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diff --git a/10045-h/10045-h.htm b/10045-h/10045-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4b7681 --- /dev/null +++ b/10045-h/10045-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5754 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> +<title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Dave Darrin's Second Year At Annapolis, by H. Irving Hancock Illustrated. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + p {margin-top:.75em;text-align:justify;margin-bottom:.75em;text-indent:2%;} + +.c {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +.cb {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;font-weight:bold;} + + h1 {text-align:center;clear:both;} + + h3 {margin-top:15%;text-align:center;clear:both;} + + + hr.full {width:100%;margin:5% auto 5% auto;border:4px double gray;} + + table {margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;border:none;text-align:left;} + + body{margin-left:2%;margin-right:2%;background:#fdfdfd;color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman", serif;font-size:medium;} + +a:link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + + link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + +a:visited {background-color:#ffffff;color:purple;text-decoration:none;} + +a:hover {background-color:#ffffff;color:#FF0000;text-decoration:underline;} +</style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10045 ***</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<p class="c">[Illustration: Darrin's Blow Knocked the Midshipman Down]</p> + + +<h1>DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS</h1> + +<p class="cb">or<br /><br /> +Two Midshipmen as Naval Academy "Youngsters"</p> + +<p class="cb">By<br /><br /> +H. IRVING HANCOCK Illustrated</p> + +<p class="cb">MCMXI</p> + +<h3><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h3> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left"><small>CHAPTER</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I</a>.</td><td align="left">A QUESTION OF MIDSHIPMAN HONOR</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II</a>.</td><td align="left">DAVE'S PAP-SHEET ADVICE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III</a>.</td><td align="left">MIDSHIPMAN PENNINGTON GOES TOO FAR</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV</a>.</td><td align="left">A LITTLE MEETING ASHORE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V</a>.</td><td align="left">WHEN THE SECONDS WONDERED</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI</a>.</td><td align="left">IN TROUBLE ON FOREIGN SOIL</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII</a>.</td><td align="left">PENNINGTON GETS HIS WISH</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII</a>.</td><td align="left">THE TRAGEDY OF THE GALE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX</a>.</td><td align="left">THE DESPAIR OF THE "RECALL"</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X</a>.</td><td align="left">THE GRIM WATCH FROM THE WAVES</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI</a>.</td><td align="left">MIDSHIPMAN PENNINGTON'S ACCIDENT</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII</a>.</td><td align="left">BACK IN THE HOME TOWN</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">XIII</a>.</td><td align="left">DAN RECEIVES A FEARFUL FACER</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">XIV</a>.</td><td align="left">THE FIRST HOP WITH THE HOME GIRLS</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">XV</a>.</td><td align="left">A DISAGREEABLE FIRST CLASSMAN</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">XVI</a>.</td><td align="left">HOW DAN FACED THE BOARD</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">XVII</a>.</td><td align="left">LOSING THE TIME-KEEPER'S COUNT</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">XVIII</a>.</td><td align="left">FIGHTING THE FAMOUS DOUBLE BATTLE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">XIX</a>.</td><td align="left">THE OFFICER IN CHARGE IS SHOCKED</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">XX</a>.</td><td align="left">CONCLUSION</td></tr> +</table> + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I<br /><br /> +A QUESTION OF MIDSHIPMAN HONOR</h3> + +<p>"How can a midshipman and gentleman act in that way?"</p> + +<p>The voice of Midshipman David Darrin, United States Navy, vibrated +uneasily as he turned to his comrades.</p> + +<p>"It's a shame—that's what it is," quivered Mr. Farley, also of the +third class at the United States Naval Academy.</p> + +<p>"But the question is," propounded Midshipman Dan Dalzell, "what are we +going to do about it?"</p> + +<p>"Is it any part of our business to bother with the fellow?" demanded +Farley half savagely.</p> + +<p>Now Farley was rather hot-tempered, though he was "all there" in points +that involved the honor of the brigade of midshipmen.</p> + +<p>Five midshipmen stood in the squalid, ill-odored back room of a Chinese +laundry in the town of Annapolis.</p> + +<p>There was a sixth midshipman present in the handsome blue uniform of the +brigade; and it was upon this sixth one that the anger and disgust of +the other five had centered.</p> + +<p>He lay in a sleep too deep for stirring. On the still, foul air floated +fumes that were new to those of his comrades who now gazed down on him.</p> + +<p>"To think that one of our class could make such a beast of himself!" +sighed Dave Darrin.</p> + +<p>"And on the morning of the very day we're to ship for the summer +cruise," uttered Farley angrily.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well" growled Hallam, "why not let this animal of lower grade sleep +just where he is? Let him take what he has fairly brought upon himself!"</p> + +<p>"That's the very question that is agitating me," declared Dave Darrin, +to whom these other members of the third class looked as a leader when +there was a point involving class honor.</p> + +<p>Dave had became a leader through suffering.</p> + +<p>Readers of the preceding volume in this series, "DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST +YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS," will need no introduction to this fine specimen of +spirited and honorable young American.</p> + +<p>Readers of that preceding volume will recall how Dave Darrin and Dan +Dalzell entered the United States Naval Academy, one appointed by a +Congressman and the other by a United States Senator. Such readers will +remember the difficult time that Dave and Dan had in getting through the +work of the first hard, grinding year. They will also recall how Dave +Darrin, when accused of treachery to his classmates, patiently bided his +time until he, with the aid of some close friends, was able to +demonstrate his innocence. Our readers will also remember how two +evil-minded members of the then fourth class plotted to increase Damn's +disgrace and to drive him out of the brigade; also how these two +plotters, Midshipmen Henkel and Brimmer, were caught in their plotting +and were themselves forced out of the brigade. Our readers know that +before the end of the first year at the Naval Academy, Dave had fully +reinstated himself in the esteem of his manly classmates, and how he +quickly became the most popular and respected member of his class.</p> + +<p>It was now only the day after the events whose narration closed the +preceding volume.</p> + +<p>Dave Darrin and Dalzell were first of all brought to notice in "THE HIGH +SCHOOL BOYS' SERIES." In their High School days, back in Gridley, these +two had been famous members of Dick & Co., a sextette of youngsters who +had made a name for themselves in school athletics.</p> + +<p>Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes, two other members of the sextette, had +been appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, +where they were serving in the corps of cadets and learning how to +become Army officers in the not far distant future. All of the +adventures of Dick and Greg are set forth in "THE WEST POINT SERIES."</p> + +<p>The two remaining members of famous old Dick & Co., Tom Reade and Harry +Hazelton, became civil engineers, and went West for their first taste of +engineering work. Tom and Harry had some wonderful and startling +adventures, as fully set forth in "THE YOUNG ENGINEERS' SERIES."</p> + +<p>On this early June day when we again encounter Dave Darrin and Dan +Dalzell in their handsome Naval uniforms, all members of the first, +second and third classes were due to be aboard one of the three great +battleships that lay off the Yard at Annapolis at four p.m.</p> + +<p>These three great battleships were the "Massachusetts," the "Iowa" and +the "Indiana." These three huge, turreted fighting craft had their full +crews aboard. Not one of the battleship commanders would allow a +"jackie" ashore, except on business, through fear that many of the +"wilder" ones might find the attractions on shore too alluring, and fail +to return in time.</p> + +<p>With the young midshipmen it was different. These young men were +officially and actually gentlemen, and could be trusted.</p> + +<p>Yet here, in the back room of this laundry, was one who was apparently +not dependable.</p> + +<p>This young midshipman's name was Pennington, and the fact was that he +lay in deep stupor from the effects of smoking opium!</p> + +<p>It had been a storekeeper, with a shop across the street, who had called +the attention of Dave and his four comrades to the probable fate of +another of their class.</p> + +<p>"Chow Hop runs a laundry, but I have heard evil stories about a lot of +young fools who flock to his back room and get a chance to 'hit' the +opium pipe," the storekeeper had stated to Dave. "One of your men, or at +least, one in a midshipman's uniform, went in there at eleven o'clock +this forenoon, and he hasn't been out since. It is now nearly two +o'clock and, I've been looking for some midshipmen to inform."</p> + +<p>Such had been the storekeeper's careful statement. The merchants of +Annapolis always have a kindly feeling toward these fine young +midshipmen. The storekeeper's purpose was to enable them to help their +comrade out.</p> + +<p>So the five had entered the laundry. The proprietor, Chow Hop, had +attempted to bar their way to the rear room.</p> + +<p>But Dave had seized the yellow man and had flung him aside.</p> + +<p>The reader already knows what they discovered, and how it affected these +young men.</p> + +<p>"Bring that copper-colored chink in here, if you'll be so good," +directed Dave.</p> + +<p>Dan and Hallam departed on the quest.</p> + +<p>"You're wanted in there," proclaimed Dalzell, jerking a thumb over his +shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Me no sabby," replied Chow Hop, looking up briefly from his ironing +board.</p> + +<p>"Get in there—do you hear?" commanded Hallam, gripping the other's arm +with all his force.</p> + +<p>"You lemme go chop-chop (quickly), or you get alle samee hurt—you +sabby?" scowled Chow Hop, using his free hand to raise a heavy flat-iron +menacingly.</p> + +<p>But Dan Dalzell jumped in, giving the Chinaman's wrist a wrench that +caused him to drop the iron.</p> + +<p>Then, without a bit of ceremony, Dan grasped the Oriental by the +shoulders, wheeled him about, while he protested in guttural tones, and +bluntly kicked the yellow-faced one through the door into the inner +room.</p> + +<p>At this summary proceeding both the Chinese helpers gripped their +flat-irons firmly; and leaped forward to fight.</p> + +<p>In an ugly temper the Chinaman is a bad man to oppose. But now this pair +were faced by a pair of quietly smiling midshipmen who were also +dangerous when angry.</p> + +<p>"You two, get back," ordered Dalzell, advancing fearlessly upon the +pair. "If you don't, we'll drag you out into the street and turn you +over to the policemen. You 'sabby' that? You heathen are pretty likely +to get into prison for this day's work!"</p> + +<p>Scowling for a moment, then muttering savagely, the two helpers slunk +back to their ironing boards.</p> + +<p>Yet, while Dan turned to go into the rear room, Hallam stood just where +he was, to keep an eye on two possible sources of swift trouble.</p> + +<p>"Chow Hop," began Dave Damn sternly, as the proprietor made his flying +appearance, "You've done a pretty mean piece of work here"—pointing to +the unconscious midshipman in the berth. "Do you understand that you're +pretty likely to go to prison for this?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that no maller," replied Chow, with a sullen grin. "Him plenty +'shipmen come here and smoke."</p> + +<p>"You lie!" hissed Dave, grasping the heathen by the collar and shaking +him until the latter's teeth rattled.</p> + +<p>Then Dave gave him a brief rest, though he still retained his hold on +the Chinaman's collar. But the yellow man began struggling again, and +Dave repeated the shaking.</p> + +<p>Chow Hop had kept his hands up inside his wide sleeves. Now Farley +leaped forward as he shouted:</p> + +<p>"Look out, Darry! He has a knife!"</p> + +<p>Farley attempted to seize the Chinaman's wrist, for the purpose of +disarming the yellow man, but Dave swiftly threw the Chinaman around out +of Farley's reach. Then, with a lightning-like move, Dave knocked the +knife from Chow Hop's hand.</p> + +<p>"Pick that up and keep it for a curio, Farley," directed Dave coolly.</p> + +<p>In another twinkling Darrin had run the Chinaman up against the wall.</p> + +<p>Smack! biff! thump!</p> + +<p>With increasing force Dave's hard fist struck the heathen in the face.</p> + +<p>"Now stand there and behave yourself," admonished Midshipman Dave, +dropping his hold on the yellow man's collar, "or we'll stop playing +with you and hurt you some."</p> + +<p>The scowl on Chow Hop's face was ominous, but he stood still, glaring at +Dave.</p> + +<p>"Chow, what can we do to bring this man out of his sleep!" asked Dave +coolly, and almost in a friendly tone.</p> + +<p>"Me no sabby," sulked the Chinaman.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do," retorted Dave warningly. "Now, what can we do to get our +friend out of this!"</p> + +<p>"You allee same cally (carry) him out," retorted Chow, with a suspicion +of a sulky grin.</p> + +<p>"None of that, now, you yellow-face!" glared Dave. "How shall we get our +comrade out of this opium sleep!"</p> + +<p>"Me no sabby no way," insisted Chow.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, you do!" snapped Dave. "But you won't tell. All right; we'll +find the way, and we'll punish you into the bargain. Dan, get a piece of +paper from the other room."</p> + +<p>Dalzell was quickly back with the desired item. On the paper Dave wrote +a name and a telephone number.</p> + +<p>"It's near the end of the doctor's office hours," murmured Dave. "Go to +a telephone and ask the doctor to meet you at the corner above. Tell him +it's vastly important, and ask him to meet you on the jump."</p> + +<p>"Shall I tell him what's up!" asked Dan cautiously.</p> + +<p>"Yes; you'd better. Then he'll be sure to bring the necessary remedies +with him."</p> + +<p>Dan Dalzell was off like a shot.</p> + +<p>Chow tried to edge around toward the door.</p> + +<p>"Here, you get back there," cried Dave, seizing the Chinaman and +slamming him back against the wall. "Don't you move again, until we tell +you that you may—or it will be the worse for you."</p> + +<p>Ten minutes passed ere Dan returned with Dr. Lawrence.</p> + +<p>"You see the job that's cut out for you," said Darrin, pointing to the +unconscious figure in the bunk. "Can you do it, Doctor?"</p> + +<p>The medical man made a hasty examination of the unconscious midshipman +before he answered briefly:</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Will it be a long job, Doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Fifteen minutes, probably."</p> + +<p>"Oh, good, if you can do it in that time!"</p> + +<p>"Me go now?" asked Chow, with sullen curiosity, as the medical man +opened his medicine-case.</p> + +<p>"Yes; if you don't try to leave the joint," agreed Dave. "And I'm going +outside with you."</p> + +<p>Chow looked very much as though he did not care for company, but +Midshipman Darrin kept at his side.</p> + +<p>"Now, see here, Chow," warned Dave, "this is the last day you sell opium +for white men to smoke!"</p> + +<p>"You heap too flesh (fresh)" growled the Chinaman.</p> + +<p>"It's the last day you'll sell opium to white men," insisted Dave, "for, +as soon as I'm through here I'm going to the police station to inform +against you. They'll go through here like a twelve-inch shot."</p> + +<p>"You alle same tell cop?" grinned Chow, green hatred showing through his +skin. "Then I tell evelybody about you fliend in there."</p> + +<p>"Do just as you please about that," retorted Dave with pretended +carelessness. "For one thing, you don't know his name."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I do," swaggered Chow impudently. "Know heap 'bout him. His +name alle same Pen'ton."</p> + +<p>Seizing a marking brush and a piece of paper, Chow Hop quickly wrote out +Pennington's name, correctly spelled. His ability to write English with +a good hand was one of Chow's great vanities, anyway.</p> + +<p>"You go back to your ironing board, yellow-face," warned Darrin, and +something in the young third classman's face showed Chow that it would +be wise to obey.</p> + +<p>Then Hallam drew Darrin to one side, to whisper earnestly in his ear:</p> + +<p>"Look out, old man, or you will get Pen into an awful scrape!"</p> + +<p>"I shan't do it," maintained Darrin. "If it happens it will have been +Pen's own work."</p> + +<p>"You'd better let the chink go, just to save one of our class."</p> + +<p>"Is a fellow who has turned opium fiend worth saving to the class!" +demanded Dave, looking straight into Hallam's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Well, er—er—" stammered the other man.</p> + +<p>"You see," smiled Dave, "the doubt hits you just as hard as it does me!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, of course, a fellow who has turned opium fiend is no fellow ever to +be allowed to reach the bridge and the quarter-deck," admitted Hallam. +"But see here, are you going to report this affair to the commandant of +midshipmen, or to anyone else in authority?"</p> + +<p>"I've no occasion to report," replied Dave dryly. "I am not in any way +in command over Pennington. But I mean to persuade him to report himself +for what he has done!"</p> + +<p>"But that would ruin him!" protested Hallam, aghast. "He wouldn't even +be allowed to start on the cruise. He'd be railroaded home without loss +of a moment."</p> + +<p>"Yet you've just said that an opium-user isn't fit to go on in the +brigade," retorted Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Hang it, it's hard to know what to do," rejoined Hallam, wrinkling his +forehead. "Of course we want to be just to Pen."</p> + +<p>"It doesn't strike me as being just exactly a question of justice to +Pennington," Darrin went on earnestly. "If this is anything it's a +question of midshipman honor. We fellows are bound to see that all the +unworthy ones are dropped from the service. Now, a fellow who has +fastened the opium habit on himself isn't fit to go on, is he?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, say, but this is a hard one to settle!" groaned Hallam.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll take all the responsibility upon myself," said Dave promptly. +"I don't want to make any mistake, and I don't believe I'm going to. +Wait just a moment."</p> + +<p>Going to the rear room, Dave faced his three comrades there with the +question:</p> + +<p>"You three are enough to take care of everything here for a few minutes, +aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," nodded Dan. "What's up?"</p> + +<p>"Hallam and I are going for a brief walk."</p> + +<p>Then, stepping back into the front room, Darrin nodded to his classmate, +who followed him outside.</p> + +<p>"Just come along, and say nothing about the matter on the street," +requested Dave. "It might be overheard."</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" questioned Hallam wonderingly.</p> + +<p>"Wait and see, please."</p> + +<p>From Chow Hop's wretched establishment it was not far to the other +building that Dave had in mind as a destination.</p> + +<p>But when they arrived, and stood at the foot of the steps, Hallam +clutched Darrin's arm, holding him back.</p> + +<p>"Why, see here, this is the police station!"</p> + +<p>"I know it," Dave replied calmly.</p> + +<p>"But see here, you're not—"</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to drag you into anything that you'd object to," Darrin +continued. "Come along; all I want you for is as a witness to what I am +going to say."</p> + +<p>"Don't do it, old fel—"</p> + +<p>"I've thought that over, and I feel that I must," replied Dave firmly. +"Come along. Don't attract attention by standing here arguing."</p> + +<p>In another instant the two midshipmen were going swiftly up the steps.</p> + +<p>The chief of police received his two callers courteously. Dave told the +official how their attention had been called to the fact that one of +their number was in an opium joint. Dave named the place, but requested +the chief to wait a full hour before taking any action.</p> + +<p>"That will give us a chance to get out a comrade who may have committed +only his first offense," Dave continued.</p> + +<p>"If there's any opium being smoked in that place I'll surely close the +joint out!" replied the chief, bringing his fist down upon his desk. +"But I understand your reasons, Mr.—"</p> + +<p>"Darrin is my name, sir," replied Dave quietly.</p> + +<p>"So, Mr. Darrin, I give you my word that I won't even start my +investigations before this evening. And I'll keep all quiet about the +midshipman end of it."</p> + +<p>"Thank you very much, sir," said Dave gratefully.</p> + +<p>As the two midshipmen strolled slowly back in the direction of Chow +Hop's, Dave murmured:</p> + +<p>"Now, you see why I took this step?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid not very clearly," replied Midshipman Hallam.</p> + +<p>"That scoundrelly Chow made his boast that other midshipmen patronized +his place. I don't believe it. Such a vice wouldn't appeal to you, and +it doesn't to me. But there are more than two hundred new plebes coming +in just now, and many of these boys have never been away from home +before. Some of them might foolishly seek the lure of a new vice, and +might find the habit fastened on them before they were aware of it. +Chow's vile den might spoil some good material for the quarter-deck, +and, as a matter of midshipman honor, we're bound to see that the place +is cleaned out right away."</p> + +<p>"I guess, Darry, you come pretty near being right," assented Hallam, +after thinking for a few moments.</p> + +<p>By the time they reached Chow Hop's again they found that Dr. Lawrence +had brought the unfortunate Pennington to. And a very scared and +humiliated midshipman it was who now stood up, a bit unsteadily, and +tried to smooth down his uniform.</p> + +<p>"How do you feel now?" asked Dave.</p> + +<p>"Awful!" shuddered Pennington. "And now see here, what are you fellows +going to do? Blab, and see me driven out of the Navy?"</p> + +<p>"Don't do any talking in here," advised Dave, with a meaning look over +his shoulder at the yellow men in the outer room. "Doctor, is our friend +in shape to walk along with us now?"</p> + +<p>"He will be, in two or three minutes, after he drinks something I'm +going to give him," replied the medical man, shaking a few drops from +each of three vials into a glass of water. "Here, young man, drink this +slowly."</p> + +<p>Three minutes later the midshipmen left the place, Dave walking beside +Pennington and holding his arm lightly for the purpose of steadying him.</p> + +<p>"How did this happen, Pen?" queried Dave, when the six men of the third +class at last found themselves walking down Maryland Avenue. "How long +have you been at this 'hop' trick?"</p> + +<p>"Never before to-day," replied Midshipman Pennington quickly.</p> + +<p>"Pen, will you tell me that on your honor?" asked Dave gravely.</p> + +<p>The other midshipman flared up.</p> + +<p>"Why must I give you my word of honor?" he demanded defiantly. "Isn't my +plain word good enough?"</p> + +<p>"Your word of honor that you had never smoked opium before to-day would +help to ease my mind a whole lot," replied Darrin. "Come, unburden +yourself, won't you, Pen?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you, Darry, just how it happened. To-day <i>was</i> the first +time, on my word of honor, I came out into Annapolis with a raging +toothache. Now, you know how a fellow gets to hate to go before the +medical officers of the Academy with a tale about his teeth."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," nodded Darrin. "If a fellow is too much on the medical +report for trouble with his teeth, then it makes the surgeons look his +mouth over with all the more caution, and in the end a fellow may get +dropped from the brigade just because he has invited over zeal from the +dentist. But what has all this to do with opium smoking?"</p> + +<p>"Just this," replied Pennington, hanging his head. "I went into a drug +store and asked a clerk that I know what was the best thing for +toothache. He told me the best he knew was to smoke a pipe of opium, and +told me where to find Chow Hop, and what to say to the chink. And it's +all a lie about opium helping a sore tooth," cried the wretched +midshipman, clapping a hand to his jaw, "for there goes that fiendish +tooth again! But say! You fellows are not going to leak about my little +mishap?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Darrin with great promptness. "You're going to do that +yourself."</p> + +<p>"What?" gasped Midshipman Pennington in intense astonishment. "What are +you talking about?"</p> + +<p>"You'll be wise to turn in a report, on what happened," pursued Dave, +"for it's likely to reach official ears, anyway, and you'll be better +off if you make the first report on the subject."</p> + +<p>"Why is it likely to reach official ears, if you fellows keep your +mouths shut?"</p> + +<p>"You see," Darrin went on very quietly, "I reported the joint at the +police station, and Chow Hop threatened that, if I did, he'd tell all he +knew about everybody. So you'd better be first——"</p> + +<p>"You broke the game out to the police!" gasped Pennington, staring +dumfoundedly at his comrade. "What on earth——"</p> + +<p>"I did it because I had more than one satisfactory reason for +considering it my duty," interposed Dave, speaking quietly though +firmly.</p> + +<p>"You—you—bag of wind!" exploded Midshipman Pennington.</p> + +<p>"I'll accept your apology when you've had time to think it all over," +replied Dave, with a smile, though there was a brief flash in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I'll make no apology to you—at any time, you—you—greaser!"</p> + +<p>Marks for efficiency or good conduct, which increase a midshipman's +standing, are called "grease-marks" or "grease" in midshipman slang. +Hence a midshipman who is accused of currying favor with his officers in +order to win "grease" is contemptuously termed a "greaser."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to talk with you any more, Mr. Darrin," Pennington went on +bitterly, "or walk with you, either. When I get over this toothache I'll +call you out—you greaser!"</p> + +<p>Burning with indignation, Midshipman Pennington fell back to walk with +Hallam.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II<br /><br /> +DAVE'S PAP-SHEET ADVICE</h3> + +<p>When our party reached the landing a lively scene lay before them.</p> + +<p>Fully a hundred midshipmen, belonging to the first, second and third +classes, were waiting to be transported out to one or another of the +great, gray battleships.</p> + +<p>Several launches were darting back and forth over the water. The baggage +of the midshipmen had already been taken aboard the battleships. Only +the young men themselves were now awaited.</p> + +<p>Near-by stood a lieutenant of the Navy, who was directing the +embarkation of the midshipmen of the different classes.</p> + +<p>Five minutes after our party arrived a launch from the "Massachusetts" +lay in alongside the landing.</p> + +<p>"Third classmen, this way!" shouted the lieutenant. "How many of you?"</p> + +<p>Turning his eyes over the squad that had moved forward, the officer +continued:</p> + +<p>"Twenty-two. You can all crowd into this launch. Move quickly, young +gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>In another couple of minutes the puffing launch was steaming away to the +massive battleship that lay out in the stream.</p> + +<p>Dave stood well up in the bow. Once he barely overheard Pennington +mutter to a comrade:</p> + +<p>"The rascally greaser!"</p> + +<p>"That means me," Dave muttered under his breath. "I won't take it up +now, or in any hurry. I'll wait until Pen has had time to see things +straight."</p> + +<p>As soon as the launch lay alongside, the young midshipmen clambered +nimbly up the side gangway, each raising his cap to the flag at the +stern as he passed through the opening in the rail.</p> + +<p>Here stood an officer with an open book in his hand. To him each +midshipman reported, saluting, stated his name, and received his +berthing.</p> + +<p>"Hurry away to find your berthings, and get acquainted with the +location," ordered this officer. "Every midshipman will report on the +quarter-deck promptly at five p.m. In the meantime, after locating your +berthings, you are at liberty to range over the ship, avoiding the ward +room and the staterooms of officers."</p> + +<p>The latest arrivals saluted. Then, under the guidance of messengers +chosen from among the apprentice members of the crew, the young men +located their berthings.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to get mine changed, if I can," growled Pennington, wheeling +upon Dave Darrin. "I'm much too close to a greaser. I'm afraid I may get +my uniforms spotted, as well as my character."