the scrape I had been
+in, and Ben soon afterward hunted up Grierson.  Grierson told
+Ben the whole truth about it.  It seems that Grierson did not
+have any information from anyone.  He saw our crowd go over the
+fence the night we Frenched it.  But Grierson was too far away
+to catch any of us, or recognize us.  So he made no alarm, but
+just waited and prowled until we came back.  He heard the noise
+we made trying to get up over the wall from the outside, and ran
+down to that part of the wall.  He didn't make any noise, and
+stood in the shrubbery until we had all dropped over.  Then he
+stepped out, looked us over quickly and demanded our names.  He
+had us ragged cold, so there was nothing to do but give him our
+names.  Now, there's the whole story fellows, and I'm mighty glad
+I've got at the truth of it."
+
+"So am I," muttered Dan dryly.
+
+"Darrin, you haven't said whether you accept my apology," Farley
+continued insistently.  "I'm mighty sorry for the whole thing,
+and I'm glad you thrashed me as you did when we met.  I richly
+deserved that for my hot-headedness."
+
+For just a moment Dave Darrin couldn't speak, but he held out his
+hand.
+
+"Thank you, old fellow," cried Farley, grasping it.  "From now
+on I hope we shall trust each other and be friends always."
+
+Farley had been a good deal spoiled at home, and had a hasty,
+impetuous temper.  His career at Annapolis, however, was doing much
+to make a man of him in short time.
+
+Several of the other midshipmen spoke, expressing their pleasure
+that the whole thing was cleared up, and that Dave had proved
+to be above suspicion.
+
+"And now I'm off to find the other fellows who were with me that
+night," continued Farley.  "I've told Page, already, but I've
+got to find Scully and Oates, Henkel and Brimmer and put them
+straight also."
+
+Five minutes later Farley was explaining to Midshipman Henkel.
+
+"Well, you are the softy!" said Henkel, in a sneering tone.
+
+"Why?" demanded Farley stiffly.
+
+"To fall for a frame-up like that."
+
+"Do you mean that my cousin lied to me?"
+
+"No; but Grierson certainly did."
+
+"Old man Grierson is no liar," retorted Farley.  "He is one of
+most trusted employes in the yard.  He has caught many a midshipman,
+but Grierson is such a square old brick that the midshipmen of two
+generations love him."
+
+"You're too easy for this rough world," jeered Midshipman Henkel.
+
+"Perhaps I am," retorted Farley.  "But I'm going through it decently,
+anyway."
+
+"So you went and rubbed down Darrin's ruffled fur as gently as you
+could," continued Henkel.
+
+"I went to him and apologized--the only thing a man could do under
+the circumstances."
+
+"And now I suppose some of the fellows are trying to build up an
+altar to Darrin as the class idol?"
+
+"I don't know.  I hope so, for I'm convinced that Dave Darrin is as
+decent a fellow as ever signed papers at Annapolis."
+
+"Go on out and buy some incense to burn before Darrin," laughed
+Henkel harshly.
+
+Perhaps Mr. Henkel might not have been as flippant had he known
+that, all the time, Farley was studying him intently.
+
+"So, in spite of all explanations, you still have no use for Darrin?"
+asked Midshipman Farley.
+
+"I have just as much use for him as I have for any other big sneak,"
+retorted Mr. Henkel. "He betrayed us to the watchman, and I don't
+care what explanations are offered to show that he didn't."
+
+"And you won't be friendly with Darrin?" insisted Farley.
+
+"I?" asked Henkel scornfully.  "Not for an instant!
+
+"Well, I hardly believe that Darrin will care much," replied Mr.
+Farley, turning on his heel and walking out of the room.
+
+"It's a mighty good thing that Darrin is going to be dropped out
+of Annapolis," growled Henkel to himself.  "He's altogether too
+slick in playing a dirty trick on people and then swinging them
+around so that they'll fawn upon him.  When Farley first came
+here he was a fellow of spirit.  But he's been going bad for some
+time, and now he's come out straight and clean for grease-mark!"
+
+Saturday afternoon proved a dull time for Dave Darrin.  The heavy
+pile of demerits opposite his name prevented his getting leave
+even to stroll out into the town of Annapolis.  Dan could have
+gone, but would not leave his chum.
+
+Sunday morning there was chapel, but Dave, usually attentive,
+heard hardly a word of the discourse.  Sunday afternoon he turned
+doggedly to his books.  Dan, who was getting along better, and
+who just now, stood three sections higher than Dave in math.,
+went visiting among the members of his class.
+
+Sunday evening all the cadets were again busy at their studies
+until 9.30.  As early as the regulations allowed Dave turned down
+his bed, undressed and got into it, feeling utterly "blue."
+
+"It's no use," he told himself, as he lay awake, thinking, thinking,
+thinking.  "Some one has it in for me, of course.  But Dan and I
+together can't find out who the rascal is.  He may try nothing
+against me again, for weeks, but sooner or later he'll turn another
+demerit trick against me.  Before January I shall be home again,
+looking for some sort of job."
+
+Before eight o'clock the following morning the class, after muster,
+broke into sections which marched away to recitation in math.
+
+Dan Dalzell was now section leader of one group.  Dave marched in
+the ranks of a much lower section.
+
+This morning the section with which Dave marched was one man short.
+Not until the members had taken their seats, or places at the
+blackboards, did Darrin give heed enough to note that it was Farley
+who was absent.
+
+The section leader, however, had reported that Mr. Farley was
+absent by permission of the head of the Department of Mathematics,
+"for purposes of study."  Unusual as this excuse was the instructor
+had accepted it without making any inquiry.
+
+If Farley was in his room for purposes of study, then what kind
+of "study" could it be?
+
+For at that precise moment, Midshipman Farley was standing close
+to a tiny crack between the edge of his room door and the jamb.
+He was "peeking" out attentively.
+
+Curiously enough Midshipman Page, Farley's roommate, had also
+been excused from attending section work.  At this moment Mr.
+Page sat tilted back in his chair, with his feet resting across
+the corner of the study table.
+
+A most unmilitary pose for Mr. Page, to be sure.  Yet what need
+was there to fear report with roommate Farley thus industriously
+standing by the door?
+
+So Mr. Page hummed softly to himself and stared out of the window.
+
+Midshipman Farley remained by the door until he was becoming decidedly
+wearied of his occupation, and Page had several times shifted his feet.
+
+Then, all of a sudden, Midshipman Farley turned with a low, sharp hiss.
+
+"It?" whispered Midshipman Page, rising swiftly.
+
+"Yes," nodded Farley.
+
+Midshipman Page walked swiftly out of the room, though his heels
+did not make as much noise as usual.
+
+Just after Page had left the room Midshipman Farley stole along
+the corridor, halting before a door.
+
+There he paused, as though on duty.  It was not long before his
+erect attitude was accounted for, for Lieutenant Nettleson, the
+officer in charge, came down into the corridor, followed by the
+cadet officer of the day.
+
+Just a little way behind them walked Midshipman Page.
+
+Farley stood quickly at attention, saluting the officer in charge,
+who returned the salute.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE TRAP IN MIDSHIPMEN'S QUARTERS
+
+
+Tap-Tap! sounded Lieutenant Nettleson's knuckles on the door.
+
+Just a shade longer than usual the lieutenant waited ere he turned
+the door knob and entered the room.
+
+Behind him, like a faithful orderly, stood Midshipman Hawkins, of
+the first class, cadet officer of the day.
+
+A quick look about the room Lieutenant Nettleson took, then turned
+to the cadet officer of the day.
+
+"Mr. Hawkins," spoke the O.C., "Mr. Darrin seems to be growing
+worse in his breaches of duty."
+
+"So it seems, sir," agreed the cadet officer the day.
+
+"Mr. Darrin has left his bed turned down," continued the lieutenant,
+inspecting that article of furniture.  "And, judging by the looks
+of the sheets, he has been abed with his boots on."
+
+"Yes sir."
+
+"You will put Mr. Darrin on the report for this latest offense,
+Mr. Hawkins."
+
+"Aye, aye, sir."
+
+Lieutenant Nettleson made a further inspection of the room.
+
+"And Mr. Darrin has neglected to empty his washbowl.  He has also
+thrown the towel on the floor.  Put Mr. Darrin on the report for
+that as well."
+
+"Aye, aye, sir."
+
+"That is all here, Mr Hawkins."
+
+"Very good, sir."
+
+O.C. and cadet officer of the day turned to leave the room.  As they
+were crossing the threshold Midshipman Farley, saluting, reported:
+
+"I think, sir, if you search more closely, you will find some one
+in this room."
+
+"Very good," replied the officer in charge, turning back.
+
+In truth, Lieutenant Nettleson was already aware that there was a
+prowler in the room, for he had seen a pair of feet in a dark corner;
+but he had purposely awaited Midshipman Farley's report.
+
+Now, swift as a flash, Lieutenant Nettleson turned back, going
+straight so the cupboard in which Dave Darrin's uniform equipment
+hung.
+
+Pushing aside a dress uniform and a raincoat that hung like curtains,
+Lieutenant Nettleson gazed into the face of--Midshipman Henkel!
+
+Henkel had been caught so suddenly, had realized it so tardily, that
+the grin of exultation had not quite faded from his face by the time
+that he stood exposed.
+
+In another second, however, that midshipman's face had turned as
+white as dirty chalk.
+
+"Stand forth, sir!" ordered the O.C. sternly.
+
+Henkel obeyed, his legs shaking under him.
+
+"What is your name?"
+
+"Henkel, sir."
+
+"Mr. Henkel, what are you doing in the room of another midshipman,
+in the absence of both occupants?
+
+"I--I--just dropped in, sir!" stammered affrighted midshipman.
+
+"Mr. Henkel, sir," continued Lieutenant Nettleson sternly, "it
+has long been a puzzle to the discipline officers why Mr. Darrin
+should so deliberately and senselessly invite demerits for lack
+of care of his equipment.  You may now be certain that you will
+be accused of all breaches of good order and discipline that have
+been laid at Mr. Darrin's door.  Have you anything to say, sir."
+
+Midshipman Henkel, who had been doing some swift thinking, had
+had time enough to realize that no one had seen him doing any
+mischief in the room.  The offense, merely, of visiting another
+midshipman's room improperly would call but for ten demerits.
+Pooh!  The scrape was such a simple one that he would lie valiantly
+out of the graver charge and escape with ten demerits.
+
+"I admit being here, sir, without propriety. I am innocent of
+any further wrongdoing, sir," lied the culprit.
+
+Lieutenant Nettleson studied the young man's face keenly.
+
+"Mr. Henkel, was Mr. Darrin's bed turned down and in its present
+disordered state when you entered the room?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"You declare this on your honor as a midshipman and gentleman?"
+
+"Yes, sir," lied the unabashed Henkel.
+
+"Was Mr. Darrin's washbowl in its present untidy state?"
+
+"I don't know, sir.  I didn't notice that."
+
+"Very good, Mr. Henkel.  Go to your room and remain there in close
+arrest.  Do not leave your room, except by orders or proper permission,
+sir."
+
+"Very good, sir," replied Henkel, saluting.  Then, his face still
+a ghastly hue, he turned and marched from the room, not venturing,
+under the eyes of the O.C., to look at either Farley or Page.
+
+When the sections came marching back from math.  Lieutenant Nettleson
+stood outside the door of his office.
+
+"Mr. Darrin!" called the O.C.  And, a moment later, "Mr. Dalzell!"
+
+Both wondering midshipmen approached the officer in charge for the
+day at Bancroft Hall, and saluted.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," stated Lieutenant Nettleson, "you and your roommate
+may go to your room to leave your books.  In the room you will
+find some evidences of disorder.  Do not attempt to set them straight.
+As soon as you have left your books return to me."
+
+"And I also, sir?" queried Dan, saluting.
+
+"You, also, Mr. Dalzell," replied the officer.
+
+"Now, has this thing broken loose again?" groaned Dave Darrin, as the
+two chums hurried below.
+
+"It seems as if it ought to stop some time," gasped Dalzell.
+
+"It will, and soon," gritted Darrin.  "In a very short time, now,
+I shall certainly have the full course of two hundred demerits.
+Great--Scott!"
+
+For now the two chums were in their room, and saw the full extent of
+the mischief there.  "I guess I may as well wire home to Gridley for
+the price of my return ticket," hinted Dave bitterly.
+
+"Don't do anything of the sort," urged Dan, though with but little
+hope in his voice.  "You may still have a margin of ten or fifteen
+dems. left to hold you on."
+
+"We're under orders, Danny boy, to report back to the O.C."
+
+"O.K."
+
+"Come along, then."
+
+In the office of the officer in charge stood Midshipmen Farley and
+Page.  Just after Dave and Dan entered Henkel came in, accompanied
+Midshipman Hawkins, the cadet officer of day.
+
+It was an actually ferocious gaze that Henkel turned upon Darrin.
+In that same instant Dave believed that a great light had broken in
+upon his mind.
+
+"Mr. Hawkins," requested the O.C., "ascertain whether the commandant
+of midshipmen can see us now."
+
+Saluting, the cadet officer of the day passed out of the room, very
+prim and erect, his white gloves of duty a very conspicuous part of
+his uniform.
+
+In a few moments, he returned, raising his right, white-gloved hand
+to the visor of his cap.
+
+"The commandant of midshipmen is ready, sir."
+
+"Come with me, then," directed Lieutenant Nettleson, who had already
+risen to receive the cadet officer's report.
+
+The O.C. led the way into the office of Commander Jephson, U.S. Navy,
+the commandant of midshipmen.
+
+"This, Mr. Nettleson, I understand, relates to Mr. Darrin's late
+apparent course in matters of discipline?" inquired Commander
+Jephson.
+
+The commandant of midshipmen, who was middle-aged and slightly
+bald, removed his eye-glasses, holding them poised in his right
+hand while he gazed calmly at Mr. Nettleson.
+
+"Yes, sir.  This is the matter," replied the O.C., saluting his
+superior.
+
+Commander Jephson had, usually, a manner of slow and gentle speech.
+He impressed one, at first sight, as being a man lacking in "ginger,"
+which was a great mistake, as many a midshipman had found to his
+cost.
+
+The commandant of cadets, however, did not believe in becoming
+excited or excitable until the occasion arose.
+
+"Be good enough to make your statement, Mr. Nettleson," requested
+Commander Jephson.
+
+Consulting a slip of paper that he held in his left hand the younger
+Naval officer recounted the previous instances in which Midshipman
+Darrin, fourth class, U.S. Naval Academy, had been found delinquent
+in that he had slighted the care of his equipment or of his room.
+
+Having made this preliminary statement, the officer in charge now
+came down to the doings of the present day.
+
+Midshipman Henkel kept his gaze fixed on Lieutenant Nettleson's face.
+Henkel's bearing was almost arrogant.  He had fully decided upon
+his course of lying himself out of his serious scrape.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+AIR "THE ROGUE'S MARCH"
+
+
+"It is already, sir," spoke Lieutenant Nettleson, "a matter of
+knowledge with you that Mr. Darrin denied his responsibility in
+each case of disorder among his personal belongings.  It is also
+a matter within your knowledge, sir, that Mr. Darrin, finally,
+in his desperation, informed you that he believed that some enemy
+in the brigade of midshipmen was responsible for all the bad appearances
+against him.
+
+"The reply of this department, sir, to Mr. Darrin, was to the effect
+that, while there was a possibility of his claim being correct, yet
+it was nearly inconceivable.  Mr. Darrin was given permission to
+bring forward any evidence he could secure in support of his view.
+As time passed, and he confessed himself unable to secure any such
+evidence, one set of demerits after another accumulated against
+Mr. Darrin.
+
+"Yesterday, sir, so I am informed, Mr. Farley and Mr. Page approached
+you, stating that they believed they had good reason for suspecting
+a member of the brigade of seeking to injure Mr. Darrin.  Midshipmen
+Farley and Page also stated to you that they believed the offender
+to be a member of the half of the fourth class which does not
+recite in mathematics the same time as does the half of the class
+to which Mr. Darrin and his roommate belong.
+
+"As Midshipmen Farley and Page belong to the half of the class
+that recites during the same periods as do Mr. Darrin and Dalzell,
+Midshipmen Farley and Page requested permission to remain in their
+room during the time when they would otherwise be reciting in
+mathematics.  They were thus to remain for two mornings, and other
+members of the fourth class were then willing to stay on watch
+for two mornings more, and so on, until the offender against Mr.
+Darrin, if there was one, could be caught in the act."
+
+What a baleful glare Midshipman Henkel shot at Farley and Page!
+Then Henkel saw the eye of the commandant of midshipmen fixed
+curiously on him, and glanced down at the floor.
+
+"This very unusual permission, sir, you finally agreed to seek
+from the head of the Department of Mathematics.  So, this morning,
+Mr. Farley and Mr. Page did not march off to recitation in mathematics,
+but remained in their room.  Presently Mr. Page reported to me,
+in great haste, that a midshipman other than Mr. Darrin, or Mr.
+Dalzell had just entered their room.  I thereupon went down to
+that room, knocked, waited a moment, and then entered, accompanied
+by the cadet officer of the day.  The condition of things that
+I found in the room you already, sir, know from my written report.
+While in the room I detected a pair of feet showing under the
+bottom of Mr. Darrin's uniform equipment hanging in his cupboard.
+I pretended, however not to see the feet, and turned to leave
+the room when Mr. Farley, as prearranged, stepped forward and
+informed me that he had seen some one enter the room a while before.
+I then turned and compelled the prowler to step forth.  That
+prowler was Mr. Henkel."
+
+"You questioned Mr. Henkel as to his reason for being in the room?"
+asked Commander Jephson.
+
+"I did, sir."
+
+"Did he deny guilty intention in being there?"
+
+"He did, sir, other than admitting that he had broken the regulations
+by entering another midshipman's room in that midshipman's absence."
+
+Tapping his right temple with the eye-glasses that he held in
+his hand, the commandant of midshipmen turned to look more directly
+at the startled culprit.
+
+"Mr. Henkel, did you arrange any or all of the disorder which
+Lieutenant Nettleson reported having found in Mr. Darrin's room?"
+
+"I did not, sir."
+
+Henkel's voice was clear, firm--almost convincing.
+
+"Have you, at any time, committed any offense in Mr. Darrin's room,
+by tampering with his equipment or belongings, or with the furniture
+of the room?"
+
+"Never, sir," declared Midshipman Henkel positively.
+
+"You are aware that Mr. Darrin has been punished by the imposition
+of a great many demerits for untidiness in the care of his equipment?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"But you were not responsible for any of these seeming delinquencies
+on Mr. Darrin's part?"
+
+"Never, sir."
+
+"You did not turn down, disarrange and soil his bed this forenoon,
+or create the appearance of untidiness in connection with Mr.
+Darrin washbowl?"
+
+"No, sir."
+
+"You make these denials on your word of honor, as a midshipman
+and gentleman?" persisted Commander Jephson.
+
+"I do, sir, and most earnestly and solemnly, sir," replied Midshipman
+Henkel.
+
+"One word, more, Mr. Henkel," went on the commandant of midshipmen.
+"When you improperly entered Mr. Darrin's room this morning,
+did you then observe the signs of disorder which Lieutenant Nettleson
+subsequently discovered and reported?"
+
+"I did, sir, as to the bed.  The washbowl I did not notice."
+
+"That will do, for the present, Mr. Henkel.  Mr. Farley, will you
+now state just what you saw, while watching this forenoon?"
+
+Midshipmen Farley told, simply, how he and Page had commenced
+their watch.
+
+"In the first place, sir," declared Farley, "as soon as Mr. Darrin
+and Mr. Dalzell had left their room, and the corridor was empty,
+Mr. Page and I, acting by permission and direction of this office,
+went at once to Mr. Darrin's room.  We made an inspection.  At
+that time there were no such signs of disorder as those which
+Lieutenant Nettleson subsequently found.  Then, sir, Mr. Page
+and I went back to our room.  I held our door very slightly ajar,
+and stood in such a position that I could glance down the corridor
+and keep Mr. Darrin's room door constantly within my range of
+vision."
+
+"As a matter of vital fact, Mr. Farley," interrupted the commandant
+of midshipmen, "did you at any time relax such vigilance, even for a
+few seconds?"
+
+"Not even for a few seconds, sir."
+
+"After the inspection that Mr. Page and yourself made, who was the
+first person that you saw enter Mr. Darrin's room?"
+
+"Mr. Henkel!
+
+"Was he Alone?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Did you then immediately send Mr Page to the officer in charge?"
+
+"I did, sir."
+
+"And yourself?"
+
+"Without allowing my glance to turn from Mr. Darrin's door, sir, I
+stepped out into the corridor, walked close to Mr. Darrin's room
+door, and then stood there until Lieutenant Nettleson and Mr.
+Hawkins arrived."
+
+"Then, Mr. Farley, you are certain that there was no disorder in
+Mr. Darrin's room at the time when he and Mr. Dalzell left to
+recite in mathematics?
+
+"I am absolutely positive, sir."
+
+"And you are also certain that none but Mr. Henkel entered that room
+up to the time when the disorder was discovered by Lieutenant
+Nettleson?"
+
+"I am certain, sir."
+
+Midshipman Page was then questioned.  He bore out the testimony
+just given by Farley in every particular.
+
+The manner of the commandant of midshipmen was still gentle when he
+turned again to Henkel.
+
+"Mr. Henkel, do you wish to modify your previous statements in
+any way?"
+
+"No, sir," replied Henkel.  "In all my answers I have told the
+whole and exact truth, as I know it.  I am eager, sir, to answer
+any further questions that you may wish to put to me on the subject."
+
+"Gentlemen, you may all withdraw, save Lieutenant Nettleson and
+Mr. Henkel," announced the commandant, after a few moments of
+seemingly mild thought.  "Mr. Hawkins, of course you understand
+that what you know of this matter you know officially, and that
+you are not to mention or discuss it until such time as official
+action shall have been taken.  As for you other midshipmen, I
+see no harm, gentlemen, in your discussing it among yourselves,
+but you will see to it that information does not, for the present,
+spread through the brigade.  You may go, gentlemen."
+
+Once outside Farley and Page walked so rapidly that Dave and Dan
+did not attempt to overtake them in the corridors.  But they found
+Farley and Page waiting outside Dave's room door.
+
+"May we come in?" asked Farley.
+
+"If anyone on earth may," replied Dave heartily, throwing open the
+door, then stepping back to allow the others to enter.
+
+"I'm afraid we've cooked a goose for some one," cried Farley,
+with grim satisfaction.
+
+"Great Scott, yes," breathed Dan Dalzell, in devout thankfulness.
+
+"Is it fair, Farley, for me to ask you whether you suspected Henkel
+before you caught him?" queried Dave Darrin.
+
+"Yes; and the commandant knows that.  Henkel came here one night,
+weeks ago, and mysteriously tried to interest us in putting up
+a job to get you dropped from the Navy rolls.  When Page and I
+really tumbled that an enemy working against you, it didn't take
+us two minutes to guess who that enemy was.  Then we started on
+the warpath."
+
+"I wonder," asked Dave Darrin huskily, "whether it is really necessary
+for me to assure you of the tremendous burden of obligation that
+you've put upon me?"
+
+"It isn't necessary, any way that you can look at the question,"
+retorted Farley promptly.  "What we did for you, Darrin, is no
+more than we'd stand ready to do for any man in the brigade who
+was being ground down and out by a mean trickster."
+
+"Wouldn't I like to take peep in on Henkel, now, while the commandant
+is grilling him in that gentle way the commandant has?" mocked
+Midshipman Page.
+
+"David, little giant, the matter is cleared and as good as squared,"
+cried Dalzell.  "And now I know this is the first time in my life
+that I've ever been really and unutterably happy!"
+
+During the nest two days it was known through the brigade at large
+that Midshipman Henkel was in close arrest.  The brigade did not
+at once learn the cause.  Yet, in such appearances as Henkel was
+permitted to make, it was noted that he bore himself cheerfully
+and confidently.
+
+Then, one day, just before the dinner formation, Darrin was ordered
+to report at the commandant's office.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," announced Commander Jephson, when the midshipman
+had reported and saluted, "I am glad to be able to announce that
+we have been able to pile up so much evidence against Mr Henkel
+that young man finally confessed that it was he, and he alone,
+who created all the disorders with your equipment, and in your
+room for which so many demerits have been inflicted upon you.
+At the dinner formation.  Therefore, when the orders of the day
+are published by the brigade adjutant, you will again hear that
+your demerits, given for the offenses unjustly charged against
+you, have been remitted by order of the superintendent.  You will
+also learn that you have been restored to the first conduct grade,
+with all the privileges belonging to the midshipmen of that grade."
+
+It was with a light heart that Dave Darrin left the commandant's
+office, though the young man had been expecting that very decision.
+
+Yet, despite the fact that he knew it was coming, Dave's heart
+thrilled with exultation and gratitude as he heard the order read
+out in the brigade adjutant's quick, monotonous tones.
+
+Then, immediately following, came another order.
+
+Midshipman Henkel, for dishonorable conduct, was dropped from
+the rolls!
+
+"Fours right, march!"
+
+By companies the brigade wheeled and marched into the mess hall--the
+air resounding with the quick, martial tread of eight hundred or
+more of the pick of young American manhood!
+
+As the command "march" was given one man fell out of the ranks.
+Henkel, from the moment of the publications of the order, was no
+longer a midshipman!
+
+He had fallen deservedly, as one not fit to associate with gentlemen,
+or to figure among the future defenders of his country of honorable
+men.
+
+As the brigade marched indifferently off, and left him there,
+Henkel gazed, for a few moments at the solid ranks of blue and
+gold, and a great sob welled up within him.  In this supreme moment
+he realized all that he had lost--his place among honest men!
+
+Then, crushing down any feeling of weakness, he turned on his heel,
+a sneer darkening his face.
+
+Then, recalling himself, Henkel sprang up the steps and hastened to
+the room that had been partly his.  Here he discarded his uniform
+substituting for it the citizen's clothes which had been brought to
+him from the midshipmen's store.  His own few belongings that he
+cared about taking with him he packed hastily in a dress-suit case.
+
+Yet the task required time.  His roommate, Brimmer, was back before
+Henkel was ready to depart.
+
+"You'd better wait, now, until the coast is clear," whispered
+Brimmer.  "Hosts of the fellows are hanging about outside."
+
+"They won't see me," jeered Henkel harshly.  "I'll wait until
+they're off at afternoon duties.  But see here, Brimmer, don't
+you dare forget that I might have said much about you, and that
+I didn't.  Don't dare forget that I leave to you the task of humbling
+that fellow, Darrin.  If you fail me, Brimmer, it won't be too
+late for me to do some talking."
+
+"Oh, I'll get Darrin out of here," grimaced Brimmer.  "But I won't
+try to do it the way you did.  You went in for enmity.  I'm going
+to undo Darrin by being his friend."
+
+"Well, I'm through and ready to leave," muttered Henkel.  "But
+I'm not going until the coast is clear."
+
+Seating himself by the window, he stared moodily out, thinking
+of the life which had strongly appealed to him, and from which
+he had exiled himself.  While he was so occupied knock sounded
+at the door; then the cadet officer of the day stepped in:
+
+"I see you are ready to go, Mr. Henkel," announced the cadet officer.
+"The published order was to the effect that you leave the Naval
+Academy immediately.  The officer in charge has sent me to see that
+you comply with the order at once."
+
+"Oh, well," muttered Henkel bitterly.  He turned, holding out his
+hand to his late roommate.
+
+"Goodby, Brimmer; good luck!"
+
+"The same to you," replied Brimmer, as their hands met.  That
+was all that was said with the cadet officer of the day looking
+on, but both of the late roommates understood the compact of dishonor
+that lay between them concerning Dave Darrin's coming fate.
+
+With his derby hat pulled low over his eyes and gripping his suit
+case, Henkel slunk through the corridors of Bancroft Hall.  Now
+he faced the hardest ordeal of all in going out through the entrance
+of the great white building, beyond which stood many groups of
+midshipmen.
+
+Now these young men of the Navy caught sight of Henkel.  No goodbyes
+were called out to him.  Instead, as his feet struck the flagging
+of the walk scores of lips were puckered.  The midshipmen gave
+the departing one a whistled tune and furnished the drum part with
+their hands.  That tune was--
+
+"The Rogue's March."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+BRIMMER MAKES A NEW FRIEND
+
+
+"Darrin, I hope you don't hold me in any way responsible for that
+fellow Henkel's actions.