</p> + +<p>"Stop that, Pen!" warned Dave, stationing himself squarely before the +angry Pennington. "I don't know just how far you're responsible for what +you're saying now. To-morrow, if you make any such remarks to me, you'll +have to pay a mighty big penalty for them."</p> + +<p>"You'll make me pay by going to the commandant and telling him all you +know, I suppose?" sneered Pennington.</p> + +<p>"You know better, Pen! Now, begin to practise keeping a civil tongue +behind your teeth!"</p> + +<p>With that, Darrin turned on his heel, seeking the deck.</p> + +<p>This left "Pen" to conjecture as to whether he should report his +misadventure, and, if so, how best to go about it.</p> + +<p>"See here, Hallam," began the worried midshipman, "I begin to feel that +it will be safer to turn in some kind of report on myself."</p> + +<p>"Much safer," agreed Hallam. "It will show good faith on your part if +you report yourself."</p> + +<p>"And get me broken from the service, too, I suppose," growled the +unhappy one.</p> + +<p>"I hardly think it will, if you report yourself first," urged Hallam. +"But you'll be about certain to get your walking papers if you wait for +the first information to come from other sources."</p> + +<p>"Hang it," groaned Pennington, "I wish I could think, but my head aches +as though it would split and my tooth is putting up more trouble than I +ever knew there was in the world. And, in this racked condition, I'm to +go and put myself on the pap-sheet. In what way shall I do it, Hallam? +Can't you suggest something?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," retorted Hallam with great energy. "Go to the medical officer and +tell him how your tooth troubles you. Tell him what you tried on shore. +I'll go with you, if you want."</p> + +<p>"Will you, old man? I'll be a thousand times obliged!"</p> + +<p>So the pair went off in search of the sick-bay, as the hospital part of +a battleship is called. The surgeon was not in his office adjoining, but +the hospital steward called him over one of the ship telephones, +informing him that a midshipman was suffering with an ulcerated tooth.</p> + +<p>Dr. Mackenzie came at once, turned on a reflector light, and gazed into +Midshipman Pennington's mouth.</p> + +<p>"Have you tried to treat this tooth yourself, in any way?" queried the +ship's surgeon.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; I was so crazy with the pain, while in Annapolis, that I am +afraid I did something that will get me into trouble," replied +Pennington, with a quiver in his voice.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" asked Dr. Mackenzie, glancing at him sharply. "Did you +try the aid of liquor?"</p> + +<p>"Worse, I'm afraid, sir."</p> + +<p>"Worse?"</p> + +<p>Pennington told of his experience with the opium pipe.</p> + +<p>"That's no good whatever for a toothache, sir," growled Dr. Mackenzie. +"Besides, it's a serious breach of discipline. I shall have to report +you, Mr. Pennington."</p> + +<p>"I expected it, sir," replied Pennington meekly.</p> + +<p>"However, the report won't cure your toothache," continued Dr. Mackenzie +in a milder tone. "We'll attend to that first."</p> + +<p>The surgeon busied himself with dissolving a drug in a small quantity of +water. This he took up in a hypodermic needle and injected into the +lower jaw.</p> + +<p>"The ache ought to stop in ten minutes, sir," continued the surgeon, +turning to enter some memoranda in his record book.</p> + +<p>After that the surgeon called up the ship's commander over the 'phone, +and made known Pennington's report.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington, Captain Scott directs that you report at his office +immediately," said the surgeon, as he turned away from the telephone.</p> + +<p>"Very good, sir. Thank you, sir."</p> + +<p>Both midshipmen saluted, then left the sick-bay.</p> + +<p>"This is where you have to go up alone, I guess," hinted Midshipman +Hallam.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid so," sighed Pennington.</p> + +<p>"However, I'll be on the quarter-deck, and, if I'm wanted, you can send +there for me."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, old man. You're worth a brigade of Darrins—confound the +greasing meddler!"</p> + +<p>"Darrin acted according to his best lights on the subject of duty," +remonstrated Mr. Hallam mildly.</p> + +<p>"His best lights—bah!" snarled Pennington. "I'll take this all out of +him before I'm through with him!"</p> + +<p>Pennington reported to the battleship's commander. After some ten +minutes a marine orderly found Hallam and directed him to go to Captain +Scott's office. Here Hallam repeated as much as was asked of him +concerning the doings of the afternoon. Incidentally, the fact of +Midshipman Darrin's report to the police was brought out.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington, I shall send you at once, in a launch, over to the +commandant of cadets to report this matter in person to him," said +Captain Scott gravely. "Mr. Hallam, you will go with Mr. Pennington."</p> + +<p>Then, after the two had departed, an apprentice messenger went through +the ship calling Dave's name. That young man was summoned to Captain +Scott's office.</p> + +<p>"I am in possession of all the facts relating to the unfortunate affair +of Midshipman Pennington, Mr. Darrin," began Captain Scott, after the +interchange of salutes. "Will you tell me why you reported the affair to +the police?"</p> + +<p>"I went to the police, sir," Dave replied, "because I was aware that +many members of the new fourth class are away from home for the first +time in their lives. I was afraid, sir, that possibly some of the new +midshipmen might, during one of their town-leaves, be tempted to try for +a new experience."</p> + +<p>"A very excellent reason, Mr. Darrin, and I commend you heartily for it. +I shall also report your exemplary conduct to the commandant of +midshipmen. You have, in my opinion, Mr. Darrin, displayed very good +judgment, and you acted upon that judgment with promptness and decision. +But I am afraid," continued the Navy captain dryly, "that you have done +something that will make you highly unpopular, for a while, with some of +the members of your class."</p> + +<p>"I hope not, sir," replied Dave.</p> + +<p>"So do I," smiled Captain Scott "I am willing to find myself a poor +prophet. That is all, Mr. Darrin."</p> + +<p>Once more saluting, Dave left the commanding officer's presence. Almost +the first classmate into whom he stumbled was Dan Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Well, from what quarter does the wind blow!" murmured Dan.</p> + +<p>Darrin repeated the interview that he had just had.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid, Dave, little giant, that you've planted something of a mine +under yourself," murmured Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"I feel as much convinced as ever, Danny boy, that I did just what I +should have done," replied Darrin seriously.</p> + +<p>"And so does Captain Scott, and so will the commandant," replied Dan. +"But winning the commendation of your superior officers doesn't always +imply that you'll get much praise from your classmates."</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately, you are quite right," smiled Dave. "Still, I'd do the +same thing over again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, of course you would," assented Dan. "That's because you're Dave +Darrin."</p> + +<p>Here a voice like a bass horn was heard.</p> + +<p>"All third classmen report to the quarter-deck immediately!"</p> + +<p>This order was repeated in other parts of the ship. Midshipmen gathered +with a rush, Pennington and Hallam being the only members absent. As +soon as the third classmen, or "youngsters," as they are called in +midshipman parlance, had formed, the orders were read off dividing them +into sections for practical instruction aboard ship during the cruise.</p> + +<p>Dave's name was one of the first read off. He was assigned to duty as +section leader for the first section in electrical instruction. Dalzell, +Farley, Hallam, Pennington and others were detailed as members of that +section.</p> + +<p>The same section was also designated for steam instruction, Dalzell +being made leader of the section in this branch.</p> + +<p>The class was then dismissed. Somewhat later Pennington and Hallam +returned from their interview with the commandant.</p> + +<p>Hallam at once sought out Dave.</p> + +<p>"Darry, old man," murmured Hallam, "Pen is as crazy as a hornet against +you. As he had taken the first step by sticking himself on the pap-sheet +(placing himself on report), the commandant said he would make the +punishment a lighter one."</p> + +<p>"What did Pen get?" queried Dave.</p> + +<p>"Fifty demerits, with all the loss of privileges that fifty carry."</p> + +<p>"He's lucky," declared Dave promptly. "Had the report come from other +sources, he would have been dismissed from the service."</p> + +<p>"If Pen's lucky," rejoined Hallam, "he doesn't seem to realize the fact. +He's calling you about everything."</p> + +<p>"He can keep that up," flashed Dave, "until his toothache leaves him. +Then, if he tries to carry it any further, Pen will collide with one of +my fists!"</p> + +<p>Not much later a call sounded summoning the youngsters to the +midshipmen's mess. Dave was glad to note that Pennington sat at some +distance from him at table.</p> + +<p>While the meal was in progress the "Massachusetts" and the other +battleships got under way. The midshipmen were on deck, an hour later, +when the fleet came to anchor for the night, some miles down Chesapeake +Bay.</p> + +<p>Before the youngsters were ordered to their berths that night Third +Classman Pennington had found opportunity to do a good deal of talking +to a few comrades who would listen to him.</p> + +<p>Pennington was determined to stir up a hornet's nest for Dave Darrin.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III<br /><br /> +MIDSHIPMAN PENNINGTON GOES TOO FAR</h3> + +<p>At eight o'clock the following morning the various sections were formed +and marched to the deck.</p> + +<p>Dave reported:</p> + +<p>"All present, sir."</p> + +<p>The chief electrician was now summoned, and to him the section was +turned over. This young man, Whittam, by name, was an enlisted man, but +a bright young sample of what the Navy can do for the boy who enlists as +an apprentice.</p> + +<p>"You will take your orders from Mr. Whittam as though he were an +officer," directed the officer, his words intended for all members of +the section, though he looked only at Darrin.</p> + +<p>Dave saluted, then, as Chief Electrician Whittam turned to lead the way, +Dave called quietly:</p> + +<p>"Section, left wheel—march!"</p> + +<p>They followed Whittam down into the dynamo room, an interesting spot for +a machinist.</p> + +<p>"It's fine," muttered Dan, as he stared about him at the bright metal +work, the switch-board and the revolving machines. "But I'm afraid I +couldn't learn the use and sense of all this in five years."</p> + +<p>"Silence in the section," commanded Dave, turning around upon his chum.</p> + +<p>Whittam now began a short, preliminary talk upon the subjects in which +the midshipmen would be required to qualify.</p> + +<p>"One of the first and most important requests I have to make," said +Whittam presently, "is that none of you touch the switches, except by +direction. None of you can guess the harm that might follow the careless +and ignorant handling of a switch."</p> + +<p>"It's pretty cheeky for an enlisted man to talk to midshipmen about +ignorance," whispered Pennington to Farley.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know—" Farley started to reply, but Darrin's quiet voice +broke in with authority:</p> + +<p>"Cease talking in section."</p> + +<p>Farley knew this to be a merited rebuke, and accepted it as such, but +Pennington's face went violently red.</p> + +<p>"Confound that grease-spot-chaser," growled Pen. "He'll be bound to take +it out of me as long as the cruise lasts. But I'll get even with him. No +cheap greaser is going to ride over me!"</p> + +<p>That morning none of the midshipmen were called upon to handle any of +the fascinating-looking machinery. Nearly the whole of this tour of +practical instruction was taken up by the remarks of the chief +electrician. As he spoke, Whittam moved over to one piece or another of +mechanism and explained its uses. Finally, he began to question the +attentive young men, to see how much of his instruction they had +absorbed.</p> + +<p>"This is a shame, to set an enlisted man up over us as quiz-master, just +to see how little we know," growled Pennington; but this time he had the +good sense not to address his remark to anyone.</p> + +<p>Pennington was not yet in good shape, after his harrowing experiences of +the day before.</p> + +<p>Ere the tour of instruction was over, he began to shift somewhat +uneasily.</p> + +<p>Then his attention began to wander.</p> + +<p>A brilliantly shining brass rod near him caught his eye. Something about +the glossy metal fascinated him.</p> + +<p>Once or twice Pen put out his hand to touch the rod, but as quickly +reconsidered and drew back his hand.</p> + +<p>At last, however, the temptation proved too strong. He slid one hand +along the rail.</p> + +<p>"Here, sir, don't handle that!" rasped in the voice of Whittam.</p> + +<p>Pennington drew back his hand, a flush mounting to his face.</p> + +<p>"The fellow has no right to talk to a midshipman in that fashion!" +quivered Pennington to himself. "But it was the fault of that low-minded +greaser Darrin, anyway. Darrin saw me, and he glanced swiftly at the +chief electrician to draw attention to me."</p> + +<p>It is only just to Pennington to state that he actually believed he had +seen Dave do this. Darrin, however, was not guilty of the act. He had in +no way sought to direct attention at Pennington.</p> + +<p>Towards the close of the tour the officer in whose department this +instruction fell passed through the dynamo room.</p> + +<p>"Are there any breaches of conduct to be reported, Whittam?" inquired +the officer, halting.</p> + +<p>"Nothing worth mentioning, sir," replied the chief electrician.</p> + +<p>"I asked you, Whittam, whether there had been any breaches of conduct," +retorted the officer with some asperity.</p> + +<p>"One midshipman, sir, after having been instructed to touch nothing, +rested his hand on one of the brass rods."</p> + +<p>"His name?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know the names of many of the young gentlemen yet, sir, so I +don't know the particular midshipman's name, sir."</p> + +<p>"Then point him out to me," insisted the officer.</p> + +<p>There was hardly any need to do so. Pennington's face, flushed with +mortification, was sufficient identification. But the chief electrician +stepped over, halting in front of the hapless one, and said:</p> + +<p>"This is the young gentleman, sir."</p> + +<p>"Your name, sir?" demanded the officer.</p> + +<p>"Pennington, sir."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington, you will place yourself on the report, sir, for +disobedience of orders," commanded the officer. "Is this the only case, +Whittam?"</p> + +<p>"The only case, sir."</p> + +<p>The officer passed out of the dynamo room, leaving the unlucky one more +than ever angry with Darrin, whom he incorrectly charged with his +present trouble.</p> + +<p>The recall sounding, Dave turned to Whittam, saying crisply but +pleasantly:</p> + +<p>"Thank you for our instruction."</p> + +<p>"He's thanking the fellow for my new scrape," growled Pennington +inwardly.</p> + +<p>Dave marched his section back to deck and dismissed it. Dan Dalzell, as +section leader in steam instruction, immediately re-formed it.</p> + +<p>"You will report in the engine-room, Mr. Dalzell, to +Lieutenant-Commander Forman, who is chief engineer of this ship. He will +assign you to an instructor."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir," Dan replied, saluting. "Section, right wheel—march!"</p> + +<p>Dan already knew where, down in the bowels of the great battleship, to +find the engine room.</p> + +<p>Reaching that department, Dan halted his section.</p> + +<p>"Section all present, sir," reported Dan, saluting a strange officer, +who, however, wore the insignia of a lieutenant-commander.</p> + +<p>"Your name, sir?" inquired the officer.</p> + +<p>"Dalzell, sir."</p> + +<p>"Let your section break ranks. Then you may all follow me, and keep your +eyes open, for you will go through one or two dark places."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir. Section break ranks."</p> + +<p>Lieutenant-Commander Forman led the way, with all the members of the +section wondering what was to be the nature of their first day's work in +the engineer department.</p> + +<p>Descending lower into the ship, the chief engineer led the young middies +over a grating, and paused at the head of an iron ladder.</p> + +<p>"Pass down in orderly fashion, single file," directed the chief +engineer, halting. "When at the foot of this ladder, cross a grating to +port side, and then descend a second ladder, which you will find."</p> + +<p>All the midshipmen went down the first ladder in silence. Dan, who had +preceded the others, crossed the grating and found the second ladder.</p> + +<p>Once more these youngsters descended. Pennington, as though by mere +accident, succeeded in following Dave Darrin down the ladder.</p> + +<p>Just as they were near the bottom Dave felt a foot descend upon his +shoulder, almost with a kick, and then rest there with a crushing +pressure.</p> + +<p>It hurt keenly until Darrin was able to dodge out from under and +hurriedly reach the bottom.</p> + +<p>"Pardon, whoever you are," came a gruff voice.</p> + +<p>Dave, with his shoulder crippled a good deal, and paining keenly, halted +as soon as his foot had touched bottom. It was dark down there, though +some reflected light came from an incandescent light at a distance.</p> + +<p>Dave waited, to peer into the face of the man who had stepped on his +shoulder.</p> + +<p>It was Pennington, of course!</p> + +<p>"I'll take pains not to go down ahead of you again, or to follow you up +a ladder," grunted Darrin suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, are you the man on whose shoulder my foot rested?" asked +Pennington, with apparent curiosity.</p> + +<p>"Didn't you know it!" questioned Darrin, looking straight into the +other's eyes.</p> + +<p>Instead of answering intelligibly, Pennington turned and walked away a +few feet.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps that fellow thinks he's going to vent his spite on me in a lot +of petty ways," murmured Dave. "If that is the idea he has in his head, +he's going to wake up one of these days!"</p> + +<p>Following the last midshipman came Lieutenant-Commander Forman.</p> + +<p>"After me, gentlemen," directed the chief engineer. He turned down a +narrow passage, only a few feet long, and came out in the furnace room.</p> + +<p>Here huge fires glowed through the furnace doors. Four of the Navy's +firemen stood resting on their shovels. Instantly, on perceiving the +chief engineer, however, the men stood at attention.</p> + +<p>"Pass the word for the chief water tender," ordered the engineer, +turning to one of the firemen.</p> + +<p>The messenger soon came back with a pleasant-faced, stalwart man of +forty.</p> + +<p>"Heistand," ordered the chief engineer, "give these members of the first +section, third: class, steam instruction, a thorough drill in firing."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir," replied the chief water tender, saluting.</p> + +<p>"Heistand's orders are mine, Mr. Dalzell," continued the +lieutenant-commander, facing Dan. "Preserve order in your section."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir," replied Dan, saluting. Acknowledging this courtesy in +kind, the chief engineer turned and left the furnace room.</p> + +<p>Heistand was presumably of German parentage, though he had no accent. He +struck the midshipmen as being a pleasant, wholesome fellow, though the +water tenders and firemen of the "Massachusetts" knew that he could be +extremely strict and grim at need.</p> + +<p>"You will now, young gentlemen," began Heistand, "proceed to learn all +about priming a furnace, lighting, building, cleaning and generally +taking care of a fire. Two furnaces have been left idle for this +instruction."</p> + +<p>But two of the regular firemen now remained in the room. These were +ordered to hustle out coal before boilers B and D. Then Heistand taught +the members of the section how to swing a shovel to the best advantage +so as to get in a maximum of coal with the least effort. He also +illustrated two or three incorrect ways of shoveling coal.</p> + +<p>"The idea of making coal heavers out of us!" growled a much-disgusted +voice.</p> + +<p>Dan did not see who the speaker was, but his eyes flashed as he turned +and rasped out:</p> + +<p>"Silence in the section! Speak only to ask for information, and then at +the proper time."</p> + +<p>"Another young autocrat!" muttered a voice.</p> + +<p>"Wait one moment, please, Heistand," begged Dan. Then, wheeling squarely +about, and facing all the members of the section, he declared with +emphasis:</p> + +<p>"If there's any more unauthorized talking I shall feel obliged to pass +the word above that discipline is in a bad way in this section."</p> + +<p>Then he wheeled about once more, facing the chief water tender.</p> + +<p>"Now, young gentlemen," resumed the chief water tender, "take your +shovels and fill in lively under boilers B and D."</p> + +<p>Three or four times Heistand checked one or another of the midshipmen, +to show him a more correct way of handling the shovel. Yet, in good +time, both furnaces were primed.</p> + +<p>"Now, Mr. Dalzell, please detail four members of the section to follow +me with their shovels and bring red coals from under another boiler."</p> + +<p>Dan appointed himself, Darrin, Farley and Pennington.</p> + +<p>Burning coals were brought and thrown into each furnace, and in a little +while roaring fires were going. These, though not needed for the +handling of the battleship, were permitted to burn for a while, Heistand +explaining to the section practically the uses of the water gauges and +the test cocks. By this time the midshipmen's white working clothes were +liberally sprinkled with coal dust and somewhat smeared with oils.</p> + +<p>"And now, young gentlemen, as we have no further use for these fires, +you will next learn how to haul them," announced Heistand.</p> + +<p>This was interesting work, but hot and fast. The implements with which +the middies worked soon became red-hot at the end. Yet, as all entered +into this novel work with zest, the fires had soon been hauled out on to +the floor plates.</p> + +<p>Just as the last of this work was being done Pennington, as an apparent +accident due to excess of zeal, dropped the red-hot end of his implement +across the toe of Darrin's left shoe.</p> + +<p>In an instant the leather began to blaze. With swift presence of mind +Dave stepped his right foot on the flame, smothering it at once.</p> + +<p>But he was "mad clean through."</p> + +<p>"See here, Pen," he muttered, in a low voice, his eyes blazing fiercely +into the other midshipman's, "that is the last piece of impudence that +will be tolerated from you."</p> + +<p>Midshipman Pennington's lip curled disdainfully.</p> + +<p>Dan had not seen the "accident," but he was near enough to hear the +talking, and he caught Dave at it. So Dan ordered, impartially:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin, you will place yourself on report for unauthorized talking +in section!"</p> + +<p>Dave flushed still more hotly, but said nothing.</p> + +<p>Midshipman Dalzell now marched the section from the furnace room, and +dismissed it. It was near noon, and would soon be time for the middies +to eat.</p> + +<p>Dave hurried away, washed, changed his uniform, and then stepped away +swiftly to place himself on the report.</p> + +<p>"I was sorry to do that, old chum," murmured Dan, as he met Dave +returning. "But of course I couldn't play favorites. What made you so +far forget yourself?"</p> + +<p>"A something that would have had the same effect on you," retorted Dave +grimly. Thereupon he described Pennington's two underhanded assaults +that morning.</p> + +<p>"Humph!" muttered Dalzell. "That fellow Pen is bound to go the whole +limit with you."</p> + +<p>"He won't go much further," declared Dave, his eyes flashing.</p> + +<p>"And the chump ought to know it, too," mused Dan. "The class history of +the last year should have taught him that. But see here, Dave, I don't +believe Pen will do anything openly. He will construct a series of +plausible accidents."</p> + +<p>"There will be one thing about him that will be open, if he goes any +further," retorted Dave, "and that will be his face when he collides +with my fist."</p> + +<p>"I hope I see that when it happens," grinned Dalzell. "It's bound to be +entertaining!"</p> + +<p>"Wait a second, then. Here comes Pennington now," murmured Dave Darrin +in an undertone.</p> + +<p>Pennington, in his immaculate blue uniform, like the chums, came +strolling along the passageway between decks.</p> + +<p>He affected not to see the chums, and would have passed by. But Dave, +eyeing him closely, waited until Pen was barely three feet away. Then +Darrin said tersely:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington, I wish an understanding with you."</p> + +<p>"I don't want any with you," replied Pennington insolently, as he stared +at Dave from under much-raised eyebrows. He would have gone by, but Dave +sprang squarely in front of him.</p> + +<p>"Just wait a moment!" warned Dave rather imperiously, for he was aglow +with justifiable indignation.</p> + +<p>"Well?" demanded Pennington halting. "Out with it, whatever you may +think you have to say."</p> + +<p>"I have two things to speak about," replied Dave, trying to control his +voice. "In the first place, while going down the ladders to the furnaces +this morning, you stepped on my shoulder."</p> + +<p>"Well!" insisted Pennington coldly.</p> + +<p>"The second thing you did was, when hauling the fires, to drop red-hot +metal across one of my shoes, setting it on fire."</p> + +<p>"Well?" insisted Pennington more coldly.</p> + +<p>"If you mean to contend that either one was an accident," resumed Dave, +"then—"</p> + +<p>But he found himself obliged to pause for a moment in order to steady +his voice.</p> + +<p>"Well?" asked Pennington with more insolence than ever.</p> + +<p>"If you make such pretense in either case," tittered Dave Darrin, "then +you're a liar!"</p> + +<p>"Fellow!" sputtered Pennington, turning white with anger.</p> + +<p>"I mean what I say, and I can back it up," muttered Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll make you eat your words!" roared Pennington.</p> + +<p>Clenching his fists and with the boxer's attitude, Pen aimed two swift +blows at Darrin.</p> + +<p>Neither blow reached, however, for Dave dodged out of the way. Then +Darrin struck back, a straight, true, forceful blow that landed on the +other midshipman's nose, knocking him down.</p> + +<p>Pennington staggered somewhat when he rose, but he was quickly up, none +the less, and ready for anything that might happen.</p> + +<p>All of a sudden Dan Dalzell felt his own heart going down into his +shoes. One of the ship's officers had just entered the passageway, in +time to see what was going on.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV<br /><br /> +A LITTLE MEETING ASHORE</h3> + +<p>"Stop it, both of you," whispered Dan.</p> + +<p>"Stand at attention, ready to salute the officer."</p> + +<p>Pennington, with the blood flowing from his damaged nose, would have +made a most ludicrous figure saluting!</p> + +<p>The instant that he saw such evidence as Pen's nose presented the +officer would be bound to make inquiries.</p> + +<p>Then, just as surely, his next step must be to Border the three before +the commandant of midshipmen.</p> + +<p>Fighting carries with it a severe penalty. Even Dan was certain to be +reported, through the mere fact of his presence there, as aiding in a +fight. And those who aid are punished as severely as the principals +themselves.</p> + +<p>It was a tense, fearsome instant, for midshipmen have been dismissed +from the Naval Academy for this very offense.</p> + +<p>The passage was not brilliantly lighted.</p> + +<p>The on-coming officer, a lieutenant, junior grade, was looking at the +floor as he came along.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he paused, seemed lost in thought, then wheeled and walked back +whence he had come.</p> + +<p>Dan breathed more easily. Dave heaved a sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>As for Pennington, that midshipman had wheeled and was stealing rapidly +down the passageway, intent only on escape.</p> + +<p>"That was the closest squeak we'll ever have without being ragged cold," +murmured Dalzell tremulously.</p> + +<p>"Where is Pennington?" demanded Dave, wheeling about after he had +watched the Naval lieutenant out of sight.</p> + +<p>"Ducked out of sight, like a submarine," chuckled Dan.</p> + +<p>At that moment the call for midshipmen's dinner formation sounded. Dave +and Dan were ready.</p> + +<p>Pennington showed up just after the line had started to march into the +midshipmen's mess tables.</p> + +<p>To the inquiry of the officer in charge, Pen lamely explained that he +had bumped his nose into something hard in a poorly lighted passageway.</p> + +<p>Though the officer accepted the excuse, he smiled within himself.</p> + +<p>"It wasn't iron or steel that bumped that young man's nose," thought the +officer.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the middies haven't changed a lot since I boned at Annapolis!"</p> + +<p>Pennington's nose was no very lovely member of his face at that moment. +It had been struck hard, mashed rather flat, and now looked like a red +bulb.</p> + +<p>"Meet with an accident, Pen?" asked Hallam curiously at table.</p> + +<p>"Quit your kidding, please," requested Pennington sulkily.</p> + +<p>That directed the curious glances of other middies at Pennington's new +bulbous nose.</p> + +<p>The young man was so brusque about it, however, that other table mates +ceased quizzing him.