+
+"Why should I?" asked Dave, turning and looking into the eyes of
+Midshipman Brimmer.
+
+"I know that, for a while, there was hard feeling between us,"
+continued Brimmer seriously.  "It took me a long time to get it out
+of my stubborn head that you were the one responsible for having our
+crowd ragged by the watchman the night of the spread in Annapolis.
+Even after Farley changed his mind it took me a long time to believe
+that he was right."
+
+"I forgot that whole matter long ago," replied Darrin.
+
+"Then will you accept my tardy apology, and let us be friends?"
+urged Brimmer, holding out his hand.
+
+It was not Dave Darrin's way to hold a grudge forever.  He extended
+his own hand to take Brimmer's.
+
+"And I hope you'll let me know you better," continued Brimmer,
+turning to Dan Dalzell.
+
+"Most people who know me at all think they know me too well,"
+laughed Dan, but he held out his hand.
+
+Perhaps, in other walks of life, the chums might have been more
+wary about accepting Brimmer's suddenly proffered friendship,
+as they stood in the open air just after dinner one November day.
+The weather was so fine and mild that it seemed a shame to be
+cooped up between walls.  Back in the High School days, for instance,
+Dave and Dan would have been more cautious in accepting such an
+offer of friendship.  But at the U.S. Naval Academy the atmosphere
+is wholly different.  The midshipmen are ranked as gentlemen,
+and all are so taken on trust unless they betray themselves as
+dishonorable.  Ninety-nine per cent of the young men are earnest,
+honest and wholly aboveboard.
+
+After that, during the next two or three weeks, Brimmer cultivated
+the acquaintance of Darrin and Dalzell at every possible opportunity.
+Often, in the evening, he came hastening to their room for a short
+visit after the release bell had sounded at 9.30.  When he called,
+Brimmer always remained until the warning call just before taps.
+
+"It took you a long while to find out that Dave Darrin is white
+enough to shake hands with," laughed Farley, one day.
+
+"As I remember, it took you quite a little while, also, to find
+it out," laughed Brimmer.  "I admit that I am slow at forming
+my friendships.  But there's no mistake about Darrin, when you get
+to know him.  He's about the finest fellow in the class."
+
+"He certainly is," nodded Farley heartily.
+
+Being shorn of the long list of unjustly-given demerits that had
+stood against his name, Darrin was now in the first conduct grade.
+So was Dan.  That gave to both considerable in the way of privileges.
+On Saturdays and Sundays, for instance, they were at liberty
+to accept invitations to call on or dine at the houses of officers
+and their families.  This privilege, while pleasant to possess,
+amounted to little, for Dave and Dan had been too busy over their
+studies to have any opportunity to attract social notice.
+
+As to dancing, fourth class men do not, by tradition, attend any
+of the midshipmen's hops, which are reserved for upper class men.
+
+Neither is a plebe midshipman expected to be seen escorting young
+ladies.  In fact, the plebe has no social pleasures within the
+academy walls.
+
+Outside, however, it is different.  If the fourth class men are
+acquainted with young ladies in the town of Annapolis they may
+visit them on Saturday afternoons when so invited.
+
+Here, again, Dave and Dan found no delight.  For they became acquainted
+with none of the girls of Annapolis.
+
+They could, however, on Saturday afternoon secure permission to
+go into the town.  Any change outside of the Academy walls now
+became welcome, though our young midshipmen had no other form
+of pleasure than merely to stroll through the streets of the town
+and occasionally regale themselves with a dish of ice-cream or
+a glass of soda at Wiegard's.
+
+Brimmer, one Saturday afternoon, when strolling through the town,
+discovered a new little shop on Main Street.
+
+This was a little store that had just been fitted up.  Some fruit
+was displayed for sale, though the main business of the place
+appeared to be the dispensing of various temperance drinks.
+
+On the sign over the door the proprietor's first name was given
+as "Tony."  The second name was an unpronounceable Greek one.
+
+Being thirsty Brimmer stepped inside.
+
+"Are you Tony?" he asked of the swarthy young man behind the counter.
+
+"Yes, sare," grinned Tony.  "What you drink?"
+
+Brimmer looked over the stock, selected a bottle of ginger ale
+and paid for it.
+
+"Business good?" asked the midshipman.
+
+"No, sare; ver' bad," replied Tony sadly.
+
+"Oh, well, it will pick up by-and-by."
+
+"I hope so, sare.  But when I come here I think maybe the midsheepmen
+come see me offen.  You, sare, first midsheepman who came here."
+
+"You have a neat little place," continued Brimmer.  "And this
+ginger ale," holding up his glass, "is good.  You'll have trade
+enough by-and-by."
+
+"You tell other midsheepmen they come here, sare?" asked Tony
+hopefully.
+
+"Why, yes; I think perhaps I can send you a bit of trade," replied
+Brimmer.  The young man's father was a politician, and a prosperous
+one.  The son had learned the wisdom of making friends wherever
+he could, since there could be no telling when a friend anywhere
+might be useful.
+
+"You come with me, sare," urged Tony, taking a gentle hold on
+Brimmer's arm, and leading him to the rear of the store.
+
+Tony threw open a door, revealing a rear room in which were three
+tables.
+
+"Maybe midsheepmen like play cards, sometimes," suggested Tony,
+with a grin.
+
+"Great!" cried Brimmer.  "Yes; sometimes the fellows do like to
+know a quiet little place where they can have a good game without
+a discipline officer butting in.  Good enough; I'll tell some
+of the fellows about this place; but you must keep it quiet, and
+not let anyone else into that room."
+
+"For midsheepmen on'y," promised Tony solemnly.
+
+"Good enough, then," smiled Mr. Brimmer.  "I'll bring you a party
+as soon as possible."
+
+"Then you make me your frien', sare," protested the Greek.
+
+As Brimmer went strolling along the street, after that, a plan
+began rapidly to hatch in his mind.  He thought he saw how Tony
+could made a most valuable ally.
+
+As luck would have it, Brimmer was not long in meeting three midshipmen
+of rather wild tendencies.  To them he proposed a quiet little
+game of cards.  He led his classmates back to Tony's.  Here they
+regaled themselves with ginger ale, then passed on into the rear
+room.  For more than two hours the midshipmen remained here.
+Occasionally they called for more of the temperance drinks.  As
+they left Brimmer passed Tony a two-dollar bill, for this midshipman
+disregarded the regulations in that he frequently received money
+from home and was always well supplied.
+
+"Thank you, sare," cried Tony, bowing very low, indeed.
+
+The following Saturday Brimmer returned to the little shop with
+a small party of friends.
+
+Late that afternoon Tony was richer by a few dollars.
+
+"You one ver' good frien', sare," protested the delighted Tony.
+"Me?  I your ver' good frien', too.  I do anything for you,
+sare--try me!"
+
+"I'm getting Tony about where I want him," thought Mr. Brimmer.
+"Just a little more help to him, and then I'll spring my idea
+on him."
+
+Thanksgiving had gone by, and now the Christmas Holidays were
+nearing.  Brimmer was playing his game slowly, and without the
+slightest risk to himself.  Tony must take all the risk.  If the
+Greek got into any trouble Brimmer could deny all knowledge of
+the matter.
+
+One Saturday afternoon, just before Christmas Midshipman Brimmer
+came down Main Street, looked in and found the Greek standing
+alone in his shop.
+
+"Howdy, Tony," was the midshipman's greeting, as he sauntered
+into the store.
+
+"Hullo, my good frien', sare."
+
+"Wish you a Merry Christmas, Tony."
+
+"I don' know, sare, I don' know," replied the Greek, shaking his
+head.
+
+"Why, isn't business good now, Tony?"
+
+"You do ver' much, my frien', to help make it better," replied
+Tony, shaking his head, "but still I not make much money."
+
+"Are you hard up at Christmas, Tony?" asked Brimmer, with pretended
+sympathy.
+
+"Oh, yes, sare; all time hard up."
+
+At that moment Brimmer's gleaming eyes saw Dave Darrin and Dan
+Dalzell passing on the other side of the street.
+
+"Quick, Tony!  Get a look at my friends over there!" whispered
+Brimmer.  "Take such a good look that you will know them again
+anywhere.  Now, it's the one on the inside, especially.  Note
+him sharply, Tony."
+
+"I never mistake him again, sare, eff I see him," replied the
+Greek gravely.
+
+"Do you see many of these ten-dollar bills nowadays, Tony?" questioned
+Brimmer, carelessly displaying a banknote.
+
+The Greek shook his head wistfully.
+
+"This is yours now, Tony; and twice as much more afterwards, if
+you do what I want of you.  It's a good joke that I want to play
+on a midshipman down at the Academy."
+
+"A joke, eh?" repeated the Greek.  "Then, sare, my frien', it
+can't be anything so ver' bad, eef it only a joke."
+
+"Oh, it isn't anything bad," Brimmer lied cheerfully.  "But that
+fellow played a warm one on me, and I want to pay him back."
+
+"I understand, sare, my ver' good frien'."
+
+Inside of five minutes Tony understood very much better.  Still,
+the Greek saw no real harm in what he now engaged himself to do.
+
+That night Tony slept with Brimmer's ten-dollar note under his
+pillow.  Dave Darrin slept as soundly as ever, unconscious of
+harm hanging over his head.
+
+Midshipman Brimmer did much gleeful chuckling after taps, as he
+lay on the bed in the room that Henkel had once shared with him.
+
+"Now, let's see anyone get a chance to bring this job back to
+me!" laughed Brimmer.  "And goodby, Darrin!  The Naval Academy
+won't know you much longer!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+TONY BAITS THE HOOK
+
+
+Up to this time Darrin had dropped in at Tony's but once, and
+Dan not at all.
+
+The Saturday after Christmas was an anxious one for nearly all
+of the midshipmen.  Only a few availed themselves of any privilege
+of going into Annapolis this Saturday afternoon.  Most of the
+young men remained in their rooms at Bancroft Hall, anxiously
+going over the work in which they were soon to take their semi-annual
+examinations.
+
+Especially was this true of the fourth class men in the "wooden"
+or lowest sections.  Most of these men knew that, if they succeeded
+in staying on at all, it would be by a very small margin indeed.
+Even the men in the "savvy sections," with the highest marks
+of their class, were eager to come out as well as possible in
+the dreaded semi-ans.
+
+Dave and Dan both had secured permission to go into Annapolis.
+
+"We'll want to clear out the cobwebs by a brisk walk, anyway,"
+declared Darrin.
+
+They did not intend to go townward, however, until rather late
+in the afternoon.
+
+Dan, when he could stand the grind no longer picked up his cap.
+Dave wanted to put in least fifteen minutes more over his book.
+
+"I've got to get out in the air," Dalzell muttered.
+
+"Going to town?" Dave asked.
+
+"Yes.  Coming along?"
+
+"I've got a little more in logarithms to clean up," murmured Darrin,
+looking wistfully at two pages in one of his text-books on mathematics.
+"Will it do as well, Danny boy, if I follow in fifteen or twenty
+minutes?"
+
+"Yes; you'll probably find me on Main Street, though you can look
+in at Wiegard's on the way."
+
+Wiegard's is the famous confectionery shop where cadets go for
+candy, for ices or soda fountain drinks.  If upper class men and
+young ladies are plentiful in Wiegard's, however, prudent fourth
+class men keep right on without stopping.
+
+Dan left Bancroft Hall quite certain that his chum would not be
+along for at least an hour.
+
+At the gate Dan made his report of liberty, then kept on up Maryland
+Avenue.
+
+As he turned into State Circle he slowed up a trifle, glancing
+in through the door at Wiegard's.
+
+"Too many upper class men in there for me," decided Dan, so turning
+he made his was way through the State Capitol grounds, and on into
+Main Street.
+
+Here he strolled more slowly, passing, here and there, a member
+of his class, though none with whom he was particularly intimate.
+
+"I'm thirsty," decided Dalzell.  "I don't believe I want any of
+the hot drinks.  There's Tony's.  I'll drop in and get a bottle
+of soda lemonade."
+
+Tony saw the fourth classman coming, and a peculiar smile crossed
+his lips.  On the occasion on which Brimmer had pointed out the
+chums to the Greek the latter had understood that it was Dan who
+was to be the principal victim.
+
+"Good afternoon, Tony!" was Dan's greeting, as he stepped into
+the shop.  "Merry Christmas."
+
+"Thank you, sare, good frien'," was Tony's reply.  Then the Greek
+turned briefly, to hide a grin.
+
+"Crowd seems to have left you, Tony," said Dan sympathetically.
+
+"Save their money to buy present for girls," guessed the Greek.
+
+"Tony, have you a small bottle of lemon soda that's good and cold?"
+
+"Oh, yes, sare."
+
+"Then I want it."
+
+Tony fumbled among bottles clinking in ice under the counter.
+At last he found what he wanted and held the bottle up to the
+capping machine.  Then the Greek did something unusual.  Instead
+of emptying the bottle into a glass on the counter he performed
+that service underneath the counter.  Next he held the glass up
+full of bright, cold liquid filled with bubble and sparkle.
+
+"It makes me thirstier to look at this," muttered Dan, picking
+up the glass.  "I'll get it down as soon as I can."
+
+He sipped the last out of the glass, put do a coin to pay for
+it, and stood, for a moment, chatting with Tony.
+
+"Excuse me, sare," broke in the Greek, suddenly.  "I hear ma wife
+call me."
+
+Opening a door behind him Tony stepped into a hallway.
+
+The short December afternoon was drawing to a close.  Standing
+in the shop Dan saw that the light in the street was growing less.
+
+"I'll walk a little further down the street," thought Dan.  "Then
+I'll turn back, and keep on toward State Circle, and look for Dave."
+
+As he took the first step away from the store Dalzell noticed
+a slight feeling of dizziness.
+
+After a moment this passed off, but soon it came on again, heavier
+than before.
+
+"What ails me?" wondered the astonished midshipman.  "It can't
+be that I'm turning sick, for I've been feeling fine all along."
+
+He tried the effect of will power, holding himself as erect as
+he could and trying to walk slowly in a straight line.
+
+Then, though he did not realize it, three or four passers-by turned
+to look at the unsteady young man in a midshipman's uniform.