</p> + +<p>Yet, as soon as the meal was over, many a youngster asked others of his +class for news regarding Pen. But none possessed it.</p> + +<p>During the brief rest that followed the meal, however, Midshipman +Pennington made it his business to try to meet Dave Darrin alone. He +succeeded, finding Dave staring off across the water at the port rail.</p> + +<p>"Of course, Mr. Darrin," began the other midshipman, in a voice +suggestive of ice, "you are aware that the incident of an hour ago +cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe there's any danger of that," retorted Darrin, with an +ironical glance at Pennington's damaged-looking nose.</p> + +<p>"Confound you, sir," hissed the other midshipman, "don't you dare to be +insolent with me."</p> + +<p>"Why, I had thought," observed Dave, "that, of your own choice, the +period of courtesies between us had passed."</p> + +<p>"I shall call you out, Mr. Darrin!"</p> + +<p>"You'll find my hearing excellent," smiled Dave. "I shall make but one +stipulation."</p> + +<p>"I'll do you the favor of asking what that stipulation is," sneered +Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Why, after the narrow escape we had from being caught and reported, an +hour or so ago, I shall ask that the fight be held where we are not so +likely to be caught at it. I don't care about being dropped from the +Naval Academy, nor do I believe you do."</p> + +<p>"It would be a good thing for the service, if one of us were to be +dropped," sneered Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Yes! Oh, well, you can easily procure writing materials from the +captain's clerk," volunteered Dave generously. "On a cruise, I believe, +a resignation is sent direct to the commandant of midshipmen."</p> + +<p>This ridicule served only to fan the flame of Pennington's wrath.</p> + +<p>"Darrin," he hissed, "the Academy isn't big enough to hold us both!"</p> + +<p>"But I've already told you how to get out," protested Dave coolly.</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to get out!"</p> + +<p>"No more do I," rejoined Dave. "I won't even toss pennies with you to +find out who quits the service."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin, you are merely seeking to divert my mind from what I have +said."</p> + +<p>"What did you say—particularly?"</p> + +<p>"That you would have to fight me."</p> + +<p>"I have already signified my entire willingness, Mr. Pennington. To that +I really can add nothing."</p> + +<p>Fourth classmen are always addressed as "mister," and they must use the +same "handle to the name" when addressing upper classmen. But members of +the three upper classes resort to the use of "mister," in addressing +classmates, only when they wish to be offensive or nearly so.</p> + +<p>"I will send a friend to meet you," Pennington continued.</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought," bantered Darrin ironically, "that you were going to +fight me yourself."</p> + +<p>"So I am—be sure of it. I will amend my statement by saying that I will +send a second to see you."</p> + +<p>"Save time by sending him to Dalzell."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Mr. Darrin."</p> + +<p>"Is that all you wished to say to me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Mr. Pennington."</p> + +<p>With two very stiff nods the midshipmen parted.</p> + +<p>Pennington hastened at once in search of Hallam.</p> + +<p>"Will you serve me, old man?" queried Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Sorry, but——"</p> + +<p>"Well, you see, Pen, not knowing all the facts of the case, I must admit +that all my sympathies are with Darrin."</p> + +<p>"All your sympathies?" echoed Pen, frowning.</p> + +<p>"Well, nearly all, anyway. You see, I've known and observed Darrin for a +full year now, and I don't believe patient old Darry is the one to start +any trouble."</p> + +<p>"He called me a liar," protested Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Did he?" gasped Hallam.</p> + +<p>"Well, he qualified the statement, but his way of saying it was as +offensive as the direct lie could have been."</p> + +<p>"So you're bent on fighting Darry?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"Too bad!" muttered Hallam, shaking his head.</p> + +<p>"Are you anxious for your idol?" asked Pen in a disagreeable tone.</p> + +<p>"No, Penny; it's you that I'm concerned about in my own mind. You're +going next to a very hard proposition. Darry is patient—almost as +patient as the proverbial camel—but when he fights he fights! You'll be +hammered to a pulp, Pen."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!"</p> + +<p>"No one has yet beaten Darrin at a fist fight."</p> + +<p>"There always has to be a first time, you know."</p> + +<p>"And you think you're It?"</p> + +<p>"As far as Darrin is concerned—yes."</p> + +<p>"Too bad—too bad!" sighed Hallam. "I'm afraid, Penny, that the heat in +the furnace room was too much for you this morning."</p> + +<p>"Then you won't serve as one of my seconds?"</p> + +<p>"The honor is most regretfully declined," replied Hallam in a tone of +mock sadness.</p> + +<p>"You want to see Darrin win?"</p> + +<p>"If there has to be a fight, I do," replied Midshipman Hallam.</p> + +<p>"Don't bet your money on him, anyway."</p> + +<p>"I'm not a gambler, Penny, and I don't bet," replied Hallam, with a +dignity that, somehow, ended the conversation.</p> + +<p>Pennington had considerable difficulty, at first, in finding a second. +At last, however, he induced Decker and Briggs to represent him.</p> + +<p>These two midshipmen went to see Dan Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Wait until I send for Mr. Farley," proposed Dalzell. He soon had that +midshipman, who was wholly willing to serve Darrin in any capacity.</p> + +<p>"We're ready to have the fight this evening," proposed Midshipman +Decker.</p> + +<p>"We're not," retorted Dan, with vigor.</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"This forenoon Pennington deliberately stepped on Darrin's shoulder, +with such force as to lame it a good deal," replied Dan. "Our man +insists that he has a right to rest his shoulder, and to wait until +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"But to-morrow we have a short shore liberty at Hampton Roads," +remonstrated Briggs.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and during that shore liberty we can have the fight more safely +than on board ship," insisted Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"But we intended to devote our shore leave to pleasure," objected +Decker.</p> + +<p>"You'll find plenty of pleasure, if you accept our proposition," urged +Dan dryly. "At any rate, we won't hear of Darrin fighting before +to-morrow. He must have to-night to rest that shoulder."</p> + +<p>"All right; so be it," growled Decker, after a side glance at Briggs.</p> + +<p>"On shore, at some point to be selected by the seconds?" asked Dan +Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Yes; that's agreed."</p> + +<p>Details as to whom to invite as referee and time-keeper were also +arranged.</p> + +<p>"I suppose we'll have to use up our shore leave that way, then," grunted +Pennington, when told of the arrangement.</p> + +<p>"There's one way you can save the day," grinned Decker.</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>"Put Darrin to sleep in the first round, then hurriedly dress and leave, +and enjoy your time on shore."</p> + +<p>"But Darrin is a very able man with his fists," observed Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but you're a mile bigger and heavier, and you're spry, too. You +ought to handle him with all the ease in the world."</p> + +<p>"I don't know," muttered Pennington, who didn't intend to make the +mistake of bragging in advance. "I'll do my best, of course."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you'll win out, if you're awake," predicted Midshipman Briggs +confidently.</p> + +<p>When the cadets were called, the following morning, they found the +battleship fleet at anchor in Hampton Roads.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V<br /><br /> +WHEN THE SECONDS WONDERED</h3> + +<p>One after another the launches sped ashore, carrying their swarms of +distinguished looking young midshipmen.</p> + +<p>The fight party managed to get off all in the same boat, and on one of +the earliest trips.</p> + +<p>Pennington was to have ordinary shore leave on the cruise, his fifty +demerits to be paid for by loss of privileges on his return to the Naval +Academy.</p> + +<p>"Decker," proposed Dan, "you and I can skip away and find a good place +in no time. Then we can come back after the others."</p> + +<p>"That's agreeable to me," nodded Midshipman Decker.</p> + +<p>In twenty minutes the two seconds were back.</p> + +<p>"We've found just the place," announced Decker. "And it isn't more than +three minutes' walk from here. Will you all hurry along?"</p> + +<p>"The place" turned out to be a barn that had not been used for a year or +more. The floor was almost immaculately clean. In consideration of two +dollars handed him, the owner had agreed to display no curiosity, and +not to mention the affair to any one.</p> + +<p>"How do you like it, Darry?" asked Dan anxiously.</p> + +<p>"It will suit me as well as any other place," responded Dave, slipping +off his blouse, folding it neatly and putting it aside, his uniform cap +following.</p> + +<p>"And you?" asked Decker of his man.</p> + +<p>"The floor's hard, but I don't expect to be the man to hit it," replied +Pennington.</p> + +<p>In five minutes both midshipmen were attired for their "affair." Between +them the different members of the party had smuggled ashore shoes, old +trousers and belts for the fighters.</p> + +<p>It being a class affair, Remington, of the third class, had come along +as referee, while Dawley; was to be the time-keeper.</p> + +<p>"If the principals are ready, let them step forward," ordered Midshipman +Remington, going to the middle of the floor. "Now, I understand that +this is to be a finish fight; rounds, two minutes; rests, two minutes. I +also understand that the principals do not care to shake hands before +the call to mix up."</p> + +<p>Darrin and Pennington nodded their assent.</p> + +<p>"Take your places, gentlemen," ordered the referee quickly. "Are you +ready, gentlemen?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," came from both principals.</p> + +<p>"Time!"</p> + +<p>Both men had their guards up. As the word left the referee's lips each +tried two or three passes which the other blocked. Midshipman Pennington +was trying to take his opponent's "measure."</p> + +<p>Then Dave ducked, darted, dodged and wheeled about. Pennington had to +follow him, and it made the latter angry.</p> + +<p>"Stand up and fight, can't you," hissed Pen.</p> + +<p>"Silence during the rounds, Mr. Pennington," admonished the referee +quietly. "Let the officials do all the talking that may be necessary."</p> + +<p>Dave, as he dodged again, and came up unscathed, grinned broadly over +this rebuke. That grin made Pen angrier than anything else could have +done.</p> + +<p>"I'll wipe that grin off his face!" muttered Pennington angrily.</p> + +<p>And this very thing Pennington tried hard to do. He was quick on his own +feet, and for a few seconds he followed the dodging Darrin about, +raining in blows that required all of Dave's adroitness to escape.</p> + +<p>Dave's very success, however, made his opponent all the angrier. From +annoyance, followed by excessive irritation, Pennington went into almost +blind rage—and the man who does that, anywhere in life, must always pay +for it.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Dave swung his right in on the point of Pen's chin with a force +that jolted the larger midshipman. As part of the same movement, +Darrin's left crashed against Pennington's nose.</p> + +<p>Then, out of chivalry, Dave dropped back, to give Pen a few moments, in +case he needed them, to get his wits back.</p> + +<p>"Time!" roared Dawley, and Pennington's seconds pounced upon him and +bore him away to his corner.</p> + +<p>"Now I know how that fellow Darrin wins his fights," growled Pennington +in an undertone. "He keeps on running away until he has the other man +gasping for breath. Then Darrin jumps in and wins."</p> + +<p>"The method doesn't much matter," commented Briggs dryly, as he and +Decker worked over their man. "It's the result that counts. Rush Darry +into a tight corner, Pen, and then slam him hard and sufficiently."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, fellows; now I'm all right for the second round." muttered +Midshipman Pennington.</p> + +<p>In a few seconds more Dave and his opponent were hard at work.</p> + +<p>Dave still used his footwork, and most cleverly. Yet, wherever he went, +Pen followed him nimbly. It didn't look so one sided now.</p> + +<p>Then Pennington, at last, managed to deliver one blow on Darrin's right +short ribs. It took a lot of Dave's spare wind; he raced about, seeking +to regain his wind before allowing close quarters. But at last +Pennington closed in again, and, after a swift feint, tried to land the +same short-rib blow.</p> + +<p>Darrin was watching, and blocked. Then, his temples reddening with +anger, Dave swung in a huge one that crashed in under Pennington's right +ear.</p> + +<p>"Time!" shouted Dawley, just as Pen went to the floor in a heap. That +saved the larger midshipman from having to take the count. His seconds +had him ready at the call for the third round.</p> + +<p>Now, suddenly, Darrin seemed to change not only his tactics, but his +whole personality. To his opponent Dave seemed suddenly transformed into +a dancing demon.</p> + +<p>It was about the same old footwork, but it was aggressive now, instead +of being defensive.</p> + +<p>First, Dave landed a light tap on the already suffering nose. A few +seconds later he landed on the point of Pen's chin, though not hard +enough to send his man down. Then a rather light blow on the jaw, just +under Pen's right ear again. The larger midshipman was now thoroughly +alarmed. He feared that Darrin could do whatever he willed, and shivered +with wonder as to when the knockout blow would come.</p> + +<p>The truth was, Pennington was still putting up a better battle than he +himself realized, and Darrin was not disposed to take any foolish +chances through rushing the affair. Thus, the third round ended.</p> + +<p>By the time that they came up for the fourth round, after both men had +undergone some vigorous handling by their respective seconds, Pennington +was a good deal revived and far more confident.</p> + +<p>Dave's tactics were the same in the fourth round. Pennington didn't find +time to develop much in the way of tactics for himself, save to defend +himself.</p> + +<p>During the first minute no important blows were landed on either side. +Then, suddenly, Dave darted in and under, and brought a right-arm hook +against Pen's nose in a way that started that member to bleeding again, +and with a steady flow.</p> + +<p>That jarred the larger midshipman. He plunged in, heavily and blindly, +blocking one of Darrin's blows by wrapping both arms around him.</p> + +<p>"None of that, Mr. Pennington! Break away fast!" ordered Midshipman +Remington quickly.</p> + +<p>Dave took a fair get away, not attempting to strike as the clinch was +broken. But an instant later Dave came back, dancing all around his +dazed opponent, landing on the short ribs, on the breast bone, under +either ear and finally on the tip of the chin.</p> + +<p>Pen was sure that none of these blows had been delivered with the force +that Darrin could have sent in.</p> + +<p>"Time!" shouted Midshipman Dawley.</p> + +<p>The principals retired to their corners, Pennington almost wholly afraid +from the conviction that his antagonist was now merely playing with him +to keep the interest going.</p> + +<p>So Pennington was still rather badly scared when the two came together +for the fifth round.</p> + +<p>"Get lively, now, gentlemen, if you can," begged Referee Remington. +"Finish this one way or the other, and let us get some of the benefits +of our shore leave."</p> + +<p>Pen started by putting more steam behind every blow. Dave, who had used +up so much of his wind by his brilliant footwork, began to find it +harder to keep the upper hand.</p> + +<p>Twice, however, he managed to land body blows. He was trying to drive in +a third when Pennington blocked, following this with a left-arm jab on +Darrin's left jaw that sent the lighter man to the floor.</p> + +<p>Instantly Dawley began to count off the seconds.</p> + +<p>"—seven, eight, nine, te——"</p> + +<p>Dave was up on his feet. Pen tried to make a quick rush, but Darrin +dodged cleverly, them wheeled and faced his opponent as the latter +wheeled about.</p> + +<p>After that there was less footwork. Both men stood up to it, as keenly +alert as they could be, each trying to drive home heavy blows. While +they were still at it the call of time sounded.</p> + +<p>"Don't let him put it over you, David, little giant!" warned Dan, as the +latter and Farley vigorously massaged Darrin's muscles. "He all but had +you, and there isn't any need of making Pen a present of the meeting."</p> + +<p>"I tried to get him," muttered Dave in an undertone, "and I shall go on +trying to the last. But Pennington is pretty nearly superior to anyone +in my class."</p> + +<p>"Just waltz in and show him," whispered Dalzell, as the call sounded.</p> + +<p>Pennington entered the sixth round with more confidence. He began, at +the outset, to drive in heavy blows, nor did Dave do much dodging.</p> + +<p>Bump! Twenty-five seconds only of this round had gone when Darrin landed +his right fist with fearful force upon the high point of Pennington's +jaw.</p> + +<p>Down went the larger midshipman again. This time he moaned. His eyes +were open, though they had a somewhat glassy look in them.</p> + +<p>Dawley was counting off the seconds in measured tones.</p> + +<p>"—seven, eight, nine—ten!"</p> + +<p>Pen had struggled to rise to his feet, but sank back with a gasp of +despair and rage.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington loses the count and the fight," announced Referee +Remington coolly. "I don't believe we're needed here, Dawley. The +seconds can handle the wreck. Come along."</p> + +<p>As the two officials of the meeting hustled out of the barn, Dalzell +gave his attention to helping his chum, while Farley went over to offer +his services in getting the vanquished midshipman into shape.</p> + +<p>"There were times when I could have closed both of Pennington's eyes," +murmured Dave to Dan. "But I didn't want to give him any disfiguring +marks that would start questions on board ship."</p> + +<p>"You had him whipped from the start," murmured Dan confidently, as he +sprayed, then rubbed Dave's chest and arms.</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but I'm not so sure of that," rejoined Darrin. "That fellow +isn't so easy a prize for any one in my class. There were times when I +was all but convinced that he had me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, fairy tales!" grunted Dan.</p> + +<p>"Have it your own way, then, Danny boy!"</p> + +<p>When Darrin and his seconds left the barn they went off to enjoy what +remained of the shore leave. Pennington's seconds finally, at his own +request, left him at an ice cream parlor, where he proposed to remain +until he could return to the big, steel "Massachusetts" without exciting +any wonder over the little time he had remained ashore. Pennington had +strength to walk about, but he was far from being in really good shape, +and preferred to keep quiet.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI<br /><br /> +IN TROUBLE ON FOREIGN SOIL</h3> + +<p>From Hampton Roads the Battleship Squadron, with the midshipmen on +board, sailed directly for Plymouth, England.</p> + +<p>During most of the voyage over slow cruising speed was used. By the time +that England's coast was sighted the third-class middies found they knew +much more about a battleship than they had believed to be possible at +the start of the voyage.</p> + +<p>They had served as firemen; they had mastered many of the electrical +details of a battleship; they had received instruction and had "stood +trick" by the engines; there had been some drill with the smaller, +rapid-fire guns, and finally, they had learned at least the rudiments of +"wig-wagging," as signaling by means of signal flags is termed.</p> + +<p>It was just before the call to supper formation when England's coast +loomed up. Most of the midshipmen stood at the rail, watching eagerly +for a better glimpse at the coast.</p> + +<p>Some of the midshipmen, especially those who came from wealthier +families, had been in England before entering the Naval Academy. These +fortunate ones were questioned eagerly by their comrades.</p> + +<p>The battleships were well in sight of Eastern King Point when the +midshipmen's call for supper formation sounded. Feeling that they would +much have preferred to wait for their supper, the young men hastened +below.</p> + +<p>After the line was formed it seemed to the impatient young men as though +it had never taken so long to read the orders.</p> + +<p>Yet there came one welcome order, to the effect that, immediately after +the morning meal, all midshipmen might go to the pay officer and draw +ten dollars, to be charged against their pay accounts.</p> + +<p>"That ten dollars apiece looms up large David, little giant," murmured +Dan Dalzell, while the evening meal was in progress.</p> + +<p>"We ought to have a lot of fun on it," replied Darrin, who was looking +forward with greatest eagerness to his first visit to any foreign soil. +"But how much shore leave are we to have?"</p> + +<p>"Two days, the word is. We'll get it straight in the morning, at +breakfast formation."</p> + +<p>In defiance of regulations, Midshipman Pennington, whose father was +wealthy, had several hundred dollars concealed in his baggage. He had +already invited Hallam, Mossworth and Dickey to keep in his wake on +shore, and these young men had gladly enough agreed.</p> + +<p>"Say, but we're slackening speed!" quivered Dalzell, when the meal was +nearly finished.</p> + +<p>"Headway has stopped," declared Darrin a few moments later.</p> + +<p>"Listen, everyone!" called Farley. "Don't you hear the rattle of the +anchor chains?"</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, as we're forbidden to make too much racket," proposed +irrepressible Dan, "let us give three silent cheers for Old England!"</p> + +<p>Rising in his place, Dan raised his hand aloft, and brought it down, as +his lips silently formed a "hurrah!"</p> + +<p>Three times this was done, each time the lips of the midshipmen forming +a silent cheer.</p> + +<p>Then Dan, with a mighty swoop of his right arm, let his lips form the +word that everyone knew to be "tiger!"</p> + +<p>"Ugh-h-h!" groaned Midshipman Reilly.</p> + +<p>"Throw that irresponsible Fenian out!" directed Dan, grinning.</p> + +<p>Then the midshipmen turned their attention to the remnants of the meal.</p> + +<p>Boom! sounded sharply overhead.</p> + +<p>"There goes the twenty-one-gunner," announced Darrin.</p> + +<p>When a foreign battleship enters a fortified port the visiting fleet, or +rather, its flagship, fires a national salute of twenty-one guns. After +a short interval following the discharge of the last gun, one of the +forts on shore answers with twenty-one guns. This is one of the methods +of observing the courtesies between nations by their respective fleets.</p> + +<p>Ere all the guns had been fired from the flagship, the third classmen +received the rising signal; the class marched out and was dismissed. +Instantly a break was made for deck.</p> + +<p>The midshipmen were in good time to see the smoke and hear the roar of +guns from one of the forts on shore.</p> + +<p>In the morning the commandant of cadets, as commanding officer of the +squadron, would go ashore with his aide and pay a formal call to the +senior military officer. Later in the day that English officer and one +or two of his staff officers would return the call by coming out to the +flagship. That accomplished, all the required courtesies would have been +observed.</p> + +<p>It was still broad daylight, for in summer the English twilight is a +long one, and darkness does not settle down until late.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if we were only going ashore to-night!" murmured Hallam. There were +many others to echo the thought, but all knew that it could not be done.</p> + +<p>"Couldn't we find a trick for slipping ashore after lights out?" eagerly +queried Dickey, who was not noted as a "greaser."</p> + +<p>"Could we?" quivered Hallam, who, with few demerits against him, felt +inclined to take a chance.</p> + +<p>But Pennington, to whom he appealed, shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Too big a risk, Hally," replied Pen. "And trebly dangerous, with that +greaser, Darrin, in the class."</p> + +<p>"Oh, stow that," growled Hallam. "Darrin is no greaser. You've got him +on your black books—that's all."</p> + +<p>"He is a greaser, I tell you," cried Pennington fiercely.</p> + +<p>There were a score of midshipmen in this group, and many of them nodded +approvingly at Pennington's statement. Though still a class leader, Dave +had lost some of his popularity since his report to the police of +Annapolis.</p> + +<p>So the middies turned in, that night, with unsatisfied dreams of shore +life in England.</p> + +<p>Soon after breakfast the next morning, however, every midshipman had +drawn his ten dollars, even to Pennington, who had no use for such a +trifling amount.</p> + +<p>As fast as possible the launches ranged alongside at the side gangway, +taking off groups of midshipmen, everyone of whom had been cautioned to +be at dock in time to board a launch in season for supper formation.</p> + +<p>Pennington and his party were among the first to land. They hurried +away.</p> + +<p>It was on the second trip of one of the launches that Dave, Dan and +Farley made their get away. These three chums had agreed to stick +together during the day. They landed at the Great Western Docks, to find +themselves surrounded by eager British cabbies.</p> + +<p>"Are we going to take a cab and get more quickly and intelligently to +the best part of the town to see?" asked Farley.</p> + +<p>"I don't vote for it," replied Darrin. "We have only five dollars apiece +for each of the two days we're to be ashore. I move that we put in the +forenoon, anyway, in prowling about the town for ourselves. We'll learn +more than we would by riding."</p> + +<p>"Come on, then," approved Dan.</p> + +<p>Plymouth is an old-fashioned English seaport that has been rather famous +ever since the thirteenth century. Many parts of the town, including +whole streets, look as though the houses had been built since that time. +This is especially true of many of the streets near the water front.</p> + +<p>For two hours the three middies roamed through the streets, often +meeting fellow classmen. Wherever the young midshipmen went many of the +English workmen and shopkeepers raised their hats in friendly salute of +the American uniform.</p> + +<p>"We don't seem to run across Pen's gang anywhere," remarked Farley at +last.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," smiled Dave. "That's a capitalistic crowd. They'll hit only +the high spots."</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, these three poor-in-purse midshipmen enjoyed themselves +hugely in seeing the quaint old town. At noon they found a real old +English chop house, where they enjoyed a famous meal.</p> + +<p>"I wish we could slip some of these little mutton pies back with us!" +sighed Dan wistfully.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the three chums saw the newer market place, where all +three bought small souvenirs for their mothers at home. Darrin also +secured a little remembrance present for his sweetheart, Belle Meade.</p> + +<p>The guild hall and some of the other famous buildings were visited.</p> + +<p>Later in the afternoon Dave began to inspect his watch every two or +three minutes.</p> + +<p>"No need for us to worry, with Dave's eye glued to his watch," laughed +Dan.</p> + +<p>"Come on, fellows," summoned Darrin finally. "We haven't more than time +now to make the dock and get back to supper formation."</p> + +<p>"Take a cab?" asked Farley. "You know, we've found that they're vastly +cheaper than American cabs."</p> + +<p>"No-o-o, not for me," decided Dave. "We'll need the rest of our shore +money to-morrow, and our legs are good and sturdy."</p> + +<p>Yet even careful Dave, as it turned out, had allowed no more than time. +The chums reached the dock in time to see the launches half way between +the fleet and shore. Some forty other midshipmen stood waiting on the +dock.</p> + +<p>Among these were Pennington and his party, all looking highly satisfied +with their day's sport, as indeed they were.</p> + +<p>Pennington's eyes gleamed when he caught sight of Darrin, Dalzell and +Farley—for Pen had a scheme of his own in mind.</p> + +<p>Not far from Pennington stood a little Englishman with keen eyes and a +jovial face. Pen stepped over to him.</p> + +<p>"There are the three midshipmen I was telling you about," whispered +Pennington, slipping a half sovereign into the Englishman's hand. "You +thoroughly understand your part in the joke, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Don't h'I, though—just, sir!" laughed the undersized Englishman, and +strolled away.</p> + +<p>Darrin and his friends were soon informed by classmates that the +launches now making shore-ward were coming in on their last trip for +midshipmen.</p> + +<p>"Well, we're here in plenty of time," sighed Dave contentedly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I knew we'd be, with you holding the watch," laughed Dan in his +satisfied way.</p> + +<p>As the three stood apart they were joined by the undersized Englishman, +who touched his hat to them with a show of great respect.</p> + +<p>"Young gentlemen," he inquired, "h'I suppose, h'of course, you've 'ad a +look h'at the anchor h'of Sir Francis Drake's flagship, the time 'e went +h'out h'and sank the great Spanish h'Armada?