+
+Two men passing in an auto runabout glanced quickly at Dan.
+
+"Look at that fool midshipman, throwing away a great future for
+a few glasses of strong drink," he remarked to his companion.
+Then the auto sped on.
+
+As for Dan Dalzell, he no longer understood clearly what was happening.
+
+At this lower end of Main Street, on which he was now moving,
+there were not many people astir.  One there was behind him,
+however--Tony, the Greek, following stealthily on his trail.
+
+At last, as Dalzell reached the head of a short, narrow alleyway
+Tony caught up with him in the darkness that had now fallen.
+
+A quick shove Tony gave the midshipman, and Dan, helpless, staggered
+into the alleyway, tripped and fell.
+
+Tony passed on as though he had merely accidentally jostled another.
+
+Then, in an instant he wheeled, went back the head of the alley
+and glanced in.
+
+Dan Dalzell was lying still, in a complete stupor.
+
+With a chuckle the Greek drew a small bottle from one of his pockets,
+taking out the stopper and throwing it away.  Then he began sprinkling
+the contents on Dan's uniform coat with energy.
+
+At that instant there was a quick step outside.  Then Dave Darrin,
+tall, handsome, and even distinguished-looking in the uniform
+that he wore so well, bounded in, gripping the Greek's right arm
+in a tight grasp.
+
+"You rascal!" vibrated Dave's angry voice.  "What are you doing
+here?"
+
+It being darker in the alleyway than it was outside, Tony did
+not recognize his captor.  Dave towered so in his wrath that the
+Greek took him to be an officer of the Navy.
+
+"Speak up, before I shake the truth out of you!" warned Darrin.
+"Do you understand that this is a crime, you knave, and that
+I can place you under arrest and have you sent to the penitentiary
+for years?"
+
+Tony was now sure that he was in the clutch of a Naval officer.
+Moreover, Darrin's grip was one that spoke of more muscular strength
+held in reserve.
+
+"Let me go, sare!" begged the Greek, squirming.  "This ees all
+one joke.  I do ze man no harm."
+
+For answer, Dave used his left hand to snatch away the bottle
+that Tony still held.
+
+"Alcohol!" detected Dave, and hurled the bottle to the other end
+of the alleyway.  "And you have been sprinkling it on this midshipman's
+uniform?  You are the fellow who runs the temperance drinks place?
+A nice business for you to be in--drugging midshipmen and trying
+to ruin them!  To prison you go, unless you limber up your tongue.
+Who put you up to this miserable business?  Talk quickly--or
+off to a cell you go!"
+
+This was pure bluff, as Dave, being under twenty-one, had no right
+to make an arrest, even as a citizen.  But he saw that he had
+the Greek scared, and he resolved to push his advantage to the limit.
+
+"Talk this instant, or to the police station you go!" warned Dave.
+"Then it will be years before you are a free man again."
+
+"Mercy, Captain!" howled the frightened Greek.
+
+"Then out with the whole truth like lightning!" ordered Dave Darrin.
+
+He accompanied his order with a shaking that made the Greek's
+teeth rattle.
+
+"Stop, sare, stop!  I tell you!" whined Tony.
+
+"Go ahead, then, you brute."
+
+"You know Midsheepman Brimmer?"
+
+"I know him," repeated Dave.
+
+"He tell me, sare, about one joke.  He geev me bottle of stuff,
+and he tell me when this midsheepman, or his friend, come in my
+place I am to put half of stuff in the bottle in one glass of
+what the midsheepman order.  Then I am to follow the midsheepman
+out, and watch him until he fall.  I am also to have bottle of
+alcohol with me and sprinkle some on the midsheepman when he fall
+and lie still.  Then I am to go away and let the midsheepman be
+found.  It is to be one grand joke on the midsheepman."
+
+"Give me what is left of the bottle of stuff that Midshipman Brimmer
+gave you to put in the drink," commanded Dave sternly.
+
+Tony's first impulse was to deny that he had the vial with him.
+But Darrin's grip on the fellow's arm tightened so alarmingly
+that the Greek thrust his left hand down into a trousers pocket,
+then produced the vial, which Darrin pocketed.
+
+"So this is Brimmer's work--and Brimmer was at one time Henkel's
+roommate and crony!" flashed swiftly through Darrin's mind.  "Oh,
+the scoundrel!"
+
+"Some one ees coming, sare," warned Tony.  "Let me go, sare."
+
+"Stay where you are, and don't dare make a move to get away,"
+warned Darrin.  "It would do you no good, anyway.  I know where
+to find you."
+
+Then Darrin peeped cautiously out at the head of the alley.  Some
+one was coming, and that some one wore the Naval uniform.  Dave's
+heart began to beat faster.  Then the wearer the uniform passed
+the light from a store window, and his face was briefly revealed.
+Darrin's heart, for a few seconds, seemed almost to stop beating.
+For it was Brimmer himself!
+
+Further up in the town that midshipman had heard a fleeting word,
+uttered by some one, about a staggering midshipman having been
+seen going down Main Street.
+
+"A dollar to a doughnut it's Darrin himself!  flashed exultantly
+through Brimmer's mind.  He hurried on, though careful to avoid
+the appearance of haste.
+
+"I wish Henkel were here at this moment!" thought Brimmer.  "Oh,
+it will be great to see that sneak, Darrin--"
+
+Just at that moment Brimmer stopped short, with something like
+a gasp.
+
+For he did see Darrin, standing before him, towering in his wrath.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+IN THE DAYS OF "OLD TWO-FIVE"
+
+
+Before Brimmer could utter a word Darrin pounced upon him, seizing
+him by the collar and fairly dragging him into the alleyway.
+
+Then, still gripping his astounded, dismayed foe, Darrin demanded:
+
+"Tony, is this the fellow who paid you to drug my friend?
+
+"The treacherous Greek has betrayed me!" was the thought that
+flashed instantly through Brimmer's startled mind.
+
+"Let go of my collar, Darrin!" he commanded loudly.  "If this
+lying Greek has dared to say that I--"
+
+"Shut up!" ordered Dave tersely.
+
+Ever since coming to Annapolis he had tried to keep his temper
+in the background.  But now, quivering in his righteous wrath,
+Darrin was once more the hot-headed, impulsive, generous Dave
+of old--a doer of deeds, and a thrasher of scoundrels.
+
+"No, no, no!" protested Tony, shrilly and cunningly.  "Mr. Brimmer,
+he no tell me--he no hire me--"
+
+"Be silent, fellow!" commanded Dave Darrin hotly.  "You've told
+the truth once.  Don't spoil it with a dozen lies!  Brimmer, you
+dastard, you disgrace to the noble old uniform--"
+
+By a quick, forceful twist Brimmer had freed himself from Dave's
+frantic clutch.
+
+It availed the plotter but little, however.
+
+Quick as a flash Dave let drive with his right fist, landing a
+blow on the chest that sent Mr. Brimmer flat to the pavement of
+the alley.
+
+"You coward!  You--" screamed Brimmer, as he rose.
+
+But no sooner was he on his feet than Dave planted a terrific
+blow over his left eye.
+
+Down went Brimmer again, his eyes closed "until further notice."
+
+"Don't try to get up!" warned Darrin, crouching over his enemy.
+"If you make a move upward, until I'm through talking, I'll kick
+you clean over the town of Annapolis and far out into Chesapeake
+Bay.  Brimmer, if you send me a challenge when we get back to
+Bancroft Hall, I won't pay any attention to it until after the
+class has passed on the merits of the case.  If you want to fight
+here and now I'll let you up and we'll settle it right off.  But
+no formal fight, under decent auspices.  You hear me?  You
+understand?"
+
+Brimmer made no reply.
+
+"All right, then," nodded Dave.  "I understand that you don't
+want to fight here.  Don't try to provoke me into a formal fight,
+at the Naval Academy, unless you are prepared to defend your side
+before a class committee.  Now get up and take yourself away--you
+infamous hound!"
+
+Tony, in the meantime, had swiftly vanished.  The Greek's change
+of front, in denying his charge against Brimmer, had been prompted
+by craft.
+
+"Meester Brimmer, he pay me, now, not twenty dollars, but all
+the money he have, and all he can get," chuckled the rascally
+Greek.  "Otherwise, he be afraid I tell too much, and he get the
+double-queeck out of the Naval Acadeemy!"
+
+Brimmer, boiling with helpless rage, got up and made off as quickly
+as he could.  He would have fought, on the spot, but knew that
+with one eye closed, and giving him great pain, he would be but
+a football for the strenuous Darrin.
+
+And now Dave bent over his chum, who, still unconscious, was breathing
+heavily.
+
+"He's in no immediate danger," breathed Darrin, in great relief.
+Then, hearing wheels, he stepped to the end of the alleyway.
+As if in answer to his prayer the vehicle turned ont to be a
+cab, and without a fare.
+
+"Driver, I need you here!" called Dave, and the cab rolled in
+at the curb.
+
+"Follow me," directed Darrin, leading the way up the alley
+
+Catching sight of the prostrate midshipman the driver grinned.
+
+"No, he's not intoxicated!" flashed out Darrin half angrily.
+"This is all a trick.  Help me lift him into your cab.  Then drive
+us to the best physician in the town."
+
+Dan was propped in place on the back seat, Darrin beside him.
+
+"Give me the card of your stable, driver," Dave requested.  "I
+haven't money enough to pay you, but I'll write and have my father
+send you the amount of your bill."
+
+"That'll be all right, sir," nodded the driver who knew the ways
+of midshipmen, and who also knew that such a "risk" was a safe one.
+
+A few minutes later the cab stopped before the residence of Dr.
+Stewart.
+
+"See if the doctor is in," directed Darrin.
+
+The physician was at home, and not engaged.  So Dave and the driver
+carried Dan into the medical man's office.
+
+"Too bad!" murmured the physician.  "Intoxicated, eh?
+
+"No, sir," responded Dave quietly, "and that's one of the things
+I wish you to note positively, so that you can be prepared to
+certify if necessary.  This is the stuff, I believe, with which
+my friend was drugged."
+
+Dave passed over the vial Tony had handed him.  Dr. Stewart smelled
+the contents, then touched the bottle lightly to his tongue.
+Next he stepped over to a cabinet, poured a small quantity of
+the liquid into a test tube and did some hurried experimenting.
+
+"The regulation knockout drops," he smiled grimly.  "Now, help
+me to take off your friend's overcoat.  Whew!  There is the smell
+of alcohol here!
+
+"Only on the overcoat, I guess, doctor," suggested Dave.  "You
+don't notice any on my friend's breath, do you?
+
+"No," replied the doctor.
+
+"There has been a plot on foot to make it appear that my friend
+had been indulging in liquor.  Doctor, I hope you can prove positively
+that such was not the case."
+
+"I shall have to pump the young man's stomach out.  That is the
+first step in getting him back to consciousness.  That will also
+show convincingly whether he has been using alcoholic drinks."
+
+Within three minutes Dr. Stewart was positive that Dan had not
+been using strong drink.
+
+Soon after Dan regained consciousness.  Dr. Stewart quickly gave
+him something to restore his faculties.
+
+Catching sight of the office clock Dave broke in:
+
+"Doctor, if it is barely possible, we must be back for supper
+formation.  Can you fix it?"
+
+"I think so," nodded the physician.  "You can help.  Turn on that
+electric fan and place your friend's uniform overcoat where the
+fan will play upon it.  That will drive away most of the smell
+of alcohol."
+
+"Alcohol?" mumbled Dan wonderingly.
+
+"Don't try to think, now, Mr. Dalzell," ordered the physician.
+"Mr. Darrin will explain to you later."
+
+Dan lay on the lounge, the physician keeping a finger on his pulse.
+Presently the man of medicine gave Dan another drink of restorative.
+"Now, get up and walk to the back of the room with me," commanded
+the physician.  "Here, I'll throw this window up.  Now, take in as
+deep breaths as you can."
+
+Dave, in the meantime, was standing near fan attending to driving
+the fumes from his friend's coat.
+
+A few minutes later Dr. Stewart gave Dalzell a third draught.
+Dan was now recovering steadily from his mental numbness.
+
+"You can take your friend away safely, now," declared Dr. Stewart,
+at last.  "He can thank a strong constitution for recovering so
+quickly under treatment."
+
+"Shall I take him near the gate in a cab, or walk him there?"
+asked Darrin.
+
+"It will bring about his recovery more completely if he walks."
+
+"Pardon me for a moment, then, and I'll go outside and release
+the driver."
+
+Then, returning, Darrin added:
+
+"Doctor, if you'll hand me your bill, Mr. Dalzell will see that
+his father remits to you."
+
+Dr. Stewart nodded, wrote the bill, and passed it over.  It was
+not by any means the first time that the physician had done business
+on that basis.
+
+"A fairly brisk walk, gentlemen, will be best," said the doctor,
+at the street door.  "Good evening--and good luck."
+
+"Another Naval mystery, I suppose," smiled the physician, as he
+turned back to his office.  "But I shall never hear from it again,
+except when the remittance arrives from the young man's father."
+
+Arriving at the Maryland Avenue gate of the Academy grounds Dave
+turned in report for both of them.  Then the chums continued across
+to Bancroft Hall.
+
+Midshipman Brimmer was reported absent, but accounted for, at
+that supper formation.  At that moment Brimmer was undergoing
+a Naval surgeon's treatment for his eye.  Brimmer's brief explanation
+to the surgeon was that he had run his face against something hard
+in a dark alleyway while in town.  The surgeon noted down the
+explanation, smiling grimly.
+
+That being Saturday evening, with release from studies, Dave slipped
+down to the door of Farley and Page, and invited them to his quarters.
+There sat Dan.
+
+Both Farley and Page listened almost in stupefaction.  They had
+always rather liked Brimmer.  Yet they were convinced that Darrin
+spoke the truth.
+
+"Now, help me with your advice," begged Dave.  "Should I make
+an official report of this whole matter?
+
+"Not until you have stronger evidence against Brimmer," suggested
+Farley.
+
+"Would it do any good to ask for a class committee, and to bring
+Brimmer before it?"
+
+"Not until you have a better case to offer," replied Page.
+
+"Then what should I do?"
+
+"Cut Brimmer, of course," said Farley thoughtfully.  "And don't
+let him guess that you're going to let up at any point of the
+investigation into the matter."