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no, my friend," replied Dave, looking at the man with interest. +"Is that here at Plymouth?"</p> + +<p>"H'assuredly, sir. H'and h'only a minute's walk h'over to that shed +yonder, sir. H'if you'll come with me, young gentlemen, h'I'll show h'it +to you. H'it's one of h'our biggest sights, h'and it's in me own +custody, at present. Come this way, young gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"That sounds like something worth seeing," declared Dave to his +comrades. "Come along. It'll take the launches at least six minutes to +get in, and then they'll stay tied up here for another five minutes."</p> + +<p>With only a single backward glance at the young midshipmen, the +undersized Englishman was already leading the way.</p> + +<p>At quickened pace the young midshipmen reached the shed that had been +indicated. Their guide had already drawn a key from a pocket, and had +unsnapped the heavy padlock.</p> + +<p>"Step right in, young gentlemen, h'and h'I'll follow h'and show h'it to +you."</p> + +<p>Unsuspecting, the three middies stepped inside the darkened shed. +Suddenly the door banged, and a padlock clicked outside.</p> + +<p>"Here, stop that, you rascally joker!" roared Dalzell, wheeling about. +"What does this mean?"</p> + +<p>"Big trouble!" spoke Dave Darrin seriously and with a face from which +the color was fast receding.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII<br /><br /> +PENNINGTON GETS HIS WISH</h3> + +<p>"The scoundrel!" gasped Farley, his face whiter than any of the others.</p> + +<p>Dave was already at the door, trying to force it open. But he might +almost as well have tried to lift one of the twelve-inch guns of the +battleship "Massachusetts."</p> + +<p>"We're locked in—that's sure!" gasped Dalzell, almost dazed by the +catastrophe.</p> + +<p>"And what's more, we won't get out in a hurry, unless we can make some +of our classmates hear," declared Dave.</p> + +<p>For the next half minute they yelled themselves nearly hoarse, but no +response came.</p> + +<p>"What could have been that little cockney's purpose in playing this +shabby trick on us?" demanded Farley.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps the cockney thinks we're admirals, with our pockets lined with +gold. Perhaps he and some of his pals intend to rob us, later in the +evening," proposed Dan, with a ghastly grin.</p> + +<p>"Any gang would find something of a fight on their hands, then," +muttered Dave Darrin grimly.</p> + +<p>All three were equally at a loss to think of any explanation for such a +"joke" as this. Equally improbable did it seem that any thugs of the +town would expect to reap any harvest from robbing three midshipmen.</p> + +<p>Desperately they turned to survey their surroundings. The shed was an +old one, yet strongly built. There were no windows, no other door save +that at which the three middies now stood baffled.</p> + +<p>"Another good old yell," proposed Darrin.</p> + +<p>It was given with a lusty will, but proved as fruitless as the former +one.</p> + +<p>"We don't take the last launch back to ship," declared Farley, wild with +rage.</p> + +<p>"Which means a long string of demerits," said Dan.</p> + +<p>"No shore leave to-morrow, either," groaned Darrin. "Fellows, this +mishap will affect our shore leave throughout all the cruise."</p> + +<p>"We can explain it," suggested Farley with a hopefulness that he did not +feel at all.</p> + +<p>"Of course we can," jeered Dave Darrin. "But what officer is fool enough +to believe such a cock-and-bull story as this one will seem? At the very +least, the commandant would believe that we had been playing some pretty +stiff prank ourselves, in order to get treated in this fashion. No, no, +fellows! We may just as well undeceive ourselves, and prepare to take +the full soaking of discipline that we're bound to get. If we attempted +this sort of explanation, we'd be lucky indeed to get through the affair +without being tried by general court-martial for lying."</p> + +<p>"Drake's anchor, indeed!" exclaimed Dan in deep self disgust.</p> + +<p>"We ought to have known better," grunted Farley, equally enraged with +himself. "What on earth made us so absent-minded as to believe that a +priceless relic would be kept in an old shed like this?"</p> + +<p>"We're sure enough idiots!" groaned Dan.</p> + +<p>"Hold on there, fellows," interrupted Dave Darrin. "Vent all your anger +right on me. I'm the great and only cause of this misfortune. It was I +who proposed that we take up that cockney's invitation. I'm the real and +only offender against decent good sense, and yet you both have to suffer +with me."</p> + +<p>"Let's give another yell, bigger than before," suggested Dan weakly.</p> + +<p>They did, but with no better result than before.</p> + +<p>"The launches are away now, anyway, I guess," groaned Farley, after +consulting his watch.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we're up the tree with the commandant," grunted Dalzell +bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Yell again?" asked Farley.</p> + +<p>"No," retorted Dave, shaking his head. "We've seen the uselessness of +asking help from outside. Let's supply our own help. Now, +then—altogether! Shoulder the door!"</p> + +<p>A savage assault they hurled upon the door. But they merely caused it to +vibrate.</p> + +<p>"We can't do it," gasped Dan, after the third trial.</p> + +<p>Considerable daylight filtered in through the cracks at top, bottom and +one side of the door. Further back in the shed there was less light.</p> + +<p>"Let's explore this old place in search of hope," begged Dave.</p> + +<p>Together they started back, looking about keenly in what appeared to be +an empty room.</p> + +<p>"Say! Look at that!" cried Dave suddenly.</p> + +<p>He pointed to a solid looking, not very heavy ship's spar.</p> + +<p>"What good will that thing do us?" asked Farley rather dubiously.</p> + +<p>"Let's see if we can raise it to our shoulders," proposed Dave Darrin +radiantly. "Then well find out!"</p> + +<p>"Hurrah!" quivered Dan Dalzell, bending over the spar at the middle.</p> + +<p>"Up with it!" commanded Darrin, placing himself at the head of the spar. +Farley took hold at the further end.</p> + +<p>"Up with it!" heaved Midshipman Darrin.</p> + +<p>Right up the spar went. It would have been a heavy job for three young +men of their size in civil life, but midshipmen are constantly +undergoing the best sort of physical training.</p> + +<p>"Now, then—a fast run and a hard bump!" called Darrin.</p> + +<p>At the door they rushed, bearing the spar as a battering ram.</p> + +<p>Bump! The door shook and shivered.</p> + +<p>"Once more may do it!" cheered Darrin. "Back."</p> + +<p>Again they dashed the head of their battering ram against the door. It +gave way, and, climbing through, they raced back to the pier.</p> + +<p>But Dan, who had secured the lead, stopped with a groan, pointing out +over the water.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of good, fellows! There go the launches, and we're the only +fellows left! It's all up with our summer's fun!"</p> + +<p>"Is it, though?" shouted Dave, spurting ahead. "Come on and find out!"</p> + +<p>As they reached the front of the piers, down at the edge of a landing +stage they espied a little steam tender.</p> + +<p>"That boat has to take us out to the 'Massachusetts'!" cried Darrin +desperately, as he plunged down the steps to the landing stage, followed +by his two chums.</p> + +<p>[Illustration: The Three Midshipmen Raced Toward the Pier.]</p> + +<p>"Who's the captain here?" called Dave, racing across the landing stage +to the tender's gangplank.</p> + +<p>"I am, sir," replied a portly, red-faced Englishman, leaning out of the +wheel-house window.</p> + +<p>"What'll you charge to land us in haste aboard the American battleship +'Massachusetts'?" asked Darrin eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Half a sov. will be about right, sir," replied the tender's skipper, +touching his cap at sight of the American Naval uniform.</p> + +<p>"Good enough," glowed Dave, leaping aboard. "Cast off as quickly as you +can, captain, or we'll be in a heap of trouble with our discipline +officers."</p> + +<p>The English skipper was quick to act. He routed out two deckhands, who +quickly cast off. Almost while the deckhands were doing this the skipper +rang the engineer's bell.</p> + +<p>"Come into the wheel-'ouse with me," invited the skipper pleasantly, +which invitation the three middies accepted. "Now, then, young +gentlemen, 'ow did it 'appen that you missed your own launches."</p> + +<p>"It was a mean trick—a scoundrelly one!" cried Darrin resentfully. Then +he described just what had happened.</p> + +<p>The skipper's own bronzed cheeks burned to a deeper color.</p> + +<p>"I can 'ardly believe that an Englishman would play such a trick on +young h'officers of a friendly power," he declared. "But I told you, +sir, the fare out to your ship would be half a sov. I lied. If a nasty +little cockney played such a trick on you, it's my place, as a decent +Englishman, to take you out for nothing—and that's the fare."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll gladly pay the half sov." protested Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Not on this craft you can't, sir," replied the skipper firmly.</p> + +<p>Looking eagerly ahead, the three middies saw two of the launches go +along side of the "Massachusetts" and discharge passengers. As the +second left the side gangway the Briton, who had been crowding on steam +well, ranged in along side.</p> + +<p>"What craft is that, and what do you want?" hailed the officer of the +deck, from above.</p> + +<p>"The tender 'Lurline,' sir, with three of your gentlemen to put h'aboard +of you, sir," the Briton bellowed through a window of the wheel-house.</p> + +<p>"Very good, then. Come alongside," directed the officer of the deck.</p> + +<p>In his most seamanlike style the Briton ranged alongside. Dave tried to +press the fare upon the skipper, but he would have none of that. So the +three shook hands swiftly but heartily with him, then sprang across to +the side gangway, where they paused long enough to lift their caps to +this stranger and friend. The Briton lifted his own cap, waving it +heartily, ere he fell off and turned about.</p> + +<p>"You didn't get aboard any too soon, gentlemen," remarked the officer of +the deck, eyeing the three middies keenly as they came up over the side, +doffing their uniform caps to the colors. "Hustle for the formation."</p> + +<p>Midshipman Pennington was chuckling deeply over the supposed fact that +he had at last succeeded in bringing Darrin in for as many demerits as +Darrin had helped heap upon him.</p> + +<p>"That'll break his heart as an avowed greaser," Pen told himself. "With +all the demerits Darrin will get, he'll have no heart for greasing the +rest of this year. It's rough on Farley, but I'm not quite as sorry for +Dalzell, who, in his way, is almost as bad as Darrin. He's Darrin's +cuckoo and shadow, anyway. Oh, I wish I could see Darrin's face now!"</p> + +<p>This last was uttered just as Midshipman Pennington stepped into line at +the supper formation.</p> + +<p>"I wish I could see Darrin's face now!" Pen repeated to himself.</p> + +<p>Seldom has a wish been more quickly gratified. For, just in the nick of +time to avoid being reported, Midshipmen Darrin, Dalzell and Farley came +into sight, falling into their respective places.</p> + +<p>At that instant it was Midshipman Pennington's face, not Dave Darrin's, +that was really worth studying.</p> + +<p>"Now how did the shameless greaser work this!" Pennington pondered +uneasily.</p> + +<p>But, of course, he couldn't ask. He could only hope that, presently, he +would hear the whole story from some other man in the class.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII<br /><br /> +THE TRAGEDY OF THE GALE</h3> + +<p>There is altogether too much to the summer practice cruise for it to be +related in detail.</p> + +<p>Nor would the telling of it prove interesting to the reader. When at +sea, save on Sundays, the midshipman's day is one of hard toil.</p> + +<p>It is no life for the indolent young man. He is routed out early in the +morning and put at hard work.</p> + +<p>On a midshipman's first summer cruise what he learns is largely the work +that is done by the seamen, stokers, water tenders, electricians, the +signal men and others.</p> + +<p>Yet he must learn every phase of all this work thoroughly, for some day, +before he becomes an officer, he must be examined as to his knowledge of +all this great mass of detail.</p> + +<p>It is only when in port that some relaxation comes into the midshipman's +life. He has shore leave, and a large measure of liberty. Yet he must, +at all times, show all possible respect for the uniform that he wears +and the great nation that he represents. If a midshipman permits himself +to be led into scrapes that many college boys regard as merely "larks," +he is considered a disgrace to the Naval service.</p> + +<p>Always, at home and abroad, the "middy" must maintain his own dignity +and that of his country and service. Should he fail seriously, he is +regarded by his superiors and by the Navy Department as being unfit to +defend the honor of his flag.</p> + +<p>The wildest group from the summer practice fleet was that made up of +Pennington and his friends. Pen received more money in France from his +fond but foolish father. Wherever Pennington's group went, they cut a +wide swath of "sport," though they did nothing actually dishonorable. +Yet they were guilty of many pranks which, had the midshipmen been +caught, would have resulted in demerits.</p> + +<p>Ports in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy were touched briefly. At some +of these ports the midshipmen received much attention.</p> + +<p>But at last the fleet turned back past Gibraltar, and stood on for the +Azores, the last landing point before reaching home.</p> + +<p>When two nights out from Gibraltar a sharp summer gale overtook the +fleet. Even the huge battleships labored heavily in the seas, the +"Massachusetts" bringing up the rear.</p> + +<p>She was in the same position when the morning broke. The midshipmen, +after breakfast, enjoyed a few minutes on the deck before going below +for duty in the engine rooms, the dynamo room, the "stoke hole" and +other stations.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, from the stern rail, there went up the startled cry:</p> + +<p>"Man overboard!"</p> + +<p>In an instant the marine sentry had tumbled two life-preservers over +into the water.</p> + +<p>With almost the swiftness of telegraphy the cry had reached the bridge. +Without stopping to back the engine the big battleship's helm was thrown +hard over, and the great steel fighting craft endeavored to find her own +wake in the angry waters with a view to going back over it.</p> + +<p>Signal men broke out the news to the flagship. The other two great +battleships turned and headed back in the interests of humanity.</p> + +<p>It seemed almost as though the entire fleet had been swung out of its +course by pressure on an electric button.</p> + +<p>Officers who were not on duty poured out. The captain was the first to +reach the quarter-deck. He strode into the midst of a group of +stricken-looking midshipmen.</p> + +<p>"Who's overboard!" demanded the commanding officer.</p> + +<p>"Hallam, sir——"</p> + +<p>"And Darrin, sir——"</p> + +<p>"And Dalzell, sir——"</p> + +<p>"How many?" demanded the captain sharply.</p> + +<p>"Three, sir."</p> + +<p>"How did so many fall overboard?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Hallam was frolicking, sir," reported Midshipman Farley, "and lost +his footing."</p> + +<p>"But Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell?" inquired the captain sharply.</p> + +<p>"As soon as they realized it, sir, Darrin and Dalzell leaped overboard +to go to Hallam's rescue, sir."</p> + +<p>"It's a wonder," muttered the captain, glancing shrewdly at the bronzed, +fine young fellows around him, "that not more of you went overboard as +well."</p> + +<p>"Many of them would, sir," replied Farley, "but an officer forward +shouted: 'No more midshipmen go overboard,' So we stopped, sir."</p> + +<p>Modest Mr. Farley did not mention the fact that he was running toward +the stern, intent on following his chums into the rough sea at the very +instant when the order reached him.</p> + +<p>The captain, however, paused for no more information. He was now running +forward to take the bridge beside the watch officer.</p> + +<p>The midshipmen, too, hurried forward, mingling with the crew, as the big +battleship swung around and tried to find her wake.</p> + +<p>The flagship had crowded on extra steam, and was fast coming over the +seas.</p> + +<p>With such a sea running, it was well nigh impossible to make out so +small a thing as a head or a life-preserver, unless it could be observed +at the instant when it crested a wave.</p> + +<p>Marine glasses were in use by every officer who had brought his pair to +the deck. Others rushed back to their cabins to get them.</p> + +<p>A lieutenant of the marine corps stood forward, close to a big group of +sorrowing midshipmen.</p> + +<p>"There are certain to be three vacancies in the Naval Academy," remarked +the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"Don't say that, sir," begged Farley, in a choking voice. "The three +overboard are among the finest fellows in the brigade!"</p> + +<p>"I don't want to discourage any of you young gentlemen," continued the +marine corps lieutenant. "But there's just about one chance in a +thousand that we shall be able to sight and pick up any one of the +unlucky three. In the first place, it would take a wonderful swimmer to +live long in such a furious sea. In the second place, if all three are +still swimming, it will be almost out of the question to make out their +heads among the huge waves. You've none of you seen a man overboard +before in a big sea?"</p> + +<p>Several of the mute, anxious midshipmen shook their heads.</p> + +<p>"You'll realize the difficulties of the situation within the next few +minutes," remarked the lieutenant. "I am sorry to crush your hopes for +your classmates, but this is all a part of the day's work in the Navy."</p> + +<p>The largest steam launches from all three of the battleships were being +swiftly lowered. Officers and men were lowered with the launches. As the +launch shoved off from each battleship tremendous cheers followed them.</p> + +<p>"Stop all unnecessary noise!" bellowed the watch officer from the bridge +of the "Massachusetts." "You may drown out calls for help with your +racket."</p> + +<p>While the three battleships went back over their courses in more stately +fashion, the launches darted here and there, until it seemed as though +they must cover every foot within a square mile.</p> + +<p>"I don't see how they can help finding the three," Farley declared +hopefully.</p> + +<p>"That is," put in another third classman, "if any of the three are still +afloat."</p> + +<p>"Stow all talk of that sort," ordered Farley angrily.</p> + +<p>Other midshipmen joined in with their protests. When a man is overboard +in an angry sea all hands left behind try to be optimists.</p> + +<p>When fifteen minutes had been spent in the search the onlooking but +helpless middies began to look worried.</p> + +<p>At the end of half an hour some of them looked haggard. Farley's face +was pitiable to see.</p> + +<p>At the end of an hour of constant but fruitless searching hardly any one +felt any hope of a rescue now.</p> + +<p>All three midshipmen, the "man overboard" and his two willing, would-be +rescuers, were silently conceded to be drowned.</p> + +<p>Yet the hardest blow of all came when, at the end of an hour and a +quarter, the flagship signaled the recall of the small boats.</p> + +<p>Then, indeed, all hope was given up. In an utter human silence, save for +the husky voicing of the necessary orders, the launches were hoisted on +board. Then the flagship flew the signal for resuming the voyage.</p> + +<p>There were few dry eyes among the third class midshipmen when the +battleships fell in formation again and proceeded on their way.</p> + +<p>As a result of more signals flown from the flagship, all unnecessary +duties of midshipmen for the day were ordered suspended.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the chaplain on each battleship held funeral services +over the three lost midshipmen. Officers, middies and crew attended on +board each vessel.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX<br /><br /> +THE DESPAIR OF THE "RECALL"</h3> + +<p>Dave Darrin stood within ten feet of Hallam when that latter midshipman +had lost his balance and fallen into the boiling sea.</p> + +<p>Dave's spring to the stern rail was all but instantaneous. He was +overboard, after his classmate, ere the marine had had time to leap to +the life buoys.</p> + +<p>Out of the corner of one eye Dan Dalzell saw the marine start on the +jump, but Dan was overboard, also, too soon to see exactly what the +marine sentry was doing.</p> + +<p>Both daring midshipmen sank beneath the surface as they struck.</p> + +<p>As Dan came up, however, his hand struck something solid and he clutched +at it. It was one of the life buoys.</p> + +<p>As he grasped it, and drew his head up a trifle, Dan saw another +floating within thirty feet of him. Swimming hard, and pushing, Dan +succeeded in reaching the other buoy. He now rested, holding on to both +buoys.</p> + +<p>"Now, where's David, that little giant?" muttered Dalzell, striving hard +to see through the seething waters and over the tops of foam-crested +waves.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes Dan began to feel decidedly nervous.</p> + +<p>"Yet Dave can't have gone down, for he's a better swimmer than I am," +was Dan's consoling thought.</p> + +<p>At last Dalzell caught sight of another head. He could have cheered, but +he expended his breath on something more sensible.</p> + +<p>"Dave!" he shouted. "Old Darry! This way! I have the life buoys."</p> + +<p>At the same time, holding to both of them, but kicking frantically with +his feet, Dalzell managed slowly to push the buoys toward Dave.</p> + +<p>Soon after he had started, Dan did utter a cheer, even though it was +checked by an inrush of salt water that nearly strangled him.</p> + +<p>He saw two heads. Dave Darrin was coming toward him, helping Hallam.</p> + +<p>The wind carried the cheer faintly to Dave. He raised his head a little +in the water, and caught sight of Dan and the buoys.</p> + +<p>Some three minutes it took the two chums to meet. Dave Darrin was all +but exhausted, for Hallam was now unconscious.</p> + +<p>As Darrin clutched at the buoy he tried to shout, though the voice came +weakly:</p> + +<p>"Catch hold of Hallam. I'm down and——"</p> + +<p>But Dan understood, even before he heard. While Dave clutched at one of +the life buoys Dalzell shot out an arm, dragging Hallam in to safety.</p> + +<p>Now, it was Darrin who, with both arms, contrived to link the buoys +together.</p> + +<p>At last the youngsters had a chance to observe the fact that the +battleships had put about and were coming back.</p> + +<p>"We'll soon be all right," sighed Dave contentedly, as soon as he could +speak. "There are thirty-five hundred officers, middies and sailors of +the American Navy to look after our safety."</p> + +<p>From where they lay as they hung to the buoys the chums could even see +the launches lowered.</p> + +<p>Dan, with some of the emergency lashing about the buoy, succeeded, after +a good deal of effort, and with some aid from Dave, in passing a cord +about Hallam and under the latter's armpits that secured that midshipman +to one of the buoys. The next move of the chums was to lash the buoys +together.</p> + +<p>"Now," declared Dave, "we can't lose. We can hang on and be safe here +for hours, if need be."</p> + +<p>"But what a thundering long time it takes them to bring the battleships +around to get to us!" murmured Midshipman Dalzell in wonder.</p> + +<p>"Be sure not an unnecessary second has been lost," rejoined Dave. "We're +learning something practical now about the handling of big craft."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Hally's a goner?" murmured Dan in an awe-struck voice.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it," Dave answered promptly. "Once we get him back +aboard ship the medicos will do a little work over him and he'll sit up +and want to know if dinner's ready."</p> + +<p>Then they fell silent, for, with the roar of wind and waters, it was +necessary for them to shout when they talked.</p> + +<p>As the minutes went by slowly, the two conscious midshipmen found +themselves filled with amazement.</p> + +<p>A dozen times the launches darted by, not far away. It seemed impossible +that the keen, restless eyes of the seekers should not discover the +imperiled ones.</p> + +<p>At such times Dave and Dan shouted with all the power of their lusty +young lungs.</p> + +<p>Alternately Dan and Dave tried the effect of rising as far as they could +and frantically waving an arm. There was not a cap to wave among the +three of them.</p> + +<p>"I'm beginning to feel discouraged," grunted Dave in disgust at last. +"They must have spent a full half day already looking for us."</p> + +<p>"Merciful powers!" gasped Dan at last, as they rode half way up the +slope of a big wave. "I just caught sight of the 'recall of boats' +flying from the flagship!"</p> + +<p>"No!" gasped Dave incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did!"</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"They've failed and have given up the search," spoke Dan rather +despairingly.</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"We may as well face it," muttered Dan brokenly. "They don't believe +that any of us has survived, and we've been abandoned."</p> + +<p>"Then," spoke Dave Darrin very coolly, "there's nothing left for us but +to die like men of the American Navy."</p> + +<p>"It seems heartless, needless," protested Dan.</p> + +<p>"No," broke in Darrin. "They've done their best. They're convinced that +we're lost. And I should think they would be, after all the time they've +searched for us—half a day, at least."</p> + +<p>Dan said nothing, but tugged until he succeeded in bringing his watch up +to the light.</p> + +<p>"The blamed thing is water-logged," he uttered disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"The hands point to less than half past nine!"</p> + +<p>Darrin managed to get at his own watch.</p> + +<p>"My timepiece doesn't call for half past nine, either," he announced.</p> + +<p>"Can it be possible—"</p> + +<p>"Yes; the time has only seemed longer, I reckon," observed Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll face it like men," proposed Dave.</p> + +<p>"Of course," nodded Dan. "At least, we're going down in the ocean, and +we wear the American Naval uniform. If there's any choice in deaths, I +guess that's as good and manly a one as we could choose."</p> + +<p>"Poor old Hally won't know much about it, anyway, I guess," remarked +Darrin, who seemed unnaturally cool. Possibly he was a bit dazed by the +stunning nature of the fate that seemed about to overtake them.</p> + +<p>"Maybe the ships will go by us in their final get-away," proposed Dan +Dalzell very soberly.</p> + +<p>"Not if I'm seaman enough to read the compass by what's visible of the +sun," returned Midshipman Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Then there's no help for it," answered Dan, choking slightly. "I wonder +if we could do anything for Hallam?"</p> + +<p>"We won't do anything to bring him to, anyway," muttered Darrin. "Under +these circumstances I wouldn't do anything as mean as that to a dog!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe he's dead already, anyway," proposed Dan, now hopefully.</p> + +<p>"I hope so," came from Darrin.</p> + +<p>Now they saw the not very distant battleships alter their courses and +steam slowly away.</p> + +<p>All was now desolation over the angry sea, as the battleships gradually +vanished. The two conscious midshipmen were now resolved to face the end +bravely. That was all they could do for themselves and their flag.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X<br /><br /> +THE GRIM WATCH FROM THE WAVES</h3> + +<p>By the time that little more than the mastheads of the departing +battleships were visible, Hallam opened his eyes.</p> + +<p>It would have seemed a vastly kinder fate had he been allowed to remain +unconscious to the last.</p> + +<p>Hallam had not been strangled by the inrush of water. In going +overboard, this midshipman had struck the water with the back of his +head and had been stunned. In the absence of attention he had remained a +long time unconscious.</p> + +<p>Even now the hapless midshipman whose frollicking had been the cause of +the disaster, did not immediately regain his full senses.</p> + +<p>"Why, we're all in the water," he remarked after a while.</p> + +<p>"Yes," assented Darrin, trying to speak cheerfully.</p> + +<p>Midshipman Hallam remained silent for some moments before he next asked:</p> + +<p>"How did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"Fell overboard," replied Dan laconically, failing to mention who it was +who had fallen over the stern.</p> + +<p>Again a rather long silence on Hallam's part. Then, at last, he +observed:</p> + +<p>"Funny how we all fell over at the same time."</p> + +<p>To this neither of his classmates made any rejoinder.</p> + +<p>"See here," shouted Hallam, after a considerable period of silent +wondering, "I remember it all now. I was fooling at the stern rail and I +toppled overboard."</p> + +<p>Dan nodded without words.</p> + +<p>"And you fellows jumped in after me," roared Hallam, both his mental and +bodily powers now beginning to return. "Didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," assented Darrin rather reluctantly.</p> + +<p>"And what became of the fleet!"</p> + +<p>Dave and Dan looked at each other before the former replied:</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, Hally, brace up! The ships searched for us a long time, and +some launches were put out after us. But they couldn't see our little +heads above the big waves, and so——"</p> + +<p>"They've gone away and left us?" queried Hallam, guessing at once. "Now, +fellows, I don't mind so much for myself, but it's fearful to think that +I've dragged you into the same fate. It's awful! Why couldn't you have +left me to my fate?"</p> + +<p>"Would you have done a thing like that?" demanded Dave dryly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, I suppose not, but—but—well, I wish I had been left to pay +the price of my tomfoolery all alone. It would have served me right. But +to drag you two into it—"</p> + +<p>Hallam could go no further. He was choking up with honest emotion.</p> + +<p>"Don't bother about it, Hally," urged Dave. "It's all in the day's work +for a sailor. We'll just take it as it comes, old fellow."</p> + +<p>To not one of the trio did it occur to let go of the life buoys and sink +as a means of ending misery. In the first place, human instinct holds to +hope. In the second place, suicide is the resort of cowards.</p> + +<p>"None of you happened to hide any food in his pockets at breakfast, I +take it?" asked Dan grimly, at last.</p> + +<p>Of course they hadn't.</p> + +<p>"Too bad," sighed Dan. "I'm growing terribly hungry."</p> + +<p>"Catch a fish," smiled back Darrin.</p> + +<p>"And eat it raw?" gasped Dalzell. "Darry, you know my tastes better than +that."</p> + +<p>"Then wait a few hours longer," proposed Dave, "until even raw fish will +be a delicacy."</p> + +<p>Hallam took no part in the chaffing. He was miserably conscious, all the +while, that his own folly had been solely responsible for the present +plight of these noble messmates.</p> + +<p>Thus the time passed on. None kept any track of it; they realized only +that it was still daylight.</p> + +<p>Then suddenly Dave gave a gasp and raised one hand to point.</p> + +<p>His two classmates turned and were able to make out the mastheads of a +craft in the distance.</p> + +<p>How they strained their eyes! All three stared and stared, until they +felt tolerably certain that the craft was headed their way.</p> + +<p>"They may see us!" cried Hallam eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Three battleships and as many launches failed to find us," retorted +Dan. "And they were looking for us, too."</p> + +<p>As the vessel came nearer and the hull became visible, it took on the +appearance of a liner.</p> + +<p>"Why, it looks as though she'd run right over us when she gets nearer," +cried Dave, his eyes kindling with hope.</p> + +<p>"Don't get too excited over it," urged Dan. "For my part, I'm growing +almost accustomed to disappointments."</p> + +<p>As the minutes passed and the liner came on and on, it looked still more +as though she would run down the three middies.</p> + +<p>[Illustration: "Look! They See Us!"]</p> + +<p>At last, however, the craft was passing, showing her port side, not very +far distant, to be sure.</p> + +<p>Uniting their voices, the three midshipmen yelled with all their power, +even though they knew that their desperate call for help could not carry +the distance over the subsiding gale.</p> + +<p>Boom! That shot came from the liner, and now her port rail was black +with people.</p> + +<p>"They see us!" cried Hallam joyously. "Look! That craft is slowing up!"</p> + +<p>Once more came the cheers of encouragement, as the liner, now some +distance ahead, put off a heavy launch. A masthead lookout, who had +first seen the midshipmen, was now signaling the way to the officer in +command of the launch.</p> + +<p>Unable to see for himself, the officer in the launch depended wholly on +those masthead signals. So the launch steamed a somewhat zig-zag course +over the waves. Yet, at last, it bore down straight upon the midshipmen.</p> + +<p>Darrin, Dalzell and Hallam now came very near to closing their eyes, to +lessen the suspense.</p> + +<p>A short time more and all three were dragged in over the sides of the +launch.</p> + +<p>"Get those life buoys in, if you can," begged Dave, as he sank in the +bottom of the launch. "They are United States property entrusted to our +care."</p> + +<p>From officer and seamen alike a laugh went up at this request, but the +life buoys were caught with a boathook and drawn aboard.</p> + +<p>What rousing cheers greeted the returning launch, from the decks of the +liner, "Princess Irene"! When the three midshipmen reached deck and it +was learned that they were midshipmen of the United States Navy, the +cheering and interest were redoubled.</p> + +<p>But the captain and the ship's doctor cut short any attempt at lionizing +by rushing the midshipmen to a stateroom containing three berths. Here, +under the doctor's orders, the trio were stripped and rubbed down. Then +they were rolled into blankets, and hot coffee brought to them in their +berths, while their wet clothing was sent below to one of the furnace +rooms for hurried drying.</p> + +<p>As soon as the medical man had examined them, the steamship's captain +began to question them.</p> + +<p>"Headed for the Azores, eh?" demanded the ship's master. "We ought to be +able to sight your squadron before long."</p> + +<p>He hastened out, to give orders to the deck officer.</p> + +<p>By the time that the young midshipmen had been satisfactorily warmed, +and their clothing had been dried, the ship's surgeon consented to their +dressing. After this they were led to a private cabin where a satisfying +meal was served them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know," murmured Dan, leaning back, with a contented sigh, +after the meal was over; "there are worse things than what happened to +us to-day!"</p> + +<p>The greater speed of the liner enabled her to sight the battleship +squadron something more than two hours afterward. Then the nearest +vessel of the fleet was steered for directly.</p> + +<p>The deck officers of the liner sent their heavy overcoats for the use of +the midshipmen, who, enveloped in these roomy garments, went out on deck +to watch the pursuit of their own comrades.</p> + +<p>Within another hour it was possible to signal, and from the "Princess +Irene's" masthead the signal flags were broken out.</p> + +<p>"Now, watch for excitement on board your own craft," smiled the liner's +commander, an Englishman.</p> + +<p>As soon as the liner's signal had been read by the vessels of the +squadron a wild display of signal bunting swiftly broke out.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be thanked!" read one set of signal flags.</p> + +<p>"We have officially buried the young men, but ask them to go on living," +read another.</p> + +<p>While the most practical signal of all was:</p> + +<p>"The 'Massachusetts' will fall astern of the squadron. Kindly stand by +to receive her launch."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes more the two vessels were close enough. Both stopped +headway. One of the big battleship's launches put off and steamed over, +rolling and pitching on the waves.</p> + +<p>Most carefully indeed the three midshipmen climbed down a rope ladder +and were received by an ensign from the "Massachusetts," who next gave +the American Navy's profound thanks to the rescuers of the middies.</p> + +<p>"Kindly lower that United States property that was in our care, sir!" +Dave Darrin called up.</p> + +<p>There was good-humored laughter above, and a look of amazement on Ensign +White's face until the two buoys, attached to lines, were thrown down +over the side.</p> + +<p>"When your time comes you will make a very capable officer, I believe, +Mr. Darrin, judging by your care of government property," remarked +Ensign White, working hard to keep down the laughter.</p> + +<p>"I hope to do so, sir," Dave replied, saluting.</p> + +<p>Then away to the "Massachusetts" the launch bore, while the whole +battleship squadron cheered itself hoarse over the happy outcome of the +day.</p> + +<p>Dave, Dan and Hallam all had to do a tremendous amount of handshaking +among their classmates when they had reached deck. Pennington was the +only one who did not come forward to hold his hand out to Darrin—a fact +that was noted at the time by many of the youngsters.</p> + +<p>To the captain the trio recounted what had befallen them, as matter for +official record.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell," announced the battleship's captain, "I +must commend you both for wholly heroic conduct in going to the aid of +your classmate. And, Mr. Darrin, I am particularly interested in your +incidental determination to preserve government property—the life buoys +that you brought back with you."</p> + +<p>"It's possible I may need them again, sir," returned Dave, with a smile, +though he had no notion of prophetic utterance.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI<br /><br /> +MIDSHIPMAN PENNINGTON'S ACCIDENT</h3> + +<p>The stop at the Azores was uneventful. It remained in the minds of the +midshipmen only as a pleasant recollection of a quaint and pretty place.</p> + +<p>Once more the squadron set sail, and now the homeward-bound pennant was +flying. The course lay straight across the Atlantic to the entrance of +Chesapeake Bay.</p> + +<p>On the second night out the wind was blowing a little less than half a +gale.</p> + +<p>Darkness had fallen when Dave, Dan, Farley and several other midshipmen +gathered to talk in low tones at the stern rail.</p> + +<p>Presently all of them wandered away but Dave. He stood close to the +rail, enjoying the bumping motion every time the descending stern hit +one of the rolling waves.</p> + +<p>Presently, thinking he saw a light astern, he raised himself, peering +astern.</p> + +<p>Another group of restless middies had sauntered up. Pennington, after a +swift look at the pacing officer in charge here, and discovering that +the officer's back was turned, executed a series of swift cartwheels.</p> + +<p>"Look out, Pen!" called Midshipman Dwight, in a low, though sharp voice.</p> + +<p>Just too late the warning came.</p> + +<p>As Pen leaped to his feet after the last turn, one of his hands struck +Darrin forcefully.</p> + +<p>Dave swayed, tried to clutch at something, then—</p> + +<p>"O-o-o-oh!" rang the first startled chorus.</p> + +<p>Then, instantly, on top of it, came the rousing hail:</p> + +<p>"Man overboard—astern!"</p> + +<p>Farley and Hallam were the first to reach the rail. But Lieutenant +Burton was there almost as quickly.</p> + +<p>"Haul back!" commanded the lieutenant sternly. "No one go overboard!"</p> + +<p>That held the middies in check, for in no place, more than in the Navy, +are orders orders.</p> + +<p>Clack! was the sound that followed the first cry. Like a flash the +marine sentry had thrown his rifle to the deck. A single bound carried +him to one of the night life buoys. This he released, and hurled far +astern.</p> + +<p>As the night buoy struck the water a long-burning red light was fused by +contact. The glow shone out over the waters.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the "Massachusetts's" speed was being slowed rapidly, +and a boat's crew stood at quarters.</p> + +<p>The boat put off quickly, guided by the glow of the red signal light on +the buoy. Ere the boat reached the buoy the coxswain made out the head +and shoulders of a young man above the rim of the floating buoy.</p> + +<p>Soon after the boat lay alongside. Dave, with the coxswain's aid, pulled +himself into the small craft.</p> + +<p>Recovering the buoy, the coxswain flashed the red light three times. +From the deck of the battleship came a cheering yell sent up from +hundreds of throats.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, however, while the boat was on its way to the buoy, a +pulsing scene had been enacted on board.</p> + +<p>Farley went straight up to Midshipman Pennington.</p> + +<p>"Sir," demanded Farley hotly, "why did you push Mr. Darrin over the +rail."</p> + +<p>Pennington looked at his questioner as one stunned.</p> + +<p>"I—I did push Darrin over," admitted Pennington, "but it was an +accident."</p> + +<p>"An easily contrived one, wasn't it?" demanded Midshipman Farley, rather +cynically.</p> + +<p>"It was pure accident," contended Pennington, paling. "Until it happened +I hadn't the least idea in the world that I was going to send Mr. Darrin +or anyone else overboard."</p> + +<p>"Huh!" returned Farley dubiously.</p> + +<p>"Huh!" quoth Hallam.</p> + +<p>Dan Dalzell uttered not a word, but the gaze of his eyes was fixed +angrily on Pennington.</p> + +<p>That latter midshipman turned as white as a sheet. His hands worked as +though he were attempting to clutch at something to hold himself up.</p> + +<p>"Surely, you fellows don't believe, do you—" he stammered weakly, then +paused.</p> + +<p>"One thing we did notice, the other day," continued Farley briskly, "was +that, when Darrin was rescued from the sea and returned to us, you were +about the only member of the class who didn't go up to him and +congratulate him on his marvelous escape."</p> + +<p>"How could—"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Pennington, I haven't the patience to talk with you now," rejoined +Farley, turning on his heel.</p> + +<p>At that moment the yell started among the midshipmen nearer the rail. +Farley, Dan, Hallam and others joined in the yell and rushed to better +points of vantage.</p> + +<p>Pennington tried to join in the cheer, but his tongue seemed fixed to +the roof of his mouth. He stood clenching and unclenching his hands, his +face an ashen gray in his deep humiliation.</p> + +<p>"I don't care what one or two fellows may say," groaned Pennington. "But +I don't want the class to think such things of me."</p> + +<p>He was the most miserable man on board as the small boat came alongside. +The boat, occupants and all, was hoisted up to the davits and swung +in-board. To the officer of the deck, who stood near-by, Dave turned, +with a brisk salute.</p> + +<p>"I beg to report that I've come aboard, sir," Darrin uttered.</p> + +<p>"And very glad we are of it, Mr. Darrin," replied the officer. "You will +go to your locker, change your clothing and then report to the captain, +sir."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir."</p> + +<p>With another salute, Dave hastened below, followed by Dan Dalzell, who +was intent on attending him.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later Dave appeared at the door of the captain's cabin. Just +a few minutes after that he came out on deck.</p> + +<p>A crowd gathered about him, expressing their congratulations.</p> + +<p>"Thank you all," laughed Dave, "but don't make so much over a middy +getting a bath outside of the schedule."</p> + +<p>To the rear hung Pennington, waiting his chance. At last, as the crowd +thinned, Pennington made his way up to Dave.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin, I have to apologize for my nonsense, which was the means of +pushing you overboard. It was purely accidental, on my honor. I did not +even know it was you at the stern, nor did I realize that my antics +would result in pushing any one overboard. I trust you will do me the +honor of believing my statement."</p> + +<p>"Of course I believe it, Mr. Pennington," answered Darrin, opening his +eyes.</p> + +<p>"There are some," continued Pennington, "who have intimated to me their +belief that I did it on purpose. There may be others who half believe or +suspect that I might, or would, do such a thing."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" retorted Dave promptly. "There may be differences, +sometimes, between classmates, but there isn't a midshipman in the Navy +who would deliberately try to drown a comrade. It's a preposterous +insult against midshipman honor. If I hear any one make a charge like +that, I'll call him out promptly."</p> + +<p>"Some of your friends—I won't name them—insisted, or at least let me +feel the force of their suspicions."</p> + +<p>"If any of my friends hinted at such a thing, it was done in the heat of +the moment," replied Dave heartily. "Why, Mr. Pennington, such an act of +dishonor is impossible to a man bred at Annapolis."</p> + +<p>Darrin fully believed what he said. On the spur of the moment he held +out his hand to his enemy.</p> + +<p>Pennington flushed deeply, for a moment, then put out his own hand, +giving Dave's a hearty, straightforward grasp.</p> + +<p>"I was the first to imply the charge," broke in Farley quickly. "I +withdraw it, and apologize to both of you."</p> + +<p>There was more handshaking.</p> + +<p>During the next few days, while Darry and Pen did not become by any +means intimate, they no longer made any effort to avoid each other, but +spoke frankly when they met.</p> + +<p>The remaining days of the voyage passed uneventfully enough, except for +a great amount of hard work that the middies performed as usual.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-second of August they entered Chesapeake Bay. Once well +inside, they came to anchor. There was considerable practice with the +sub-caliber and other smaller guns. On the twenty-ninth of August the +battleship fleet returned to the familiar waters around Annapolis. The +day after that the young men disembarked.</p> + +<p>Then came a hurried skeltering, for the first, second and third classmen +were entitled to leave during the month of September.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII<br /><br /> +BACK IN THE HOME TOWN</h3> + +<p>Back in the old, well-known streets of their home town, Gridley!</p> + +<p>Dave and Dan, enjoying every minute of their month's leave, had already +greeted their parents, and had told them much of their life as +midshipmen.</p> + +<p>What hurt was the fact that the skipper of the "Princess Irene" had +already told the marine reporters in New York the thrilling story of how +Dave and Dan had nearly come to their own deaths rescuing Midshipman +Hallam.</p> + +<p>Everyone in Gridley, it seemed, had read that newspaper story. Darrin +and Dalzell, before they had been home twelve hours, were weary of +hearing their praises sung.</p> + +<p>"There go two of the smartest, finest boys that old Gridley ever turned +out," citizens would say, pointing after Dave and Dan. "They're +midshipmen at Annapolis; going to be officers of the Navy one of these +days."</p> + +<p>"But what's the matter with Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes? They're at +West Point."</p> + +<p>"Oh, they're all right, too, of course. But Darrin and Dalzell——"</p> + +<p>It was the old circumstance of being "the lions of the minute" and of +being on the spot.</p> + +<p>On the first morning of his arrival home Dave Darrin went frankly and +openly to call on his old schoolgirl sweetheart, Belle Meade.</p> + +<p>Dan, having no particular associations with the gentler sex, took a +stroll around town to meet any old friends who might care to see him +again.</p> + +<p>Dave was shown into the parlor at the Meade home. Soon after Belle came +swiftly in, her face beaming with delight.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you're not in uniform!" was her first disappointed comment.</p> + +<p>"No," smiled Dave. "I'm allowed every possible chance, for one month, to +forget every detail of the big grind which for a short time I've left +behind."</p> + +<p>"But you're the same old Dave," cried Belle, "only bigger and manlier. +And that magnificent work you and Dan did in jumping over-bo——"</p> + +<p>"Stop!" begged Dave. "You're a friend of mine, aren't you! Then don't +add to the pain that has been already inflicted on me. If I had had the +newspapers in mind I wouldn't have the nerve to—— But please let's not +talk about it anymore."</p> + +<p>Then the two young people seated themselves and spent a delightful hour +in talking over all that had befallen them both since they had last met.</p> + +<p>Belle, too, through Laura Bentley, had some much later news of the old +chums, Dick and Greg, now cadets at West Point.</p> + +<p>This news, however, will be found in full in "DICK PRESCOTT'S SECOND +YEAR AT WEST POINT."</p> + +<p>"What are your plans for this afternoon?" Belle asked at last.</p> + +<p>"That's what I want your help in making," Dave answered.</p> + +<p>"Can you get hold of Dan?"</p> + +<p>"No trouble about that. But keeping hold of him may be more difficult," +laughed Dave.</p> + +<p>"I was going to propose that you get Dan, call here and then we'll all +go over to Laura Bentley's. I know she'll be anxious to see us."</p> + +<p>"Nothing could be better in the way of a plan," assented Dave. "I'll pin +Danny boy down to that. It would really seem like a slight on good old +Dick if we didn't make Laura an early call."</p> + +<p>"I'll go to the telephone, now, and tell her that we're coming," cried +Belle, rising quickly.</p> + +<p>"Laura is delighted," she reported, on her return to the room. "But +Dave, didn't you at least bring along a uniform, so that we could see +what it looks like?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't," replied Dave, soberly, then added, quizzically:</p> + +<p>"You've seen the district messenger boys on the street, haven't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course; but what—"</p> + +<p>"Our uniforms look very much like theirs," declared Dave.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I can't undertake to believe you," Belle pouted.</p> + +<p>"Well, anyway, you girls will soon have a chance to see our uniforms. +Just as soon as our hops start, this fall, you and Laura will come down +and gladden our hearts by letting us drag you, won't you!"</p> + +<p>"Drag us?" repeated Belle, much mystified.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's middies' slang for escorting a pretty girl to a midshipman +hop."</p> + +<p>"You have a lot of slang, then, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"Considerable," admitted Dave readily.</p> + +<p>"What, then, is your slang for a pretty girl?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, we call her a queen."</p> + +<p>"And a girl who is—who isn't—pretty?"</p> + +<p>"A gold brick," answered Dave unblushingly.</p> + +<p>"A gold brick?" gasped Belle. "Dear me! 'Dragging a gold brick' to a hop +doesn't sound romantic, does it?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't," Darrin admitted.</p> + +<p>"Yet you have invited me—"</p> + +<p>"Our class hasn't started in with its course of social compliments yet," +laughed Dave. "Please go look in the glass. Or, if you won't believe the +glass, then just wait and see how proud Dan and I are if we can lead you +and Laura out on the dancing floor."</p> + +<p>"But what horrid slang!" protested Belle. "The idea of calling a homely +girl a gold brick! And I thought you young men received more or less +training in being gracious to the weaker sex."</p> + +<p>"We do," Dave answered, "as soon as we can find any use for the +accomplishment. Fourth classmen, you know, are considered too young to +associate with girls. It's only now, when we've made a start in the +third class, that we're to be allowed to attend the hops at all."</p> + +<p>"But why must you have to have such horrid names for girls who have not +been greatly favored in the way of looks? It doesn't sound exactly +gallant."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, you know," laughed Dave, "we poor, despised, no-account +middies must have some sort of sincere language to talk after we get our +masks off for the day. I suppose we like the privilege, for a few +minutes in each day, of being fresh, like other young folks."</p> + +<p>"What is your name for 'fresh' down at Annapolis!" Belle wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"Touge."</p> + +<p>"And for being a bit worse than touge?"</p> + +<p>"Ratey."</p> + +<p>"Which did they call you?" demanded Belle.</p> + +<p>Dave started, then sat up straight, staring at Miss Meade.</p> + +<p>"I see that your tongue hasn't lost its old incisiveness," he laughed.</p> + +<p>"Not among my friends," Belle replied lightly. "But I can't get my mind +off that uniform of yours that you didn't bring home. What would have +happened to you if you had been bold enough to do it?"</p> + +<p>"I guess I'd have 'frapped the pap,'" hazarded Dave.</p> + +<p>"And what on earth is 'frapping the pap'?" gasped Belle.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's a brief way of telling about it when a midshipman gets stuck +on the conduct report."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to buy a notebook," asserted Belle, "and write down and +classify some of this jargon. I'd hate to visit a strange country, like +Annapolis, and find I didn't know the language. And, Dave, what sort of +place is Annapolis, anyway?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's a suburb of the Naval Academy," Dave answered.</p> + +<p>"Is it dreadfully hard to keep one's place in his class there?" asked +Belle.</p> + +<p>"Well, the average fellow is satisfied if he doesn't 'bust cold,'" Dave +informed her.</p> + +<p>"Gracious! What sort of explosion is 'busting cold'?"</p> + +<p>"Why, that means getting down pretty close to absolute zero in all +studies. When a fellow has the hard luck to bust cold the superintendent +allows him all his time, thereafter, to go home and look up a more +suitable job than one in the Navy. And when a fellow bilges——"</p> + +<p>"Stop!" begged Belle. "Wait!"</p> + +<p>She fled from the room, to return presently bearing the prettiest hat +that Dave ever remembered having seen on her shapely young head. In one +hand she carried a dainty parasol that she turned over to him.</p> + +<p>"What's the cruise?" asked Darrin, rising.</p> + +<p>"I'm going out to get that notebook, now. Please don't talk any more +'midshipman' to me until I get a chance to set the jargon down."</p> + +<p>As she stood there, such a pretty and wholesome picture, David Darrin +thought he never before had seen such a pretty girl, nor one dressed in +such exquisite taste. Being a boy, it did not occur to him that Belle +Meade had been engaged for weeks in designing this gown and others that +she meant to wear during his brief stay at home.</p> + +<p>"What are you thinking of?" asked Belle.</p> + +<p>"What a pity it is that I am doomed to a short life," sighed Darrin.</p> + +<p>"A short life? What do you mean?" Belle asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, I'm going to be assassinated, the first hop that you attend at the +Naval Academy."</p> + +<p>"So I'm a gold brick, am I?" frowned Belle.</p> + +<p>"You—a—gold brick?" stammered Dave. "Why, you—oh, go look in the +glass!"</p> + +<p>"Who will assassinate you?"</p> + +<p>"A committee made up from among the fellows whose names I don't write +down on your dance card. And there are hundreds of them at Annapolis. +You can't dance with them all."</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to," replied Belle, with a toss of her head. "I'll +accept, as partners, only those who appear to me the handsomest and most +distinguished looking of the midshipmen. No one else can write his name +on my card."</p> + +<p>"Dear girl, I'm afraid you don't understand our way of making up dance +cards at Crabtown."</p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>"Crabtown. That's our local name for Annapolis."</p> + +<p>"Gracious! Let me get out quickly and get that notebook!"</p> + +<p>"At midshipmen's hops the fellow who drags the——"</p> + +<p>"Gold brick," supplied Belle, resignedly.</p> + +<p>"No—not for worlds! You're no gold brick, Belle, and you know it, even +though you do refuse to go to the mirror. But the fellow who drags any +femme—"</p> + +<p>"Please—?"</p> + +<p>"'Femme' stands for girl. The fellow who drags any femme makes up her +dance card for her."</p> + +<p>"And she hasn't a word to say about it?"</p> + +<p>"Not as a rule."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" cried Belle, dramatically.</p> + +<p>She moved toward the door. Dave, who could not take his eyes from her +pretty face, managed, somehow, to delay her.</p> + +<p>"Belle, there's something—" he began.</p> + +<p>"Good gracious! Where? What?" she cried, looking about her keenly.</p> + +<p>"It's something I want to say—must say," Dave went on with more of an +effort than anyone but himself could guess.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, as we're going down the street," invited Belle.</p> + +<p>"<i>Wha-a-at?</i>" choked Dave. "Well, I guess not!"</p> + +<p>He faced her, resting both hands lightly on her shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Belle, we were pretty near sweethearts in the High School, I think," he +went on, huskily, but looking her straight in the eyes. "At least, that +was my hope, and I hope, most earnestly, that it's going to continue. +Belle, I am a long way from my real career, yet. It will be five years, +yet, before I have any right to marry. But I want to look forward, all +the time, to the sweet belief that my schoolgirl sweetheart is going to +become my wife one of these days. I want that as a goal to work for, +along with my commission in the Navy. But to this much I agree: if you +say 'yes' now, and find later that you have made a mistake, you will +tell me so frankly."</p> + +<p>"Poor boy!" murmured Belle, looking at him fully. "You've been a plebe +until lately, and you haven't been allowed to see any girls. I'm not +going to take advantage of you as heartlessly as that."</p> + +<p>Yet something in her eyes gave the midshipman hope.</p> + +<p>"Belle," he continued eagerly, "don't trifle with me. Tell me—will you +marry me some day?"</p> + +<p>Then there was a little more talk and—well, it's no one's business.</p> + +<p>"But we're not so formally engaged," Belle warned him, "that you can't +write me and draw out of the snare if you wish when you're older. And +I'm not going to wear any ring until you've graduated from the Naval +Academy. Do you understand that, Mr. David Darrin?"</p> + +<p>"It shall be as you say, either way," Dave replied happily.</p> + +<p>"And now, let us get started, or we shan't get out on the street +to-day," urged Belle.</p> + +<p>Then they passed out on the street, and no ordinarily observant person +would have suspected them of being anything more than school friends.</p> + +<p>Being very matter-of-fact in some respects, Belle's first move was to go +to a stationer's, where she bought a little notebook bound in red +leather.</p> + +<p>Dave tried to pay for that purchase, but Belle forestalled him.