+
+"We won't let up, either," blazed Dave, "if we can think of any
+way to probe the facts.
+
+"I don't believe it will do much good to fool with Tony, the Greek,"
+suggested Midshipman Page.  "Brimmer has more money than any of us,
+and he'll pay blackmail to keep Tony's tongue quiet."
+
+It was Tuesday when Midshipman Brimmer returned to formations.
+Immediately after breakfast Dave Darrin went up to him.
+
+"Mr. Brimmer, I want a word with you."
+
+"I don't want any words with you, at any time, Mr. Darrin," Brimmer
+retorted bitterly.
+
+"You won't have any that are not necessary," retorted Dave.  "Yet I
+think it will be to your advantage to step aside and hear what I
+have to say now."
+
+"Make it very short, then."
+
+"Mr. Brimmer," continued Darrin, when they were by themselves,
+"all I have to say is to confirm the language that I used to you
+the other evening.  Further, I will say that you are quite at
+liberty to report me for having assaulted you.  Or, you may ask
+for a class committee to investigate this affair between us.
+The last that I have to say is that I have the vial of knockout
+stuff that you gave Tony to serve to Dalzell and myself, and I
+have also expert testimony as to the nature of the stuff.  Nor
+do I mind admitting to you that Dalzell and I are going to go
+as far as we can in getting the evidence that; will warrant our
+making an official report your scoundrelly conduct.  If possible
+we shall bring about your dismissal from the Naval Academy."
+
+Brimmer's eyes flashed.  Yet in the next minute the yellow streak
+in him showed.  His lip quivered, and he begged, brokenly:
+
+"Darrin, show a little mercy.  Would you care to be kicked out
+of the Academy?"
+
+"Not any more than Dalzell would have liked it," replied Dave
+dryly.
+
+"Then you must realize that it would spoil my life, too."
+
+"Mr. Brimmer," retorted Darrin sternly, "it is no longer a question
+of what your feelings in the matter may be.  The plain fact is
+that you are not a gentlemen--not honorable.  You are not fit
+to be the comrade of gentlemen.  You are a profanation of the
+uniform of the United States.  It is for the good of the service,
+far more than for any personal enmity, that several of us have
+resolved to keep on the hunt for evidence until we get a complete
+enough lot to drive you away from Annapolis."
+
+Finding that coaxing was of no avail Brimmer became surly.
+
+At the first opportunity for liberty to go into town Dave, Dan
+and Farley went abruptly to Tony, the Greek, questioning him
+insistently.  Tony, however, would not say a word beyond stolidly
+denying that he had had any part in the plot, and that he had
+ever said so.
+
+Tony had abundant reasons for his silence.  He had promptly demanded
+two hundred dollars from Brimmer, and the latter had sent post
+haste to his father for the money, explaining only that he needed
+it to "buy his way out of a scrape."
+
+The money now rested in Tony's pocket.
+
+Dave, Dan, Farley and Page tried hard, however, in other directions,
+to secure the need evidence.  There was no druggists' label on
+the vial, so these four midshipmen visited all the druggists in
+Annapolis, seeking light on the matter.  The druggists, however,
+denied any knowledge of the vial or of its contents.
+
+Now, the friends appeared to be up against a dead wall of difficulty.
+They did not cease their efforts, however, and held many conferences
+behind closed doors.
+
+Brimmer kept track of their activities as best he could.  He became
+moody, and slackened in his studies.
+
+After that the semi-annual examinations came on.  Dave passed
+better than he had hoped, making two-nine as his standing.
+
+Dalzell was forced to be content with two-seven, but as two-five
+was a high enough mark for passing Dan was delighted.  Farley and
+Page got through safely, and that was all.
+
+Fifty-nine of the men of the fourth class were dropped for failing
+to keep up to the two-five standard.
+
+And one of these was Midshipman Brimmer.  He and the other unlucky
+ones left for their homes as soon as the results had been announced.
+
+Brimmer would have passed, in all probability, had he not been
+unstrung by the knowledge that four of his comrades were working
+to secure the evidence which should warrant his expulsion from
+the Naval Academy.  Oppressed by dread, this young scoundrel was
+not capable of doing his best work at the semi-annuals.
+
+So Brimmer left as Henkel had done.  The only difference was that
+Brimmer did not have to slink away to the tune of "The Rogue's
+March."
+
+"You're past the worst of it, now, mister," murmured Youngster
+Trotter, in passing Dave.  "You'll win through hereafter."
+
+But Dave Darrin could hardly help feeling that his greatest
+thankfulness was over the fact that the poisonous pair, Henkel and
+Brimmer, were both out of the Navy for good and all.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+The Collision on the Chesapeake
+
+The weeks slipped by quickly now.
+
+Athletics cannot occupy as prominent a place at Annapolis as at
+the universities and colleges, for the midshipmen must, above
+all, be sure that they stand high enough in their academic work.
+Dave and Dan were both invited out for baseball try-out,
+but both asked to be excused.
+
+Dan, by himself, would have gone in for the Navy nine, and
+doubtless would have made it.
+
+It was Darrin, the cautious, who dissuaded Dalzell.
+
+"Better shy away from athletics, Danny boy, until you've made your
+academic footing secure," was Dave's advice.
+
+"You didn't talk that way in the High School," argued Dan.
+
+"No; there the athletics were more necessary, if we were to keep
+in condition.  Here athletics may be regarded as the luxury, which
+we are not yet entitled.  Here, with the gym work, the fencing,
+the drills under arms and the boat drills, we're kept in the pink
+of physical condition without need for special training."
+
+"Next year, when we feel absolutely solid in our marks, we can
+go in for athletics, if we wish, Dan."
+
+So Dalzell gave in.  He was beginning to realize that his chum
+had a "long" head and that his advice was always good.
+
+With the coming of spring the boat drills were resumed in earnest.
+
+Dave, standing well in "grease," now, became captain of one of
+the boat crews, for he had developed unusual skill in boat handling.
+
+One bright afternoon in the latter part of April, while half of
+the brigade marched off to instruction on shore, the other half
+marched down to the docks beyond the seamanship building.
+
+Here the members of the third class embarked in the steam launches
+each craft representing a war vessel--for fleet drill.
+
+The fourth class men embarked, by crews, in the sailboats.
+
+As each captain gave the order to shove clear of the dock the
+mainsail was hoisted.  Then each crew captain kept one eye on
+the watch for the signals of the instructor, who was aboard a
+boat designated as the flagship.
+
+The sail was downstream.  Beyond Annapolis some pretty manoeuvering
+work was done.  While this drill was proceeding, however, the
+wind died out considerably.  Then, light as the breeze was, the
+youthful crew captains were forced to beat back against almost
+a head wind.
+
+There being no signs of squalls or puffs, the crew captains did not
+seem to need to exercise much caution.  The members of the crews
+stood indolently at their stations.
+
+Yet Dave was as alert as ever.  He stood close to the midshipman
+tillerman, looking constantly for signals from the flagship, and
+at the same time watchful for any wind signs.
+
+An hour or more they had proceeded thus.  Some of Dave's boat
+crew, who had been making a lark of their nearly becalmed condition
+now began to demur over the prospect of getting back late for
+supper.
+
+"The steam-launch fleet might show up and give us a tow," grumbled
+Farley.
+
+Dave smiled and said nothing.  He was as eager as any midshipman
+in the boat to have his supper on time, but he felt that the crew
+captain must appear above any sign of complaint untoward fate.
+
+For a moment or so Darrin turned to look aft at the weather.
+
+"Motor boat 'John Duncan' on the port bow, two points off and
+bearing this way, sir," reported the bow watch.
+
+Darrin turned quickly, bending to glance under the boom, for the
+mainsail was in his way.
+
+What he saw made him dart quickly forward, to take up his stand
+by the mast.
+
+"Pass me the megaphone, Mr. Dalzell," he requested.
+
+With this mouth-piece in hand, Dave watched the nearing craft.
+
+The "Duncan" was a semi-speed boat, some forty-five feet over
+all, without cabin, and carrying only a sprayhood forward to protect
+its engine.
+
+Two men appeared in the boat--Mr Salisbury, the owner, and his
+engineer.  The latter was steering at this time.
+
+Chug-chug-chug!  came the fast craft.
+
+Dave waited, well knowing that his hail could not carry to either
+engineer or owner over the noise that the "Duncan's" engine was
+making.
+
+Farley stood close to Dave watching.  The tillerman also had his
+eye on the approaching craft.  The other midshipmen, telling stories
+or staring out over the water, paid little heed.  There could
+be no danger from the motor boat.  Both the owner and engineer
+were well known, in these waters, as capable boat handlers and
+as men of judgment.
+
+Darrin, himself, did not believe that there was any danger.
+
+"Throw her head a point and a half off to the starboard," called
+Dave Darrin evenly.
+
+"Aye, aye, sir," responded the midshipman tillerman, and the sailboat
+responded slowly under the slight headway.
+
+"Great Scott, don't those fellows know that a sailboat has the
+right of way over a power craft?" demanded Darrin suddenly.
+
+"Perhaps they're going to see how close they can come to us without
+hitting us," remarked Farley.
+
+Dave raised the megaphone to his lips, waiting until he judged that
+there was a chance of his hail being heard.
+
+"Duncan, 'ahoy!" bellowed Darrin.  "Go to port of us!"
+
+Still the motor boat came onward, at a speed something better than
+fourteen miles.
+
+"Hard-a-starboard!" Darrin roared back to his own tillerman.
+
+Then he repeated his hail.  He was almost frenzied now; for the
+motor boat had not yet changed its course.
+
+Suddenly, when the two craft were almost together, the engineer,
+after throwing over his wheel, held up one hand.
+
+Before Dave could guess what the gesture meant, the "Duncan" loomed
+up on the sail-boat's port bow, coming on at unabated speed.
+
+There was an instant scampering of midshipmen for safety.  Then
+bump! the motor boat's bow crashed into the sailboat, cutting
+a great gap in her.
+
+The force of the shock threw most of the midshipmen into the water.
+The rest jumped.
+
+Now, the "Duncan" responded to her engine by backing off.  But
+the motor boat, too, had received her deathblow.  Ere she had
+backed off a hundred and fifty feet she began to fill rapidly.
+Owner and engineer had only time to adjust life-preservers
+and leap overboard.  Then the "Duncan" went down.
+
+At the moment of collision there was a crash of spars and a snapping
+of cordage.  The sailing craft's mast had gone by the board, though
+not much before the sailboat itself had filled.
+
+Dave himself was pitched headlong.  He sank below the water, but
+had no fear for himself, for he was wholly at home in the water.
+
+Yet, as he found the water closing over him, Dave Darrin felt
+a great thrill of terror for others run through him.
+
+"My boat crew is the poorest in the class in swimming!" he gasped,
+with a throb of agony.  "Not more than half of them know how
+to take care of themselves!  And I, as captain, am responsible
+for their safety!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+IN THE LINE OF DUTY
+
+
+As his head shot above the water a Dave barely paused to expel the
+water from his mouth.
+
+"Boat's crew close together, to stand by the poor swimmers!" he
+yelled hoarsely.
+
+The water being barely ruffled, Darrin was able to count eight heads
+besides his own.
+
+That meant that five men had still failed to come up.
+
+Midshipman Driscoll, an instant later, shot up beside Dave.
+
+"Help!" sputtered Driscoll.
+
+"Float on my arm, sir," ordered Dave, swimming with lusty strokes
+until he had thrust his left arm under Driscoll's chest.
+
+Then the young crew captain shouted:
+
+"Who can get here first to support Mr. Driscoll."
+
+"Here!" called another midshipman, overtaking the pair with lusty
+strokes.
+
+"Keep Mr. Driscoll up," called Dave, as he swam away.  "I've got
+to count heads fast."
+
+Another midshipman came above water, and Dan Dalzell was at him,
+like a flash, supporting the new arrival, who was one of the poor
+swimmers.
+
+That left three men to be accounted for.
+
+Further down the stream still another head appeared.  Only for
+a moment or two, this midshipman succeeded in keeping his head
+above water.
+
+"I'll get that man," cried Farley, as he and another midshipman
+started with powerful strokes after the man who was going down
+for the second time.
+
+"There's a seat floating!" shouted Dalzell.
+
+Darrin plunged forward for it, until he saw one of his crew nearing
+it ahead of him.
+
+"Hold that as a life-buoy!" called Dave.
+
+Hardly had he given this order when another midshipman made himself
+heard, as he trod water.
+
+The board was pushed toward him, while Dave made a rapid count.
+
+"All up but Mr. Page;" muttered Dave, but even that thought made
+him sick at heart.
+
+Only a few moments had passed, but that was time enough for any
+man to come to the surface if his buoyancy remained.
+
+Darrin had paid no heed to Mr. Salisbury or the latter's engineer,
+for he had seen them jumping for their life-preservers.
+
+In the meantime the other boats of the sailing fleet were making
+for the scene of the disaster.  Yet, with the light breeze, that
+was no easy thing to do.  It would take some time yet to bring
+the nearest of the sailing fleet to the scene.
+
+Signals had been sprung to the steam-launch fleet, but the launches
+were far down the bay, and many minutes must pass before relief
+could be looked for from that quarter.  Two or three of the
+sailboats would, in fact, be at hand first.
+
+Though there were some excellent swimmer among the wrecked
+midshipmen, the best of these were already standing by midshipmen
+who did not swim well.  Dave Darrin was the only one free to go to
+Page's assistance should he show up.
+
+"Every man keep his eyes peeled for Mr. Page!" shouted Dave.  "We
+simply can't stand the loss of any member of the crew!"
+
+"There's a hat!" cried Dan, a few moments later.  "Can you make
+it out, sir."
+
+Dalzell was pointing further down the bay.
+
+"A cap, yes," called Dave, striking out lustily for the spot.
+"But I don't see any head there.  Watch, all of you, and give
+me a hail if you see Mr. Page's head show up anywhere."
+
+Midshipman Farley was in agony over the thought of the loss of
+his roommate.  Yet Farley was at this time engaged in standing
+by a less-skilled swimmer.
+
+"That looks like a face, fifteen yards west from the cap!" shouted
+one of the crew.
+
+Dave Darrin made the greatest spring, he could up out of the water.
+It gave him a chance for a better view.
+
+"I see the face!" he roared back.  "Look after yourselves.  I'll
+get in close to Mr. Page."
+
+Dave swam as he had never done before, taking swift yet long,
+powerful strokes.  He reached the spot, only to see what he had
+taken for a face sink slowly below the surface.
+
+"That must be the second time going down!" throbbed Darrin, with
+a feeling of horror.
+
+More powerfully than ever he surged forward.  He was too late to
+catch another glimpse of the white face.  But he had noted the
+point at which it had sunk.
+
+Taking a breath, Darrin took a dive downward, duck fashion.  Holding
+his breath, he went below, his eyes wide open, seeking as best
+he could.
+
+Down where the light of day reached him poorly Darrin caught sight
+of something floating slowly past.  It might have been a fish,
+for all the sense of shape that reached Dave.
+
+With an inward prayer the young crew captain surged downward and
+forward.  He grappled with--something--then fought his way the
+surface, holding that something tightly.
+
+As they shot above the water Darrin's blood danced for joy.
+
+It was Page--"good old Page!"--whom he had brought to the top.
+
+"Got him safe?" bellowed Farley, over the water.
+
+Dave was too winded to answer.  He thrust one hand above his head,
+waving it joyfully.  Then he let the hand fall that he might better
+attend to his work.
+
+For a few moments they floated there.  The nearest of the sailing
+cutters was now nearing the victims of the wreck.
+
+The boat, however, would reach Darrin last of all.
+
+While Darrin watched Farley and three others clambering aboard
+the rescuing boat, the young crew captain trod water, supporting
+Page at the same time.
+
+Then Page opened his eyes, as though returning from a faint, rather
+than reviving from a partial drowning.
+
+"Hold me tight!" gasped Page, almost in a whisper.  "I'm a fearfully
+poor swimmer."
+
+"I know," nodded Dave, "but I've got you, and I never let go of a
+good thing."
+
+Darrin's heart throbbed gratefully.  All of the boat crew were
+accounted for; not a man of his command lost.
+
+Further off he could see Mr. Salisbury and the engineer of the
+foundered power boat, each held up by a life-preserve.
+
+But, though all of the wrecked middies were afloat, they were
+as yet by no means safe.  Some were so helpless that every man
+who could keep himself afloat and help another was thus engaged.
+
+Dave, after his strong exertions, found himself rapidly "playing
+out."  If help did not soon reach him he felt that he would be
+exhausted.
+
+"Can't you help yourself a little more, Mr. Page?" he asked.
+
+Unnoticed by Darrin, Midshipman Page had been slowly relapsing
+into unconsciousness.  In the collision Page had been hit glancingly
+on the head by the gaff of the falling mainsail.
+
+Page heard Dave's query with a muddled mind.  All he grasped was
+that Darrin was doubtful of his ability to keep them both up.
+
+In an agony of unreasoning, stupefied dread, Midshipman Page swiftly
+wound both arms around Dave Darrin.
+
+"Here!" commanded the young captain the crew. "Don't do that!"
+
+But Page either did not hear or did not heed.  His arms clung
+more desperately around Dave, binding one of the latter's arms
+to his body.
+
+"He'll drown both of us!" was the thought that flashed instantly
+through Midshipman Darrin's mind.
+
+There was no time to think of more.  Before he realized that the
+thing was happening Darrin felt the waters close over his head.
+
+Both midshipmen were going down.  While Darrin's mind was fully
+alive to the situation Page, a gallant fellow at heart, and thoroughly
+brave, was now unwittingly carrying his comrade down with him to
+death.
+
+Nor, in the first moments, did any of the other midshipmen note
+the tragic happening.
+
+It was not long, however, before Dan Dalzell's agonized query
+shot over the waters:
+
+"Where's grand old Darrin?"
+
+Dan groaned with his helplessness.  For Dan was, at that instant,
+holding up one of the poor swimmers, to leave whom would be to
+abandon him to death.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+OFFICIAL AND OTHER REPORT
+
+
+When under the water, and in imminent danger of drowning, seconds
+count as hours.
+
+If they perished, now, Page would be spared the deep horror of it
+all, for his mind was already clouded again through his recent
+injuries.
+
+He retained only consciousness enough to fight like a dying wild
+beast.
+
+With one of Darrin's arms pinioned Page seemed fighting to get the
+other in an equal state of helplessness.
+
+Dave fought to free himself.  Yet he did not struggle too hard.
+
+"If I free myself abruptly, I may lose Page!" was the thought
+that rushed through his brain.
+
+To free himself of his comrade in order to get to the surface
+alone and safe was furthest from the young midshipman's mind.
+
+"It's a tough fix, but I'm going to get Page to the surface, or
+stay down here with him!" throbbed Dave.
+
+They were near enough to the surface to enable Darrin to see his
+comrade, though not with much clearness.
+
+Down under the water all forms looked indistinct.
+
+While Darrin struggled cautiously his mind worked fast.
+
+It would have been easy enough to choke Page into insensibility,
+but that would cause the unreasoning midshipman to open his mouth,
+insuring his drowning.
+
+Suddenly Dave saw his chance!  He made up his mind at once.
+
+Swiftly moving his free hand back, he struck Page on the forehead
+with his clenched fist.
+
+At that moment, Page began to fight harder to keep them both down.
+But Darrin struck him again on the head with his fist.
+
+The injured midshipman now collapsed, senseless.
+
+Cautiously though swiftly Dave freed himself, got a left hand
+grip on the collar of Page's blouse, and with his right hand struck
+out for the surface.
+
+His feet aided.  With joy Dave saw the water overhead growing
+lighter and lighter.  Then his face shot up into the life-giving air.
+
+Darrin took in a great gulp of it, then turned to make sure that
+the unconscious Page's mouth was above water.
+
+Close at hand one of the sailboats of the fleet was bearing down
+upon them.
+
+"There are Mr. Darrin and Mr. Page!" shouted a voice.
+
+Splash!  splash!  Two classmates were over in the water, swimming
+superbly toward the exhausted Dave.
+
+"Keep up a moment or two longer, Mr. Darrin!" hailed the voice
+of Midshipman Hallam encouragingly.
+
+All these young midshipmen were on duty.  Therefore, throughout
+the mishap and its attendant circumstances the ceremonious use
+of "Mr." had been followed.
+
+"Won't I keep up, though!" thrilled Dave, as he heard the cheering
+hail.
+
+All but forgetting himself, Dave turned to make sure that Page's
+mouth was kept above water.
+
+"Let me have Mr. Page!" called out Midshipman Botkin, ranging
+up alongside and taking charge of Darrin's burden.
+
+"How are you, Mr. Darrin?  Enjoy a little help?" queried Midshipman
+Hallam, throwing out a supporting arm to his classmate.
+
+"I'm nearly all in," confessed Dave, with a ghastly smile.
+
+"But not all in?  Good enough!  Get hold of my arm, and don't
+try to do much more than float.  They're gathering the men in
+fast, now."
+
+Two sailboats were now engaged in the work of rescue, and a third
+was heading for Mr. Salisbury and his engineer.
+
+In almost no time, it seemed, Dave and Page, and their supporters,
+were hauled into one of the boats.
+
+"Give Mr. Page first aid for the injured--quick!" urged Dave,
+almost in a whisper.  "He has gone close to being drowned."
+
+Hardly had he spoken the words when Darrin's own eyes closed.
+The strain had been too much for him.
+
+When the steam launches came up, Dave and Page, as well as the
+other drenched fourth class men, were transferred, and fast time
+was made back to the dock.
+
+Mr. Salisbury and his engineer were also taken back by steam power.
+The owner of the launch had a most satisfactory explanation to
+offer.
+
+He and his engineer had both believed that they had abundant room
+in which to clear the sailboat.  When, at last, they had tried
+their helm, it was found that the steering gear had broken.  There
+was no way in which to change the course of the motor boat in
+time.  The reversing gear was promptly used, but it was impossible
+to stop headway and dart back before the collision came.
+
+It was accident, and that was all there was to it.  Yet, had it
+not been for Darrin's prompt judgment, and the cool conduct of some
+of the members of his crew, there might easily have been some
+fatalities to report among the midshipmen.
+
+As it was, nothing but Darrin's splendid conduct had saved Midshipman
+Page from speedy death by drowning.
+
+Dave opened his eyes on his way back to Annapolis.  Page, however
+though he was "pumped dry" of the water that he had involuntarily
+swallowed, remained in a stupefied condition all the way back.
+
+An ambulance had been signaled for, and was waiting at the dock.
+
+"I don't want to go to hospital, sir," Dave objected weakly.
+
+"You'll come with me, Mr. Darrin," responded the Naval surgeon,
+without argument.  "Of course we can discharge you at any time
+we find you strong enough for duty."
+
+So Dave was taken to hospital, stripped, rubbed down, put to bed
+and dosed with hot drinks.
+
+Midshipman Page was put on the cot next to Dave's.  Now the surgeons
+discovered the injury that had been done Page's head by the falling
+gaff.
+
+Some four hours later Commander Jephson, commandant of midshipmen,
+came through the hospital, accompanied by Lieutenant Edgecombe,
+who had been the sailing instructor of the afternoon.
+
+"Good evening, Mr. Darrin," was the commandant's very cordial
+greeting.
+
+"Good evening, sir."
+
+"Good evening, Mr. Darrin," came from Lieutenant Edgecombe, which
+greeting Dave also acknowledged.
+
+"The surgeon says, Mr. Darrin, that you a fit to do some talking,"
+continued the commandant.
+
+"I am certain of that, sir," smiled Darrin.  "In fact, my only
+trouble is that the surgeon insists on my staying here tonight."
+
+"Then it is an official order, and can't be dodged," laughed the
+commandant pleasantly.  "But, Mr. Darrin, you were crew captain
+this afternoon.  Lieutenant Edgecombe wishes to secure your official
+report of the accident.  He will reduce it to writing, read it
+over to you, a then you will sign it."
+
+"Very good, sir," responded Dave briefly.
+
+The Navy lieutenant's questions drew out only the simplest account
+of the affair.  Of all the heavy, swift work he had done for the
+safety of his crew after the foundering Dave gave only the barest
+sketch.  Lieutenant Edgecombe then wrote down a brief, dry recital
+of fact, read it over, and Darrin signed it.
+
+During this time the commandant of midshipmen had sat by, a quiet
+listener.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," said Commander Jephson, at last, "I am obliged to
+say that, in some respects, your report does not agree with that
+of members of your crew."
+
+"I have made a truthful statement, sir, just as I recall the incidents
+of the affair," replied Dave, flushing to the temples.
+
+"Don't jump too speedily at false conclusions, Mr. Darrin," cautioned
+the commandant.  "My remark is founded on the statement, made
+by other midshipmen of your crew, that you displayed the utmost
+judgment and coolness, with great bravery added.  That you clung
+to Mr. Page to the last, and even went below with him at the almost
+certain risk of being drowned yourself."
+
+"You didn't expect me, sir, to include any praise of myself, in
+my official report?" questioned Darrin.
+
+"You have me there, Mr. Darrin," laughed the commandant, while
+the lieutenant turned to hide a smile.  "I am quite satisfied
+with your official report, but I wish to ask you some questions,
+on my own account, about your own experience in rescuing Mr. Page."
+
+This it took some minutes to draw out.  Darrin did not balk, nor
+try to conceal anything, but he had a natural aversion to singing
+his own praises, and answered questions only sparingly at first.
+Yet, at last, the commandant succeeded in drawing out a story,
+bit by bit, that made the old seadog's eyes glisten with pride.
+
+"Mr. Darrin," announced the commandant, "from experience and
+observation, through a rather long life in the Navy, I am able
+to state that the kind of courage which enables a man go down in
+drowning with a comrade, sooner than leave the comrade to his fate,
+is the highest type of courage known among brave men!"
+
+"You must have been aware, Mr. Darrin," added Lieutenant Edgecombe,
+"that you were taking at least ninety-nine chances in a hundred
+of offering up your life."
+
+"Gentlemen," replied Dave, rather restless under so much praise,
+"I have signed under the Flag, to give my life up for it at any
+time in the line of duty.  Does it make very much difference in
+which year I turn that life over to the Flag?"
+
+"Edgecombe," said the commandant, rather huskily, as the two
+officers left the hospital, "I am glad--mighty glad--that we
+didn't lose Darrin today.  We are going to need him in the Navy
+of tomorrow!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+THE "BAZOO" MAKES TROUBLE
+
+
+"Sir, the brigade is formed," reported the brigade adjutant, the
+next day, as the midshipmen stood in ranks, ready to march into
+the mess hall.
+
+"Publish the orders," directed the cadet commander.
+
+Then the brigade adjutant rattled off the orders, reading them
+in a quick monotonous voice.
+
+"For coolness, judgment and remarkable bravery displayed in an
+accident encounter in the sinking and foundering of a sailboat
+under his command, which accident was not any way due to his own
+negligence or incapacity--"
+
+Dave started, then crimsoned, as the brigade adjutant continued
+reading:
+
+"Midshipman David Darrin, fourth class, is hereby specially commended,
+and his conduct is offered as an example to all his comrades in
+the brigade of midshipmen."
+
+A moment later the crisp marching orders rang out, and the brigade
+was marching in by classes.
+
+Dave's face was still flushed, his blood tingling somewhat.  It
+was pleasing, doubtless, to be thus reviewed in orders, but Dave
+was not unduly elated.
+
+In the Navy, though courage may sometimes be mentioned in orders,
+not much fuss is made over it.  All officers and men in the Navy
+are expected to be brave, as a matter of course and of training.
+
+Dan, in fact, was more pleased over that one paragraph in orders
+than was his chum.
+
+"Of course everyone in the Navy must brave," thought Dalzell,
+to himself.  "But old Dave will always be one of the leaders in
+that line."
+
+In accordance with custom a copy of the order giving Darrin special
+commendation was mailed to his father, as one who had a right
+to know and to be proud of his son's record at the Naval Academy.
+
+Not a doubt was there that the senior Darrin was proud!  So many
+of the elder Darrin's friends were favored with a glimpse of the
+official communication received from Annapolis that the editor
+of the Gridley "Blade," heard of it.  Mr. Pollock asked the privilege
+of making a copy of the official communication, which contained
+a copy of the paragraph in orders.
+
+Mr. Pollock, however, was not contented with publishing merely
+a copy of the official communication from the Naval Academy authorities.
+The editor printed a column and a half, in all reminding his
+readers that Midshipman Darrin was one of a recently famous sextette
+of Gridley High School athletes who had been famous as Dick &
+Co.  Not only did Dave receive a flattering amount of praise in
+print.  Dan came in for a lot of pleasant notice also.
+
+Dave received a marked copy of that issue of the "Blade."  He
+fairly shivered as he read through that column and a half.
+
+"Danny boy," shuddered Darrin, passing the "Blade" over to his
+roommate, "read this awful stuff.  Then help me to destroy this
+paper!"
+
+Dan Dalzell read the column and a half, and reddened, grinning
+in a sickly sort of way.
+
+"Just awful, isn't it?" demanded Midshipman Dalzell.
+
+"Awful?" muttered Darrin uneasily.  "Why that doesn't begin to
+describe it.  If any upper class man should see that paper--"
+
+"He won't see this copy," proclaimed Dan, beginning to tear the
+offending issue of the "Blade" into small bits.
+
+In the parlance of Annapolis the newspaper from a midshipman's
+home town is known as the "Bazoo."  Now, the "Bazoo" has an average
+inclination to print very flattering remarks about the local
+representative at Annapolis. While the home editor always means this
+as pleasant service, the detection of flattering articles by any
+upper class man at Annapolis always means unpleasant times for the
+poor plebe who has been thus honored in the columns of the "Bazoo."
+
+The torn bits of the Gridley "Blade" were carefully disposed of,
+but Dave still shivered.  Through a clipping agency, or in some
+other mysterious way, upper class men frequently get hold of the
+"Bazoo."
+
+Four days passed, and nothing happened out of the usual.
+
+On the evening of the fifth day, just after the release bell had
+rung, there was a brief knock at the door.  Then that barrier
+flew open.
+
+Midshipmen Jones, Hulburt and Heath of the second class filed
+gravely into the room, followed by Midshipmen Healy, Brooks, Denton,
+Trotter and Paulson of the third class.
+
+Dave and Dan quickly rose to their feet, standing at attention
+facing their visitors.
+
+With a tragic air, as if he were an executioner present in his
+official capacity, Youngster Paulson held out a folded newspaper.
+
+"Mister," he ordered Darrin, "receive this foul sheet.  Unfold
+it, mister.  Now, mister, what depraved sheet do you hold in your
+hands?"
+
+"The Gridley 'Blade', sir," replied Darrin, his face crimsoning.
+
+"The--_what_, mister?"
+
+"Pardon me, sir--the Gridley 'Bazoo.'"
+
+"Have you seen another copy of the 'Bazoo' lately, mister?"
+
+"Yes, sir," admitted Dave, his face growing still redder.
+
+"Ah!  He saw it--and still he did not die of shame!" murmured
+Second Class Man Jones.
+
+"Shocking depravity!" groaned Midshipman Hurlburt.
+
+"Since you have already scanned the 'Bazoo,'" resumed Midshipman
+Paulson, "you will have no difficulty in finding the page, mister,
+on which the editor of the 'Bazoo' sings his silly praise of you.
+Turn to that page, mister."
+
+Dave further unfolded the paper, coming to the page on which the
+fearful article was printed.  As he glanced at it Dave saw that
+the article had been marked in blue pencil, and many of the paragraphs
+numbered.
+
+"Since you admit having read the 'Bazoo's' infamous article, mister,"
+continued Midshipman Paulson, "tell us whether any of the scurrilous
+charges therein are true?"
+
+"The quotation from the official report, sir, being correct as
+a copy, is bound to be true--"
+
+"Official reports at the Naval Academy are always true," retorted
+Paulson severely.  "Proceed, sir, to the comments which the ink-slinger
+of the 'Bazoo' has made concerning you.  Mister, read the paragraph
+numbered 'one.'"
+
+In a voice that shook a trifle Dave read:
+
+_"Dave Darrin is, beyond any question or cavil, one of the
+brightest, smartest, bravest and most popular boys who ever went
+forth into the world as a true son of old Gridley."_
+
+"Mister," declared Paulson, "you may gloss over some of the slander
+in those words by singing them to the tune of 'Yankee Doodle.'"
+
+Dave flushed.  There was a momentary flash in his eyes.  Dan,
+watching his chum covertly, was briefly certain that Darrin was
+going to balk.  Perhaps he would even fight.
+
+True hazing, however, does not aim at cruelty, but at teaching a
+new man to obey, no matter how absurd the order.
+
+In another moment the grim lines around the corners of Dave's mouth
+softened to a grin.
+
+"Wipe off that ha-ha look, mister!" warned Youngster Paulson.
+
+"I'll sing, gentlemen, if you think you can stand it," Dave promised.
+
+"You'll sing, mister, because you've been ordered to do so," reported
+Paulson as master of ceremonies.  "Now, then, let us have that
+paragraph to the air of 'Yankee Doodle.'"
+
+Dave obeyed.  To do him justice, he sang the best that he knew how,
+but that wasn't saying much for quality.  Dave had a good voice for
+a leader of men, but a poor one for a singer.
+
+Somehow, he got through the ordeal.
+
+"Now, cast your eye on the paragraph marked as number two," directed
+Mr. Paulson.  "Mister, the 'Bazoo' in your left hand.  Thrust
+your right hand in under the front of your blouse and strike the
+attitude popularly ascribed to Daniel Webster.  No comedy, either,
+mister; give us a serious impersonation, sir!"
+
+This was surely rubbing it in, but Dave gave his best in attitude
+and pose.
+
+"Effective!" murmured Midshipman Jones.  "Very!
+
+"Superb!" voiced Mr. Hurlburt.
+
+"Now, for the declamation, mister, of paragraph number two," commanded
+Youngster Paulson.
+
+In a deep voice, and with a ring that was meant to be convincing,
+Dave read the paragraph:
+
+_"Since a school consists of pupils as well as of instructors,
+the brightest student minds may be said to make the life and history
+of a famous school.  It has been so with our justly famous Gridley
+High School.  Mr. Darrin, in the past, has aided in establishing
+many of the traditions of the famous school that claims him as
+her own son.  The young man's heroism at Annapolis, under the
+most exacting conditions, will surprise no one who knows either
+Mr. Darrin or the splendid traditions that he helped establish
+among the youth of his home town.  In the years to come we may
+look confidently forward to hearing the name of Darrin as one
+of the most famous among the newer generation of the United States
+Navy.  David Darrin will always be a hero--because he cannot
+help it."_
+
+As Dave, his face flushing more hotly than ever, read through these
+lines he was conscious of the jeering gaze of the upper class men.
+He was interrupted, at times, by cries of fervid but mock admiration.
+
+"I feel," announced Mr. Hurlburt, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief,
+"that I am indeed honored in being one of the humbler students
+at this great school on which our beloved comrade has shed the
+luster of his presence."
+
+"It seems almost profane to look at such a young man, except through
+smoked glasses," protested Midshipman Heath.
+
+"What's your name, mister?" demanded Midshipman Brooks.
+
+"Darrin, sir," Dave answered, with the becoming meekness of a
+fourth class man.
+
+"Any relative of the Darrin mentioned in the elegy you have just
+been reading?"
+
+"I hope not, sir," replied Dave, fighting to stifle a grin, though
+it was a sheepish one.
+
+"Mister," stormed Midshipman Denton, "you are attempting to deceive
+us!"
+
+Dave gazed meekly but inquiringly at the last speaker.
+
+"You are trying to evade the fact that you are the real Darrin,
+the identical hero whom the 'Bazoo' so lovingly, so reverently
+describes.  Deceit fills your system, mister!  You will stand
+on your head long enough to let it run out of you."
+
+Midshipman Paulson, though an inveterate "runner" of fourth class
+men, had some regard for the dangers of overstaying the visit, and
+kept his left eye on the time.
+
+Darrin, standing on his head, became redder of face than ever,
+for all the blood in his body seemed to be running downward.
+At last he became so unsteady that twice his feet slipped along
+the wall, and he had to return to his attitude of standing on
+his head.
+
+"Better let up on the beast, Paulson," murmured Midshipman Brooks.
+
+"Yes," agreed Paulson.  "The warning bell will go in a minute
+more.  Mister, on your feet!"
+
+Dave promptly returned to normal attitude, standing respectfully
+at attention.
+
+"Mister," continued Paulson, "you will be allowed to retain this
+marked copy of the 'Bazoo.' You are warned to keep it out of sight,
+ordinarily, that none of the discipline officers may find it.
+But you will continue to refer to it several times daily, until
+you are sure that you have committed all of the marked paragraphs
+to heart, so that you can reel them off in song or in declamation.
+And you will be prepared, at all times, to favor any of the upper
+class men with these selections, whenever called for.  Good night,
+mister!
+
+"Good night, sir."
+
+Dave returned the salutations of each of the departing visitors.
+Just as Brooks, the last of the lot, was passing through the
+doorway, the warning bell before taps sounded.
+
+For a moment Dave Darrin, his face still red, stood behind the
+closed door, shaking his fist after the departing visitors.
+
+"Why didn't you shake your fist while they were in the room?" asked
+Dalzell bluntly.
+
+"That would have started a fight, as the least consequence," replied
+Dave, more soberly.
+
+"A fight, eh?" chuckled Dan.  "Dave, I don't know what has come
+over you lately.  There was a time when you didn't mind fights."
+
+"I have fought three times since coming here," Darrin replied
+soberly.
+
+"And I have fought seven times," retorted Dan.
+
+"Puzzle:  Guess which one of us was found the fresher," laughed
+Darrin.
+
+"I never thought you'd stand anything such as you've endured at
+Annapolis, without pounding your way through thick ranks of fighters,"
+mused Dalzell aloud.  "Dave, I can't fathom your meekness."
+
+"Perhaps it isn't meekness," returned Darrin, wheeling and looking
+at his chum.
+
+"If it isn't meekness, then what is it?  And, Dave, you used to
+be the hothead, the living firebrand of Dick & Co.!"
+
+"Danny boy, if hazing has lived nearly seventy years at Annapolis,
+then it's because hazing is a good thing for the seedling Naval
+officer.  I believe in hazing.  I believe in being forced to respect
+and obey my elders.  I believe in a fellow having every grain
+of conceit driven out of him by heroic measures.  And that's
+hazing--long may the practice live and flourish!"
+
+"Why, what good is hazing doing you?" insisted Dalzell.
+
+"It's teaching me how to submit and to obey, and how to forget
+my own vanity, before I am put in command of other men later on.
+Danny boy, do you suppose it has cost me no effort to keep my
+hands at my trousers-seams when I wanted to throw my fists out
+in front of me?  Do you imagine I have just tamely submitted to
+a lot of abuse because my spirit was broken?  Danny, I'm trying
+to train my spirit, instead of letting it boss me!  Many and many
+a time, when the youngsters have started to guy me unmercifully
+I've fairly ached to jump in and thrash 'em all.  But, instead,
+I've tried to conquer myself!"
+
+"I reckon you're the same old Dave--improved," murmured Midshipman
+Dalzell, holding out his hand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+THE SPECTRE AT THE FIGHT PARTY
+
+
+"On your head, mister.  Now, let us have paragraph number four,
+with tragic, blank-verse effect."
+
+That was Jennison's command
+
+Brooks manifested a fondness for paragraph number one, to the
+air of "Yankee Doodle."
+
+Others dropped in on Dave, after release at 9.30, evenings, and
+called for other paragraph rendered in various ways.  He was also
+overhauled, out of doors, in the brief recreation period after
+dinner, and made to do various stunts with the unfortunate paragraphs
+from the "Bazoo."
+
+By the time the first week of this was over Dave Darrin wished
+most heartily that Mr. Pollock had never founded the Gridley "Blade."
+
+It is rare that second class men take any part in hazing; it is
+almost unheard of for a first class man to take any really active
+part in running a plebe.
+
+Midshipman Henley, first class, proved an exception to this rule.
+Regularly, once a day, he met Darrin and ordered him to sing
+paragraph number one to the tune of "Yankee Doodle."
+
+If Dave resented any part of the torment, he was especially annoyed
+by Henley's unusual conduct.
+
+Naval needs brought a strange revenge.
+
+Reports had reached the Navy Department from commanders of warships
+in commission that many of the graduates of the Naval Academy
+serving with the fleets did not possess sufficient knowledge of
+the command of boat crews.
+
+In the past first class men had not been bothered with rowing
+drills, which they were supposed to have thoroughly mastered earlier
+in their course.
+
+Acting on word from the Navy Department the superintendent of
+the Naval Academy had the first class men ordered out for rowing
+drills.  All who showed sufficient skill were released from such
+drills.  The others were sent to drill with the fourth class men.
+
+Four of Dave's boat crew of fourth class men were transferred to
+another crew, their places being taken by four first class men who
+had been found sadly deficient in rowing drill.
+
+"Will one of the first class men serve as crew captain, sir?"
+asked Darrin.
+
+"Certainly not," replied Lieutenant Edgecombe.  "You will still
+keep command of your crew, Mr. Darrin.  And you will be expected
+to see that these first class men are most thoroughly grounded
+in the boat drill.  Do no spare any of them in the least because
+they are upper class men."
+
+"Very good, sir," Darrin answered, saluting.
+
+Midshipman Henley was one of the four assigned to Dave's crew.
+
+There was a deep scowl on Henley's face when he reported for the
+first boat drill under a plebe crew captain.
+
+As the boat was pushed off, after the crew had embarked, Darrin
+was alert only to his duty as the man in charge of the boat.
+
+Before the boat had gone a hundred yard Dave called crisply:
+
+"Number four, handle your oar with more energy and precision!
+
+"Don't get too stiff, mister," growled Midshipman Henley.
+
+Darrin returned the black look coolly.
+
+"Number four, when addressing the crew captain, you will employ
+the word, 'sir.' And you will pay strict attention to criticisms
+of your work."
+
+"Beats all how these plebes think they're men!" growled Mr. Henley
+disgustedly, without looking at Dave.
+
+"No talking in the crew," called Dave
+
+Henley subsided, for he had been trained to habits of obedience.
+Had the man in command been a member of his own class there would
+have been no trouble whatever, but Henley resented being at the
+orders of a fourth class man.
+
+"Number four, you are lounging," rebuked Darrin quietly, but firmly.
+"Correct your deportment, sir."
+
+Dave gazed so steadily at Midshipman Henley that the latter, though
+he colored, took a more seamanlike attitude for a while.  Bitter
+thoughts, however, were seething in the mind of this first class
+man.  After a few minutes Henley again struck his improper attitude.
+
+"Mr. Henley, upon your return put yourself on the report for taking
+an unseamanlike attitude after having been once corrected," directed
+Dave, in a businesslike tone.
+
+The hot blood leaped to Henley's face and temples.  He opened
+his mouth, intent upon making a stinging retort.
+
+But Dave was glancing at him so coolly, compellingly, that the
+older midshipman now realized that he had gone as far as was safe.
+
+During the rest of the drill Mr. Henley performed his work well
+enough to escape further rebuke.
+
+When the crew was dismissed, however, Henley wore a blacker look
+than ever as he stalked along to the office of the officer in
+charge.
+
+Here Henley picked up one of the report blanks, filled it out
+as briefly as possible, an signed his name, next turning in the
+report.
+
+Immediately after supper that night, and before the signal sent
+the midshipmen to their studies, Henley stepped up to Dave.
+
+"Mister, I want a word in private with you."
+
+"Certainly, sir," replied Dave.  He was no longer crew captain
+on duty, but a fourth class man answering a first class man.
+
+Henley conducted Dave out of earshot of any one else before he
+turned to say, hissingly:
+
+"Mister, you used an upstart's privilege of abusing your authority
+this afternoon."
+
+"I think not, sir," replied Dave quietly.
+
+"You put me on report for no other reason than that I had made you
+sing extracts from the 'Bazoo,'" charged the first class man.
+
+"That reason or thought never entered my head, sir."
+
+"I say it did!"
+
+"Then I am very sorry to have to reply that you are entirely in
+error."
+
+"You tell me that I am making a false statement?" demanded Midshipman
+Henley, more angrily.
+
+"If you choose to consider it in that light, sir."
+
+"Mister, you are touge, ratey, impudent and worthless!" declared
+Henley hotly.
+
+"Then I infer, sir, that you do not wish to waste any more time
+upon me?"
+
+"Oh, you will not get off as easily as that," sneered Midshipman
+Henley.  "You are a good-sized fellow, and you have some fourth
+class reputation as a fighter.  We shall not be so badly or unevenly
+matched, mister, I shall send a friend to inform you that I have
+called you out."
+
+"Then, sir, your friend will save time by seeking Mr. Dalzell, of
+the fourth class, who will be informed that he is to represent me."
+
+"Very good, mister."
+
+"That is all you wish to say to me, sir?"
+
+"You may go, mister."
+
+Dave Darrin walked away, his mind full of mighty serious thoughts.
+
+In the first place, for a midshipman to call out another, for
+reporting him for breach of discipline, is about as serious an
+offense as a midshipman can ordinarily commit.  It insures, if
+detected, the instant dismissal of the challenger.  And the challenged
+midshipman, if he accepts, held to be equally guilty.  So are
+the seconds.
+
+In accepting this challenge, which he had done instantly, Dave
+Darrin well knew that he placed his chances of remaining at the
+Naval Academy in great peril.  He was also aware that he ran Dan's
+head into equal danger.
+
+Yet tradition and custom would not allow Darrin to dodge the fight
+thus thrust upon him.  It was equally true, that, if he failed
+to ask Dan to act as his second, he would put a serious slight
+on his chum.
+
+Dave hurried to Dalzell, who listened with more glee than might
+have been expected.
+
+"Good enough, David, little giant!" approved Dalzell.  "When you
+meet Henley on the field just close in and pound off the whole
+of his superstructure!
+
+"Dan, I'm afraid I'm letting you in for a tough risk."
+
+"You wouldn't be my friend if you kept me out of it," retorted
+Dalzell significantly.
+
+Rollins proved only too glad to have the privilege of being the
+other second.  He, too, ran a risk of being dismissed, if caught
+at this fight; but in adventurous youth the love of risk is strong.
+
+The time was set for Saturday evening at 8.30; the place as usual.
+
+Darrin, as usual, was the first principal to show up.  He always
+liked to have plenty of time for stripping, and he also found
+it to his advantage to look the ground over.
+
+Mr. Bailey, of the second class, was to serve as referee, and
+Mr. Clafflin, of the second class as time-keeper.  It was against
+custom to have any of the officials from the first class since
+member of that class was to be one of the principals.
+
+"I wonder what sort of fellow Henley is with his fists," mused
+Rollins, after they had reached the ground.
+
+"Darrin will find out for you," replied Dan.
+
+"I'm not as afraid of seeing my principal thrashed as I might have
+been earlier in the year," went on Rollins.
+
+"Hm! Any fellow that thrashes Dave is almost certain to carry
+away a few mementos himself!"
+
+As soon as Henley and his seconds were seen to be approaching,
+Dave slipped off his blouse.
+
+Within five minutes after that both men were ready and faced each
+other.  The word was given.
+
+"Now, Mr. Touge," warned Henley, "guard that striking face of
+yours!"
+
+"Oh, I don't do any striking with my face," retorted Dave dryly.
+"I do all my killing with my hands."
+
+"Stop that one," urged Henley, feinting cleverly with his left,
+then following it up with a right hand crusher.
+
+Dave stopped both blows neatly enough, then sidestepped and passed
+over a fist that grazed Mr. Henley's face.
+
+"I just wanted to find out where your face is," mocked Darrin.
+
+"Talk less and fight more, Mr. Touge!" warned the referee.
+
+"Very good, sir," Dave retorted.  "But it's going to be hard on
+Mr. Henley."
+
+"Bah!" sneered Henley.  "Woof!"
+
+The latter exclamation followed when Dave's fist cut Henley's
+lip a bit.  But that indignity stirred the first class man to
+swifter, keener efforts.  He failed to score heavily on the fourth
+class man, however; but, just before the call time for the first
+round Henley's nose stopped a blow from Darrin's fist, and first
+class blood began to flow.
+
+"Mr. Touge is a hard fighter," muttered the time-keeper to the
+referee, while the seconds attended their men.
+
+"We've plenty of fellows at Annapolis who can punish Darrin,"
+replied Midshipman Bailey.
+
+Time was called for the start-off of the second round.  The two
+principals were intent on their footwork around each other, when
+there came hail that froze their blood.
+
+"Halt! Remain as you are for inspection!"
+
+It was the voice of Lieutenant Hall, one of the discipline officers,
+and the fighters and their friends had been caught!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+CONCLUSION
+
+
+Blank dismay fell over the whole of the fight party.
+
+Three first class men, two second class men and three members
+of the fourth class stood on the brink of almost instant dismissal.
+
+It was bitter for all of them, but it seemed especially hard to
+the first class men, who had survived the four years of hard grilling
+and were on the eve of graduation.
+
+However, there was no thought of running.  Though it was too dark
+for the discipline officer to have recognized any of them at the
+distance from which he had hailed them, yet, in a flight, it would
+be easy enough for Lieutenant Hall, who was an athlete, to catch
+one or two of them and then the names of all present could be
+obtained.
+
+It was an instant of utter terror.
+
+Then another voice broke in on the stillness.
+
+"All hands to the fire apparatus!  Fire in Bancroft Hall!"
+
+The fight party felt another thrill.  If the big Academy building
+was in danger they must rush to do their share.
+
+The officer's running footsteps were already heard.  He had turned
+and was speeding away.
+
+"Get on your clothes, quickly, you two fellows!" ordered Midshipman
+Bailey crisply "We've got to turn in with the rest for fast work!"
+
+Just then another figure darted up to them.  It turned out to be
+Midshipman Farley.
+
+"Yes; get on your clothes with some classy speed," chuckled Farley.
+"Lieutenant Hall will be back here with a bunch of watchmen,
+the marine guard, or any other old crowd, when he finds that he
+has been lured on the reefs by false signals!
+
+"Mister, did you give that call of fire?" demanded Midshipman
+Bailey sternly.
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"And there's no fire?"
+
+"None that I know of, sir."
+
+"Mister, what's your name?"
+
+"Farley, sir."
+
+"Then, Farley, sir, come and get hugged."
+
+In truth a lot of fuss was made over that young midshipman within
+a few seconds.
+
+"It can't do much harm to use you something like a human being
+and a comrade, anyway," declared Time-keeper Clafflin, as he wrung
+both of Farley's hands.  "Within a few days you'll be a youngster
+now."
+
+Farley explained that an itching interest in the fight had tempted
+him to be close at hand, and this had given him his chance to save
+the fight party.
+
+Darrin and Henley were dressing like lightning, and the others
+would not flee until the principals were ready to take part in
+the flight.
+
+"Henley," broke in Midshipman Bailey decisively, "you can't risk
+your graduation again by resuming this fight at some other time.  As
+far as the mill had gone Mr. Darrin had the best of it.  I award
+the fight to him."
+
+"I'm glad you do, Bailey," replied Henley heartily.  "And, as
+soon as I'm dressed, and my cap is set on square, I'm going to
+apologize and ask Mr. Darrin to shake hands with me."
+
+"Will you do me a favor, sir?" inquired Dave.
+
+"A dozen," agreed Henley instantly.
+
+"Then, sir, cut the apology and confine it to the hand-shake."
+
+In another moment they were ready for hasty departure.  But Dave
+had to wait for a quick, hearty handclasp from each of the upper
+class men.  Then all divided into three groups, by classes, and
+thirty seconds later found these midshipmen too far from the scene
+to be identified with any fight party.
+
+"It was a remarkably good and cheeky piece of work, sir," Lieutenant
+Hall reported, twenty minutes later, to Commander Jephson, commandant
+of midshipmen.  "I had a fight party right under my hands when
+that call of fire sounded.  It was so natural that I bolted away
+and lost my party before I discovered that it was a hoax."
+
+"Did you recognize any of the fight party, Mr. Hall?
+
+"No, sir; I was not close enough, and the night is dark."
+
+"Did you recognize the voice of the man who gave the fire-call?"
+
+"No, sir; at any rate, I believe that the voice was disguised."
+
+"The young men have discovered a new one, and have tried it on
+you, Mr. Hall."
+
+"I realize that, sir," replied the lieutenant, in a voice of chagrin.
+
+It was now the time of annual examinations, of daily dress parade
+and the incoming of the first of the hosts of visitors who would
+be on hand during graduation week.
+
+Of the annual examinations the poor fourth class men thought they
+had more than their share.  Of the dress parades they had their
+full share.  In the graduating exercises they took no part; they
+were not even present.
+
+"What does a mere fourth class man know about the Navy, anyway?"
+was the way Midshipman Trotter asked the question.
+
+Twenty-two of the fourth class men stumbled in their annual examinations.
+These went home promptly.  They would not return again, unless
+their Congressmen reappointed them for another try.  In case that
+happened to any of the young men they would return to take up
+life with the new fourth class, and would henceforth be known as
+"bilgers."
+
+A man who has been dropped is a "bilger," whether he comes back
+or not.  A "bilger" is further described as "one who used to be
+in the game, and is now only on the outside looking in."
+
+Dave Darrin's standing for the year was two-eighty-seven.  Dan's
+was two-eighty-two.  Farley and Page came close to that figure.
+
+None of these young men were in the "savvy" section, but all had
+passed with sufficient credit for the first year.
+
+While the graduating exercises were going on the fourth class
+men were divided between drills on land and on water.
+
+Dave and Dan were in a squad that marched up from the steam building
+just in time to catch a distant glimpse of the crowds surging
+out from the graduating exercises.
+
+Both young men, and probably a lot of others in the same squad
+throbbed with a swift flash of thought.
+
+As soon as the ranks were broken Dalzell seized his chum's hand,
+and began wringing it strenuously.
+
+"David, little giant," murmured Dan ecstatically, "we are no longer
+fourth class men.  From the instant that the tail-ender of the
+old first class received his diploma we became transformed into
+third class men."
+
+"Yes," smiled Dave.  "We're youngsters.  That's going some."
+
+"Poor fourth class men!" sighed Dan.  "I'm alluding to those who
+will have to look up to and reverence me as a youngster!"
+
+As soon as the chums had made a shift from their working clothes
+to the uniform of the day, and had stepped outside, they saw Mr.
+Henley coming their way, looking wholly proud and happy.
+
+Then, of a sudden, Mr. Henley bent a keen look upon the new youngsters.
+
+Just in the nick of time Dave Darrin recalled one of the regulations
+to which he had hitherto paid little heed for lack of use.
+
+Graduate midshipmen are entitled to be saluted by mere midshipmen
+as though they were already officer.
+
+Swiftly Darrin brought his heels together with a click, bringing
+his hand smartly up to the visor of his uniform cap.
+
+Henley gravely returned the salute with a new sense of existence.
+
+Dan Dalzell caught the drift of the thing just in time, and saluted
+also.
+
+"May we congratulate you, Mr. Henley?" asked Dave.
+
+"I was hoping that you both would," replied the graduate.  "And,
+one of these days, I may have the pleasure of congratulating you,
+as an officer, when you first come up over the side to start in with
+your real sea life."
+
+"I'm thinking, now, of our first taste of sea life," murmured
+Darrin, a dreamy light coming into his eyes.
+
+"Yes; just as soon as we graduates are gotten out of the way you
+new youngsters will join the two upper classes on the big battleships
+and start on your first summer practice cruise."
+
+"I feel as if I couldn't wait," muttered Dan, as Henley moved
+away.
+
+"You'll have to, however," laughed Dave.  "Don't be impatient.
+Think what a very small insect on shipboard a youngster midshipman is!"
+
+The chums were through with their first year at Annapolis.  But,
+all in a moment, they had entered the next year.  Many things
+befell them on that summer practice cruise, and many more things
+in the new academic year that followed.  But these will be appropriately
+reserved for the next volume, which will be entitled: "_Dave Darrin's
+Second Year at Annapolis; Or, Two Midshipmen as Naval Academy
+'Youngsters.'_"
+
+Having left the fourth class behind Dave and Dan at last entered
+fully into the life of the midshipmen.  They "counted" now; they
+were "somebodies," and a host of new and exciting experiences
+were ahead of them.
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT
+ANNAPOLIS***
+
+
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