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you allow me to make you that little gift?" he asked in a +low tone, when they had reached the street.</p> + +<p>"Wait," replied Belle archly. "Some day you may find your hands full in +that line."</p> + +<p>"One of my instructors at Annapolis complimented me on having very +capable hands," Dave told her dryly.</p> + +<p>"The instructor in boxing?" asked Belle.</p> + +<p>It was a wonderfully delightful stroll that the middy and his sweetheart +enjoyed that September forenoon.</p> + +<p>Once Dave sighed, so pronouncedly that Belle shot a quick look of +questioning at him.</p> + +<p>"Tired of our understanding already?" she demanded.</p> + +<p>"No; I was thinking how sorry I am for Danny boy! He doesn't know the +happiness of having a real sweetheart."</p> + +<p>"How do you know he doesn't?" asked Belle quickly. "Does he tell you +everything?"</p> + +<p>"No; but I know Danny's sea-going lines pretty well. I'd suspect, at +least, if he had a sweetheart."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure that you would?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! By gracious! There's Danny going around the corner above at +this very moment."</p> + +<p>Belle had looked in the same instant.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and a skirt swished around the corner with him," declared Belle +impressively. "It would be funny, wouldn't it, if you didn't happen to +know all about Dan Dalzell?"</p> + +<p>In the early afternoon, however, the mystery was cleared up.</p> + +<p>On the street Dalzell had encountered Laura Bentley. Both were full of +talk and questions concerning Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes, at West +Point, for which reason Dan had strolled home with Miss Bentley without +any other thought, on the midshipman's part, than playing substitute +gallant for his chum, Cadet Richard Prescott, U.S. Military Academy.</p> + +<p>A most delightful afternoon the four young people spent together at the +Bentley home.</p> + +<p>These were the forerunners of other afternoons.</p> + +<p>Belle and Laura, however, were not able to keep their midshipmen to +themselves.</p> + +<p>Other girls, former students at the High School, arranged a series of +affairs to which the four young people were invited.</p> + +<p>Dave's happiest moments were when he had Belle to himself, for a stroll +or chat.</p> + +<p>Dan's happiest moments, on the other hand, were when he was engaged in +hunting the old High School fellows, or such of them as were now at +home. For many of them had entered colleges or technical schools. Tom +Reade and Harry Hazelton, of the famous old Dick & Co., of High School +days, were now in the far southwest, under circumstances fully narrated +in "THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA," the second volume of "THE YOUNG +ENGINEERS' SERIES.'"</p> + +<p>Day by day Belle jotted down in her notebook more specimens of +midshipman slang.</p> + +<p>"I shall soon feel that I can reel off the language like a native of +Crabtown," she confided laughingly to Dare.</p> + +<p>"It won't be very long before you have an opportunity to try," Dave +declared, "if you and Laura embrace your first opportunity to come to a +middy hop."</p> + +<p>Dan had a happy enough time of it, even though Dave's suspicion was true +in that Dan had no sweetheart. That, however, was Dan's fault entirely, +as several of the former High School girls would have been willing to +assure him.</p> + +<p>Since even the happiest times must all end so the latter part of +September drew near.</p> + +<p>Then came the day when Dave and Dan met at the railway station. A host +of others were there to see them off, for the midshipmen still had +crowds of friends in the good old home town.</p> + +<p>A ringing of bells, signaling brakesmen, a rolling of steel wheels and +the two young midshipmen swung aboard the train, to wave their hats from +the platform.</p> + +<p>Gridley was gone—lost to sight for another year. Dan was exuberant +during the first hour of the journey, Dave unusually silent.</p> + +<p>"You need a vast amount of cheering up, David, little giant!" exclaimed +Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess not," smiled Dave Darrin quietly, adding to himself, under +his breath:</p> + +<p>"I carry my own good cheer with me, now."</p> + +<p>Lightly his hand touched a breast pocket that carried the latest, +sweetest likeness of Miss Belle Meade.</p> + +<p>One journey by rail is much like another to the traveler who pays little +heed to the scenery.</p> + +<p>At the journey's end two well-rested midshipmen joined the throng of +others at Crabtown.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII<br /><br /> +DAN RECEIVES A FEARFUL FACER</h3> + +<p>"Oh, you heap!" sighed Dan Dalzell dismally.</p> + +<p>He sat in his chair, in their new quarters in Bancroft Hall, United +States Naval Academy, gazing in mock despair at the pile of new books +that he had just drawn.</p> + +<p>These text-books contained the subjects in which a midshipman is +required to qualify in his second academic year.</p> + +<p>"Been through the books for a first look?" called Dave from behind his +own study table.</p> + +<p>"Some of 'em," admitted Dalzell. "I'm afraid to glance into the others."</p> + +<p>"I've looked in all of my books," continued Darrin, "and I've just come +to a startling conclusion."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"I'm inclined to believe that I have received a complete set of +text-books for the first and second classes."</p> + +<p>"No such luck!" grunted Dan, getting up and going over to his chum. "Let +me see if you got all the books I did."</p> + +<p>Before Dave could prevent it, Dan started a determined over-tossing of +the book pile. As he did so, Dan suddenly uncovered a photograph from +which a fair, sweet, laughing face gazed up at him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I beg a million pardons, Dave, old boy!" cried Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"You needn't," came Dave's frank answer. "I'm proud of that treasure and +of all it means to me."</p> + +<p>"And I'm glad for you, David, little giant."</p> + +<p>Their hands met in hearty clasp, and that was all that was said on that +subject at the time.</p> + +<p>"But, seriously," Dan grumbled on, after a while, "I'm aghast at what an +exacting government expects and demands that we shall know. Just look +over the list—mechanical drawing and mechanical processes, analytical +geometry, calculus, physics, chemistry, English literature, French and +Spanish, integral calculus, spherical trigonometry, stereographic +projection and United States Naval history! David, my boy, by the end of +this year we'll know more than college professors do."</p> + +<p>"Aren't you getting a big head, Danny?" queried Darrin, looking up with +a smile.</p> + +<p>"I am," assented Dalzell, "and I admit it. Why, man alive, one has to +have a big head here. No small head would contain all that the Academic +Board insists on crowding into it."</p> + +<p>By the time that the chums had attended the first section recitations on +the following day, their despair was increased.</p> + +<p>"Davy, I don't see how we are ever going to make it, this year," Dalzell +gasped, while they were making ready for supper formation. "We'll bilge +this year without a doubt."</p> + +<p>"There's only one reason I see for hoping that we can get through the +year with fair credit," murmured Darrin.</p> + +<p>"And what's that?"</p> + +<p>"Others have done it, before us, and many more are going to do it this +year," replied Dave slowly, as he laid comb and brush away and drew on +his uniform blouse.</p> + +<p>"I know men have gotten through the Naval Academy in years gone by," +Dalzell agreed. "But, the first chance that I have, I'm going to look +the matter up and see whether the middies of old had any such fearful +grind as we have our noses held to."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll do it," declared Darrin confidently. "I shall, anyway—for +I've got to!"</p> + +<p>As he spoke he was thinking of Belle Meade, and of her prospects in life +as well as his own.</p> + +<p>As the days went by, however, Dave and Dan became more and more dull of +spirits. The grind was a fearful one. A few very bright youngsters went +along all right, but to most of the third classmen graduation began to +look a thousand years away.</p> + +<p>The football squad was out now and training in deadly earnest. There +were many big games to be played, but most of all the middies longed to +tow West Point's Army eleven into the port of defeat.</p> + +<p>In their first year Dave and Dan had looked forward longingly to joining +the gridiron squad. They had even practised somewhat. But now they +realized that playing football in the second year at Annapolis must be, +for them, merely a foolish dream.</p> + +<p>"I'm thankful enough if I can study day and night and keep myself up to +2.5," confessed Darrin, as he and Dan chatted over their gridiron +longings.</p> + +<p>Two-and-five tenths is the lowest marking, on a scale of four, that will +suffice to keep a midshipman in the Naval Academy.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to reach 2.5 in some studies this month," groaned Dan. "I +know that much by way of advance information. The fates be thanked that +we're allowed until the semi-ans to pick up. But the question is, are we +ever going to pick up? As I look through my books it seems to me that +every succeeding lesson is twice as hard as the one before it."</p> + +<p>"Other men have gone through, every year."</p> + +<p>"And still other men have been dropped every year," Dalzell dolefully +reminded him.</p> + +<p>"We're among those who are going to stay," Dave contended stubbornly.</p> + +<p>"Then I'm afraid we'll be among those who are dropped after Christmas +and come back, next year, as bilgers," Dalzell groaned.</p> + +<p>"Now, drop that!" commanded Darrin, almost roughly. "Remember one thing, +Daniel little lion slayer! My congressman and your senator won't appoint +us again, if we fail now. No talk of that kind, remember. We've got to +make our standing secure within the next few weeks."</p> + +<p>Before the month was over the football games began in earnest on the +athletic field. Darrin and Dalzell, however, missed every game. They +were too busy poring over their text-books. Fortunately for them their +drills, parades and gym. work furnished them enough exercise.</p> + +<p>The end of October found Darrin at or above 2.5 in only three studies. +Dan was above 2.5 in two studies—below that mark in all others.</p> + +<p>"It's a pity my father never taught me to swear," grumbled Dalzell, in +the privacy of their room.</p> + +<p>"Stow that talk," ordered Darrin, "and shove off into the deeper waters +of greater effort."</p> + +<p>"Greater effort?" demanded Dan, in a rage. "Why I study, now, every +possible moment of the time allowed for such foolishness. And we can't +run a light. Right after taps the electric light is turned off at the +master switch."</p> + +<p>"We're wasting ninety seconds of precious time, now, in grumbling," +uttered Dave, seating himself doggedly at his study table.</p> + +<p>"Got any money, Darry?" asked Dalzell suddenly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; are you broke?"</p> + +<p>"I am, and the next time I go into Annapolis I mean to buy some +candles."</p> + +<p>"Don't try that, Danny. Running a light is dangerous, and doubly so with +candles. The grease is bound to drip, and to be found in some little +corner by one of the discipline officers. It would be no use to study if +you are going to get frapped on the pap continuously."</p> + +<p>Immediately after supper both midshipmen forfeited their few minutes of +recreation, going at once back to their study tables. There they +remained, boning hard until the brief release sounded before taps was +due.</p> + +<p>Almost at the sound of the release there came a knock at the door. +Farley and his roommate, Page, came bounding in.</p> + +<p>"I've got to say something, or I'll go daffy," cried Farley, rubbing his +eyes. "Fellows, did you ever hear of such downright abuse as the second +year course of studies means?"</p> + +<p>"It is tough," agreed Dave. "But what can we do about it, except fight +it out?"</p> + +<p>"Can you make head or tail out of calculus?" demanded Farley.</p> + +<p>"No," admitted Darrin, "but I hope to, one of these days."</p> + +<p>Just then Freeman, of the first class, poked his head in, after a soft +knock.</p> + +<p>"What is this—a despair meeting?" he called cheerily.</p> + +<p>"Yes," groaned Page. "We're in a blue funk over the way recitations are +going."</p> + +<p>"Oh, buck up, kiddies!" called Freeman cheerily, as he crossed the +floor. "Youngsters always get in the doldrums at the beginning of the +year."</p> + +<p>"You're a first classman. When you were in the third class did you have +all the studies that we have now?"</p> + +<p>"Every one of them, sir," affirmed Midshipman Freeman gravely, though +there was a twinkle in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"And did you come through the course easily?" asked Page.</p> + +<p>"Not easily," admitted the first classman. "There isn't anything at +Annapolis that is easy, except the dancing. In fact, during the first +two months very few of our class came along like anything at all. After +that, we began to do better. By the time that semi-ans came around +nearly all of us managed to pull through. But what seems to be the worst +grind of all—the real blue paint?"</p> + +<p>"Calculus!" cried the four youngsters in unison.</p> + +<p>"Why, once you begin to see daylight in calculus it's just as easy as +taking a nap," declared the first classman.</p> + +<p>"At present it seems more like suffering from delirium," sighed Dave.</p> + +<p>"What's the hard one for to-morrow?" asked Freeman.</p> + +<p>"Here it is, right here," continued Dave, opening his text-book. "Here's +the very proposition."</p> + +<p>The others crowded about, nodding.</p> + +<p>"I remember that one," laughed Freeman lightly. "Our class named it +'sticky fly paper.'"</p> + +<p>"It was rightly named," grumbled Farley.</p> + +<p>"None of you four youngsters see through it?" demanded Midshipman +Freeman.</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to claim, sir, that you ever did?" insisted Dan Dalzell.</p> + +<p>"Not only once, but now," grinned Mr. Freeman. "You haven't been looking +at this torturing proposition from the right angle—that's all. Now, +listen, while I read it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we all know how it runs, Mr. Freeman," protested Page.</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless, listen, while I read it."</p> + +<p>As the first classman read through the proposition that was torturing +them he threw an emphasis upon certain words that opened their eyes +better as to the meaning.</p> + +<p>"Now, it works out this way," continued the first classman, bending over +the disk and drawing paper and pencil toward him. "In the first place."</p> + +<p>Freeman seemed to these youngsters like a born demonstrator. Within five +minutes he had made the "sticky fly paper" problem so plain to them all +that they glanced from one to another in astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Why, it does seem easy," confessed Farley.</p> + +<p>"It sounds foolish, now," grinned Darrin. "I'm beginning to feel ashamed +of myself."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Freeman," protested Page, "you've saved us from suicide, or some +other gruesome fate."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll drop in once in a while again," promised the first classman.</p> + +<p>"But that will take time from your own studies," remonstrated Darrin +generously.</p> + +<p>"Not in the least. I won't come around before release. By the time a +fellow reaches the first class, if he's going to graduate anyway, he +doesn't have to study as hard as a youngster does. The man who reaches +the first class has had all the habits of true study ground into him."</p> + +<p>Darrin, Dalzell, Farley and Page were all in different sections in +mathematics. When they recited, next day, it so happened that each was +the man to have the "sticky fly paper" problem assigned to him by the +instructor. Each of the quartette received a full "4" for the day's +marking.</p> + +<p>"Did you have any assistance with this problem, Mr. Darrin?" asked +Dave's instructor.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; a member of the first class tried to make it plain to me last +night."</p> + +<p>"He appears to have succeeded," remarked the instructor dryly.</p> + +<p>There was, however, no discredit attached to having received proper +assistance before coming into section.</p> + +<p>True to his promise Freeman dropped in every fourth or fifth evening, to +see if he could be of any help to the four youngsters. Always he found +that he could be.</p> + +<p>Even when Thanksgiving came, Dave Darrin did not go to Philadelphia, but +remained at the Academy, devoting his time to study.</p> + +<p>Dan, in sheer desperation, took in the trip to Philadelphia. He hoped to +meet Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes, but they did not come down from West +Point.</p> + +<p>On the first day of December, Dan Dalzell's name was formally reported +by the Academic Board in a report to the superintendent which +recommended that Midshipman Dalzell be dropped from the rolls for +"inaptitude in his studies."</p> + +<p>Poor Dan. It was a staggering blow. Yet it struck Dave Darrin just about +as hard.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV<br /><br /> +THE FIRST HOP WITH THE HOME GIRLS</h3> + +<p>That report was allowed to reach Dan's ears on a Friday.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the day following there was to be a midshipman hop on +the floor of the great gym.</p> + +<p>Moreover, it was the very hop that Belle Meade and Laura Bentley had +finally selected to attend. Mrs. Meade was coming with the girls as +chaperon.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but I shall feel fine and light hearted for going to the dance!" +muttered Dan miserably. "Facing the kick-off from the Academy, and doing +the light hearted and the fantastic toe with the girls."</p> + +<p>"I shan't feel a whole lot more merry myself," sighed Dave, as he gazed +affectionately, wistfully at his chum. "Danny, this has hit me about as +hard as it has you. And it warns me, too, that my turn will probably +come next. I don't stand an awful lot higher in my markings than you +do."</p> + +<p>"Doesn't it feel fine to be a bilger?" gulped Dalzell, staring at the +floor.</p> + +<p>A "bilger," as has been already explained, is a midshipman who has +failed and has been dropped.</p> + +<p>"Oh, but you're not a bilger, yet!" cried Darrin, leaping up and resting +both hands on his chum's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"What's the odds?" demanded Dan grimly. "I shall be, after I've been +before the Board next Monday forenoon at ten o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! Not if you make a good fight!"</p> + +<p>"Fight—nothing!" sighed Dan wearily. "In a fight there's some one else +that you can hit back at. But I won't have a blessed soul to fight. I'm +up against a gang who are all referees, and all down on me at the +outset."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," combatted Dave. "You——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right, David, little giant," returned Dalzell with an +attempt at cheeriness. "You mean well, but a fellow isn't reported +deficient unless he's so far behind that the Board has his case settled +in advance. From all I can hear it isn't once in a camel's age that a +fellow so reported, and ordered before the Board, gets off with anything +less than a hard, wet bilge. What I'm thinking of now is, what am I +going to pick up as a career when I go home from here as a failure."</p> + +<p>If it hadn't been for the pride he felt in still having the uniform on, +Dalzell might not have been able to check the tears that tried to flow.</p> + +<p>"Come on," commanded Dave, leaping up, "we'll run up to the deck above, +and see if we can't find Mr. Freeman in."</p> + +<p>"What good will that do?" demanded Dan. "Freeman is a first classman, +but he hasn't any particular drag with the Board."</p> + +<p>"It won't do any harm, anyway, for us to have a talk with an older +classman," argued Dave. "Button your blouse, straighten your hair and +come along."</p> + +<p>"So it's as bad as that, is it!" asked Freeman sympathetically, after +his cheery "come in" had admitted the unhappy youngsters.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Dave incisively. "Now, the question is, what can be done +about it?"</p> + +<p>"I wish you had asked me an easier one," sighed the first classman. +"You're mighty well liked, all through the Academy, Dalzell, and every +one of us will hate to see you go."</p> + +<p>"But what can be done to ward off that fate?" insisted Darrin as +impatiently as a third classman might speak to a venerable first +classman.</p> + +<p>"Well, now, I want to think over that," confessed Freeman frankly. "Of +course, Dalzell's record, this term, is in black and white, and can't be +gainsaid. It's just possible our young friend can put up some line of +talk that will extend his time here, and perhaps enable him to pull +through. It's a mighty important question, so I'll tell you what we'll +do. Of course, the hop comes on for to-morrow night. Let me have until +Sunday evening. Meanwhile I'll talk with some of the other fellows of my +class. You both come in here Sunday evening, and I'll have the answer +for you—if there's any possible way of finding one."</p> + +<p>With that the chums had to be content. Expressing their gratitude to +this friendly first classman, they withdrew.</p> + +<p>That Saturday forenoon Dan did considerably better with the two +recitations that he had in hand.</p> + +<p>"I got easier questions than usual, I guess," he said to Dave, with a +mournful smile.</p> + +<p>After Saturday dinner, Dave and Dan, having secured permission to visit +in Annapolis, steered their course through the gate, straight up +Maryland Avenue, through State Circle and around into Main Street, to +the Maryland House.</p> + +<p>At the desk they sent up their cards to Mrs. Meade, then stepped into +the parlor.</p> + +<p>Barely two minutes had passed when Belle and Laura flew downstairs.</p> + +<p>"Mother says she'll be down as soon as she fancies you'll care about +seeing her," laughed Belle.</p> + +<p>"And how are you getting on in your classes?" asked Laura Bentley, +glancing straight at unhappy Dan.</p> + +<p>Both midshipmen had agreed not to mention a word of Dan's heartache to +either of the girls.</p> + +<p>Dan gulped hard, though he managed to conceal the fact.</p> + +<p>Darrin, however, was ready with the answer:</p> + +<p>"Oh, we're having pretty rough sailing, but we're both still in our +class."</p> + +<p>Which statement was wholly truthful.</p> + +<p>"Up at West Point," Laura continued, "Dick told us that the first two +years were the hardest for a man to keep his place. I fancy it's just +about the same here, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Just about," Dave nodded. "The first two years are hardest because it +takes all that time for a fellow to get himself keyed up to the gait of +study that is required in the government academies. But won't you let us +talk about something that's really pleasant, girls?" Dave asked, with +his charming smile. "Suppose we talk about yourselves. My, but you girls +are good to look at!"</p> + +<p>After that, the conversation was shifted to lighter subjects.</p> + +<p>Even Dan, in the joy of meeting two girl friends from home, began to be +less conscious of his load of misery.</p> + +<p>Presently Mrs. Meade came down. She chatted with the two fine-looking +young midshipmen for a few moments. Then Dave proposed:</p> + +<p>"Wouldn't you like us to escort you through the Academy grounds, so that +you can get a good idea of the place in daylight?"</p> + +<p>"We've been waiting only for you to invite us," rejoined Belle.</p> + +<p>For the next two hours the time was passed pleasantly.</p> + +<p>But Belle, behind all her light chatter, was unusually keen and +observing.</p> + +<p>"Is anything wrong with either of you?" she asked Dave suddenly, when +this pair were out of easy hearing of the others.</p> + +<p>"Why do you ask that?" inquired Dave, looking at her in his direct +fashion.</p> + +<p>"Why, I may be unnecessarily sensitive, but I can't help feeling that +some sort of disaster is hanging over either you or Dan."</p> + +<p>"I hope not," replied Darrin evasively.</p> + +<p>"Dave, that isn't a direct answer," warned Belle, raising her eyebrows. +"Do you consider me entitled to one?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. What's the question?"</p> + +<p>"Are you in any trouble here?"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm thankful to say."</p> + +<p>"Then is Dan?"</p> + +<p>"Belle, I'd rather not answer that."</p> + +<p>"Why——"</p> + +<p>"Well, because, if he is, I'd rather not discuss it."</p> + +<p>"Has Dan been caught in any scrape?"</p> + +<p>"No. His conduct record is fine."</p> + +<p>"Then it must be failure in his studies."</p> + +<p>Dave did not answer.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you tell me?" insisted Belle.</p> + +<p>"If anything were in the wind, Belle, we'd rather not tell you and spoil +your visit. And don't ask Dan anything about it."</p> + +<p>"I think I know enough," went on Belle thoughtfully and sympathetically. +"Poor Dan! He's one of the finest of fellows."</p> + +<p>"There are no better made," retorted Dave promptly.</p> + +<p>"If anything happens to Dan here, dear, I know you will feel just as +unhappy about it as if it happened to yourself."</p> + +<p>"Mighty close to it," nodded Darrin. "But it would be a double +heartbreak for me, if I had to leave."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"On account of the future I've planned for you, Belle."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you silly boy, then!" Belle answered, smiling into his eyes. "I +believe I have half committed myself to the idea of marrying you when +you've made your place in life. But it was Dave Darrin to whom I gave +that half promise—not a uniform of any sort. Dave, if anything ever +happens that you have to quit here, don't imagine that it's going to +make a particle of difference in our understanding."</p> + +<p>"You're the real kind of sweetheart, Belle!" murmured Dave, gazing +admiringly at her flushed face.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever suspect that I wasn't?" asked Miss Meade demurely.</p> + +<p>"Never!" declared Midshipman Darrin devoutly. "Nevertheless, it's fine +to be reassured once in a while."</p> + +<p>"What a great fellow Dan is!" exclaimed Belle a few minutes later. "See +how gayly he is chatting with Laura. I don't believe Laura guesses for a +moment that Dan Dalzell is just as game a fellow as the Spartan boy of +olden times."</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV<br /><br /> +A DISAGREEABLE FIRST CLASSMAN</h3> + +<p>The hop that night was one of the happiest occasions Dave had ever +known, yet it was destined to result in trouble for him.</p> + +<p>Midshipman Treadwell, of the first class, caught sight of Belle as she +entered the gym at Dave Darrin's side.</p> + +<p>With Treadwell it happened to be one of those violent though unusually +silly affairs known as "love at first sight."</p> + +<p>As for Belle, she was not likely to have eyes for anyone in particular, +save Dave.</p> + +<p>Treadwell, who had come alone, and who was not to be overburdened with +dances, went after Dave as soon as that youngster left Belle for the +first time.</p> + +<p>"Mighty sweet looking girl you have with you, Darry," observed the first +classman, though he took pains not to betray too much enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Right!" nodded Dave.</p> + +<p>"You'll present me, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"Assuredly, as soon as I come back. I have a little commission to attend +to."</p> + +<p>"And you might be extremely kind, Darry, and write me down for a couple +of numbers on Miss——"</p> + +<p>"Miss Meade is the young lady's name."</p> + +<p>"Then delight me by writing down a couple of reservations for me on Miss +Meade's card."</p> + +<p>Darrin's face clouded slightly.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to, Treadwell, but the card is pretty crowded, and some other +fellows—"</p> + +<p>"One dance, anyway, then."</p> + +<p>"I will, then, if there's a space to be left, and if Miss Meade is +agreeable," promised Dave, as he hurried away.</p> + +<p>Two minutes later, when he returned, looking very handsome, indeed, in +his short-waisted, gold-laced dress coat, Dave felt his arm touched.</p> + +<p>"I'm waiting for you to keep your engagement with me," Midshipman +Treadwell murmured.</p> + +<p>"Come along; I shall be delighted to present you to Miss Meade."</p> + +<p>Since every midshipman is granted to be a gentleman, midshipman +etiquette does not require that the lady be consulted about the +introduction.</p> + +<p>"Miss Meade," began Dave, bowing before his sweetheart, "I wish to +present Mr. Treadwell"</p> + +<p>Belle's greeting was easy. Treadwell, gazing intensely into her eyes, +exchanged a few commonplaces. Belle, entirely at her ease, did not +appear to be affected by the battery of Mr. Treadwell's gaze. Then good +breeding required that the first classman make another bow and stroll +away.</p> + +<p>As he left, Treadwell murmured in Dave's ear:</p> + +<p>"Don't forget that dance, Darry! Two if there is any show."</p> + +<p>Midshipman Darrin nodded slightly. As he turned to Belle, that young +lady demanded lightly:</p> + +<p>"Is that pirate one of your friends, Dave?"</p> + +<p>"Not more so than any other comrades in the brigade," Darrin answered. +"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, only I saw you two speaking together a little while ago——"</p> + +<p>"That was when he was asking me to present him."</p> + +<p>"Then, after you left him," continued Belle, in a low voice, "Mr. +Treadwell scowled after you as though he could have demolished you."</p> + +<p>"Why, I've no doubt Mr. Treadwell is very jealous of me," laughed Damn +happily. "Why shouldn't he be? By the way, will you let me see your +dance card? Mr. Treadwell asked me to write his name down for one or two +dances."</p> + +<p>"Please don't," begged Belle suddenly, gripping her dance card tightly. +"I hope you don't mind, Dave," she added in a whisper, "but I've taken +just a shadow of a dislike to Mr. Treadwell, after the way that he +scowled after you. I—I really don't want to dance with him."</p> + +<p>Dave could only bow, which he did. Then other midshipmen were presented. +Belle's card was quickly filled, without the appearance of Midshipman +Treadwell's name on it.</p> + +<p>The orchestra struck up. Dave danced the first two numbers with Belle, +moving through a dream of happiness as he felt her waist against his +arm, one of her hands resting on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>The second dance was a repetition of Dave's pleasure. Then Dave and Dan +exchanged partners for two more dances.</p> + +<p>After their first dance, a waltz, Dave led Laura to a seat.</p> + +<p>"Will you get me a glass of water, Dave?" Laura asked, fanning herself.</p> + +<p>As Dave hastened away he felt, once more, a light, detaining touch.</p> + +<p>"Darry, did you save those two dances for me with Miss Meade?" asked +Treadwell.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm sorry," Dave replied. "But there had been many other +applicants. By the time that Miss Meade's card was filled there were +many disappointed ones."</p> + +<p>"And I'm one of them?" demanded Mr. Treadwell.</p> + +<p>"Very sorry," replied Darrin regretfully, "but you were one of the +left-over ones."</p> + +<p>"Very good, sir," replied Treadwell coldly, and moved away.</p> + +<p>"Now, I'll wager anything that Treadwell is sore with me," murmured Dave +to himself. "However, Belle is the one to be pleased."</p> + +<p>It was a particularly gay and pleasant hop. When it was over Dave and +Dan escorted the girls and Mrs. Meade back to the hotel. The little room +in Bancroft Hall seemed especially small and dingy to the returning +midshipmen.</p> + +<p>Especially was Dan Dalzell in the blues. Though he had been outwardly +gay with the girls, he now suffered a re-action. Dave, too, shivered for +his friend.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Meade and the girls returned by an early morning train, so the two +chums did not see the girls again during that visit.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, Dave went at his books with a dogged air, after morning +chapel and dinner.</p> + +<p>"I suppose this is the last day of study for me here," grimaced Dan, "so +I mean to make the most of the pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," retorted Darrin heartily; "you'll finish out this year, and +then have two more solid years of study here ahead of you."</p> + +<p>"Cut it!" begged Dan dolefully. "Don't try to jolly me along like that."</p> + +<p>"You're down in the dumps, just now, Danny boy," smiled Darrin +wistfully. "Just bombard the Board with rapid-fire talk to-morrow, and +you'll pull through all right."</p> + +<p>Dan sighed, then went on with his half-hearted study.</p> + +<p>Later in the afternoon Dave, feeling the need of fresh air, closed his +books.</p> + +<p>"Come for a walk, Danny boy?"</p> + +<p>"Don't dare to," replied Dalzell morosely.</p> + +<p>So, though Darrin went out, he resolved not to remain long away from his +moody chum.</p> + +<p>Outside, on one of the cement walks, Dave turned toward Flirtation Walk. +It seemed the best surrounding in which to think of Belle.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin!" called a voice.</p> + +<p>Dave turned, to behold Mr. Treadwell coming at a fast stride with a +scowl on his face.</p> + +<p>"That was a dirty trick you played me last night, Mr. Darrin!" cried the +first classman angrily.</p> + +<p>"What?" gasped Dave, astonished, for this was not in line with the usual +conversation of midshipmen.</p> + +<p>"You know well enough what I mean," cried Treadwell angrily. "You spiked +my only chance to dance with Miss Meade."</p> + +<p>"You're wrong there," retorted Dave coldly and truthfully "I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Then how did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"I can't discuss that with you," Darrin rejoined. "I didn't make any +effort, though, to spoil your chance of a dance with the young lady."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin, I don't choose to believe you, sir!"</p> + +<p>Dave's face went crimson, then pale.</p> + +<p>"Do you realize what you're saying, Mr. Treadwell?"</p> + +<p>"Of course"—sneeringly.</p> + +<p>"Are you trying to pick trouble with me?" demanded Dave, his eyes +flashing with spirit.</p> + +<p>"I repeat that I don't choose to believe your explanation, sir."</p> + +<p>"Then you pass me the lie?"</p> + +<p>"As you prefer to consider it," jeered the first classman.</p> + +<p>"Oh, very good, then, Mr. Treadwell," retorted Dave, eyeing the first +classman and sizing him up.</p> + +<p>Treadwell was one of the biggest men, physically, in the brigade. He was +also one of the noted fighters of his class. Beside Treadwell, +Midshipman Darrin did not size up at all advantageously.</p> + +<p>"If you do not retract what you just said," pursued Dave Darrin, growing +cooler now that he realized the deliberate nature of the affront that +had been put upon him, "I shall have no choice but to send my friends to +you."</p> + +<p>"Delighted to see them, at any time," replied the first classman, +turning disdainfully upon his heel and strolling away.</p> + +<p>"Now, why on earth does that fellow deliberately pick a fight with me?" +wondered Darrin, as he strolled along by himself. "Treadwell can thump +me. He can knock me clean down the Bay and into the Atlantic Ocean, but +what credit is there in it for a first classman to thrash a youngster?"</p> + +<p>It was too big a puzzle. After thinking it over for some time Dave +turned and strolled back to Bancroft Hall.</p> + +<p>"You didn't stay out long!" remarked Dan, looking up with a weary smile +as his chum re-entered their room.</p> + +<p>"No," admitted Dave. "There wasn't much fun in being out alone."</p> + +<p>With a sigh, Dan turned back to his book, while Dave seated himself at +his own study table, in a brown daze.</p> + +<p>Things were happening fast—Dan's impending "bilge" from the Naval +Academy, and his own coming fight with the first classman who would be +sure to make it a "blood fight"!</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI<br /><br /> +HOW DAN FACED THE BOARD</h3> + +<p>"We trust, Mr. Dalzell, that you can make some statement or explanation +that will show that we shall be justified in retaining you as a +midshipman in the Naval Academy."</p> + +<p>It was the superintendent of the United States Naval Academy who was +speaking.</p> + +<p>Dan's hour of great ordeal had come upon him. That young midshipman +found himself in the Board Room, facing the entire Academic Board, +trying to remember what Freeman had told him the night before.</p> + +<p>The time was 10.30 a.m. on that fateful Monday.</p> + +<p>Midshipman Dalzell appeared to be collected, but he was also very +certainly white-faced.</p> + +<p>Many a young man, doomed to be sent forth from a Naval career, back into +the busy, unheeding world, had faced this Board in times past. So it was +hardly to be expected that Dan would inspire any unusual interest in the +members of the Board.</p> + +<p>Dan swallowed at something hard in his throat, then opened his lips to +speak.</p> + +<p>"I am aware, sir, and gentlemen, that I am at present sufficiently +deficient in my studies to warrant my being dropped," Dan began rather +slowly. "Yet I would call attention to the fact that I was nearly as +badly off, in the matter of markings, at this time last year. It is also +a matter of record that I pulled myself together, later on, and +contrived to get through the first year with a considerable margin of +credits to spare. If I am permitted to finish the present term here I +believe I can almost positively promise that I will round out this year +with as good a showing as I did last year."</p> + +<p>"You have thought the matter carefully out in making this statement, +have you, Mr. Dalzell?" asked the superintendent.</p> + +<p>"I have, sir."</p> + +<p>"Have you any explanation to offer for falling below the standards so +far this year, Mr. Dalzell?"</p> + +<p>"I believe, sir, that I make a much slower start, with new studies, than +most of my classmates," Dan continued, speaking more rapidly now, but in +a most respectful manner. "Once I begin to catch the full drift of new +studies I believe that I will overtake some of my classmates who showed +a keener comprehension at the first. I think, sir, and gentlemen, that +my record, as contrasted with the records of some of my classmates who +achieved about the same standing I did for last year will bear my +statement out."</p> + +<p>[Illustration: "Have You Any Explanation to Offer, Mr. Dalzell?"]</p> + +<p>The superintendent turned to a printed pamphlet in which were set forth +the records of the midshipmen for the year before.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Dalzell," asked another member of the Board, "do you feel that you +are really suited for the life of the Navy? Is it your highest ambition +to become an officer of the Navy?"</p> + +<p>"It's my only ambition, sir, in the way of a career," Dan answered +solemnly. "As to my being suited for the Navy, sir, I can't make a good +answer to that. But I most earnestly hope that I shall have an +opportunity, for the present, to try to keep myself in the service."</p> + +<p>"And you feel convinced that you need only to be carried for the balance +of the term to enable you to make good, and to justify any action that +we may take looking to that end?" asked another member of the Board.</p> + +<p>"That is my firm conviction, sir."</p> + +<p>The superintendent, who had been silently examining and marking some +statements in the pamphlet, now passed it to the nearest member of the +Board, who, after a glance or two, passed the pamphlet on to another +member.</p> + +<p>Silence fell upon the room while Dan's printed record was being read.</p> + +<p>"Have you anything else that you wish to say, Mr. Dalzell?" asked the +superintendent at last.</p> + +<p>"Only this, sir and gentlemen," replied Dan promptly. "If I am permitted +to go on with the brigade, I promise, as far as any human being may +promise, that I will not only be found to have passed at the end of this +term, but that I will also have a higher marking after the annual +examinations than after the semi-annuals."</p> + +<p>These last few words Dan spoke with his whole soul thrown into the +words. How he longed to remain in the Navy, now that he stood at the +threshold of the life, uncertain whether he was about to be kicked +across it into the outer world!</p> + +<p>After glancing around the table, the superintendent turned once more to +the young man.</p> + +<p>"That will be all, at present, Mr. Dalzell."</p> + +<p>Saluting briskly, crisply, Dan wheeled about, marching from the room.</p> + +<p>He was in time to make a section recitation before dinner.</p> + +<p>"How did you come out, Danny boy?" anxiously inquired Dave Darrin as the +two, in their room, hastily prepared to answer the coming call for +dinner formation.</p> + +<p>"I wish I knew," replied Dalzell wistfully. "I said all that I could say +without being everlastingly fresh."</p> + +<p>After the brigade had been formed for dinner, and the brigade adjutant +had reported the fact, the command was given:</p> + +<p>"Publish the orders!"</p> + +<p>This the brigade adjutant did rapidly, and in perfunctory tones.</p> + +<p>Dalzell jumped, however, when he heard his own name pronounced. He +strained his ears as the brigade adjutant read:</p> + +<p>"In the matter of Daniel Dalzell, summoned before the Academic Board to +determine his fitness and aptitude for continuing in the brigade, the +Board has granted Midshipman Dalzell's urgent request that he be +continued as a midshipman for the present."</p> + +<p>There was a great lump, instantly, in Dan's throat. It was a reprieve, a +chance for official life—but that was all.</p> + +<p>"I'll make good—I'll make good!" he told himself, with a violent gulp.</p> + +<p>The orders were ringing out sharply now. The midshipmen were being +marched in to dinner.</p> + +<p>Hardly a word did Dalzell speak as he ate. As for Dave Darrin, he was +too happy over his chum's respite to want to talk.</p> + +<p>Yet, when they strolled together in the open air during the brief +recreation period following the meal, Dalzell suddenly asked:</p> + +<p>"Dave when do you fight with Treadwell?"</p> + +<p>"To-night, I hope," replied Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Oh, then I must get busy!"</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I'm to represent you, Darry. Who are Treadwell's—"</p> + +<p>"Danny boy, don't make a fuss about it," replied Dave quietly, "but just +for this once you are not to be my second."</p> + +<p>"Why—"</p> + +<p>"Danny boy, you have just gotten by the Board by a hair's breadth. What +kind of an act of gratitude would it be for you to make your first act a +breach of discipline? For a fight, though often necessary here, is in +defiance of the regulations."</p> + +<p>"But Dave, I've never been out of your fights!"</p> + +<p>"You will be this time, Danny. Don't worry about it, either. Farley and +Page are going to stand by me. In fact, I think that even now they are +talking with Treadwell's friends."</p> + +<p>"You're wrong," murmured Dalzell, looking very solemn. "Here come Farley +and Page right now."</p> + +<p>In another moment the seconds had reached Darrin and his chum.</p> + +<p>"To-night?" asked Dave quietly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," nodded Page.</p> + +<p>"Time?"</p> + +<p>"Just after recall."</p> + +<p>"Good," murmured Darrin. "You two come for me, and I'll be ready. And I +thank both of you fellows for taking up the matter for me."</p> + +<p>"We'll be mighty glad to be there, Darry," grinned Farley, "for we look +to see you finish off that first classman."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," smiled Dave quietly. "I'll do all I can, anyway."</p> + +<p>"And to think," almost moaned Dan Dalzell, "that you're to be in a +scrap, David, little giant, and I'm not to be there to see!"</p> + +<p>"There'll be other fights, I'm afraid," sighed Darry. "I seem destined +to displease quite a few of the fellows here at Annapolis."</p> + +<p>Dan tried to study, that night, after Darrin had left the room in the +company of his seconds. Certainly Dan, in the light of his promise made +to the Board that morning, had need to study. Yet he found it woefully +hard to settle his mind on mathematics while Dave was fighting the fight +of his Naval Academy career.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well," muttered Dan, picking up a pencil for the third time, "Dave +and I each have our own styles of fights, just now. Here goes for a +knockout blow at math!"</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII<br /><br /> +LOSING THE TIME-KEEPER'S COUNT</h3> + +<p>Conners and Brayton were Treadwell's seconds.</p> + +<p>Since it is not considered fair to have the referee or time-keeper from +either class represented in a fight, Edgerton and Wheeler, of the second +class, were referee and time-keeper respectively.</p> + +<p>All of the young men were early at the usual fighting ground. The fall +air was cool and crisp, but it was not yet considered cold enough to +justify the extra risk of holding a fight in-doors.</p> + +<p>Dave was quickly stripped and made ready by his seconds. His +well-developed chest bespoke fine powers in the way of "wind" and +endurance. His smooth, hard, trim muscles stood out distinctly.</p> + +<p>Treadwell took more time in getting himself ready for the ring. When at +last, however, the first classman stood bared to the waist, he looked +like a giant beside Dave Darrin.</p> + +<p>"It looks like a shame to take the money, Tread," murmured referee +Edgerton.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to pound the youngster hard," explained Midshipman +Treadwell, in an undertone. "Yet I've got to teach him both to respect +my class and myself."</p> + +<p>On this point, as an official of the fight, Referee Edgerton did not +feel called upon to express an opinion.</p> + +<p>Farley, at his first glimpse of the waiting first classman, felt a chill +of coming disaster.</p> + +<p>"Page," he growled, "that huge top-classman makes our Darry look like a +creeping infant."</p> + +<p>"Darry will take care of himself," retorted Midshipman Page in an +undertone.</p> + +<p>"Do you believe it?"</p> + +<p>"I surely do."</p> + +<p>"But Treadwell looks a whole lot more vast now that he's stripped."</p> + +<p>"Darry is much smaller, I know; But Darrin is one of those rare fellows +who don't know what it means to be whipped. He can't be put out of +business by anything smaller than a twelve-inch gun!"</p> + +<p>"I hope you're right," sighed Farley.</p> + +<p>Dave, in the meantime, to keep himself from being chilled by the frosty +air, was running lightly about, swinging his arms.</p> + +<p>"Are you both ready, gentlemen?" inquired Midshipman Edgerton, while +Time-keeper Wheeler drew out his stop watch.</p> + +<p>Both stepped to toe the scratch.</p> + +<p>"Yes." nodded Dave.</p> + +<p>"Ready!" rumbled Treadwell.</p> + +<p>The referee briefly made the usual announcement about it being a fight +to the finish, with two-minute rounds and two minutes between rounds.</p> + +<p>"Time!"</p> + +<p>As Treadwell leaped forward, both fists in battery, Dave took a swift, +nimble sidestep. He felt that he had to study this big fellow carefully +before doing more than keep on the defensive.</p> + +<p>Now footwork was one of the fighting tricks for which Darry was famous. +Yet he had too much courage to rely wholly upon it.</p> + +<p>Five times Treadwell swung at his smaller opponent, but each time Dave +was somewhere else.</p> + +<p>Despite his greater size, Treadwell was himself nimble and an adept at +footwork.</p> + +<p>Finding it hard, however, to get about as quickly as his smaller +opponent, the first classman soon went in for close, in-body fighting, +following Dave, half-cornering him, and forcing him to stand and take +it.</p> + +<p>Two or three body blows Dave succeeded in parrying so that they glanced, +doing him little harm.</p> + +<p>Then there came an almost crunching sound. Treadwell's right fist had +landed, almost dazing the youngster with its weight against his nose.</p> + +<p>There was a swift, free rush of the red. Darrin had yielded up "first +blood" in the fight.</p> + +<p>"I've got to dodge more, and not let myself be cornered," Darrin told +himself, keeping his fists busy in warding off blows.</p> + +<p>Then, of a sudden, Dave turned on the aggressive. He struck fast and +furiously, but Treadwell, with a grin, beat down his attack, then soon +landed a swinging hook on Dave's neck that sent him spinning briefly.</p> + +<p>"He expects to finish this fight for his own amusement," flashed angrily +through Darrin's mind. "I'll get in something that hurts before I toss +the sponge."</p> + +<p>"Time!"</p> + +<p>Two minutes were up. To Dave it seemed more like half an hour.</p> + +<p>"Steady, now!" murmured Page, in his principal's ear, as the two seconds +leaped at the task of rubbing down their men. "Unless you let yourself +get rattled, Darry, that big fellow isn't going to get you. Whenever +you're on the defensive, and being crowded hard, change like lightning +and drive in for the top classer's solar plexus."</p> + +<p>"I tried that three times in this last round," murmured Dave. "But the +fellow is too big and powerful for me. He simply pounds me down when I +go for him."</p> + +<p>"Work for more strategy," whispered Page, as he held a sponge to Dave's +battered nose, while Farley rubbed the muscles of his right arm.</p> + +<p>"I haven't given up the fight," muttered Dave, "But, of course, I've +known from the start that Treadwell is a pretty big fighter for one of +my weight."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you'll get him yet," spoke Page confidently.</p> + +<p>The fighters were being called for the second round.</p> + +<p>In this Dave received considerable punishment, though he landed three or +four times on Treadwell's body.</p> + +<p>Then twice in succession the champion of the third class was knocked +down.</p> + +<p>Neither, however, was a knockout blow.</p> + +<p>Dave took plenty of time, within his rights, about leaping to his feet, +and in each instance got away from Treadwell's leaping assault.</p> + +<p>Just after the second knock-down, time was called for the end of the +round.</p> + +<p>"You'll get him yet, Darry," was Page's prediction, but he did not speak +as hopefully as before.</p> + +<p>Farley, too, was full of loyalty for his friend and fellow-classman, but +he did not allow this to blind his judgment. Farley's opinion was that +Dave was done for, unless he could land some lucky fluke in a knockout +blow.</p> + +<p>"Go right in and land that youngster," Treadwell's own seconds were +advising him. "Don't let him have the satisfaction of standing up to you +for three whole rounds or more."</p> + +<p>"Do you think that little teaser is as easy as he looks?" growled +Treadwell.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Darrin is all right at his own weight," admitted Midshipman +Conners. "But he has no business with you, Tread. You're quick enough, +too, when you exert yourself. So jump right in and finish it before this +round is over."</p> + +<p>"I'll try it, then," nodded Treadwell.</p> + +<p>Though he had not the slightest notion that he was to be defeated, this +big top classman was learning a new respect for Darrin's prowess. He +could thrash Dave, of course, but Treadwell did not expect to do it +easily.</p> + +<p>For the first twenty seconds of the third round the two men sparred +cautiously. Dave had no relish for standing the full force of those +sledge-hammer blows, while Treadwell knew that he must look out for the +unexpected from his still nimble opponent.</p> + +<p>"Lie down when you've had enough," jeered Treadwell, as he landed a jolt +on one of the youngster's shoulders and sent him reeling slightly.</p> + +<p>Dave, however, used his feet well enough to get away from the follow-up.</p> + +<p>"Are you getting tired?" Darrin shot back at his opponent.</p> + +<p>"Silence, both of you," commanded Referee Edgerton. "Do all your talking +with your fists!"</p> + +<p>Just then Treadwell saw an opening, and followed the referee's advice by +aiming a blow at Dave's left jaw. It landed just back of the ear, +instead, yet with such force that Dave sank dizzily to the ground, while +Treadwell drew back from the intended follow-up.</p> + +<p>Farley and Page looked on anxiously from their corner. Midshipman +Wheeler, scanning his watch, was counting off the seconds.</p> + +<p>"—five, six, seven, eight, nine—ten!"</p> + +<p>At the sound of eight Dave Darrin had made a strenuous effort to rise.</p> + +<p>Yet he had swayed, fallen back slightly, then forced himself with a rush +to his feet.</p> + +<p>But Midshipman Treadwell drew back, both fists hanging at his sides, for +the "ten" had been spoken, and Dave Darrin had lost the count.</p> + +<p>While Dave stood there, looking half-dizzily at his opponent, Referee +Edgerton's voice broke in crisply:</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin required more than the full count to come back. The fight is +therefore awarded to Mr. Treadwell."</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII<br /><br /> +FIGHTING THE FAMOUS DOUBLE BATTLE</h3> + +<p>"It wasn't fair," hissed Midshipman Page hotly.</p> + +<p>"It was by a mighty small margin, anyway," quivered Farley.</p> + +<p>"I don't feel whipped yet," remarked Dave quietly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, Darry," urged Farley, "don't feel humiliated over being +thrashed by such a human mountain of a top classer."</p> + +<p>Dave, whose chest had been heaving, and whose lungs had been taking in +great gulps of air, suddenly pushed his second gently away.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Treadwell, sir, will you come over here a moment?" he called. "And +also the officials of the fight?"</p> + +<p>Treadwell, with a self-satisfied leer on his face, stepped away from his +seconds coming jauntily over.</p> + +<p>Midshipman Edgerton and Wheeler followed in some wonder.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Treadwell," began Dave, looking full into the eyes of his late +antagonist, "I have no fault, sir, to find with your style of fighting. +You behaved fairly at every point."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir," interjected the big midshipman grimly.</p> + +<p>"The verdict was also fair enough," Dave continued, "for I am aware that +I took a hair's-breadth more than the count. Still, I do not feel, Mr. +Treadwell, that the result was decisive. Therefore I have to ask of you +the favor of another early meeting, for a more definite try-out."</p> + +<p>Treadwell gasped. So did his recent seconds and the late officials of +the fight. Even Farley's jaw dropped just a trifle, but Page's face +flushed with new-found pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Another fight, sir?" demanded Midshipman Treadwell.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," replied Darrin quietly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, very well," agreed Treadwell, nonchalantly. "At any time that you +wish, Mr. Darrin—any time."</p> + +<p>"How would fifteen minutes from now do?" demanded Dave, smiling coolly.</p> + +<p>Treadwell fairly gasped, though only from sheer astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Why, if your seconds and the officials think that fair to you, Mr. +Darrin," replied Treadwell in another moment, "I am sure that I have no +objection to remaining around here a little longer."</p> + +<p>"Do you insist on calling for the second fight within fifteen minutes, +Mr. Darrin?" asked Second Classman Edgerton.</p> + +<p>"For my own part, I do," replied Dave quietly; "I leave the decision to +Mr. Treadwell's courtesy."</p> + +<p>"Well, of all the freaks!" muttered Mr. Wheeler, as the two fight +officials walked aside to discuss the matter.</p> + +<p>"Darry," demanded the agitated Farley, "are you plumb, clean crazy?"</p> + +<p>"Do you know what we're fighting about, Farley, old man?" asked Dave +very quietly.</p> + +<p>"No; of course not."</p> + +<p>"It's a personal matter."</p> + +<p>"O-oh!"</p> + +<p>"It's a matter in which I can't accept an imitation whipping."</p> + +<p>"But surely you don't expect to whip Treadwell in your present +condition?"</p> + +<p>"I very likely shall get a thorough trouncing," smiled Darrin.</p> + +<p>"It's madness," broke in Page worriedly.</p> + +<p>"I told you it was a personal matter," laughed Dave softly. "I shan't +mind getting whacked if it is done up in good shape. It's only this +near-whipping to which I object."</p> + +<p>"Well—great Scott!" gasped Page.</p> + +<p>"Hush!" warned Farley. "Here comes Edgerton."</p> + +<p>Midshipman Edgerton, looking very much puzzled, stepped over to Dave +Darrin's corner.</p> + +<p>"Darrin," began the referee in a friendly tone, "Tread doesn't like the +idea of fighting you again to-night."</p> + +<p>"Didn't he say he would?" demanded Darrin.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but of course, but—"</p> + +<p>"I hold him to his word, Mr. Edgerton."</p> + +<p>"But of all the crazy—"</p> + +<p>"I have my own reasons, sir," Darrin interposed quietly. "I think it +very likely, too, that Mr. Treadwell will comprehend my reasons."</p> + +<p>"But he doesn't like the idea of fighting an already half-whipped man."</p> + +<p>"Will it get on his nerves and unsteady him?" asked Dave ironically.</p> + +<p>"Are you bound to fight to-night, Mr. Darrin?"</p> + +<p>"I am, sir."</p> + +<p>"Then I suppose it goes—it has to," assented Midshipman Edgerton +moodily. "But of all the irrational—"</p> + +<p>"Just what I said, sir," nodded Page.</p> + +<p>"I shall be ready, sir, when the fifteen minutes are up," continued +Dave. "But I am certain that I shall need all the time until then for +getting myself into first-class condition."</p> + +<p>"Darry is a fool—and a wonder!" ejaculated Edgerton under his breath, +as he walked away.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Darry," murmured Farley mournfully, "but—well, beat your +way to it!"</p> + +<p>"I intend to," retorted Dave doggedly.</p> + +<p>Rubbed down by his seconds, Dave drew on his blouse, without a shirt.</p> + +<p>Quitting the others, Dave walked briskly back and forth. At last he +broke into a jog-trot.</p> + +<p>At last he halted, inflating and emptying his lungs with vigorous +breathing.</p> + +<p>"I feel just about as good as ever," he declared, nodding cheerily to +his seconds.</p> + +<p>"Get off that blouse, then," ordered Midshipman Farley, after a glance +at his watch. "We've two minutes left out of the fifteen."</p> + +<p>"I'll go forward at the scratch, then," nodded Dave.</p> + +<p>Treadwell, in the meantime, had pulled on his outer clothing and had +stood moodily by, watching Dave's more workmanlike preparations with a +disdainful smile.</p> + +<p>"I'll get the fellow going quickly this time," Mr. Treadwell told +Conners. "As soon as I get him going I'll dive in with a punch that will +wind up the matter in short order. I've planned to do considerable +reviewing of navigation to-night."</p> + +<p>"I hope you have your wish," murmured Conners.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Just what I said."</p> + +<p>"Do you think I'm going to have any trouble whatever about finishing up +that touge youngster!" demanded Tread well sarcastically.</p> + +<p>"No; I don't imagine you will. But at the same time, Tread, I tell you I +don't care about having enemies among fellows who come back as swiftly, +strongly and as much like a bulldog as Darry does."</p> + +<p>Seeing Dave pull off his blouse, Treadwell slowly removed his own +clothing above the waist.</p> + +<p>"Rub me down along the arms a bit," said Midshipman Treadwell, after he +had exercised his arms a moment.</p> + +<p>"I reckon we'd better," nodded Conners. "You must have got stiff from +standing still after the late mix-up."</p> + +<p>"No kinks but what will iron out at once," chuckled Treadwell. "I'll +show you as soon as I get in action."</p> + +<p>His two seconds rubbed him down loyally.</p> + +<p>"Are you ready, gentlemen?" called Midshipman Edgerton.</p> + +<p>Both men stepped quickly forward, but all of the onlookers thought they +saw rather more spring in Dave Darrin than in his more bulky opponent.</p> + +<p>The preliminaries were announced in a few words.</p> + +<p>Of course, there was no handshaking.</p> + +<p>"Time!" sounded the call.</p> + +<p>Dave Darrin quickly proved to be so full of vigor that Treadwell lay +back on the defensive after the first two or three passes. Dave followed +him right up with vim.</p> + +<p>Yet, for the first forty seconds of the round no real damage was done on +either side. Then:</p> + +<p>Bump!</p> + +<p>"O-o-oh!"</p> + +<p>That cry came simultaneously from Treadwell and from all the spectators.</p> + +<p>Dave's right fist had landed crushingly on the top classman's left eye, +almost instantly closing that organ.</p> + +<p>Darrin leaped nimbly back, both from a chivalrous impulse to give +Treadwell a chance to recover his steadiness and to save himself from +any sudden rush and clinch by his big opponent.</p> + +<p>But Treadwell, standing with his guard up, showed no inclination to +follow the one who had just given him such punishment.</p> + +<p>"Mix it up, gentlemen—mix it!" called Midshipman Edgerton impatiently.</p> + +<p>At that command from the referee Dave Darrin sprang forward.</p> + +<p>Treadwell seemed wholly on the defensive now, though he struck as +heavily as ever. Toward the end of the round Treadwell, having gotten +over the worst of the stinging from his eye, once more tried to rush +matters.</p> + +<p>Whenever the big fellow's undamaged eye caught sight of the cool, +hostile smile on Darrin's face, Treadwell muttered savage words.</p> + +<p>Some hard body blows were parried and others exchanged.</p> + +<p>Both men were panting somewhat when the call of time closed the first +round.</p> + +<p>"Darry, you nervy little rascal, waltz in and put that other eye up in +black clothes!" begged Page ecstatically, as he and Farley worked over +their principal.</p> + +<p>Dave was ready quite twenty seconds before the call of time for the +second round.</p> + +<p>Treadwell, however, took his full time in responding. At the last moment +he took another dab with the wet sponge against his swollen left eye.</p> + +<p>"Time!"</p> + +<p>With a suppressed yell Treadwell rushed at his opponent. Dave had to +sidestep to his own right, out of range of Treadwell, to save himself.</p> + +<p>Then at it they went, all around the ring. Darrin had determined to keep +himself out of the way of those sledge-hammer fists until he saw his own +clear opening.</p> + +<p>Four or five times Treadwell landed heavily on Darrin's ribs. The +younger, smaller midshipman was getting seriously winded, but all the +time he fought to save himself and to get that one opening.</p> + +<p>It came.</p> + +<p>Pound!</p> + +<p>Darrin's hard-clenched left fist dropped in on Treadwell's right eye.</p> + +<p>This time there was no exclamation from the bruised one.</p> + +<p>Alert Dave was careful to give him no chance. Within a second after that +eye-closer landed Darrin struck with his right, landing on the jaw bone +under Treadwell's ear.</p> + +<p>Down in a heap sank the top classman. He was unconscious before his body +struck the ground.</p> + +<p>Wheeler counted off the seconds.</p> + +<p>"—ten!"</p> + +<p>Still Mr. Treadwell lay motionless.</p> + +<p>"Do your best for him, gentlemen," begged Referee Edgerton, turning to +the first classman's seconds. "Mr. Darrin wins the second fight."</p> + +<p>Dave, a satisfied look on his face, stepped back to his seconds.</p> + +<p>This time he did not require as much attention. Within five minutes he +was dressed.</p> + +<p>By this time Mr. Treadwell, under the ministrations of his seconds and +of the late officials, was just coming back to consciousness.</p> + +<p>"Something happened, eh?" asked the top classman drowsily.</p> + +<p>"Rather!" murmured Mr. Edgerton dryly.</p> + +<p>"Did I—did I—lose the fight?"</p> + +<p>"You did," Edgerton assented. "But don't let that disturb you. You went +down before the best man in the Naval Academy."</p> + +<p>Treadwell sighed gloomily. It was a hard blow to his pride—much harder +than any that Dave had landed on his head.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Treadwell," inquired Dave, stepping over, "we are comrades, even if +we had a slight disagreement. Do you care to shake hands?"</p> + +<p>"Help me to my feet," urged the first classman, who was sitting up.</p> + +<p>His seconds complied. Then Midshipman Treadwell held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Here's my hand," he said rather thickly. "And I apologize, too, Mr. +Darrin."</p> + +<p>"Then say no more about it, please," begged Dave, as their hands met in +a strong clasp.</p> + +<p>None of the others present had the least idea of the provocation of this +strange, spirited double fight. All, however, were glad to see the +difficulty mended.</p> + +<p>Then Dave and his seconds, leaving the field first, made their way back +to Bancroft Hall. Farley and Page went straight to their own room.</p> + +<p>"How did it come out?" demanded Dan Dalzell eagerly, as soon as his chum +entered their quarters.</p> + +<p>Dropping into a chair, Dave told the story of the double fight briefly. +He told it modestly, too, but Dan could imagine what his chum omitted.</p> + +<p>"David, little giant," exclaimed Dalzell, leaping about him, "that fight +will become historic here! Oh, how I regret having missed it. Don't you +ever dare to leave me out again!"</p> + +<p>"It wasn't such a much," smiled Dave rather wearily, as he went over to +his study desk.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it's indiscreet, even of a chum," rambled on Dalzell, "but +what—"</p> + +<p>"What was the fight all about?" laughed Dave softly. "Yes; I suppose you +have a right to know that, Danny boy. But you must never repeat it to +any one. Treadwell wanted to dance with Belle at the hop, but she had +already noticed him, and declared she didn't want to dance with him. Of +course that settled it. But Treadwell accused me of not having asked +Belle."</p> + +<p>"The nerve!" ejaculated Dan in disgust.</p> + +<p>"And then he accused me of lying when I declared I had done my best for +him," continued Dave.</p> + +<p>"I feel that I'd like to fight the fellow myself!" declared Dan Dalzell +hotly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, you don't; for Treadwell apologized to-night, and we have +shaken hands. We're all comrades, you know, Danny boy."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Unknown to any of the parties to the fight, there had been spectators of +the spirited double battle.</p> + +<p>Two men, a sailor and a marine, noting groups of midshipmen going toward +the historic battle ground of midshipmen, had hidden themselves near-by +in order "to see the fun."</p> + +<p>These two enlisted men of the Navy had been spectators and auditors of +all that had taken place.</p> + +<p>Not until the last midshipman had left the ground did the sailor and +marine emerge from their hiding place.</p> + +<p>"Well, of all the game fights!" muttered the marine.</p> + +<p>"Me? I'm hoping that some day I fight under that gallant middy," cried +the sailor.</p> + +<p>"Who is this Mr. Darrin?" asked the marine, as the pair strolled away.</p> + +<p>"He's a youngster—third classman. But he's one of the chaps who, on the +cruise, last summer, went over into a gale after another middy—Darrin +and his chum did it."</p> + +<p>"There must be fine stuff in Mr. Darrin," murmured the marine.</p> + +<p>"Couldn't you see that much just now?" demanded the sailor, who took the +remark as almost a personal affront, "My hat's off to Mr. Darrin. He's +one of our future admirals. If I round out my days in the service it +will be the height of my ambition to have him for my admiral. And a +mighty sea-going officer he'll be, at that!"</p> + +<p>In their enthusiasm over the spectacle they had seen, the sailor and the +marine talked rather too much.</p> + +<p>They were still talking over the battle as they strolled slowly past one +of the great, darkened buildings.</p> + +<p>In the shadow of this building, not far away, stood an officer whom +neither of the enlisted men of the Navy saw; else they would have +saluted him.</p> + +<p>That officer, Lieutenant Willow, U.S. Navy, listened with a good deal of +interest.</p> + +<p>Mr. Willow was one of those officers who are known as duty-mad. He +gathered that there had been a fight, so he deemed it his duty to report +the fact at once to the discipline officer in charge over at Bancroft +Hall.</p> + +<p>Regretting the necessity, yet full of the idea of doing his duty, +Lieutenant Willow wended his way promptly towards the office of the +officer in charge.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX<br /><br /> +THE OFFICER IN CHARGE IS SHOCKED</h3> + +<p>Through the main entrance of Bancroft Hall, into the stately corridor, +Lieutenant Willow picked his way.</p> + +<p>He looked solemn—unusually so, even for Lieutenant Willow, U.S.N. He +had the air of a man who hates to do his duty, but who is convinced that +the heavens would fall if he didn't.</p> + +<p>To his left he turned, acknowledging smartly the crisp salute given him +by the midshipman assistant officer of the day.</p> + +<p>Into the outer office of the officer in charge stepped Mr. Willow, and +thence on into the smaller room where Lieutenant-Commander Stearns sat +reading.</p> + +<p>"Oh, good evening, Willow," hailed Lieut. Stearns heartily.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Stearns," was the almost moody reply.</p> + +<p>"Sit down and let's have a chat. I'm glad to see you," urged +Lieutenant-Commander Stearns.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stearns, he of the round, jovial face, gazed at his junior with +twinkling eyes.</p> + +<p>"Willow," he muttered, "I'm half inclined to believe that you've come to +me to make an official report."</p> + +<p>"I guess I have," nodded Lieutenant Willow.</p> + +<p>"And against some unfortunate midshipman, at that!"</p> + +<p>"Against two, at least," sighed Mr. Willow, "and there were others +involved in the affair."</p> + +<p>"It must be something fearful," said Mr. Stearns, who knew the junior +officer's inclination to be duty-mad. "But, see here, if you make an +official report you'll force me to take action, even though it's +something that I'd secretly slap a midshipman on the shoulder for doing. +No—don't begin to talk yet, Willow. Try a cigar and then tell me, +personally, what's worrying you. Then perhaps it won't be altogether +needful to make an official report."</p> + +<p>"I never was able to take you—er—somewhat jovial views of an officer's +duty, Stearns," sighed Lieutenant Willow.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he selected a cigar, bit off the end, lighted it and took +a few whiffs, Lieutenant-Commander Stearns all the while regarding his +comrade in arms with twinkling eyes.</p> + +<p>"Now, fire ahead, Willow," urged the officer in charge, "but please +don't make your communication an official one—not at first. Fire ahead, +now, Willow."</p> + +<p>"Well—er—just between ourselves," continued Lieutenant Willow slowly, +"there has been a fight to-night between two midshipmen."</p> + +<p>"No!"</p> + +<p>Lieutenant-Commander Stearns struck his fist rather heavily against the +desk.</p> + +<p>"A fight—a real fight—with fists?" continued the officer in charge, in +a tone of mock incredulity. "No, no, no, Willow, you don't mean it—you +can't mean it!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do," rejoined the junior officer rather stiffly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, what is the service coming to?" gasped Stearns ironically. +"Why, Willow, we never heard of such things when we were midshipmen +here. Now, did we?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid we did—sometimes," admitted the junior officer. "But duty +is duty, you know, my dear Stearns. And this was an unusual fight, too. +The man who was whipped insisted on another fight right then and there, +and—he won the second fight."</p> + +<p>"Bully!" chuckled the officer in charge. "Whew, but I wish I had been +there!"</p> + +<p>"Stearns, you surely don't mean that?" gasped duty-mad Mr. Willow.</p> + +<p>"You're quite right, Willow. No; I certainly don't want to be a +spoilsport, and I'm glad I wasn't there—in my official capacity. But +I'd like to have been divested of my rank for just an hour so that I +could have taken in such a scene as that."</p> + +<p>"I'm—I'm just a bit astonished at your saying it, Stearns," rejoined +Lieutenant Willow. "But then, you're always joking."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I am joking," assented the officer in charge dryly, "but I +never lose sight of the fact that our Navy has been built up, at huge +expense, as a great fighting machine. Now, Willow, it takes fighting men +to run a fighting machine. Of course, I'm terribly shocked to know that +two midshipmen really had the grit to fight—but who were they! Mind +you, I'm not asking you in an official way. This question is purely +personal—just between ourselves. Who were the men? And, especially, who +was the fellow who lost the decision, and then had the utter effrontery +to demand a second chance at once, only to win the second fight?"</p> + +<p>"Darrin was the man who lost the first fight and won the second," +replied Lieutenant Willow.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Darrin? One of our youngsters? Yes; I think I know him. And what +man of his class did he whip, the second time he tried!"</p> + +<p>"It wasn't a man of his own class. It was Mr. Treadwell, of the first +class," rejoined Lieutenant Willow.</p> + +<p>"What?" almost exploded the officer in charge. "Did you say that Mr. +Darrin fought with Mr. Treadwell, that husky top classman, and, losing +the decision on the count, insisted on fighting again the same evening? +Oh, say, what a fellow misses by being cooped up in an office like +this!"</p> + +<p>"But—but the breach of regulations!" stammered the duty-mad lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow, neither you nor I know anything about this +fight—officially. The Navy, after all, is a fighting machine. Do you +feel that the Navy can afford to lose a fighting man like that +youngster?"</p> + +<p>So Lieutenant Willow left Lieutenant-Commander Stearns' presence, not +quite convinced he was performing his whole duty, but glad to bow to the +decision of a ranking officer.</p> + +<p>Two days later Dave and Dan were surprised at being halted by +Lieutenant-Commander Stearns.</p> + +<p>"Good afternoon, Mr. Darrin," came the pleasant greeting. "Good +afternoon, Mr. Dalzell. Mrs. Stearns and I would be greatly pleased if +you could take dinner with us. Couldn't you come next Sunday?"</p> + +<p>The two midshipmen were astonished and delighted at this invitation. +While it was not uncommon for officers to invite midshipmen to their +homes, where there were so many midshipmen, it was as a rule only the +young men who made themselves prominent socially who captured these +coveted invitations. Darrin and Dalzell concealed their surprise, but +expressed their pleasure in accepting the gracious invitation.</p> + +<p>On entering Mrs. Stearns' drawing room the next Sunday Mr. Darrin and +Mr. Dalzell were introduced to two pretty girls. Miss Flora Gentle was a +cousin of their hostess. She had visited Annapolis before, and, being +pretty and vivacious, at the same time kind and considerate, she had +many friends among the midshipmen. Marian Stevens, who had accompanied +her on this visit, was a direct contrast. Flora was blonde. Marian was +the dark, flashing type. She was spoiled and imperious, yet she had a +dashing, open way about her that made her a favorite among young people.</p> + +<p>The two girls had heard of the double fight. Marian, therefore, was +pleased when she found that Dave was to be her dinner partner.</p> + +<p>"He's handsome," thought the girl, "and he's brave and dashing. He'll +make his mark in the Navy. He doesn't know it yet, but he'll become +mine, and mine alone."</p> + +<p>Miss Stevens was a calculating young person, and had already decided +that Navy life was the life for her and that she would marry into it. At +seventeen, she looked upon the officers as old men, even the youngest of +them, so was giving her time and her smiles to the midshipmen. That the +Navy pay is small did not trouble Maid Marian, as she liked to be +called, as on her twenty-first birthday she would come into a +considerable fortune of her own.</p> + +<p>She exerted herself all through the Stearns' dinner to captivate Dave +Darrin. He, without diminution of love and loyalty to Belle Mead, was +glad to be on friendly terms with this dashing and sprightly girl.</p> + +<p>Coffee was served in the drawing room. Several officers dropped in. +Marian, who wished no one to come between her and Dave for a while, +turned to her host.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stearns, do the regulations make it improper for Flora and me to +ask Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell to take us for a stroll about the yard?" +she asked with a pretty air of deference. The "yard" includes all the +grounds belonging to the Naval Academy.</p> + +<p>"They do not, Miss Marian," was the smiling response.</p> + +<p>"With our hostess's approval we shall be charmed to grant any request +the young ladies make," ventured Dave, as Marian smiled into his eyes.</p> + +<p>But Marian, the wily and experienced, found herself baffled during this +walk. Using all her cajoleries, she could bring him to a certain point +beyond which he would not go. As a matter of fact, Dave Darrin, secure +in his loyalty to Belle, did not perceive what Maid Marian was striving +to lead up to, but saw in her only a lively and interesting girl.</p> + +<p>"I'll get you yet, Midshipman Darrin," she vowed to herself after they +had parted.</p> + +<p>The gossip of a sweetheart in his home town which in time reached her +ears only made the girl more determined to get her way. Looking in the +mirror with satisfaction, she murmured:</p> + +<p>"There'll be the added zest of making Midshipman Darrin forget the +distant face of that home girl."</p> + +<p>Not on that visit did Maid Marian succeed in leading Dave beyond the +point of simple but sincere friendship. However, Miss Stevens could be +charming to whomsoever she wished, and before she left Annapolis she had +secured invitations to visit the wife of more than one of the officers.</p> + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX<br /><br /> +CONCLUSION</h3> + +<p>Christmas came and went, and soon after this the semi-annual +examinations were on in earnest. Some of the midshipmen failed and sadly +turned their faces homeward to make a place for themselves in some other +lane of life. Dan Dalzell, however, made good his promise, and by a +better margin than he had dared hope. Dave came through the examination +somewhat better than his chum. Both felt assured now that they would +round out the year with fair credit to themselves.</p> + +<p>Marian Stevens came to Annapolis several times during the latter half of +the year, and as it is expected that the future officer shall have +social as well as Naval training, Dave Darrin met her often.</p> + +<p>Exasperation that she could draw the young midshipman on only so far +soon changed in Miss Stevens to anger and chagrin. Still Dave, giving +prolonged thought to no girl except Belle Meade, saw in her only a +lively companion. Sometimes he was her dinner partner. Always at a dance +he danced with her more than once.</p> + +<p>It was at one such dance that she looked up as they circled the room to +say:</p> + +<p>"I wonder if you know, Mr. Darrin, how much I enjoy dancing with you."</p> + +<p>"Not as much as I enjoy dancing with you," he replied smilingly. Just +then the music stopped suddenly and an officer called in a voice that +carried over the great floor of the gymnasium and over all the chatter:</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, one moment's attention, please!"</p> + +<p>In an instant all was still.</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen," continued the officer, "official permission has +been granted for taking a flashlight photograph of the scene to-night. +Will everybody please remain where he is until after the exposure has +been made?"</p> + +<p>Dave and Marian had paused directly in front of the lens of the camera. +Maid Marian looked up and made a light, jesting remark, gazing straight +into the midshipman's eyes. Dave, smiling, bent forward to hear what she +said.</p> + +<p>Just then came the flash, and the photographer, his work finished for +the time, gathered his paraphernalia together and left. The music +recommenced and the dancing proceeded.</p> + +<p>Three weeks later that photograph was reproduced as a double-page +illustration in one of the prominent pictorial weeklies.</p> + +<p>The day the magazine was on the newsstands Dan Dalzell bought a copy. +Entering their quarters with it in his hand he opened it at the +illustration and handed it to Dave.</p> + +<p>"You and Miss Stevens show up better than any one else, Dave," remarked +Dan.</p> + +<p>"The photograph is a good piece of work," was Dave's only comment. He +did not wish to express the annoyance he felt when he noted the +appearance of intimacy between him and Marian, whose beauty showed, even +in this reproduction. "I'd a bit rather Belle shouldn't see this paper," +he admitted to himself.</p> + +<p>"David, old boy, this picture would make a good exhibit in a +breach-of-promise suit."</p> + +<p>"That's an unkind remark to make about a fine girl like Miss Stevens," +said Dave coldly.</p> + +<p>Dan stared, then went off, pondering.</p> + +<p>Belle Meade, in her Gridley home, received one day a large, square, thin +package. She saw the mark of the Annapolis express office, and hastily +snatched up scissors to cut the string. Out came a huge photograph.</p> + +<p>"A picture of an Annapolis dance! How thoughtful of Dave to send it to +me!" Then her eyes fell on two figures around which a ring had been +drawn in ink. They were Dave Darrin and a pretty girl. On the margin of +the card had been scrawled in bold letters:</p> + +<p>"Your affair of the heart will bear close watching if you still +cherish!"</p> + +<p>This was signed, contemptibly and untruthfully, "A Friend."</p> + +<p>"Uh!" murmured Belle in hurt pride and loyalty. Then she said resolutely +to herself: "I will pay no attention to this. An anonymous communication +is always meant to hurt and to give a false impression."</p> + +<p>But there was the picture before her eyes of Dave and the pretty girl in +seemingly great intimacy. So though she continued to write to the +midshipman and tried hard to make her letters sound as usual, in spite +of herself a coldness crept into them that Dave felt.</p> + +<p>"She must have seen that pictorial weekly," thought the boy miserably. +But as Belle said nothing of this, he could not write of it.</p> + +<p>The season was well along. Dave and Dan sent Belle Meade and Laura +Bentley invitations to one of the later spring dances.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if she'll come or if she's tiring of me," thought Dave Darrin +bitterly.</p> + +<p>But Belle answered, accepting the invitation for Laura and herself.</p> + +<p>When Saturday afternoon came both midshipmen hurried to the hotel in the +town and sent up their cards. Mrs. Meade soon appeared, saying the girls +would be down shortly.</p> + +<p>"Are they both well?" asked Dave. His tone was as one giving a +meaningless greeting, but in his heart he waited anxiously to hear what +her mother should say of Belle.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes. But Belle has been moping around the house a great deal, +Dave, rather unlike her usual self," replied Mrs. Meade slowly.</p> + +<p>If Mrs. Meade deplored this, Dave Darrin did not. It showed him at least +that the girl's apparent coldness was not caused by her interest in some +other young man.</p> + +<p>But when the girls came in and Belle greeted him cordially, to be sure, +but with something of restraint, his heart sank again.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Belle? Has something gone wrong?" asked Dave when +Dan was engaging the attention of Mrs. Meade and Laura.</p> + +<p>"Nothing. Is all right with you?"</p> + +<p>"Surely!"</p> + +<p>"Dave, when we're alone I have something to show you. I fear you have an +enemy here."</p> + +<p>"An enemy! Oh, no. But I shall be glad to see what you have to show me."</p> + +<p>It was not long before, at a word from Dave, Dan took Mrs. Meade and +Laura out for a walk. It was then that Belle got the large photograph +with the two figures ringed in ink and showed it to Dave.</p> + +<p>"Why, what does this mean? Some one must have taken a good deal of +trouble to secure this photograph. The picture was taken for a pictorial +weekly. One can get a photograph from which the cut is made, but it is +troublesome and possibly expensive!"</p> + +<p>"You have an enemy, then; some one bent on hurting you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know who it could be. My, how angry Miss Stevens would be if +she knew of this!"</p> + +<p>"Miss Stevens? Is that the girl?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. She's visited here often this year. She knows a number of the +officers' wives. She's vivacious and always has a good time, but she's +nothing to me, Belle. You know that, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"I have never doubted you, Dave. Let us tear this up. I thought at first +I'd not show it to you; then decided it was best not to begin concealing +things from you. But let us not think of the thing again."</p> + +<p>"Belle, you're a thoroughbred!" and here the matter dropped as far as it +was between Dave Darrin and Belle Meade.</p> + +<p>Miss Stevens was at the dance that evening. Though she tried hard to +make that impossible, Dave did not dance with her, nor did he introduce +her to Belle, though there again Marian tried to force this.</p> + +<p>It would have been well for Marian if Dan Dalzell had been equally +circumspect.</p> + +<p>This time it was Belle who contrived and got the introduction to the +other girl, but Marian was by no means reluctant, so it was that they +managed to get a few moments alone together when they had sent their +dance partners to get something for them.</p> + +<p>"You are a friend of Dave's, aren't you?" asked Marian.</p> + +<p>"Of Mr. Darrin's? Oh, yes, we've always known each other."</p> + +<p>"Then you've been here to many of these dances?"</p> + +<p>"Only two."</p> + +<p>"Too bad you could not have been here oftener. This has been an +unusually brilliant season. Really, many of the young people have lost +their heads—or their hearts. I often wonder if these midshipmen have +sweethearts at home." This daring—and impertinent—remark was made +musingly but smilingly.</p> + +<p>"These Annapolis affairs are never very serious, I imagine," Belle +observed calmly.</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, most of the Navy marriages date back to an Annapolis +first meeting."</p> + +<p>"Then you think it well to come often?"</p> + +<p>"Unless one has other ways of keeping in touch," was the brazen reply.</p> + +<p>"I have," said Belle sweetly. "I receive a good many souvenirs in the +course of a year. One last winter was a photograph." With the words +Belle gazed intently into Miss Stevens' eyes. Then she went on: "There +was an anonymous message written on it. It was a lying message, of +course, as anonymous messages always are, written in a coarse hand. Did +you ever study handwriting, Miss Stevens?"</p> + +<p>Marian gasped, realizing she was out-maneuvered.</p> + +<p>"This writing had all the characteristics of a woman whose instincts are +coarse, that of a treacherous though not dangerous person—"</p> + +<p>"Here's Mr. Sanderson back. Will you excuse me, Miss Meade?" and Marian +fairly fled.</p> + +<p>Belle told Dave she had found out who had sent the photograph, but +added:</p> + +<p>"I wish you wouldn't ask me who it was, Dave. I can assure you that the +person who did it will never trouble us again," and as Dave did not like +to think evil of any one, he consented, and continued to think of Marian +Stevens, when he thought of her at all, as a jolly girl.</p> + +<p>The annual examinations were approaching. Dan Dalzell was buried deep in +gloom. Dave Darrin kept cheerful outwardly, but doubts crept into his +heart.</p> + +<p>The examinations over, Dave felt reasonably safe. But Dan's gloom +deepened, for he was sure he had failed in "skinny," as the boys termed +chemistry and physics. So it was that when the grades were posted Dave +scanned the D's in the list of third classmen who had passed. Dan, on +the other hand, turned instantly to what he termed the "bust list."</p> + +<p>"Why, why, I'm not there!" he muttered.</p> + +<p>"Look at the passing list, Danny," laughed Dave.</p> + +<p>Unbelieving, Dan turned his eyes on the list and to his utter +astonishment found his name posted. True, in "skinny" he had a bare +passing mark. But in other subjects he was somewhat above the minimum.</p> + +<p>"So you see, old man, we'll both be here next year as second classmen," +said Dave jubilantly.</p> + +<p>This was as Dave Darrin said, and what happened during this time may be +learned in a volume entitled, "DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS; +or, Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen."</p> + +<p class="c">THE END</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10045 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |