DAVE DARRIN'S THIRD YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS

 or

 Leaders of the Second Class Midshipmen

 By H. IRVING HANCOCK

 1911

Illustrated

[Illustration: "There She Goes!"]

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I. WHY THE MIDSHIPMEN BALKED. 

 II. PROVING THEIR TRAINING. 

 III. THE TROUBLE-MAKING FOP. 

 IV. IN THE VIEW OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. 

 V. NAVY FOOTBALL IN THE AIR. 

 VI. THE HATE OF A RIVAL. 

 VII. "DID JETSON DO IT?". 

 VIII. DAN TRIES HARD TO KEEP COOL. 

 IX. A NARROW SQUEAK WITH THE O. C. 

 X. THE GRIDIRON START. 

 XI. THE BAND COULDN'T MAKE ITSELF HEARD. 

 XII. JOYCE IS BITTEN WITH THE TROUBLE BUG. 

 XIII. HEPSON IS "SOME WILD". 

 XIV. TWO SIDES OF A STORY. 

 XV. THE NAVY GOAT WEEPS. 

 XVI. THE MAN WITH A SCOWL ON TAP. 

 XVII. AN AFFAIR OF SULKS. 

 XVIII. THE CLASS MEETING SITS AS JURY. 

 XIX. DAVE STANDS ON PRINCIPLE. 

 XX. "DON'T BE A FOOL, DARRY!"

 XXI. MIDSHIPMAN JETSON HAS THE FLOOR. 

 XXII. THE BIRTH OF A GENTLEMAN. 

 XXIII. "RAGGED" AND NO MISTAKE. 

 XXIV. CONCLUSION. 

Dave Darrin's Third Year at Annapolis

CHAPTER I

WHY THE MIDSHIPMEN BALKED

"So Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton have been here?" demanded MidshipmanDave Darrin. 

That handsome young member of the brigade of midshipmen at the UnitedStates Naval Academy at Annapolis was now in mufti, or cits, --meaning, inother words, that he was out of his Naval uniform and attired in theconventional clothing of a young American when calling on his sweetheart. 

It will make the situation even clearer to the reader to explain thatDave was back in the home town, on his September leave, after just havingcompleted his second summer practice cruise with the three upper classesfrom Annapolis. 

Dave was now a fine looking and "husky" second classman. He was just ashade more than half way through his course of instruction at Annapolis. 

Being back in the home town, where would Midshipman Darrin be morenaturally found than in the parlor at the home of his sweetheart, MissBelle Meade?

The first greetings had been exchanged fifteen minutes before. 

Since that time the young people, being sweethearts as they were, hadnaturally talked about themselves. 

And Dave, who, in the Naval service, was fast learning to become a goodlistener, had been content to have Belle do most of the talking, while hesat back watching the motions of her pretty lips and catching glimpses oftwo rows of pearly teeth. 

But now Belle had just mentioned two of Dave's former High School chums. 

"So Tom and Harry were really here?" he repeated. 

"Yes; they came up from Arizona on leave. "

"I wonder why they couldn't have remained here longer?" mused Dave. 

"They both told me that they were very young in their profession as civilengineers, and that they had to spend nearly all of their time 'on thejob, ' as Tom phrased it, " replied Belle. 

"How did they look?" asked Dave. 

"A shade older, of course, than when they were in the High School. "

"Are they much taller?" asked Darrin. 

"Somewhat; but they have not shot up in height, the way you and Dan, andDick Prescott and Greg Holmes have done, " Belle continued. 

"Brown as berries, I suppose, after working down in the alkalideserts?" asked Dave, who felt that he could not hear enough of thosedear old chums. 

"Meaning Tom and Harry?" smiled Belle. "Or Dick and Greg?"

"Tom and Harry, that time, of course, " laughed Dave. "But I'm waiting tohear a whole lot about Dick and Greg as well. "

"No; I wouldn't call Tom and Harry exactly as brown as berries, "went on Belle, laughing, "for I am not acquainted with many kinds ofbrown berries. "

"Coffee berries?" hinted Darrin. 

"I would call Tom and Harry fully as bronzed as Indians, " Belle ventured. 

"Have you ever seen any Indians?" asked Midshipman Darrin, looking at hissweetheart rather quizzically. 

"Oh, haven't I?" laughed Belle Meade, her eyes sparkling. "We had Indianshere the early part of this summer. There was a medicine show here, withIndians and cowboys, and that sort of thing. One day the Indians andcowboys got intoxicated and they went through Main Street like a tornado. They were yelling and shooting, and had people all along the streetrunning for cover. Even the chief of police, though he wasn't a coward, ran into safety. 

"In the midst of it all Dick Prescott, Greg Holmes, Tom Reade and HarryHazelton came out of an ice cream parlor. Tom and Harry got a glimpse ofthe very Wild West looking company of yellers and shooters. Tom and Harryhave seen enough Indians and cowboys to know the real thing--and thatthese were only poor imitations. All of a sudden Tom and Harry and Dickand Greg charged into that howling, shooting crowd and knocked them rightand left. Your four old-time chums simply disarmed the 'bad' ones andturned the weapons over to the chief of police. "

Belle went on, describing the famous incident, while Dave leaned back, laughing heartily. 

"How I wish I had been on hand! I'd like to have helped, too, " he added. 

"Those four youngsters didn't need any help, " laughed Belle. 

"Which was the most surprised crowd--the 'bad' Western outfit or thepolice department?" chuckled Dave. 

Readers of our "WEST POINT SERIES" will find the "Wild West" scene fullynarrated in "DICK PRESCOTT'S THIRD YEAR AT WEST POINT. "

"Isn't it outrageous, " demanded Dave, "that the West Point and theAnnapolis leave of absence should be so arranged that midshipmen andcadets who are old, old friends never get a chance to meet each other onfurlough!"

"I don't suppose, " replied Belle, "that it often happens that one littlecity often has the honor of furnishing, at the same time, two midshipmenfor Annapolis and two cadets for West Point. "

"Very likely not, " nodded Dave. "But it seems too bad, just the same. What wouldn't I give to see Tom or Harry? Or Greg or Dick? And now thatI'm here Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes are but just barely gone. "

"Yes; they have been but four days gone, " assented Belle. "It does seemtoo bad that you and your West Point chums couldn't have been one daytogether. "

"I haven't seen a blessed one of the good old four since I left forAnnapolis, more than two years ago, " muttered Dave complainingly. "Whatwouldn't I give--just to see what they look like in these days?"

"Well, what would you give?" demanded Belle, rising and hesitating. 

"They've given you their photos, then!" asked Dave Darrin guessing. "Please be quick--let me see the photos. "

Belle glided from the room, to return with a large card. 

"They were taken altogether, " she explained, handing the card over toDarrin. "There they are--all in one group. "

Dave seized the card, studying eagerly the print mounted thereon. 

"Whew! What a change two years make in a High School boy, doesn't it?"demanded Darrin. 

"Of course, " answered Belle Meade. "Do you imagine that you and DanDalzell haven't changed any, either?"

Readers of our "HIGH SCHOOL SERIES" will well remember Dick Prescott, Greg Holmes, Tom Reade, Harry Hazelton, Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell, afamous sextette of young High School athletes, who, in their High Schooldays, were known as Dick & Co. 

Readers of the four volumes of that series will recall that Dick Prescottreceived the congressman's nomination to West Point, and that Greg Holmeswas appointed a cadet at the same big government Army school by one ofthe state's senators. Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell, a little later, secured nominations to Annapolis from the same gentlemen; and Tom Readeand Harry Hazelton, who had thrown their lot with civil engineering, hadgone West to engage with an engineering firm of railroad builders. 

From that passing of the old High School days the experiences andadventures of Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes are told in the volumes of"THE WEST POINT SERIES. "

Those of Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton are set forth fully in "THE YOUNGENGINEERS' SERIES. "

As for Dave Darrin and Dan, their life, since leaving the High School, and casting their lot with the Navy, has been fully told in the twopreceding volumes of the present series, "DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR ATAKNAPOLIS" and "DAVE DARRIN'S SECOND YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS. "

"Well, I'll meet Dick and Greg this coming Thanksgiving, at any rate, "predicted Midshipman Darrin. "You know what happens the Saturday afterThanksgiving on Franklin Field, don't you, Belle?"

"You young men of Annapolis and West Point play football, don't you!"asked Belle. 

"Do we?" demanded Dave, his eyes aglow with enthusiasm. "Don't we, though. And, mark me, Belle, the Navy is going to carry away the Army'sscalp this year. "

"Are you going to join the team?" asked Belle. 

"I can't say, until I get back. But I've been training. I hope to becalled to the team. So does Dan. "

"I hope you and Dan both make the eleven, " cried Belle, "so that you canget away to see the game. "

"Why, we can see the game better, " retorted Dave, "if we don't makethe team. "

"Why, are midshipmen who don't belong to the eleven allowed to see thegame?" asked Belle in some surprise. 

"Are we?" demanded Dave. "Belle, don't you know what the Army-Navy gameon the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day is like? The entire brigade ofmidshipmen and the whole corps of cadets travel over to Philadelphia. There, on Franklin Field, before an average of thirty thousand yellingspectators, the great annual game of the two great national academies isfought out. "

"You haven't gone to see the annual game at Philadelphia before this, have you?" asked Miss Meade. 

"No. "

"Why not?"

"Because, Belle, both years, at Thanksgiving time, Danny boy and I havefound ourselves so far behind in our studies that we just took the timeto stay behind and bone, bone, bone over our books. "

"And you think this year will be different?"

"Oh, yes; when a man is half way through Annapolis the studies becomeeasier to him. You see, in two years of the awful grind a fellow, if helasts that long, has learned how to study in the right way. I'm going toget two tickets, Belle, so that you and your mother can go to see thegame. And of course good old Dick can do as much for Laura Bentley andher mother. You'll come, of course, to root your hardest for the Navy, just as Laura will go and root for the Army. By the way, have you heardwhether Dick and Greg expect to play on the Army eleven?"

"When they were here this summer they said they hoped to playfootball with the Army. That's all I know, Dave, about the plans ofDick and Greg. "

"I hope they do play, " cried Midshipman Darrin cheerily. "Even with twosuch old gridiron war horses as Dick and Greg against us, I believe thatthe Navy team, this year, has some fellows who can take the Army scalpwith neatness and despatch. "

Dave rambled on, for some time now, with of the athletic doings at theNaval Academy. It was not that he was so much interested in thesubject--at that particular moment--but it was certainly fine to haveBelle Meade for an interested listener. 

"Well, you're half way through your course, " put in Belle at last. "Youpassed your last annual examinations in June. "

"Yes. "

"How did you stand in your exams?"

"I came through with honors, " Dave declared unblushingly. 

"Honors?" repeated Belle delightedly. "Oh, Dave, I didn't know you wereone of the honor men of your class. "

"Yes, " laughed Midshipman Dave, though there was a decidedly serious lookin his fine face. "Belle, I consider that any fellow who gets by theexaminers has passed with honors. So we're all honor men that are nowleft in the class. Several of the poor fellows had to write home lastJune asking their parents for the price of a ticket homeward. "

"But, now that you've got half way through, you're pretty sure to go therest of the way safely, " Belle insisted. 

"That's almost too much of a brag to make, Belle. The truth is, no fellowis safe until he has been commissioned as an ensign, and that's at leasttwo years after he has graduated from the Naval Academy. Why even afterexamination, you know, a fellow has to go to sea for two years, as amidshipman, and then take another and final examination at sea. A wholelot of fellows who managed to get through the Academy find themselvesgoing to pieces on that examination at sea. "

"And then--" went on Belle. 

"Why, if a fellow can't pass his exams, he's dropped from the service. "

"After he has already graduated from Academy? That isn't fair, " criedBelle Meade. 

"No, it isn't quite fair, " assented Midshipman Dave, with a shrug of hisshoulders. "Yet what is one going to do about it? It's all in thegame--to take or leave. "

"Who ever made the Naval Academy and the service so hard as that?" thegirl wanted to know. 

"Congress, I guess, " laughed Dave, "but acting, very likely, on theadvice of a lot of old admirals who are through themselves, and whoexpect the youngsters to know as much as the very admirals. Why, Belle, when I was a few years younger, and first began to dream about going tothe Naval Academy I had a mental picture of a very jolly life, in whichwe sailed the seas and absorbed our knowledge. I had an idea that themidshipman's life was made up mainly of jolly larks ashore and afloat, with plenty of athletics to keep us from ever feeling dull. Of course, Iknew we had to do some studying, but I didn't imagine the studies wouldbe hard for a chap who had already gone through a good High School. "

"Your High School studies did help, didn't they?" demanded Belle. 

"They helped somewhat in the exams, to enter Annapolis, but they've neverhelped me with any of the studies that I've had to tackle as amidshipman. "

"Oh, well, you'll get through, " the girl predicted with cheeryconfidence. 

"I shall, if it's really in me, " Dave promised. "But I'm not going to doany bragging, Belle, until I'm safely through and have been out of thewoods for a long time. "

"And you won't do any bragging then, either. It isn't in your line. What's Dan Dalzell going to do while he's home on leave?"

"Sleep, he says. "

"The lazy boy!"

"No, he's a tired boy, Belle. I think the past year has been even just alittle harder on him than it has on me. However, of course Dan won'treally sleep. He'll be out by this afternoon. Just now I imagine thathe's talking like wildfire with his mother. "

It was a wrong guess, however. Just then the telephone sounded in thenext room, and Belle went to answer it. 

"It's your shipmate, Dan, " she called laughingly. "He wants to talk withyou, Dave. "

"I wonder how the fellow ever guessed that I was here, " smiled Darrin, ashe hastily joined Belle at the 'phone. 

"Hello, " hailed Dalzell at the other end of the wire. "Going to doanything in particular this afternoon, David, little giant?"

"Yes; I hope to make myself more or less agreeable to Miss Meade. "

"A small crowd won't be any bar to that, eh?" Dan wanted to know. 

"Not if the crowd and the occasion are agreeable to Miss Meade. "

"Well, you know Foss and Canty?"

"Two of our old High School boys? Yes. "

"Foss has a new gasoline launch; he says it's a beauty, and he wants usto invite Miss Meade and Miss Bentley, to join them and a couple of theformer High School girls for a couple of hours' cruise on the river. What say you?"

"What does Belle say, you mean. Wait a moment, and I'll ask her. "

Darrin explained the invitation. 

"Why, if it will be pleasant for you, Dave, I shall be delighted to go, "Belle answered. 

"It's all right, " Dave called back over the 'phone. "What's the hour forthe start!"

"Two o'clock, " Dan answered. 

"All right, then; will you ask Laura Bentley, or shall we, from here?"

"I've already asked Laura, " Dalzell replied. "She accepted on conditionthat Belie did. Now I'll ring up Laura and tell her that it's allarranged. "

"It'll be a pleasant trip for you, won't it!" inquired Belle, half-anxiously. "Or do you get too much of boats in your working year?"

"I shall be glad to be anywhere that you are, " Dave repliedgallantly. "The form of entertainment doesn't matter to me as long asit appeals to you. "

At two o'clock the young people met at the float of the Boat Club houseon the river's bank. 

On the way across town Dave had been noting the direction and force ofthe wind. He didn't altogether like it, but didn't say anything. At thefloat he found Tom Foss, Ab Canty, Ella Wright and Susie Danes awaitingthe midshipmen and their fair companions. 

"All ready and waiting for you amateur sailors, " called Foss laughingly. "And here's the boat. Say, isn't she really a beauty?"

"Good lines, " nodded Dave Darrin. "And she looks speedy. But you'vechanged your mind about going out this afternoon, haven't you, Foss?"

"Why?" demanded the young fellow, in very evident astonishment. 

"Look at the water, " responded Dave, pointing to the white-caps, whichwere running rather high for an inland stream. 

"Pooh! You're not afraid of a little foam on top of the water, are you?"demanded Foss. 

"The waves are running pretty high for the inches of freeboard that yourboat has, " remarked Darrin quietly. "And look at the sky to windward. There's a bit more blow coming out of those clouds yet. "

"Say, what do they teach you at Annapolis?" grinned Foss. "To go sailingonly in calm weather?"

"Since you ask, " Dave replied as quietly as before, though a slight flushmounted to his face, "one of the things they teach us at the NavalAcademy is consideration for women. Now, if just we four fellows weregoing out, I wouldn't say a word. "

"Don't think we girls are afraid, " broke in Belle with spirit. 

"I'm well aware that you're not afraid, " Darrin replied turning andlooking at her. "But I'm afraid, Belle of what I might think of myselfafterwards, if I were a party to taking you out in this boat when theriver is running so much to whitecaps. "

"Do you think the boat is one of the kind that will turn turtle and sinkthe crowd?" demanded Tom Foss, flushing in turn. "I tell you, Darrin, thecraft is as tight and sound, and as manageable, as any boat of her lengthto be found anywhere on fresh water. "

"She is a fine boat, " Dave assented; "but I don't feel like beingresponsible for what may happen to the young lady who is more especiallyunder my escort and care. There's too big a chance of danger thisafternoon, Foss. "

"Pooh, Mr. Sailor!" laughed Ella Wright. "I'll show you that somefolks who don't know what Annapolis looks like are not frightened bytoy waves. "

Miss Ella thereupon stepped into the launch and seated herself. MissSusie followed. 

"Aren't you people going?" asked Ab Canty. 

"I'm not going if Dave considers it so unwise that he'd be worried aboutour safety, " Belle answered promptly. 

"Going, Laura?" called Foss. 

"No, though I thank you, " Miss Bentley replied. "If Mr. Darrin objectson the score of safety I'm not going to torment him by disregardinghis opinion. "

"I'm of about the same opinion as Darrin, if anyone cares to know, "broke in Dan Dalzell. 

Tom Foss looked at the other half of his party quizzically, thencalled to Canty. 

"Cast off, Ab. Ha, ha! I never thought to see United States sailors andembryo Naval officers so much afraid of a little tossing water. "

Chug-chug! Ella and Susie were laughing a bit teasingly as the motorstarted and the little craft darted away from the float and took to thewaves beyond. 

Dave did not answer. Instead, he gripped Dan's nearer wrist, muttering:

"Don't you say it, Danny!"

"Say what?"

"Whatever hot words were coming to your lips. As long as we feel thatwe're right in not risking Belle and Laura, never mind what the othersthink and say. "

"This breeze is so fine, " suggested Laura, "what do you say if we seatourselves here and watch the river for a while?"

Accordingly the four young people seated themselves. The launch was theonly craft in sight that was away from her moorings. A sailboat and threecanoes lay tied to the lee side of the float, that is the off-side fromthe weather. Even they rocked a good deal. 

"What kind of weather is coming?" asked Belle. 

"It's going to be pretty squally, in all probability, " spoke upMidshipman Dan. "Do you see the big puffs of wind in the clouds yonder?"

"It must take a sailor to see that sort of thing, " remarked Belle. "WhatI see in the cloud looks like big, fluffy masses of cotton, streaked withsomething darker. "

"That's the wind, " nodded Dave Darrin. "Now, girls, I don't want you tothink me a muff. That wind may swerve, and not come this way, although inall probability the wind will get this way and the water will be rougher. If it does get rougher on the river, and if we had taken you two out, andthe boat had capsized, then by some chance we might not have been able toget you to shore. What would your folks then say to us if we had had themiserable luck to survive you?"

"You did just right, " Laura declared promptly. "To tell the truth, Ididn't want to disappoint either of you boys this afternoon, but I didn'tbelieve the wind was quiet enough for boating on the river. But motherreminded me that I was going with two young men who had been trained assailors, and that I ought to be as safe as I would in the home parlor. "

"Well, aren't you?" smiled Belle Meade. 

"Did you really want to go out on the river, Belle?" Dave asked. 

"Not when you don't believe it to be safe. "

"I suppose Foss will be joking around town about our being afraid of thewater, " muttered; Dan. 

"What do you care!" asked Dave quietly. "You're responsible to theUnited States Government--not to a few private citizens on the streetsof Gridley. "

"You'll take us out on the water before your leave is over, won't you?"urged Belle. 

"A dozen of times, if you care to go, " Dave; replied quickly. 

"In a sailboat?" quizzed Belle. "It must; be great fun to sail, and I'venever been in a sailboat. "

"I'd rather take you out in a good, solid rowboat, " Dave answered slowly. 

"Why, haven't you had much sailboat practice at Annapolis yet?"

"We've had some, " Darrin nodded. "But I'm afraid I don't believe much insmall sailboats for girls' parties. "

"Oh, very well. "

"Now, Belle, you will begin to believe that I'm a muff at heart, " Darrinremonstrated. 

"I won't anyway, Dave, " Laura broke in. "I can see that you're merelydetermined that we shall take no risks when we go out with you. I shallfeel very safe in whatever you propose for water sports. "

"It's a good deal better to be safe, than sorry, when you have girlsunder your care, " Dan Dalzell added. 

The motor boat, a fast though a low-hulled craft, had been long out ofsight up the river. Presently there came a new turn to the wind. Dan weta forefinger and held it up to the breeze. 

"I hope Foss has sense enough to run in somewhere and tie up until thecoming squall blows over, " Dalzell remarked. 

"Are we going to have a storm?" Belle asked quickly. 

"Not rain, if that's what you mean, " Darrin replied. "But I believe theriver is going to be pretty rough before long. "

Ere two minutes more had passed Dave suddenly rose andstraightened himself. 

"Look downstream, girls, " he cried. "Do you see the big rollers coming?"

In truth the surface of the river was now beginning to behave in anunusual way. Where, heretofore, the water had been choppy andwhitecapped, the water now broke in longer, foam-crested waves. Owing tothe course of the wind the waves were rolling upstream. Within fiveminutes from the time when Dave first called attention to the rougherwater the waves had considerably increased in size. 

"Oh, I'm glad I'm not out on the water, " shivered Laura. 

"So am I, " Belle admitted candidly. 

"Do you believe Tom Foss can bring his boat down against such waves!"Laura inquired. 

"Oh, no doubt, he has had sense enough to run in somewhere and tie up, "predicted Midshipman Dan charitably. 

"I hope so, " murmured Belle. "But Tom is an awfully stubborn fellow. "

Toot! too-oo-oot! sounded a whistle up the river. 

"By ginger, there comes Foss's boat now!" muttered Dan, standing up andstaring. "Why doesn't the idiot make land?"

"He's got his craft away on the other side of the river, looking forquieter water, " muttered Dave uneasily. 

"Well, isn't that right?" asked Belle. 

"Right, yes, unless he makes the mistake of trying to cross thestream, " nodded Darrin. "Then he'll run his craft into the trough ofthe sea, and--"

"Well, what?" demanded Belle as Dave paused. 

"Then, when he's in the trough, a big wave may roll his small boatover, " Dan finished for his comrade. 

"Do you really think there's danger of that?" demanded Laura, looking anxious. 

"I don't know, " murmured Dave. "But I wish I had some way of signalingFoss, some way so that he could understand the signals. "

"What good would it do?" demanded Midshipman Dalzell, grimly. "Tom wouldonly laugh and say it was more old maidishness on the part of Navy men. "

"There--confound the idiot!" suddenly blazed Dave Darrin. "He iscrossing. Look at that boat wallow in the trough. Jupiter! There she goesover--nearly!"

All four young people on the float held their breath for an instant. Themotor launch, after almost having turned turtle, righted itself. 

"I wish I were at the wheel of the boat for about three minutes, "muttered Darrin hoarsely. 

At that moment Laura and Belle both screamed, while Dan Dalzell shouted:

"There she goes--for sure, this time!"

A bigger wave than usual had half filled the launch and caused it tocareen. Before the little craft could right itself a second and a thirdwave, rolling along, had completed the work. The launch had sunk!

CHAPTER II

PROVING THEIR TRAINING

In the same instant, without a word to each other, Dave Darrin andDalzell had done the same thing. That is, they started to run and at thesame time doffed coats and vests, leaving these garments to flutterbehind them. 

As they reached the sailboat both midshipmen cast off their shoes. Daveleaped into the boat while Dalzell threw off the bowline, then boarded. 

Like a flash both youngsters went at the lashings of the mainsail. 

"There isn't a reef in, " Dan discovered. "Going to take time for a closereef, Dave?"

"There isn't time, " Darrin muttered, with drops of cold perspiration onhis forehead as he toiled. "We'll have to go out under a full sail, Dan. "

"Great Scott!" muttered Dalzell. 

"We may be too late to save any one as it is. There! Jump to the halyard. I've got the sheet. "

Dan Dalzell began to hoist with a will. In an incredibly short time hehad the sail hoisted all the way up, while Darrin, stern and whitefaced, crouched and braced himself by the tiller, gripping the sheet with hisleft hand. 

In a twinkling Darrin had the wind in his canvas. They had nearly a fairwind as they bounded away from the float. 

During these few instants of preparation neither Belle nor Laura hadspoken. Both girls realized the gravity of the situation, and they knewthat a word from them might distract the rescuers from the work in hand. 

Knowing that he had the high, fast wind with him, Dave steered straightfor the last spot where he had seen the motor launch. Though the boat wasno longer visible, and the distance too great for seeing the heads of theswimmers, if there were any, Darrin had taken his bearings by trees onthe further shore upstream. 

At first, to keep the sailboat from capsizing, the young skipper atthe helm let the sheet well out. Then, when Dan hurriedly rejoinedhim, Darrin passed the sheet over to his comrade as to one who wouldknow exactly what to do with it. Dan perched himself on the weathergunwale, his weight there serving as ballast to keep the craft fromcapsizing. Yet, even so, everything had to be done with the utmostskill, for, with the mainsail up, the least fluke in handling the boatwould send her over. 

"We've got to go fast and take all the chances, " muttered Dave. 

"Sure, " nodded Midshipman Dan understandingly. "It would be no greatscare to us if we did heel over into the drink. It might mean a differentstory, though, for those who are already sopping up the wet. "

"Aren't they splendid fellows?" cried Laura. 

"Yes, " answered Belle, her eyes snapping and her face glowing. "Though Iwon't claim that they're any finer than your own West Point boys. "

That brought an added flush to the color in Laura Bentley's face, and hereyes sparkled her gratitude, for Dick Prescott, now at West Point withhis chum, Greg Holmes, had been her High School sweetheart, and doubtlesswas to become her Army sweetheart after he had made sure of his career. 

"Dave and Dan are experts, " glowed Miss Bentley. "They'll know justwhat to do. "

"They're better than mere experts, " returned Belle Meade. "They're strongand manly to the core, and with them there's no such word as fear whenthere's a duty to be done. "

Both Dave and Dan were peering fixedly ahead all the time that they drovethe sailboat toward the scene of the late disaster. 

"I think I see a head, " cried Darrin. 

"Boy or girl!" demanded Midshipman Dalzell. 

"Can't tell at this distance. And now the next wave has blotted out whatI thought I saw. "

"We've got to be patient, " uttered Dan. 

The position of the midshipmen was far from being free of danger. Withall their coolness and their undoubted skill in boat handling, there wasgrave danger, with the mainsail set, that, at any instant, wind and wavewould capsize the boat. 

Indeed, Dave was running the lee gunwale under water half thetime, trusting to the human ballast supplied by his comrade tokeep them afloat. 

"See anything now?" demanded Dave. 

"No, " uttered Dan, "though I'm working my eyes three shifts to try tomake out something. I'll have to go to an oculist as soon as I getthrough with this. This eyestrain is awful. "

Midshipman Dan Dalzell was really unconscious of the fact thathe was joking. It was second nature with him; he would havejested--unconsciously--with death in its most awful form. 

"There, I see a head--two of them!" cried Midshipman Dave suddenly, as hehalf rose and pointed. 

"Hurrah!"--from Dan. 

Dan let the boat's head fall off a point in order that he might seebetter around the mast on the weather side, just where he must head hiscraft in the last dash in. 

"It's Foss and Ella Wright, " called Dan, as the flying sailboat got incloser over the foam-crested waves. "No, it isn't; Foss has Susie. "

"Can you make out Canty and Ella?" demanded Darrin hoarsely. 

"Not a sign, Dave. Maybe he's gone under trying to save Ella. "

"Canty was one of our Gridley High School boys, so I'd expect him to haveboth the nerve and the grace to go down with a girl, if he couldn't saveher as well as himself, " muttered Darrin. 

"There's Canty, just come up!"

"Can you make out Ella's head?"

"No. "

"Look hard. "

"I don't see her, and--there!"

"What's up?"

"Nothing, " returned Dalzell soberly. "Canty's down--just gone downagain. "

"I hope he's gone down trying to find and rescue Ella, " murmured Dave. 

They were now so close that the young midshipmen would have been able tohear the shouts of the imperiled ones had it not been that the wind blewthe sounds of voices away from the would-be rescuers. 

"Better ease off the sheet a bit, I guess, Davy, " called Dan, as hesuited the action to the word. "We don't went to run 'em down. "

"No. "

As he spoke, Dave Darrin brought the boat slightly around. They were nowclose enough to see that Tom Foss was supporting dead weight in theperson of Susie, who was unconscious. 

"Waiting the word from you on the sheet, Davy, " nodded Dan, as the boatdrew close to the only pair of survivors now visible. 

"Let go the sheet!" called Dave an instant later, and Dan let it run offclear, handing the end of the rope to Darrin. 

"Can you head Susie this way, Foss?" Dalzell called. 

"I'd rather have help, " came the faint answer. Tom Foss was evidentlywell spent by his exertions in keeping up the girl so long. 

Splash! Dan Dalzell was in the water, without waiting to hear more. Theathletic young midshipman swam with a steadiness and speed that wasglorious to see. Many an excellent swimmer, in smooth water, would dreadbuffeting with such waves as were now rolling. 

Dave Darrin, meanwhile, held on to the tiller and the paid-out sheet, ready to manoeuvre the now pitching, rolling boat at an instant's notice. It took all his seamanship to keep the craft afloat, though the sailboatwas far better modeled for such water than the motor launch had been. 

"Give her over to me, and save yourself, " commanded Dalzell cheerily, ashe reached Tom Foss. "Think you can make it, old fellow?"

"If I can't, I ought to drown, " retorted Tom Foss, as he struck out, nonetoo strongly. "This is all my fault. You fellows gave me better advicethan I had sense to follow. "

Dan, with a skill that he had acquired directly from the excellentinstruction given him by the swimming master at the Naval Academy, wasnow piloting the unconscious form of Susie Danes toward the sailboat. 

Even encumbered as he was, Dan made the boat before Tom Foss couldaccomplish that feat alone. Truth to tell, Foss was very nearly "all in. "Had rescue been delayed a few moments longer, Foss and his fair companionmust have sunk. 

"Get hold of her, Davy, " called Dan, as he ranged up on the weather sideof the tossing boat. 

Darrin promptly leaned over and lifted the unconscious girl into theboat. By the time he had done that Tom Foss reached up both hands, seizing the boat's stern. 

"Going to help me in?" he called. 

"I don't know, " Dave answered dubiously. 

"If we can find Ella Wright there may not be room. With such a searunning, this boat won't hold many. "

"No matter about me, then, " muttered Tom. "If Ella isn't found right awayI don't believe I care about going back to Gridley. "

Dave's response was swiftly to knot a noose and let it down over Tom'sshoulders. The other end of the line he made fast astern. Dalzell, in themeantime, had swum back again. Susie Danes lay as still as death in thebottom of the boat. 

As Dalzell got back where he had first reached Foss and Susie, he espiedthe head of Ab Canty some distance away. 

"Ab!" called Dan. 

"Here!"

"What has become of Ella?"

"Oh, I wish I knew!"

"Was she afloat at all!" demanded Dan, swimming nearer. 

"Yes; I kept her up for a couple of minutes, maybe. Then she got morescared, wound her arms tight around me, and we both sank. We had astruggle under water. I freed myself, but when I came to the top I foundthat my hand was clutching nothing but her empty jersey. There it isnow, " chattered Ab, his teeth, knocking against each other, as he pointedto the garment in question on the top of a distant wave. Then Ab sank. 

For just an instant Dalzell thought Canty had gone below on purpose. Danswam closer, to be of assistance. Then he saw the bubbles of air comingup rapidly. 

"Cantys given out--he's going to drown!" gasped Midshipman Dan, with horror. 

Like a flash Dan dived below, found and clutched at Canty. The young manreturned the grip with interest, but Midshipman Dalzell struggled to thesurface with him. Ab Canty was exhausted, out of his head and altogetherpast reasoning. Dan hated to do it, but he had to strike the young man inthe forehead. Canty gave a gasp and ceased to resist. 

Dave Darrin, watching, had run the boat up close alongside as soon as thestruggling pair appeared above the waves. 

"You'll have to take him in, Davy, " announced Midshipman Dalzell. "Cantyisn't strong enough to tow behind. And I'm coming aboard for a fresh lookbefore I dive for Miss Wright. "

"You're going to stay aboard and manage the boat, " retorted Darrinquietly. "I'm going in next. "

"Oh, all right, if you want to, " half grumbled Dan. "But I'm justbeginning to get used to it and to like it. "

Dan, however, followed orders and took his seat by tiller and sheet assoon as they had towed Canty safely in the boat. Tom Foss, lied andholding on at the stern, was beginning to chatter hard, but said he wasall right. 

A brief instant of consultation the two midshipmen held. Then DaveDarrin, holding his hands before him, dived hard and deep into the water. 

After nearly a minute he came up again, but only to take an observation. Then he sank, to explore more of the space under water. 

For five minutes Darrin continued this, making four dives in all, andsinking twice without diving. 

"I can't give this up, and abandon a girl, " he muttered. "Dan, I've gotto take more account of the current, and work gradually downstream. "

A little later Dave rose with a whoop the instant that his head showedabove the water. 

"I've got her, " Dave announced, though his voice was hoarse and panting. 

"Hurrah!" came from Dan, as he saw the girl's head show above thesurface. Dalzell, hauling on the sheet, ran the boat in close. Davegrasped at the rail on the weather quarter, while Dan bent over him, hauling hard. And so Ella Wright was dragged unconscious into the boat. 

"I'd stay here in the water with you, Tom, " explained Dave, "but I've gotto be in the boat to do my share of handling her. "

"Th-th-that's all r-r-r-r-right, " chattered poor Foss, "I'm d-d-d-doingf-f-f-fine here--c-c-c-couldn't h-help in the b-b-b-boat"

While lying to, it had taken some fine management on the part of themidshipmen to keep the sailboat from capsizing. And now, on this rough, wave-strewn river, they had to tack back against a nearly head wind. 

"Look at the crowd on the clubhouse float, " gasped Dan as soon as theNaval chums had gotten their craft under way. 

"Good thing, " muttered Darrin. "We'll need plenty of help. "

"I wonder how the crowd got wind of the thing in such short time?"

"You forget, " nudged Darrin, "that there's a telephone in the clubhouse. Laura and Belle are not given to losing their heads. Undoubtedly they'vebeen 'phoning to Gridley. "

"Then they can't have overlooked the need of physicians, " ventured Dan, "especially as Laura is the daughter of one. "

As the boat drew nearer to the float the noise of cheers was borne to theears of the midshipmen. 

"More of the hero racket, " uttered Dan disgustedly. 

"I hope this won't get into the newspapers, " grunted Darrin in a tone ofsomething like real alarm. "Say, the fellows of the brigade wouldn't doa thing but make us mount chairs and read all the fulsome gush aboutthis rescue. "

"And then, after we'd finished a straight reading, " groaned Dan, "we'dhave to sing it next, to the tune of 'Columbia, the Pride of the Ocean. '"

"'Gem of the Ocean, ' Dan, " Darrin corrected. 

Though in the middle of the river the sailboat had many a close shavefrom capsizing in the strong puffs of wind, especially with the load thatthe little craft carried, yet Dan Dalzell, at the tiller, brought theboat at last in under the lee side of the float, and there a score ofpairs of willing hands reached out with offers of help. 

Dr. Bentley was in the crowd, as were two other Gridley physicians. Therewere also two trained nurses, and one of the druggists had brought alonga big emergency box of drugs and supplies. Between them the telephone andthe automobile can accomplish a lot in these modern times. 

Laura and Belle, though they had summoned the aid, now kept tactfully inthe background. 

The two apparently drowned girls were lifted from the boat in haste andborne to a room that had been made ready on the second floor of theclubhouse. Ab Canty was carried to another room, and Tom Foss, who nearlyshook to pieces when lifted from the water, was helped after his friend. 

"You two young midshipmen will have to come inside and get some of ourattention, " called Dr. Bentley in an authoritative voice. 

"I think not, thank you, doctor, " replied Dave Darrin. "The most that wewant is some place where we can strip and rub down, while waiting for dryclothing. "

"I know just the room, and I'll take you there, " urged Len Spencer, reporter for the "Morning Blade. " Len was an old friend of Dick Prescott, who, in his High School days before going to West Point, had worked as anamateur space reporter for the "Blade. "

Len led the way gladly. While Dan and Dave stripped and rubbed down, Lengot out of them the whole account of what they had been through. Reporter Spencer had already talked with Belle and Laura. A man in anauto had already started for the homes of the two midshipmen, to obtainchanges of clothing for them. 

"Now, Len, " begged Dave, "don't spread on a lot of taffy. Don't smotherus under the hero racket. "

"But it was an heroic thing, " Len argued. "And, besides, it was done withgreat skill, of the kind that you've gained at the Naval Academy. Itmakes a corking, elegant story about two of our brightest Gridley lads. "

"But, Len, do you realize that the fellows at the Naval Academy will makeus read aloud to them this yarn you're proposing to write about us--thatis, if they happen to hear about it?"

"And then, after we've read the yarn straight, they'll make us sing itall to some blamed old tune or another, " groaned Dalzell. 

"Well, I can't help it, " sighed good-natured Len. "It's a story we've gotto have to-morrow morning. I'd lose my position if I didn't write a goodstory about this afternoon's work. And, now that I've got a wife and babyto feed, I can't afford to waste any good time in job-hunting. "

"Then I hope none of the other fellows at the Naval Academy hear aboutthe 'Blade's' story, " gulped Dan, as he wrapped himself in a blanketwhile waiting for his dry clothes. 

"Hear about it?" retorted Len. "They'll hear about it, all right. TheAssociated Press man at Gridley will be sure to send something about itto the papers all over the country. "

"I guess we've got to take our medicine, Danny, " hinted MidshipmanDave Darrin. 

In the meantime Tom Foss was soon comfortable, wrapped up in blankets andwith plenty of coffee inside him. Nor did it take long to bring Ab Cantyaround. In three quarters of an hour Susie Danes opened her eyes. 

As for Ella Wright, the physicians and nurses worked over her long andearnestly, and were on the point of giving her up when at last a flutterof her eyelids was seen. 

By night time all of the young people were quite out of danger, but theparents of the Wright and Danes families were highly indignant over therecklessness of Tom Foss in taking the girls out on the river in such aheavy wind. 

Three days later even the launch was saved; that is, it was raised andwas towed to a boat-builder for overhauling and repairs. 

CHAPTER III

THE TROUBLE-MAKING FOP

The story that Len Spencer wrote for the "Blade" was "worse" than themidshipmen had expected. That is, the newspaper made them out to beheroes of some rare, solid-gold type. To add to the trouble, thestory, in a condensed form, was printed broadcast by the dailies allover the country. 

"We can't hope to keep it quiet, Danny boy, " groaned Dave when the twochums met the next morning. 

"No, " sighed Dan. "The most we can hope for is to be allowed tolive it down. "

"And I'm much afraid that we've got to stand for a lot more of gush thisafternoon, " continued Darrin. 

"At the reception? Oh, yes! I wish we could desert the town and get awaysomewhere to hide. "

The affair for the afternoon was a reception for which Laura Bentley hadsent out hurried invitations to a lot of the former High School boys andgirls of Gridley. Though Laura was more especially interested in the U. S. Military Academy at West Point--because Dick Prescott was there--yetshe did not show undue partiality to the Army. 

"I'm sorry Laura didn't wait a fortnight, " Dan continued. 

"Oh, well, she doesn't understand, " Dave urged. 

"You're going, of course?"

"I surely am. I wouldn't slight that splendid girl. She's a whole lot tome, Danny boy, both for her own sake and Dick Prescott's. "

Even the short stroll, however, between Belle Meade's home and Laura's, was bound to bring Dave Darrin again into the unwished-for limelight. 

He and Belle had turned into Main Street together, and were walkingalong, chatting, when Belle's eyes flashed suddenly. 

"There's that horrid wretch Ardmore, " she murmured in an undertone. 

"Don't believe I know him, " Darrin returned. 

"Then you haven't been deprived of much, " replied Belle, in a tone thatwas very nearly bitter. "I've been meaning to tell you about him, Dave, but other matters have been cropping up and it has escaped me until now. "

"What's wrong with Ardmore?" asked Dave. 

"He's posing as an admirer of mine. "

"I can't quarrel with his taste, " smiled Darrin. 

"But he annoys me. "

"Has he dared to do that?" demanded Dave, a quick flash in his eyes. 

"Not in any way that it would be easy to resent, " Belle assured him. 

"Who is this fellow Ardmore?"

"He appears to be a gentleman--at least in his ordinary conduct, " BelleMeade answered. "He moved here last spring with his parents. The fatheris a retired lawyer, and wealthy. The Ardmores move in a rather good setin town. About a month ago Caspar Ardmore, the young man, met me at achurch affair. Ever since then he has all but waylaid me. Several timeshe has tried to walk with me when we met, and has often tried to see mehome from church or elsewhere. I've been almost downright rude to him, and have shown him in every way I can that I don't wish to continueacquaintance. But he's hard to discourage. "

"He hasn't insulted you?" asked Dave quietly. 

"Oh, dear, no! If he had, I think I might have been able to startle himsomewhat, " laughed Belle, who had a "temper" when it was necessary tohave one. As she spoke she raised her eyes, glancing ahead. 

"There, he has stopped, and looks almost as though he were waiting forus, " she added. 

"There's an ugly scowl on his face, too. "

Dave Darrin looked ahead at the foppish, rather good-looking, tall andslender young man of some twenty-six years. 

"I hope he isn't going to be troublesome, " murmured Dave. "I don't wantto have to fight with him--at least, not when you're along with me. "

As they neared Ardmore, Dave continued to look at the young man quietly, steadily, frankly. Ardmore seemed trying to ignore the gaze, and looked, instead, at Belle. 

Just as the young couple reached him, Ardmore raised his hat, at the sametime stepping forward so that he blocked Belle's progress. 

"Good afternoon, Miss Meade, " was Ardmore's greeting. "I was on my way toyour house when I saw you. Mother has some tickets for a concert at theSorosis rooms, and is unable to use them this afternoon. So I have cometo ask you if you will not honor me with your company at the concert?"

"Thank you, no, " Belle answered coldly. "And I would also like to make itplain, Mr. Ardmore, since you make it necessary, that I do not wish yourcompany at any time or place. I am sorry to have to speak so plainly. "

A deep flush dyed the cheeks of the fop. But he was not so easilydiscouraged. 

"I had intended to call this evening, Miss Meade. I am to have a box atthe theatre. "

"You may call anywhere you wish, " Belle retorted, her eyes flashing, "provided it is not at my home. "

"Oh, I am very much afraid that you are annoyed with me, " cried Ardmore. 

"I am, " Belle admitted. "Mr. Ardmore, will you do me the very great favorof ceasing your attempts at acquaintance?"

"Acquaintance? Why, we're already very well acquainted, Miss Meade; infact, I had hoped that we were, by this time, the most excellent friends. If this gentleman, " with a sidelong look at Dave, "will excuse us, MissMeade, will you stroll along with me and tell me in what way I may haveoffended you without intending anything of the sort?"

Dave, who had remained quiet, now felt called upon to interpose. 

"Sir, " he demanded, "will you observe Miss Meade's request and takeyourself away?"

"And what have you to say about this?" demanded Ardmore sneeringly. 

"The young lady is under my protection. "

"I have offered her mine. "

"And Miss Meade has just told you that you will please her most bykeeping away from her at all times, " replied Darrin quietly but firmly. 

"What? After all the good times she and I have enjoyed together?"demanded Ardmore, as though astounded beyond measure. 

"I? Good times with you?" cried Belle, her cheeks flaming. "I've nevereven spoken to you when I could avoid it. "

"That's false!" cried young Ardmore hotly. 

"Stop, right there!" warned Dave Darrin in a quieter voice than ever, though his face paled swiftly. "Did I understand you to remark that MissMeade had made a false statement?"

"You did!"

Whack! Darrin's clenched right fist caught the fop on the temple, fellinghim to the ground. 

"Go right on to Laura's, Belle, " begged Dave quickly. "I'll bealong soon. "

Miss Meade walked rapidly ahead. 

Ardmore was on his feet in an instant. Not wanting in a certain amountof animal courage, he rushed at Dave, only to be met with a blow inthe mouth that floored him again. The fop's lip was cut and bleedingwhen he rose. 

"You cur!" bellowed the fellow. 

"The opinion of a person like you can't matter very much, " Daveretorted coolly. 

A little crowd was beginning to gather. Dave's pallor increased, for hisvery soul writhed at the thought of having Belle's name involved in abrawl in this fashion. 

"You're a--" began Ardmore, but Dave Darrin moved quickly up to him. 

"Do you retract the statement you made?" demanded the midshipman in alow voice. 

"I retract nothing, " quivered Ardmore. "I repeat, and repeat--"

Dave closed in like lightning, Ardmore attempted to guard himself, but hewas all but helpless before such a fast, trained hitter as Dave. The fopwent down under two well-aimed blows delivered almost together. 

Once more Ardmore leaped to his feet, while Darrin disdainfullyawaited him. 

But two or three men in the crowd leaped between the enemies, forcingthe fop back. 

"Don't be a fool, Ardmore!" urged one of the men, speaking in thefellow's ear. "That's Midshipman Dave Darrin, and he's one of thequickest, hardest hitters in Gridley. "

"Oh, that's the midshipman, is it?" demanded Ardmore in a sneering voice. "Oh, well, then, I won't hit him again. I know another way of making hisskin smart. "

Dave tarried only long enough to make sure that the fop did not care tocarry the encounter further. Then, turning on his heel, he walked rapidlyin the direction Belle had taken. He overtook that young lady before shereached the Bentley home. 

[Illustration: Darrin's Blow Felled the Fop to the Ground. ]

"If the fellow intends to trouble you again, I hope he'll do it beforemy leave is finished, " spoke Dave quietly. "I think I've given him alittle lesson, Belle, though there's no telling how long it will lastwith inferior animals of Ardmore's type. "

"He's a spiteful fellow, Dave. You must be on your guard against him, "Belle urged. 

"I guess Ardmore is wishing his own guard had been more effective, "smiled the midshipman. 

Caspar Ardmore was "busy" within an hour after Dave's summary handling ofhim. Ardmore had never been considered a truly bad fellow, though he wasfoppish, conceited and wholly unable to understand why anything that hewanted should be denied him. Belle was now two years beyond her HighSchool days, and had developed into a most attractive young woman. Ardmore had fallen victim to her charms and had decided that he wouldmake a better husband for her than any Naval officer could. Hence theyoung dandy had pursued Miss Meade with his attentions; upon finding herwith Dave, he had hoped, in his foolish way, to put an end to Darrin'spretensions. 

Ardmore, therefore, having met only disaster, was now engaged in drawingup a complaint to be sent to the Secretary of the Navy, complaining thathe had been set upon and treated with severe physical violence byMidshipman Darrin. 

Nor was there great difficulty in finding three men, out of the smallcrowd that had witnessed the assault, to swear to affidavits that theyhad seen Darrin knock Caspar Ardmore down repeatedly. 

All this "evidence" Ardmore got together with great relish, and mailedthe mass of stuff, that same night, to the Secretary of the Navy atWashington. 

Then Ardmore went out of town for three days. Behind him he left anactive toady who promised to keep watch of matters and to advise him. 

It was through this toady that Dave received an intimation that his casewould be attended to at Washington. Belle, also, received a hint, andwith it she went to Darrin. 

"Can the fellow really make any trouble for you, Dave?" she askedanxiously. 

"Why, yes, " admitted Dave. "Anyone can make trouble for a midshipman, tothe extent that the charge must be investigated by the Navy Department. If the Secretary were satisfied that I am a reckless sort of bully, hewould decide that I am unfit to be an officer of the Navy. "

CHAPTER IV

IN THE VIEW OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT

Dave Darrin did not let the news of the charges disturb his outwardserenity, though he was inwardly aware that perjured evidence might workgreat harm to his future career. 

Until he was advised by the Navy Department that charges had been madeagainst him, he really could do nothing in the matter. 

But that letter from the Secretary was not long in coming. The letterinformed Midshipman Darrin that he has been accused of severelyassaulting a citizen without just provocation, and contained, also, someof the circumstances alleged by Caspar Ardmore. Dave was commanded toforward his defense promptly. 

This Darrin did, in a courteous answer, as briefly as he could properlymake it. He admitted knocking Ardmore down, but stated that he did it inresenting an insult offered by Ardmore to a young lady under his(Darrin's) escort at the time. 

This letter he showed Belle. 

"It is the first step, on my side in the matter, " he explainedwith a smile. 

"I should think the Secretary of the Navy ought to be satisfied withyour answer and drop it at once, " replied Belle. 

"He may. "

"But you think he won't?"

"It is likely, Belle, that there will be a court of inquiry at least. "

"Oh, dear!" cried Belle, a few tears gleaming in her eyes now. "Whyshould so much fuss be made over the matter?"

"Because I am being trained to be an officer in the Navy. An officer mustbe a gentleman as well. Any charge affecting a Naval officer's honor orcourtesy must be investigated, in order that the government may knowwhether the accused is fit to hold an officer's commission. Thegovernment wouldn't be dealing justly with the people if such standardswere not observed. "

"And I am the cause of all this trouble for you?" cried Belle. 

"No, Belle, you are not. You have nothing to do with the matter, exceptindirectly. Ardmore is the one responsible for the trouble. If he had notinsulted you he wouldn't have gotten into any difficulty. "

"It seems too bad, just the same. "

"It's annoying; that's all, " Dave assured her. "If I had to do the samething over again, for the same reason, I'd do it cheerfully. "

Mrs. Meade heard of it all, from her daughter. Without saying a word asto her intentions the mother herself wrote a letter to the Secretary ofthe Navy. Mrs. Meade set forth the persistent fashion in which Ardmorehad sought to force his attentions upon Belle, to the latter's greatannoyance. Mrs. Meade's letter declared that Darrin had taken the onlypossible means of saving Belle from future annoyance. The mother's letterto the Secretary concluded by offering to procure statements from otherpeople on the subject if the Secretary wished. 

Mrs. Meade received a prompt reply from Washington. The Secretary thankedher for her statements and expressed entire belief in them. 

By the same mail Caspar Ardmore, just returned to Gridley, receivedthis letter:

"Referring to your letter and complaint bearing date of September 6, theDepartment has to advise you that other statements have also beenreceived bearing upon your accusations of an assault alleged to have beencommitted upon your person by Midshipman David Darrin. 

"It is claimed by the signers of other statements, including that ofMidshipman Darrin, that you grossly insulted a young woman under hisescort and completed the insult by accusing her of falsehood. If thesestatements be true, and there be no other important circumstances, except the assault, the Department begs to advise you that, had notMidshipman Darrin resented the gross insult tendered the woman underhis protection, he would thereby, by such inaction, have renderedhimself liable to dismissal from the Navy. It is always the first dutyof a gentleman to afford ample protection to any woman under hisescort and care. 

"Should you deny the statements quoted above in favor of MidshipmanDarrin, and should you further desire to have the matter brought to issuebefore a duly appointed court of inquiry, before which you would berequired to appear as a material witness, this Department will be glad soto be advised. If you do not make formal application for the appointmentof such court of inquiry within the next few days, no further action willbe taken in the matter. Very respectfully, "Your obedient servant, "(Signed) LEOK B. CHAMBERS, "_Secretary of the Navy_. "

As he read, and realized how flat his charge had fallen, Ardmore's facepassed through several shades of red. 

"Of all the government red tape!" he muttered wrathfully. "I didn't thinkthe fool Secretary would do anything like this. I thought he'd just callDarrin down hard and plenty, and perhaps bounce him out of the NavalAcademy. Humph! I guess all these Navy folks stand together. Theredoesn't seem to be much justice about it. "

Ardmore thereupon took another vacation away from Gridley. A few daysafter he went Midshipman Darrin received a brief communication from theSecretary of the Navy, stating that no further action had been taken bythe accuser, and that the Department was satisfied that the midshipman'sconduct had been fully justified. Therefore the matter would not becalled to the attention of the Naval Academy authorities for action. 

"So you see, " smiled Dave, as he called at Belle's home and handed herthe letter, "there is never any need to be worried until trouble breaksin earnest. "

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Belle, her eyes shining with delight, "I hopeyou won't meet that Ardmore fellow again while you're home. "

"If I do, " promised Dave, "I shall merely look over his head when wemeet, unless he repeats the offense that brought him that thrashing. "

Ardmore, however, did not appear in Gridley again during Dave's leaveof absence. 

Dave and Dan tasted, to the full, the delights of life in the old hometown until the day when it was necessary for them to take train andreturn to Annapolis. 

"Mother, Laura and I will go down to Annapolis whenever we hear fromyou as to the best time for coming, " Miss Meade promised at therailway station. 

Then she found chance to murmur, in a voice too low for any of the otherspresent to hear:

"And I'll try hard not to be such a goose as I was last winter!"

She referred to the trouble that had been made by another girl atAnnapolis, the circumstances of which are wholly familiar to the readersof the earlier volumes of this series. 

"I don't blame you for the way you felt last winter, " Dave assured herheartily, "Next time, however, I hope you'll come to me first for anexplanation. "

"There isn't going to be any next time, Dave. "

Three minutes later two midshipmen were being whirled through the citylimits of Gridley. 

CHAPTER V

NAVY FOOTBALL IN THE AIR

Back on the old, familiar Academy grounds!

Both Dave and Dan underwent an unconscious brace as they passed thewatchman at the main gate and stepped on, each with a suit case in hand, to the left, with Bancroft Hall in the distance. 

Their first move was, as it must be, to report their return to theofficer in charge. By that officer the two midshipmen were assigned tothe rooms that they were to occupy during the coming academic year. 

Once behind their doors, both young men hastened to get out of cit. Clothes and back into their beloved uniforms. 

"There are worse liveries to wear than Uncle Sam's, " murmured DanDalzell when, having arrayed himself, he glanced down lovingly at theneat, dark blue. 

"Much worse, " replied Dave briefly, as, having dressed, he set to work tohelp make their quarters neat enough to please even the captious eye ofthe discipline officer. By the time that the two midshipmen finishedpolicing their quarters no housekeeper in the land could have found theleast sign of disorder. 

Rap-tap! sounded briskly at the door. 

"Come in, " called Dave. 

The door opened, revealing Midshipman Hepson, of the first class. 

"Are you fellows to rights?" he called. 

"Come in, Hepson, " urged Dave. "Yes; we're to rights as far asquarters go. "

Hepson came no more than inside the door before he halted, askingbriskly:

"Have you anything on!"

"Nothing but our clothes, " grinned Dan, "and some hair. "

"You've no appointments or engagements, then?" persisted Hepson. "Mybeing here won't interfere with anything that you want to do?"

"Not in the least, " Dave replied. 

"Oh, then, I'll invite myself to a chair, " declared the firstclassman, suiting the action to the word. "Now, you fellows can guesswhy I'm here. "

"You're captain of this year's football eleven, " Dave replied. "Has thatanything to do with your call?"

"Everything, " admitted Hepson briskly. "Have you fellows any notion thatwe've a poor eleven, so far, this year?"

"Why I thought it pretty good, from the practice work that I saw done inAugust, " Darrin answered slowly. 

"A pretty good eleven doesn't win games, sir, " retorted Hepson. "Man, we've got to strengthen the team all along the line, or I'll go down inNaval Academy history as captain of the worst lot of dubs who ever chaseda pigskin around the field!"

"Is it as bad as that?" demanded Dan, opening his eyes. 

"Dalzell, " said Hepson, "our eleven is rotten, sir--simply andfiercely useless!"

"If it's as bad as that, " hinted Dan innocently, "wouldn't it be a primegood idea to draw our eleven from the field this year?"

"What? Strike the Navy's colors, and especially to the Army?" glared Mr. Hepson. "What are you talking about?"

"Then I guess, " nodded Dan, "that we'll have to stay in the ring, and letit go by apologizing to the Army for getting in their way on the fieldthe Saturday after Thanksgiving. "

"We won't do that, either, by Jingo!" retorted Midshipman Hepson. "Butwe've got to strengthen our team. We've got to practice every minute thatthe commandant will allow us for practice. We've got to make a front-rankteam out of--nearly nothing!"

"Aren't there any good players who have been holding back?" askedDave Darrin. 

"Two that I know of, Darrin, " rejoined Hepson, fixing his eyeskeenly on Dave. 

"Who are they?"

"You and Dalzell. "

"We haven't backed out, or refused duty, " Darrin retorted quickly. 

"No; but you haven't pushed yourselves forward any, either. "

"Well, we're hardly team material, " objected Dave modestly. "However, I'll promise for myself and Dalzell, too, that we'll turn out to all thepractice we can, and work like blazes!"

"Will you?" cried Midshipman Hepson delightedly. He jumped up, graspingeach midshipman by the hand in turn. 

"But you don't want to bank on us too much, " Darrin continued. "Youknow, we've never played on anything as big as the Navy team. We used tobe good enough little players on a country school team. But it'sdifferent here. "

"Let the coaches and the captain find that out, then, " grunted Hepson. "But you'll work? You'll try to make good? You'll try to make the teamand some history?"

"We'd lay down our lives for the Navy, at any point and in any sort ofgame, " rejoined Dave Darrin simply. 

"Good! Bully! That's the way I like to hear a fellow talk!" glowedHepson, making toward the door. "You'll turn out for practice to-morrowafternoon?"

"Without fail, if we're physically able, " promised Midshipman Darrin. 

"Awfully obliged to you, fellows, " cried Hepson, throwing the door open. "And now you won't mind if I cut my visit short? I've a lot of fellows tosee, you know. "

The door banged and Hepson was gone. 

"Say, how's the Navy going to win under a chap as nervous as Hepson?"asked Dan. 

"That isn't nervousness, Danny boy. "

"If it isn't, what is it, then?"

"Electricity. "

"Elec--Oh, say, now--"

"It's electricity, " Dave insisted. "He's a live wire, that man Hepson. He'll pull us through on the field this year, if any one can. "

"There's nothing like looking on the bright side of things, " murmuredDalzell, drumming on his chair. 

"I'd rather see Hepson under estimate the Navy team, " went on Dave, "thanfeel too sure that it is invincible. Still, I believe that the Navy isgoing to put forward a mighty strong eleven this year. Though, of course, that is not saying that we can beat the Army. "

"Why not?" demanded Dalzell almost fiercely. 

"Because, no matter how good a line we put forward, the Army may putforward a better. "

"Now, don't go tooting the Army's bugle!"

"I am just considering the average of chances, " Darrin returned. "Dannyboy, sometimes the Navy wins, but most of the games of past years havegone to the Army. So the chances are that we'll be beaten this year. "

"Not if I have to die on the line to stop it!" glowed Dalzell at redheat. 

"Maybe you won't even get on the Navy line; perhaps I won't, either, Danny boy. But you know we saw by the "Army and Navy Journal" thatPrescott and Holmes are playing on the West Point eleven this year. "

"Holmes isn't necessarily such a much, is he?" flared Dan. 

"Greg Holmes is a pretty handy man on the football field, " retortedDarrin warmly. "None ought to know that better than we, after we've seenHolmes pull out so many victories for the old High School team. Ofcourse, Prescott is the better player, but Holmes can back him up toamazing advantage. "

"Didn't we play about as good a game as that pair?" Dalzell demanded. 

"I don't know, " Dave answered thoughtfully. "Perhaps not quite as good agame. You see, in the old High School days, Dick Prescott used to leadand I often backed up his plays. So one could hardly compare us. "

"If you're in such a blue funk over the Navy's chances, you'd better keepoff the line-up, " muttered Midshipman Dalzell. 

"Oh, I'm in no funk, " returned Darrin, smiling. "However, I'm not goingto be betrayed into any bragging until we've wiped the field up with theArmy--if we can. "

Rap-tap! came on the door. 

"I'll wager that's Farley, " whispered Darrin. 

"Or Page"--from Dan. 

"Come in, " called Dave. 

The door opened, to let in Farley, with Page crowding on his heels. 

Dave and Dan both hastened forward to clasp hands with these tried chumsof other days. 

"Seen Hepson?" asked Dan. 

"Yes, " nodded Farley. "He told us he had gobbled you. Hepson just leftus. "

"You're going to be on the eleven!" pressed Dan. 

"If we can make it, " nodded Farley slowly. "I'd like to play, too, butI'm hoping that the Navy can hit on some one better than myself. "

"Cold feet!" grinned Dan. 

"Not exactly, " Farley answered, with a slight flush. "But it's a bigthing to play on the Navy's fighting eleven. It seems almost too big aresponsibility for any but a demi-god. "

"Demi-gods don't play football, " jeered Dan. "They're nothing but idols, anyway, and they're two thousand years out of date. What we want on theNavy line is real human flesh and blood. "

"There'll be blood on the doorstep of the moon if the Army carries thingsaway from us this year, " predicted Page mournfully. 

"Well, all we can do is our best, " declared Dave. "We'll do that, too, and do it mightily. Wow! What's that?"

Ta-ra-ra-ta-ra-ta! sounded musically in the corridors. 

"Supper formation, by Jove!" gasped Dan. 

Farley and Page fled without a word. Soon the "decks" of Bancroft Hallswarmed with young life. Then, outside, to seaward, the brigade fell inby companies. 

Military commands rang out briskly, roll was called, reports made and thebrigade marched in to supper. 

What a joyous, noisy affair it was. Some license in the way ofboisterousness was allowed this evening, and most of the young men tookfull advantage of the fact. 

Swat! A slice of bread, soaked in a glass of water and kneaded into asoppy ball, struck Dalzell full in the back of the neck, plastering hiscollar and sending a sticky mess down his spine. 

"I'll fight the man who did that, " promised Midshipman Dan, wheelingaround. Then added cautiously:

"If he's a graduate. "

There being, naturally, no graduates present except the officer at thefurthest corner of the mess hall, Dan's challenge provoked laughter. 

Many other pranks were played, but there is not room to record them here. The meal over and the brigade dismissed, some of the midshipmen--therewere nearly eight hundred of them--went to their own quarters, or visitedthe rooms of cronies. Hundreds took the air in the grounds. 

Almost the sole topic was football. Hepson speedily had most of themembers of the big squad gathered about him. Others, who could not hopeto "make" in football, gathered near-by, as though afraid of losing someof the talk. 

"Remember, gentlemen, until the Army game is over, it's to be nothingthis year but work, work, work!" warned Midshipman Hepson, with intenseearnestness. 

With nothing but football in the air, Dan soon caught the infection evenmore deeply than his chum. 

"Hang it, I'm a dub, " groaned Dan. "Lots of the fellows gave up theirleave in order to be here and practise. Why in the mischief didn't I?"

"For the same reason that perhaps I didn't sacrifice leave, " repliedDave. "I wasn't asked to. And you weren't, either, were you?"

"No; but I wish I had flung myself at Hepson's head, and made him takeme, instead of going off to Gridley like a deserter! It's October now, and what earthly chance, Dave, have you and I to get in shape?"

"We'll do our best, Danny boy, or stay off the line. There's nothing tobe gained by losing our heads. Regrets will be equally worthless. "

"Hepson, " called one midshipman, "has anyone invented the Navy yells forthis year?"

"Yells?" repeated the football captain scornfully. "It's more to thepurpose to fit ourselves to do something worth yelling about!"

"Has Hepson got the blues?" asked another midshipman. 

"Or only the rattles?"

Football was still in the air, dominating the minds of the midshipmenwhen a turn of the master switch shut off the lights at taps. 

CHAPTER VI

THE HATE OF A RIVAL

The day following was one of intense, almost complicated routine. 

There were books and supplies to be drawn for the new academic year. There were uniforms and other articles of apparel to be drawn. Thesections were detailed and section marchers to be appointed. There weredetails of military organization to be announced. Some of the young menhad to go up for physical examination, even if only of the eyes. 

At the afternoon recreation hour Hepson led the big football squad out tothe field. Hundreds of midshsipmen went there to see how the Navy wouldshow up in the vitally important tests. At the outset Hepson waseverywhere, like a buzzing, excitable wasp. Nor did he prove to be minusa sting at times. 

"I think, sir, " suggested Hepson, going over to Lieutenant-CommanderHavens, the head coach, "that it would be well for us to know somethingabout the running speed of every candidate. "

"Very good, Mr. Hepson; try out any man that you're curious about, "replied the officer. 

"Darrin, Dalzell, Page, Farley, White, Bryant, " called the captain ofthe Navy team. "Each of you pick up a ball. Line up at this goal-line, Joyce, will you take a stop-watch and go over to the other goal-line?Adams, go along and assist Joyce. I want a record of the time it takeseach man to cover the distance, running as fast as he can with the ball. "

The men designated took their places. 

"I'll run you first, Darrin, " announced the captain. "Go like a streak, if you can. If you fall down it counts zero. Start when I say 'go. ' Areyou ready?"

"Quite ready. "

"Go!"

At the word Dave sped away like a shot, Hepson giving a hand signal as heuttered the starting word, that the time-keeper at the other end mightknow when to release the watch. Dave's time was noted. Then Dan took atry, covering the distance in only two fifths of a second more time thanDarrin had required. Farley was a second and three fifths behind Darrin'stime; Page, a full two seconds behind. White and Bryant then ran, butonly succeeded in about tying Page's work. 

Then six more men were called to the line and tried out. After that athird squad. By this time Midshipman Hepson had his mind about made upas to the relative speeds of some of the most likely men for the finalNavy team. 

"Get out for some kicks, now!" called Hepson. 

"When are you going to play football?" growled one man. 

Midshipman Hepson turned on him like a flash. 

"Jetson, there's a substitute captain in the squad, but you're not theman. Neither are you one of the coaches. "

"Oh, you make me--" began Jetson, but Midshipman Hepson cut himshort with:

"If you can't keep silence when you've nothing to say, your absence fromthe field will be considered a favor to the whole squad. "

Jetson scowled, but said nothing more. Neither did he offer to retirefrom the field. 

"Jetson has always been a kicker and a trouble mosquito, " whispered DanDalzell to his chum. 

"Oh, in a lot of ways Jetson is a nice fellow, " Darrin replied quietly. "The greatest trouble that ails him is that he has just a trifle toolarge opinion of the importance of his own opinions. There are a lot ofus troubled in that way. "

The kicking practice was put through with dash and vim. Then MidshipmanHepson, after a brief conference with the head coach, called off theline-up for the provisional Navy team, following this with a roster ofthe second team, or "Rustlers, " so called because they force the men ofthe Navy team to rustle to keep their places. 

Dave Darrin was called off for left tackle, Dan for left end. Farley andPage held the corresponding positions on the right end of the line-up. 

"Begin the game, the Rustlers to have the ball, " calledLieutenant-Commander Havens. 

"And mix it up lively, Navy, " called Hepson, who, both on account of hissize and other qualifications, played center. 

At the whistle-blast the Rustlers kicked it off--a beautiful, long, arching curve. The ball came to quarter-back, who passed itto Dave Darrin. 

Then the fun began. 

The Navy line hit the Rustlers hard and tried to bump through. DanDalzell devoted every ounce of his strength and every turn of his energyto boosting Darrin through--and Dave himself was not idle. There was aninstant of sullen, hard resistance. Then, somehow, Dave was shot throughthe opposing line. Like a deer he sped, Dan hanging to his flanks. It wasup to the Rustlers' halfback now, and that bulky young midshipman leapedto the fray, cleverly barring the way. 

At least, the Rustlers' halfback thought he had Darrin blocked. It isnever wise to take too much for granted. 

As the halfback planted himself for the grapple, Dave suddenly droppedthrough that opponent's grip and went to the ground. 

As though he had been shot through, Dave Darrin went under and past, onone side, between the halfback's legs. He was up again, with Dan at hisback. Fullback came at them, but Dan bumped that player aside. Davedashed on across the line, scoring a touchdown. 

Never had the gridiron been the scene of greater excitement than in thatrousing moment. 

"Darrin! Darrin! Darrin!" came hoarsely; from hundreds of throats. 

"Dalzell! Dalzell!" came the next gusty roar. 

Hepson wiped a moist brow with one hand. 

"There are two real players, if they can keep that up, " muttered thecaptain of the eleven. 

Jetson had been the tackle opposed to Dave. Just now Jetson was nursing abump to his vanity. 

"How on earth did I ever happen to let Darrin through?" Jetson demandedof himself. "I won't do it again, anyway. If I can only make Darrin looksmall, I may get his place on the Navy eleven. Darrin is a good fellow, but I've got to make the team, confound him!"

The kick for goal failed. Then the Navy took the ball and promptlyenough the Rustlers came back with it, Jetson carrying. 

Dave and Dan met the ball-carrier. The Rustlers' support failed, andJetson went down with the ball. Nor could the second team advance theball, so it presently came to the Navy men again. 

"I want you to put it through again like a cannon-ball, Darrin, "Midshipman Hepson whispered as they passed. 

So the quarter-backs called for a repetition of the play, givingdifferent signals. 

Dave received the ball with a rush of his old-time fervor and confidence. Dan started behind him as full of fire as ever. 

In a fraction of a second the impact of the two opposing lines came. Jetson went down, one of his legs flying between Darrin's in such a wayas to constitute a foul. 

Dave Darrin went down on top of the ball. Half a dozen players sprawledover him. The referee's whistle blew. 

"Jetson, that was a mean, deliberate trip, " remarked Darrin, as he sprangto his feet. He spoke coolly, with a warning flash in his eyes. 

"Not on my part, " retorted Jetson. 

"You thrust your leg between mine as you went down. "

Coach signed to referee not to renew the game for the moment. ThenLieutenant-Commander Havens and the two team captains crowded close. 

"I didn't do it deliberately, as you charged, " retorted Jetson, hotwith anger. 

"You deny it?" insisted Dave. 

"I do. "

"On your word as a gentleman you did not intend, a foul trip?" demandedMidshipman Darrin. 

"I have already answered you. "

"Answer me on your word as a gentleman. "

"I don't have to. "

"Very good, then, " retorted Dave, turning away with a meaning smile. 

"Hold on. I pledge you my word as a gentleman that I did not intendto make a foul trip, " said Jetson, swiftly realizing the error ofhis refusal. 

In the meantime Lieutenant-Commander Havens had turned to Motley, of thefirst class, who was serving as referee. 

"Mr. Motley, " demanded coach, "did you see just what happened?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Do you call it a foul trip?"

"I do, sir. If I were referee in a regular game, I would penalize theteam and order the player from the field. "

"Mr. Jetson--" began the coach, but, swift as a flash Dave Darrininterposed, though respectfully, saluting at the same time. 

"Will you pardon me, sir. Mr. Jetson has given me his word that he didnot intend a foul trip. I accept his word without reservation. "

"Very good, then, " nodded coach. "But Mr. Jetson, you will do well to becareful in the future, and avoid even the appearance of evil. "

"Yes, sir; very good, sir, " answered Jetson, looking decidedly sheepish. 

In giving his word Jetson had told the truth, or had intended to. Theexact truth was that he really did not realize what he had done until itwas too late to avoid the foul. He had meant to stop Darrin, somehow. 

"Pull that scrimmage off again, " directed Coach Havens dryly. 

The ball was placed, the whistle sounded, and again Dave received theball and tried to break through. With the Rustlers prepared for the move, it was blocked and the ball was "down. "

Jetson felt his face burning. He knew, well enough, that many of theplayers regarded him with suspicion. 

"I suppose that suspicion will stick, and my chances of making the Navyeleven are now scantier than ever, " muttered the unfortunate midshipmanto himself. 

The whistle blew before any further advantage had been gained. Coachand Midshipman Hepson had gained considerable insight into the workof the team. 

"Mr. Hepson, " said coach aside, in the interval that followed, "you havedone well, I think, to place two such men as Darrin and Dalzell on theprovisional team. "

"I am glad you think so, sir, " replied the Navy football captain, "forthat is the way it strikes me. "

"If you keep them at the left flank you'll have something like dynamitethere, " smiled coach. "Mr. Darrin goes through like a cannon-ball, andDalzell is always just where Darrin needs him. "

"These men have played together before, and they're used to team work, sir, " said Midshipman Hepson. 

"So? Where did they play before coming to Annapolis?"

"On what was, in their day, one of the best High School eleven'sgoing, sir. "

"Oho! Do you know, Mr. Hepson, they play more like college men thananything else. It must have been a bully High School team thatgraduated them. "

"From the little that I've heard, sir, that High School team was agreat one. "

Coach and captain walked back to the scene. 

"You will now play another ten-minute period, " directed Mr. Havens. "Jetson will withdraw from the second eleven during the next period andDoyle will take his place. "

"So that's what coach and team captain were hatching up?" thoughtMidshipman Jetson. "That gives me a black eye, and my chances of makingthe Navy eleven are now worse than ever. Probably I won't even make sub. "

As Navy and Rustlers again collided in the fray, Jetson watched Dave'swork narrowly, furiously. 

"Darrin always was a smooth one, " Jetson declared angrily to himself. "And now, just because he raised a 'holler', my football prospects areset back for this year. Probably I can't make the eleven next year, either. And it's all Darrin's fault!"

In forming the second half the coach called:

"Mr. Jetson will resume his place as right tackle on the second eleven. "

"Jetson's not here, sir, " called a midshipman. 

"Where is he?" asked Coach Havens. 

"I think he went off the field, sir, to un-tog. "

"He should not have left the field without permission, " remarked thecoach coldly. 

Jetson heard of the remark that evening, and his anger against DaveDarrin increased. 

CHAPTER VII

"DID JETSON DO IT?"

No sooner had release from studies sounded through big and handsomeBancroft Hall, than there came a tap at Dave Darrin's door. 

"Come in, " called Dave. 

Hepson came in first, followed by a score of other midshipmen. 

"Say, I didn't hear assembly blow lately, " remarked Dan Dalzell, closinga new text-book and looking up with a smile of welcome. 

"Are we intruding--so many of us, " inquired Hepson, halting. 

"Not on me, anyway, " answered Dave pleasantly. "As for Danny boy, don'tmind the little chap. He really believes that study release soundsbefore supper-call. Come right in, all of you fellows. Dan barks, butwon't bite. "

"And take seats, all of you, do, " urged Dan, with unnecessaryhospitality. "After the table and the chairs are used up, we'll providetacks for the rest. "

"Does this little boy ever have a serious streak?" asked one of thecallers, regarding Dan with feigned interest. 

"Yes; whenever he finds himself marked down to 2. 1 in more than threestudies, " laughed Dave. 

"Oh, that's no laughing matter, " grimaced another of the visitingmidshipmen. 

"I don't suppose you can guess what we came to talk about?" went onMidshipman Hepson. 

"At a wild guess it might be football, " hazarded Darrin. 

"Wonderful! Marvelous!" gasped another visitor. 

"Darry, we've come in to tell you that we believe that you and yourerratic roommate are going to save a desperate situation for us, " resumedthe captain of the Navy team. "Not that we were destitute of good playersbefore. But we lacked enough of different kinds to make a strong, all-around eleven. Now we've a team that we're not afraid, after morework, to put up against anything that the Army can show us. "

"Now, I wouldn't be too sure, " urged Dave. "Confidence is all right, butdon't let it rob us of a jot of practice and work. "

"Are you afraid of the Army, Darry?" demanded Hepson. 

"I'm not going to be too cock-sure, if the story is true that Prescottand Holmes are out with the Army team this year. "

"Are they such great players!" demanded Hepson. 

"They are, " Dave responded solemnly, "or were. I know somethingabout that pair, since I've played on the same eleven with Prescottand Holmes. "

"Are they better than you two, Darry?" Hepson demanded. 

"Yes, " answered Dave unhesitatingly. 

"Is that honesty or extreme modesty?"

"Extreme mod--" broke in Dan Dalzell, but he closed his mouth with asnap and ducked as he saw three of the visitors making for him. 

"It's hard to believe, " muttered Hepson, though he spoke uneasily. "Whydo you rank Prescott and Holmes so high, Darry?"

"Well, for one reason, Dick Prescott taught Dalzell and myself the game. Anything that we know about the game we learned in the team that Prescottcaptained. "

"Still, it's hard to believe, " spoke up Midshipman Joyce. "Darrin, welook upon you as the best thing that ever happened to the Navy end of thegridiron. "

"I don't know that I care about being 'kidded, '" responded Daveseriously. 

"But we honestly do, " contended the same speaker, "and we don't like tohave you tell us that Prescott is a better man. "

"But I believe he is. "

"Are you afraid of him?"

"I'm not afraid of any one on the gridiron, " Darrin retorted bluntly. "I'll work hard to beat any man that I have to go up against, and ifwork, this season, will do it, I'll beat Dick Prescott out!"

"Good! That's the way we like to hear you talk, " glowed Hepson. 

"And I'll bottle up Holmes and put the stopper in, " promised Dan withsolemn modesty. 

Again two of the men made a rush for him to quiet him. 

"It may be only a rumor that Prescott and Holmes are on the Army eleven, "spoke up another midshipman. 

"No, " objected still another, "I had a letter, this afternoon, from acousin who has been up to West Point and has seen the Army crowd at work. The Army is rejoicing over Prescott and Holmes as a pair of preciousfinds, and they're both nailed to the colors for this season. "

"Then we're going to have a tough time in our game with the Army, " Darrindeclared thoughtfully. "And the Army will beat more college teams thisyear than usual. "

"We won't die until the Army shoots, anyway, " promised Hepson. "And now, Darry, there's another question we want to put to you, and we want anout-and-out answer. Do you believe that Jetson really meant to trip youthis afternoon?"

"You heard his denial, " Dave rejoined. 

"Yes. "

"Well, Jetson is a midshipman and a gentleman. There has never been anyquestion here about his honor, " Darrin replied. "I accepted his denial ofintention at the time, and I still accept it. "

"It's queer, then, how Jetson came to give you such a nasty trip, "observed another caller. 

"I'll tell you what I think really must have happened, " Dave continuedfrankly. "I think Jet was crazy to stop me. It was on his mind, and hewas determined to do it. He tripped me, of course, but I think hereally acted on an unconscious impulse and without intention. So, atthat rate, the trip was not really intended, since he had notdeliberately planned it. "

"Would you be willing to play on the same team with him, Darry?" pursuedMidshipman Hepson. 

"Yes, or with any other man in the brigade. I don't suspect any man hereat the Naval Academy of anything intentionally and deliberatelydishonorable. "

"Good, Darry!" cried several midshipmen. 

For a few minutes the talk grew fast and furious. Then some one lookedat his watch and there was a prompt flight of visitors. Ten minutes latertaps sounded and a master switch turned off the lights in midshipmen'squarters, with nearly eight hundred young men in their beds and alreadydropping asleep. 

At eight the next morning the many sections marched off to recitationsand for hours the grind of the day was on. At the Naval Academy, as atWest Point, not even football is allowed to interfere in the least withstudies or recitations. No football player is permitted to go intosection room, after extra practice in the field, and announce himselfunprepared to recite. Only midshipmen of a good grade of scholarship arepermitted to join or remain in the football squad. 

Late in the afternoon, when recreation time came, all was speedilychanged. Every member of the squad hastily reported in togs. Scores ofmidshipmen not of the squad hastened over to see the practice work. Thescores were presently increased to hundreds. Fifty or more Naval officersdetailed at the yard were scattered along the side lines. Many of thewives and daughters of officers stationed at Annapolis turned out to viewthe work. Other young ladies came from Annapolis. There was also a bigdelegation of "St. Johnnies, " as the gray-clad young men from St. John'sCollege are called. 

The news had evidently traveled far that the Navy had two new men on theteam who were expected to prove "wonders. "

"A big part of this crowd is out to see you and Danny boy, " Hepsonremarked to Darrin. 

"Haven't they anything better to do with their time, then?" laughed Dave. 

"Great Scott, man! Every one of the spectators wants to see the Navy beatthe Army this year. "

"But these spectators are a heap cheered up by what they've heard aboutyou and Dalzell. "

Dave, however, went about his work all but unconsciously. Never muchof an egotist, he declined to believe himself the star man of theNavy eleven. 

When Coach Havens called off the two teams that were to play that day, Jetson observed that he was not called for either. 

"It looks as though Darrin has queered me, " muttered that midshipmangloomily to himself. "I didn't think Darrin was quite as bad as that. "

After the practice game had started, and Dave had put through the mostbrilliant play that he had yet exhibited, the air rang with his name fromhundreds of throats. 

"That's the way!" grumbled Jetson. "It's all Darrin now! These idiotswill forget that I was ever at Annapolis. "

Jetson sulked about. After the rebuke he had received the day before fromthe head coach, he did not dare to carry his sulk so far as to go andun-tog without leave. 

Towards the end of the first half of the practice game, a man on thesecond team was hurt enough to be retired, and Joyce was called. 

"They might have given me a chance, " quivered Jetson sulkily. "I'm a lotbetter player than the fool coach imagines. But, anyway, I suppose Darrinhas turned the coach and Hepson against me. I owe Darrin for that one!"

Five minutes later another player of the second eleven was retired withan injured wrist. 

"Howard!" called the coach briskly. 

"Excused for to-day, sir, " reported another player. 

"Any one but me!" growled Jetson. 

"Jetson!" sounded the head coach's heavy voice. 

Midshipman Jetson started. His face flushed. Then, for an instant, asulky impulse seized him to reply that he did not feel up to form to-day. But the midshipman smothered that desire and started forward. 

"Here, sir, " he reported. 

"Take right guard on second, " directed Coach Havens. 

"Very good, sir. "

The game was resumed. Jetson, however, had a face full of sulkiness. Ashe joined the line-up his eyes rested on Dave Darrin. 

"I wonder if Jetson means me any harm?" flashed through Dave's mind. Inan instant, however, he dismissed the suspicion. 

"Jetson is a midshipman, a gentleman and a man of honor, " thought Darringenerously. 

The whistle sounded, the ball was snapped back and passed, Darrinreceived it and dashed forward to carry it past the opponents. 

In a twinkling there was a staggering crash. Dave was down with the ball, with men of two teams piled above him. 

At the sound of the referee's whistle the mass disentangled itself. Daveand Jetson were at the bottom of the heap. Jetson was the last man up, but Dave still lay there. 

"Surgeon here?" called the coach's steady voice, devoid of excitement. But there was anxiety enough when it was seen that Midshipman Darrinstill lay face downward. 

"Has Darrin been hurt--our Darrin--the great Darrin?" flew from tongueto tongue. 

"Did Jetson do it?" was another question that was instantly asked. 

CHAPTER VIII

DAN TRIES HARD TO KEEP COOL

A surgeon and a hospital man were quickly on the spot, the others, anxious as they were, drawing back considerately to give the men ofmedicine room in which to work. 

As Dave Darrin was gently turned over on his back it was seen that Damn'sface was a mass of blood. 

"Jetson's work, " grunted two or three of the players. 

"He did it on purpose!"

"If he didn't, then the fellow is too clumsy to be trusted on thegridiron, anyway. "

"We must chase Jetson away from the squad. "

"Silence!" remarked Head Coach Havens, very simply, though in a tonewhich meant that obedience must follow. 

Jetson, however, was not ignorant of the comments that were passing. Hisdark face flushed hotly with anger. 

"They'll blame anything on me, if I'm within a mile of the field, " hetold himself sullenly. 

"Is Mr. Darrin badly injured, doctor!" inquired Lieutenant-CommanderHavens of the Naval surgeon. 

"I think not, sir, beyond a possibly nasty mark on the face, " replied thesurgeon, as he examined and directed the hospital men. "Mr. Darrin ismerely stunned, from too hard an impact of some sort. He'll soon have hiseyes open--there they come now. "

As if to back up the surgeon, Dave opened his eyes, staring curiously atthe faces within his range of vision. 

"What's all this fuss about?" Dave asked quietly. 

"There isn't any fuss, Mr. Darrin, " replied the surgeon. "You werestunned by the force of that scrimmage, and there's some blood onyour face. "

"Let me wipe it off then, please, sir?" Dave begged. "I want to get backin the game. "

"You won't play again, Mr. Darrin, " replied the surgeon. 

"Not play this season?" demanded Dave in anguished amazement. "Pleasedon't joke with me, sir. "

"Oh, you'll play, after a few days, " replied the surgeon, wetting a pieceof gauze from the contents of a bottle that he had taken from his bag. With the gauze he wiped the blood away from Darrin's cheek, revealing asurface cut of more width than depth. Then a light bandage was put onover the cut. 

"Now, I guess you can rise all right, Mr. Darrin. This hospital man willgo over to hospital with you. "

"I'm not ordered to stay there, I hope, sir?" murmured Dave anxiously. 

"For two or three days, at any rate--yes, " replied the Naval surgeon. "Not because you're going to be weak, but because we've got to have youunder our eyes all the time if your face is to heal without a bad scar. "

Midshipman Darrin brought his hand up in salute to the surgeon, and againto Lieutenant-Commander Havens. 

"Darrin laid up for a few days!" growled Captain Hepson, of the Navyteam, just after Dave had started. "Now, when every day's work counts!"Then wheeling suddenly:

"How did Darrin come to get cut in that fashion, anyway! Mr. Jetson, doyou know anything about it?"

"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Jetson, bridling. "Do you insinuatethat I tried to put a scar on Mr. Darrin's face?"

"I asked you what you knew about the accident--if it were an accident?"Hepson pursued coldly. 

"Your 'if, ' sir, is insulting!"

Then there came to the spot a presence that could not be treated withanger. Lieutenant-Commander Havens was determined to know the truth. 

"Mr. Jetson, had you anything in your possession, or did you wearanything, that could cut Mr. Damn's face like that?" demanded thehead coach. 

"Nothing, sir, unless the sole of one of my shoes was responsible, "returned Jetson, barely concealing his anger under a mask of respect toan officer of the Navy. 

"Let me see your shoes; sit down on the ground first, Mr. Jetson. "

The midshipman obeyed, though with no very good grace, and held up hisright shoe for the inspection of the head coach. 

"Now the other shoe, Mr. Jetson. Hm! Yes; along the inner sole ofthis shoe there are signs of what looks very much like blood. Seehere, Mr. Hepson. "

"Yes, sir; most certainly this is a streak of blood rubbed into theleather along this rather sharp edge of the sole. "

"May I suggest, Mr. Havens, " hinted Jetson, "that something else mayhave scratched Mr. Darrin's face, and that the blood trickled to myshoe? I was under Mr. Darrin, somewhat, sir, in the scrimmage when thebunch went down. "

There was really nothing that could be proved, in any case, so the headcoach could only say very quietly:

"Let the practice go on, Mr. Hepson. Put Mr. Wardell temporarily in Mr. Darrin's place on the line. "

There was one in the group who had not said a word so far. But he hadbeen looking on, his keen eyes studying Jetson's face. That looker-on wasMidshipman Dan Dalzell, who, as the reader knows, sometimes displayed agood deal of temper. 

"Jetson, " muttered Dan, as the other midshipman came over by him, "Ishall need a little talk with you at the early convenience of us both. "

"Whenever you like, " retorted Midshipman Jetson, flashing back a lookof defiance. 

Then the game went on. By supper time the men of the brigade knew thatDarrin was getting along comfortably; that he was in no pain and that hewas in hospital only in the hope that he might be saved the annoyance ofwearing a disfiguring scar on his face throughout all his life. 

"I'm afraid that some of the fellows think I purposely cut Darrin up inthat fashion, " remarked Jetson to his tablemates during the evening meal. 

"Don't you know that you didn't?" inquired one of the midshipmenlaconically. None of the other men at table took heed of Jetson's words. 

At some of the other tables equal silence did not prevail. Midshipmen whodid not accuse or suspect Jetson of intentional wickedness expressed theopinion that he was, at all events, careless and not a valuable member ofthe football squad. 

Jetson himself was wholly aware that he was more or less suspected in theminds of many, and the knowledge made him savage. 

During the few minutes recreation that followed the evening meal, DanDalzell approached the sullen one, who was now standing quite alone. 

"Mr. Jetson, I shall be glad to have a talk with you, " announced Dan. "Will you come to my room, or shall I go to yours?"

"Lead the way to your room, sir, " replied Jetson stiffly. 

Dan did so, and behind the door the two midshipmen faced each other. 

"Well, sir!" demanded the visitor. 

"Mr. Jetson, both times that you have played against Darrin something hashappened to him. "

"Don't insinuate, Mr. Dalzell. If you anything to say, speak outplainly, sir. "

"I hardly know what to say, " Midshipman Dan confessed. "As a midshipman, your honor should be above question. "

"Do you wish to remark that it isn't?"

"Why, I don't know, " Dan answered frankly. "It seems a fearful thing tosay, or even to think, about a midshipman. "

"Mr. Dalzell, either I did, or I didn't, intentionally injure Mr. Darrin. Yon must think one thing or the other. If you suspect that I did thething intentionally, then why beat about the bush?"

"I don't want to beat about the bush, and, on the other hand, I don'twant to do you any injustice, Mr. Jetson, I thought perhaps you would bewilling to help me out by proffering your midshipman's word of honor--"

"And I, " rejoined Jetson in cold anger, "consider it insulting, sir, thatI should be asked to pledge my word of honor. "

"That is an extreme position to take, " protested Dan. "No good man, when appearances are against him, should be afraid to offer his wordof honor. "

"Suppose, " sneered Jetson, in suppressed fury, "I should go to the otherextreme, and say that I did it on purpose?"

"Then I'd knock you down, like a dog, " Dan answered directly and simply, "and next call on the men here to drive you forth from the brigade. "

"If you think you could knock me down, " quivered Midshipman Jetson, "you'd better go ahead and find out whether your guess is correct. Dalzell, you've been highly insulting, and I don't mind declaring that afight with you would suit me, at present, better than anything that I canthink of. "

"Then you have your recourse, in a challenge, " Dan hinted promptly. 

"What's the need of a challenge, seconds--or of anything but fists? Idon't need them. "

"The brigade claims some supervision over fights between the men here, "Dan replied. "I intend to demand that the class take up, as a classmatter, the mishap to Darrin this afternoon. "

"You--you hound!" panted Jetson, in a sudden flare-up of anger. 

"Careful!" warned Dalzell, clenching his fists and facing his mansquarely. 

With a snort of rage Jetson launched himself forward, aiming twoblows at Dan. 

Dan parried the blows coolly, but his eyes flashed. 

He had not lost control of himself, but he was warming up to the instinctof fighting when no other course seemed open. 

CHAPTER IX

A NARROW SQUEAK WITH THE O. C. 

Jetson's next blow grazed Midshipman Dalzell's chin. The follow-up blowlanded on Dan's left ear. 

Now Dalzell "sailed in" in earnest. He attacked forcefully and swiftly. Jetson was forced to give ground. Dan pursued him around the room. Beingno coward, Jetson stood well up to the work, driving in for himself atleast two out of every five blows that were landed. 

Rap-tap-tap! sounded on the door, but neither combatant heard. 

Smash! Dan's forceful right landed on Jetson's neck, sending thatmidshipman to the floor, whereupon Dalzell sprang back three paces. 

"Take your time getting on to your feet, " called Dan in a low voice. 

"I don't want any time, " snapped Jetson, leaping to his feet. 

The words of both speakers were heard at the door, and the visitor whohad knocked now promptly entered. 

Fortunate it was for the combatants facing each other that the intruderwas not one of the discipline officers. Had it been, both midshipmenwould have been reported at once under charges that would have borneserious results. 

Instead, it was Farley who entered, followed by Page, Hepson and Joyce. 

"Wow!" uttered Midshipman Farley in a low voice. Then: "Stop this, fellows!"

At the order, which Dan knew to be intended for his own good, the latterturned away, letting his hands fall. Jetson, on the point of a rush, realized that he had better desist. 

"Joyce, you stand outside, " ordered Farley in a low voice. "Stand rightat the door. If you see the O. C. (officer in charge) turning into thiscorridor, you rap as hard as you can on the door, and we'll understand. "

Midshipman Joyce wanted most badly to be a spectator to what was likelyto happen on the inner side of the door, but he had the good sense torealize that some one must do guard duty, so he stepped outside, closingthe door after him. 

"Now, gentlemen, what's this all about?" demanded Hepson in a low, smooth voice. 

"It means, " cried Jetson passionately, "that I'm not going to stand anymore of this petty persecution. Everyone has been trying to pretend thathe believes I've been trying to do Darrin up so that he can't play on theNavy football team. It's all just a mean scheme to keep me from makingthe Navy eleven. "

"There's no such scheme afloat, or I'd know about it, " returned Hepsoncoolly. "Fact is, there isn't any intention whatever of playing you onthe Navy team. "

"Ah, you admit it!" snapped Midshipman Jetson, first turning white, afterwhich his face showed a deep crimson of humiliation. "You've already donethe dirty work. "

"Fellow, stop this talk!" commanded Hepson, almost at a white heat ofresentment, "Among midshipmen and gentlemen there can be no thought ofwhat you term 'dirty work. ' The fact that you won't play with us is dueto your uncontrollable temper. A fellow who can't control his nerves andtemper isn't fitted to play football--a game that requires cool judgmentat every moment of the game. "

"Then, while you're telling me what to stop, you just stop addressing meas 'fellow, '" cried Jetson, his lip quivering with rage. 

"I'll admit that was hasty on my part, " agreed Midshipman Hepson, "but itseemed necessary to use some word to bring you to your senses. And now, this fight, which would get you both into serious trouble if a disciplineofficer came upon the scene, must cease. "

"I'm afraid it can't, " broke in Midshipman Dalzell with quiet dignity. "At least, I won't agree to stopping until Mr. Jetson admits himselfsatisfied. It was he who started the fight, and only his word can closeit. But we don't want you other fellows pulled into this trouble asspectators, so we'll wait until you all withdraw. "

"If you're determined to fight, " rejoined Hepson, who was the only firstclassman present, "then we don't want to stop the fight. We'll stay andsee it pulled off fairly. But, Dalzell, do you really want to fight?"

"I didn't want to, " Dan answered. "But, now that Mr. Jetson has startedit, it must go on until he's satisfied. Up with your hands, sir, and whenyou start in, I'll answer you. "

The visitors skipped back, in order to leave the combatants plenty ofroom for footwork. Since Jetson had heard definite announcement of thefact that he could not hope to be called to the Navy eleven, his inwardflame of passion had burned up high. He was now ready to fight with allthe force that there was in him. 

In the first few seconds his assault was so resolute that Dalzell wasforced to give ground. As he slowly retreated and shifted, Jetson drovein more impetuously than ever. 

Midshipman Dan found himself at last in a position of advantage. 

"Now, hammer him, Danny boy!" advised; Farley, breathing deeply. 

"Silence among the spectators, " warned Hepson in a low, stern voice. "Absolutely fair play, gentlemen, to both contestants!"

Again the showering exchange of blows. Jetson, after his late rapidexpenditure of force and nerve-energy, was now just the least bitconfused. Dan landed on one ear, and then against his enemy's chin. Bothwere hard, dazing blows, though neither left a mark. 

Then an uppercut and Dalzell landed on Jetson's jugular. With, a gasp thefellow went down to the floor. 

"One, two, three, four--" Hepson began counting. 

"Don't bother with the count, " begged Dalzell "I'll give him all the timehe wants to get to his feet. "

Rap-tap-tap-tap! came a banging summons on the door, followed byMidshipman Joyce's voice demanding:

"Are you in, Danny boy?"

Swift as a flash Hepson and Farley leaped forward, fairly snatchingJetson, who was still half dazed, to his feet. 

In the same instant Page called out cheerily:

"Come in under full steam, whatever craft is outside!"

"Brace up? Jetson! Don't look silly or dazed, ", warned Hepson, in a sternwhisper. "That rap was the signal of the approach of the O. C. "

Farley was industriously brushing the signs of dust from Jetson'suniform. 

"I tell you, fellows, " boomed Hepson's tranquil, earnest voice, "we'vegot to hustle every minute of practice time. Nothing else will give us achance to win. "

"We haven't even a chance if Darry isn't soon back on the gridiron, "argued Farley. 

"Oh, he'll be all right soon, " broke in Dan Dalzell eagerly. 

Joyce had already stepped into the room, leaving the door open. Now, asthough by instinct, the midshipmen seemed aware that the O. C. , who to-dayhappened to be Lieutenant Cotton, U. S. N. , was standing in front of thedoorway gazing in. 

Instantly the middies came to the position of attention, looking straightahead of them. 

"Good evening, gentlemen, " greeted the O. C. "Is anything unusualgoing on?"

"We have been discussing the football situation, sir, " announcedMidshipman Hepson quite truthfully. 

Had Hepson been asked if there had recently been a fight in progress hewould have answered truthfully, but he did not feel called upon tovolunteer damaging information. 

"I thought I heard sounds as of some disturbance, " remarked the O. C. , looking at the young men rather sharply. "That is to say, I was under theimpression that there had been some unusual agility in operation. I heardsomething that sounded like scuffling. "

"Yes, sir, " replied Mr. Hepson; "I think it very likely. The men on thisdeck, sir, can't think of anything in these days but line-ups andscrimmage tactics. "

"It occurred to me, " went on the O. C. , "that there was some sound ofscuffling in this room. "

"There was, sir, " admitted Midshipman Hepson candidly. "There was aspecies of scrimmage. "

"Was it in connection with football?" inquired Lieutenant Cotton. 

"Yes, sir, "--which answer, again, was wholly truthful. 

"Ah, I thought I heard something like a scrimmage in the room, " assentedLieutenant Cotton. "Yet remember, gentlemen, that quarters is not theplace for football practice. "

"Very good, sir; thank you, sir, " replied the unmovable Hepson. 

"And remember that it is now very close to the time for study call, "continued the O. C. 

"Yes, sir; thank you, sir. We are just parting to our variousquarters, sir. "

"Good evening, gentlemen. "

"Good evening, sir. "

Lieutenant Cotton passed on down the corridor, and the midshipmen easedthemselves from the rigid position of attention. 

"That was a narrow squeak, " grunted Hepson. "Now, Jetson, get out ahead. "

"I'll renew this argument at another time, " retorted Jetson slowly, as hecrossed the floor. 

"You don't need to, sir, " Midshipman Hepson advised him. "Every gentlemanhere will agree with me that Mr. Dalzell had the best of the affair rightup to the end. Nor is Mr. Dalzell under any obligation whatever to affordyou another meeting on the score of to-night's disagreement. "

"We'll see about that, " snapped Jetson, as he passed through the doorway. 

At that instant the study call sounded. The others hastened away totheir quarters. 

Dan Dalzell stepped over to the handbowl, washing his hands, after whichhe went to his study-table and began to arrange his books. 

"It's kind of lonely to sit here without old Darry, " sighed Dan dismally. "I hope he'll be here with me to-morrow evening. No; I don't either, though. I want him to stay over in hospital until there's no chancewhatever that he'll have to wear an ugly scar through life. "

It was three evenings later when Midshipman David Darrin returned tohis own quarters in Bancroft Hall. By this time the surface wound on hisface was healing nicely, and with ordinary care he would soon be withoutsign of scar. 

"Pills (the surgeon) told me that I'll have to be careful and not letanything bump this face for days to come, " remarked Dave, pointing to thestrip of adhesive plaster that neatly covered his injury. 

"Well, you don't need to bump anything, " replied Dan quietly. "Hepsonwants you on the gridiron the worst way, but he has told me that hewon't even allow you to get into togs until Pills has certified thatyou're fit to play. "

"It's tough, " sighed Dave, then quietly began his studies. 

It is a rare proceeding to send a midshipman to Coventry; a step that isnever taken save for the gravest reasons. Dan, having fought, did notfeel it necessary to bring Jetson's case before a class meeting, andJetson escaped Coventry. He was not cut, yet he soon discovered that theaverage classmate paid no more heed to him than appeared to be necessaryfor courtesy's sake. 

After another week "Pills" consented to Dave Darrin's going out forregular gridiron practice. Dave needed the work badly, for the Navy teamwas now on the eve of the first game of the season. 

Jetson, with no hope now of making the eleven this year, avoided thefield for a few days. 

The first game of the season took place on a Saturday afternoon. Theopponent was Hanniston College. Ordinarily, in the past, Hanniston hadbeen an easy enough opponent, though there had been years in whichHanniston had carried the score away from the field. 

"How many of the regular team do you want to throw into the game againstHanniston, Mr. Hepson?" inquired Lieutenant-Commander Havens the nightbefore the game. 

"Every one of them, sir, " Hepson answered the head coach. "Until we getinto a real game, we can't be sure that we've the strongest eleven. To-morrow's game will show us if we have made any mistakes in ourselections. "

Even though Hanniston was considered one of the lesser opponents, everyman in the brigade speculated with great interest, that night, on theprobable outcome of the morrow. 

"Darrin will have a good chance to prove himself, a dub to-morrow, "thought Midshipman Jetson darkly. "I hate to wish against the Navy, butI'll cheer if Darrin, individually, ties himself up in foozle knots!"

CHAPTER X

THE GRIDIRON START

On the day of the game the midshipmen talked eagerly, and mostly offootball, through dinner in the great messhall of the brigade. 

"Did any one see the Hanniston infants arrive?" demanded Page. 

"Infants, eh!" called Joyce from the next table. "That shows you didn'tsee the visiting eleven. "

"Why? Are they of fair size?" asked Farley. 

"It took two 'buses to bring the regular eleven, besides the subs and allthe howlers, " retorted Joyce. "And the regular eleven, I am reliablyinformed, tip the scales at four tons. "

"Oh, come, now, Joyce, shave off a ton or two, " protested Farley. 

"I won't take off more than fifty pounds, sir, " retorted Joyce with mockstubbornness. "Say! The Hanniston fellows are enormous. "

"Then they've run all to bones and haven't any brains, " grinned Dan. "After all, we don't mind mere bulk, for intelligence wins most of thegames on the gridiron. "

"As to their intelligence, I can't say, " admitted Joyce. "At any rate, from the glimpse that I got of the Hans, I should say that they averagetwo years older than our men. "

"Let's throw up the sponge, then, " proposed Dalzell demurely. "If wecan't beat the visitors what's the use of playing them? It isn't evennecessary to get into togs. We can send a note to the referee, and he canaward the game to Hanniston. "

"Fine!" broke in Hepson scornfully. 

"However, I guess we aren't going to have any cinch to-day, " joinedin Midshipman Waite, from another table. "I have word from outside, by the way. "

"What word?"

"Well, the Hanniston fellows have brought over some money with which toback up the howls they're making for their team. They're offering odds often to six that Hanniston wins. "

"They stand to lose a lot of money, " grinned Hepson. 

"But here's the funny part of it, " continued Waite. "You know, when thetownspeople in Annapolis think they have a really good thing on us, theycover the money of visitors in any wagers on the games. "

"Then here's hoping that the Annapolis townspeople win a lot to-day, "laughed Midshipman Hepson. 

"Yes, but, " returned Waite, "what I hear from town is that the Annapolistownspeople have been driven to cover; that they aren't taking up theoffers of the visiting Hanniston boys. "

"Too bad!" sighed Dave Darrin. "And Annapolis needs the money sobadly, too. "

"Are we going to win?" asked Waite bluntly. 

"Too early to tell you, " replied Hepson coolly. "Ask me at supperto-night. But the townies won't wager any money on us this year, eh?"

"The Annapolis people have put up some, but not much, " replied Waite. 

"We're going to win, just the same, " announced Dan Dalzell. 

"Sure?" questioned several voices. 

"Oh, yes! It's all settled now, " laughed Midshipman Waite. "I've beenwaiting for Danny boy to tell us. Now, we know--we've heard from thehot-air meter. "

There was a laugh in which Dan didn't join readily, though his facereddened considerably. Midshipman Dalzell was one of those who alwaysbelieved that the Navy must win, just because it was the Navy. Some ofthe other midshipmen didn't go quite as far as that in their confidence. 

"Better not call Danny boy names, " advised Dave Darrin gravely. "Hemight be sulking at just the time when we need him this afternoon. "

"That would be unmilitary, " retorted Mr. Waite. 

"Oh, no, " said Dave lightly. "Even as good a soldier as Achilles sulkedin his tent, you know. "

"Achilles? What class was he in, then?" demanded Waite. "I don't rememberthe name. "

"He was in a class of his own, at the siege of Troy, " volunteered Farley. 

"Troy, N. Y. ?" inquired Waite. 

"If you keep on, Waite, " muttered Farley, "someone will have to give youan ancient history book at Christmas. You don't seem well posted onGreek tales. "

"Don't have to be, thank goodness, " returned Waite, helping himself toanother piece of beef. "Greek isn't on the list here. "

There was abundant time for rest before the game. The players andsubs, for the Navy team, however, were early at dressing quarters. Jetson hadn't been called as one of the subs. , so he walked sulkilyand alone through the grounds while most of the midshipmen strolled, about in groups. 

Half an hour before the time for the game the spectators' seats heldfair-sized crowds. At that time the Naval Academy Band began to play, just to keep the waiting ones more patient. 

Ten minutes later the Hanniston players came on to the field at a slowtrot. Instantly the Hanniston howlers in the audience began to whoop upthe noise. The midshipmen joined in cheers, and then the band took up themusic again. 

At first sight of the visitors, some of the Navy people began to havetheir doubts about victory. The Hannistons surely were "bulky. " In sizeand age, the visitors were as formidable as any of the college elevens. 

Many of the midshipmen, too, recalled what they had heard Waite sayat table. It seemed little wonder that the popular odds were againstthe middies. 

But the band, having played its welcome to the Hannistons, who were nowchasing a ball over the field in practice, almost immediately switchedoff into the strains of "See, the Conquering Hero Comes!"

All doubts were dispelled for the moment at least, as all the Navy peoplepresent let loose a tremendous cheer in which the midshipmen spectatorsled, for now Captain Hepson was leading his own men on to the field, thehope of the Navy that day. 

"Hepson! Hepson!" went up rousingly from the brigade. 

"Darrin! Darrin!" howled others. 

"Dalzell!"

"Darrin! Darrin!"

"Hepson must enjoy hearing more noise for Darrin than for himself, "reflected Jetson moodily. 

But Hepson, big in body, heart and mind, was intent only on victory. Itdid not even occur to the captain of the Navy eleven that Darrin wasgetting more of a reception than himself. Hepson was simply and heartilyglad to find himself supported by two such promising gridiron men asDarrin and Dalzell. 

"Remember, Darry, how much we're backing on you to-day, " muttered Hepson, after another round of yells for Dave had been given. 

"I can't do everything, and perhaps not much, " smiled Dave. "But I'll domy level best to do all that you call upon me for at my own little spotin the line. "

A din of Hanniston yells was now smiting the air. Uncle Sam's midshipmenwaited with patience and courtesy, but when their turn came they volleyedforth four times as much as the visiting howlers could supply. 

"I hope Darry is in great form to-day, " murmured the midshipman seatednext to Jetson. 

"He looks to be in as good shape as ever doesn't he?" asked Jetsonsullenly. 

"Oh, I forgot, " exclaimed the other. "You don't like Darry anytoo well. "

"I've nothing against him that would make me want to see him in badform, " grumbled Jetson. "I'm a Navy man and I don't want to see any butNavy victories. "

The toss had just been made, the visitors winning the kick-off. At a signfrom a Navy officer in the field the leader silenced his band and a hushfell over the gridiron and the seats of the onlookers. 

CHAPTER XI

THE BAND COULDN'T MAKE ITSELF HEARD

Within five minutes the Hanniston players had established the fact thatthey were not only bulky, but quick and brainy. In fact, though the Navypromptly blocked the ball and got it, the middies were unable to makeheadway against the college men. Then Hanniston took the ball, fightingslowly but steadily toward the Navy goal line. 

"I don't see Darrin making any wonderful plays, " thought Jetson tohimself. He was gloomy over seeing the Navy outplayed, but secretly gladthat the spectators had as yet found no occasion to shout themselveshoarse over Midshipman Dave's work. 

Outside of the brigade the other spectators in the Navy seats feltthemselves tinder a cloud of increasing gloom. 

"From all the talk I had expected more of Mr. Darrin, " remarked anofficer's wife-to her husband. 

"Darrin has a fearful Hanniston line against him, " replied the officer. "Captain Hepson realizes that, too, and he isn't pushing Darrin as hardas you might wish to see. "

"We're going to be beaten, aren't we?" asked another Navy onlooker. 

It was as yet too early to predict safely, though all the appearanceswere that the visitors would do whatever scoring was to be done to-day. 

Yet, even when they felt themselves outclassed, the middies hung to theiropponents with dogged perseverance. It took nearly all of the first halffor the Hannistons to place the Navy goal in final, desperate danger. 

Then, of a sudden, while the Hannistons worked within a dozen yards ofthe Navy goal line, the college boys made a new attack, the strongestthey had yet shown. 

There was a bumping crash as the lines came together, at the Navy'sright. Farley and Page were swept clear off their feet and the assailantsswept onward. Another clever attack, backed by a ruse, and one of thecollege boys started on a dead run with the ball. In vain the Navy'sbacks tried to stop him. The Hanniston boys successfully interfered fortheir runner, and the ball was touched down behind the goal line. 

Gone were the cheers that had been ascending from the brigade. All theNavy crowd gasped in dismay. The ball was carried back, kicked, andHanniston had scored six points. 

"Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha--Hanniston! Wow!" went up derisively fromthe visiting howlers. 

"Hepson! Hepson! Pull us out!" came the appeal. 

"Darry! Darry! Rush it!"

As the two elevens were lining up for another start the time-keeper'swhistle sounded the end of the first half of the game. 

Gloomy, indeed, were those who had hoped to see the Navy win. There wereno cheers, save from the visitor-howlers. The best that the leader of theband could do, was to swing his baton and start in the strains of "'TwasNever Thus in Olden Times. "

"What do you make of the enemy, Hepson?" inquired Joyce, as the middiesrested at the side lines. 

"We haven't made anything of them yet, but we've got to make wrecks of'em before the last half is over, " grunted the captain of the Navy. 

"How are we going to do it?" asked another player. 

"By just hanging at them with sheer grit, " replied the captain gravely. "Fellows, they've beaten us so far, but they haven't worn us out any. Bigfellows as the Hannistons are, they may not have the endurance to hang tous through all of the coming half. "

"That makes me remember a song I heard when on leave this year, " grinnedPage. "A part of it runs:

'Said the ant to the elephant, "Who are ye shoving?There's one wide river to cross!"'

"And we're the elephants?" inquired Farley in mock innocence. 

"Do we look it?" demanded Page in disgust. 

"Remember, fellows, " warned Hepson, as the signal summoned both teamsback to the field, "many a hopeless game has been won in the last fiveminutes. But don't wait. Hammer the college boys from the start!"

"Dalzell and I can stand hard work and pounding whenever you get ready toput it on us, " Dave announced to Hepson. "Don't try to spare us any. Bothof us would sooner be carried away on stretchers than see the Navy loseits first game to a minor college. "

The game was resumed. For ten minutes the Navy played mainly on thedefensive. Indeed, to the spectators it seemed all that the middies coulddo against such big fellows as the visitors. 

Just after that, however, Hepson passed the silent signal, and then themidshipmen hurled themselves into the fray to test out all the endurancethat the Hanniston players might possess. 

Many a college boy on the opposing line wondered where these smaller menin the Navy togs had obtained all the fight that they now showed. The bigfellows didn't seem able to stand it long. The Navy had the ball, and nowslowly fought down toward the college goal. Onlookers in the Navy seatsbegan to stand up, to watch breathlessly, and be ever ready to cheer. 

"Hurl little Darry in!" yelled someone hoarsely in a momentary lull inthe noise. 

But Hepson, watching every chance with tigerish eyes, was yetcool-headed, as a football general should be. Twice he used Darrin toadvance the ball, and each time Dave gained a few yards. The third time, wearied by pounding his head against a human stone wall, Dave failed togain more than half a yard. Watchful Hepson sent the ball, after the nextsnap-back, over to the Navy's right. 

The time of the second half was slipping away, and it now looked asthough the middies might gradually have won by the steady, bull-dogquality of their tactics. 

Nearer and nearer to the college goal line the team of smaller men foughtthe pigskin, until at last they had it within six yards of the Hannistonfortress. But at this point the visitors stayed further progress longenough to have the pigskin ovoid come to them by a block. 

The situation was desperate. Hanniston could not get the ball away fromits present locality, and in dread the college captain sent the ball backof his own line to a safety. 

This counted two for Annapolis, but it also set the ball back twenty-fiveyards from the college line. 

"Block! block! block--if you can't fight the ball back to the Navy goal, "was the word that Captain Hart, of the college team, sent along his ownline. "Don't be too reckless. Just fight to keep the Navy from scoring. "

"Hepson! Hepson!" came, appealingly, from the seats, as the two elevenslined up at the twenty-five-yard line. 

"Darry! O Darry!"

Grim determination written on their faces, eleven middies awaited thesignal, then hurled themselves forward like tigers. 

The ball came to Dave, who started with it. Dan Dalzell, watching hischum with cat-like eyes, followed and made the best interference that hehad offered that day. 

Five and a half yards won!

As center bent for the snap back, a "fake" signal was called by the Navyquarter-back. 

Just as the ball started, the Navy players back of the line startedtoward the right The Hanniston men, tired now, but full of grit as ever, moved to block. The Navy gained a second or two, for the pass was reallyto the left, and again Darrin had the pigskin clutched tightly as hestarted to ran and deceive. Again Dan and the others of the interferencesustained their idol and champion. Dave went soon to earth, but he hadforced the ball another six yards!

"Darry--oh, Darry!"

"One more play and over the line!"

"You've got the elephants going at last. "

"Rush 'em!"

"A touchdown saves us!"

Dan's face was flushed, Dave's white and set as the line again formed forthe next play. 

Quarter-back Joyce held up his head, watching the field like a mouseseeking escape. 

Then came the emergency signal: "Nine--fourteen--twenty-two--three!"

Back came the pigskin while the middies seemed to throw theirbodies toward the right. It looked as though they were trying tomask this feint. 

The ball was in motion. But Dave had it, instead of Farley. Instantly theNavy swung its entire line toward the left, for this was the grand rush, the die on which everything was cast!

Dave was darting forward, and never had his interference backedhim better. 

Before Midshipman Darrin stood one of the big college men, who lookedfully equal to stopping the midshipman anywhere and at any time. 

Nor did Darrin try to dodge this bulky player. Instead, Dave, as hehurled himself at the opponent, sprang high into the air, as though hehad some desperate plan of leaping over the barrier. 

Braced on his legs, his two feet solidly planted, this Hanniston man feltready for any shock that Dave Darrin could bring against him. 

But Darrin did not touch him. On the contrary, the Navy's hope fell tothe ground, just short of the blocking opponent. 

Like a flash Dave went between that pair of solidly braced, wide-spreadlegs. In a wriggle that looked flash-like to the breathless beholders, Darrin was through. He had taken desperate chances, when he went down, ofbeing beset, end forced to hold the pigskin where he had fallen. 

But now Dave was up and running, and the player who had sought to blockhim was far in the rear. 

The whole Navy force hurled itself around this point, battering down thestartled opposition. With fast-coming breath Dave's comrades pushed himalong breaking down all opposition--until Dave, with a sudden, wilddash, was over the line for a touchdown. 

"Darry did it! Darry did it!"

For fifteen seconds the uproar was deafening. The college players lookedstunned, while their howlers, over on the visitors' seats, seemed toshrink within their coats. 

"Seven to six!"

"Make it eight!"

Dave Darrin had borne the brunt of battle. Now his eyes were flashingwith excitement. 

"I'd like you to try the kick for goal, Darry, but I don't know, " calledHepson in his ear. "You may be about used up. "

"Let me have the kick. I'm not afraid, " Dave half boasted, for now hecould think of nothing but victory. 

"All right. Take it, " agreed Hepson. 

Dave Darrin did take the kick. Never had he made a better one. The ballwent straight and true between the goal-posts. 

The band-leader held his baton poised, but the Navy spectators broke intosuch a riot of joy that he let the baton fall inertly. 

"What's the use?" he asked the musicians. 

Again the players lined up, with the Navy; score eight to six. 

Ten seconds later, the whistle blew, announcing the end of the game. 

CHAPTER XII

JOYCE IS BITTEN BY THE TROUBLE BUG

The game was over. The giant visitors had departed, and the Naval Academyatmosphere appeared to be rarefied. 

Most of the members of the brigade were back in Bancroft Hall, and thisbeing late Saturday afternoon, study was over save for those who felt theneed of devoting extra time to their books. 

Farley, Page and Joyce had dropped into the room occupied by Dave andDan. 

"Hepson was nearly crazy this afternoon, " remarked Joyce, laughing. 

"Then he had an easy way of concealing the fact, " Dave replied. "I callhim a cool football captain, with plenty of judgment and patience. "

"Yes; but I happen to know that he was badly upset, " returned Joyce. "Twice he sent me the wrong signal about the numbers to call, and headmitted it afterward. He was afraid, before the game was twenty minutes'old, that we were up against a big walloping. "

"Oh, well, " Darrin replied, with a shrug of his shoulders, "the Navy isjust as used as the Army is to being walloped in athletics. The troublewith the Army and Navy teams, in athletics, is that we're always pittedagainst college men who are bigger and older than we are. It's just aboutas unfair to us, as it would be unfair to High School teams if we playedagainst High Schools instead of colleges. We could wallop High Schooloutfits at either baseball or football, and the only wonder is that theArmy and Navy win as many games as they do against the colleges. Collegeteams have more time for training than the Army or Navy teams do. "

"What are you going to do to-night, Darry?" Joyce asked presently. "The hop?"

"No, " Dave answered almost shortly. The truth was that he was no"hop-fiend" or "fusser. " Except when Belle Meade was at Annapolis to goto a hop with him, Darrin had little liking for the ball. 

"I don't intend to hop either, " Joyce continued. "Now, are you wellenough up in grease to get town leave for the evening?"

"Grease" means good standing on the conduct report. 

"Yes, " nodded Dave. "Danny and I could easily get town leave, if we had agood excuse. But, of course, it's out of the question to get leave merelyto roam the streets. We'd have to explain where we were going, and thengo there. "

"There's a show on at the theatre, " broke in Dalzell. 

"Yes, " nodded Dave. "But do you know what kind of show it is?"

"No. "

"It's a burlesque show, brought here to win away the half dollars of thesailors on the ships here. We'd stand very little chance of getting leaveto go to that kind of show. "

"But I want to go somewhere, away from the Academy grounds, just for acouple of hours, " sighed Joyce. 

"I'd like to go also, " agreed Dave. "But where could we go? That is, towhat place or for what purpose could we go that would be approved bythe O. C. ?"

This proved to be a poser indeed. 

"Fact is, " Joyce went on, "I'm so desperate for a little change that Idon't believe I'd funk at taking French over the Academy wall. What doyou two say?"

"That dog won't bark, " Dave retorted. 

"Oh, you greaser!" Joyce shied at him. 

"Well, I am greasing to the extent that I won't imperil my chances ofkeeping in the service by taking any French leave, " Darrin repliedsteadily. "So, Joyce, I'm afraid a trip to town to-night is out of thequestion, unless you can think up some plan to get by the O. C. "

"How are you on Frenching the wall, Danny boy?" queried Joyce. 

"Just about as big a muff as Darry, " Dan returned dryly. 

Joyce remained for some moments in deep meditation. He wanted to go intoAnnapolis, and he didn't care about going on a lonesome expedition. Themore he thought the better Joyce realized how hard it was to frame arequest that would get past the O. C. 

"I have it, " spoke up Dalzell at last. "We'll ask leave to run up toBaltimore to consult an oculist. "

"You idiot!" cried Joyce impatiently. None of us need spectacles. "

"Besides, there's no train running to Baltimore as late as this, "added Dave. 

"No good, then, " sighed Dalzell, "and my inventiveness is gone. "

"I'm afraid we'll have to French it over the wall, " insisted Joyce. 

"You'll French it alone, then, " Dave declared. "I draw the line atleaving the grounds without official permission. "

"Prig!" grunted Joyce under his breath. Then he started up, his eyesshining with the light of a new resolve. 

"Got an idea?" asked Dan. 

"Yes, " said Joyce. "And you'll call me a fool if I let you in on it now. Wait until I see how it works. "

With that he hastened from the room. Darrin drew down a book from thebookshelf, and from between its pages extracted a letter from Belle, which he began to read for the dozenth time. 

A few minutes passed. Then Joyce knocked, next entered the room withjubilation apparent in his face. 

"I've fixed it, " he cried. "All you fellows have to do is to go to theO. C. And make your request in person. "

"Request for what?" Dave asked, looking up as he folded the letter. 

"I told the O. C. , plumply, that we were so tired of being on this side ofthe wall that we felt desperate for a change. I reminded him that we areall three in the top grease grade, and told him that we wanted permissionto take a short stroll through Annapolis to-night. O. C. Hemmed and hawed, and said it was a most unusual request for the evening, though properenough for Saturday afternoon. At last he called up the commandant ofmidshipmen, stated the case and asked if he might grant the permission. The com. Was game and said all right. So all that remains is for you twoto go to the O. C. And make your request in person. Scat! Get in motion!Start! I'll wait here until I hear that you've put it through. "

"Of course, Joyce, you're not putting up a joke on us?" demanded Darrin, looking keenly at the Navy quarter-back. 

"On my word I'm not. "

"Come on, Danny boy, " called Dave, starting, and Dalzell followedreadily enough. They entered the office of the O. C. , saluted and statedtheir case. 

"It is, of course, a somewhat unusual request to grant for the evening, "replied Lieutenant-Commander Denham. "However, I can grant it if you willboth assure me that you will take extreme pains to keep out of trouble ofany kind, and that you will not enter the theatre or any other resortthat would be bad judgment for a midshipman to enter. "

"As to that, sir, " Darrin replied, "I long ago resolved not to take anychances whatever of breaking any disciplinary requirements that wouldbring me demerits. I am working hard to get through the academicrequirements, sir, and I don't intend to pass the mental ordeals here andthen find that I can't keep on as a midshipman just because I have toomany demerits against me. I think, sir, you may feel assured I shall notallow myself to do anything that would bring me under discipline. "

"Your resolution was and is a most excellent one, Mr. Darrin, " repliedthe O. C. "Mr. Dalzell, do you share Mr. Darrin's determination as tokeeping out of trouble in Annapolis this evening?"

"Emphatically, sir. "

"Then the desired permission is granted. You will enter proper report asto the time of leaving and returning. "

Thanking the O. C. And saluting, Dave and Dan hastened back to Joyce. 

"Not so difficult, was it?" demanded the Navy quarter-back. 

"It was a whole lot better than planning to French the trip, " retortedDarrin. "Now, we shall leave here to-night feeling perfectly safe as toour place on the pap. "

"Pap" is the sheet on which the day's report of midshipmen conduct iskept. 

"I'll admit that caution is sometimes worth while, " laughed Joyce. 

Soon after the call for supper formation sounded. The meal hour was amerry one that evening. The afternoon's game was naturally the mainsubject for conversation. 

Dave naturally came in for much praise for the way he had saved the Navygame, but this flattery bored him. Darrin did not in the least imaginethat he was a wonder on the gridiron. In fact, the game being past andwon, he did not take any further interest in it. Such thought as he nowgave to football concerned the games still to come. 

Immediately after the meal the three midshipmen reported their departureinto Annapolis. Then they went to the main gate, passed through andstrolled on up Maryland Avenue into State Circle. 

"I'm sorry we promised not to go to the theatre, " murmuredMidshipman Joyce. 

"I'm not, " retorted Dave. "Without that promise we wouldn't have securedthe leave. "

"But what are we going to do, " demanded the dissatisfied one, "now thatwe are outside the grounds?"

"We can't do much, except what we came out to do, " Dave reminded Joyce. "We can just walk about and stretch our legs, look in at a few storewindows and make a few trifling purchases that won't exhaust our smallstore of pocket money. "

"Exciting prospect!" remarked Joyce. 

"Well, what ails you?" demanded Dalzell with unusual quietness. "What doyou want to do? Something that will get us into big trouble with the O. C. And the com. ?"

"Joyce can't tell you what he longs for, for he doesn't know himself, "explained Dave. 

"But I know. He wants to do something irregular; anything that isslightly in breach of the regulations--something that will get him hauledup before the O. C. And the pap. "

"You're a wonderful guesser, " laughed Joyce. "Well, I'll admit that I'msimply restless, and that anything that will stir my blood and my liverwill fill the bill. I'm afraid I'm so depraved to-night that even astreet-fight wouldn't go against the grain. "

"You'd better forget it, " advised Darrin quietly. "It's a dangerous frameof mind for a future officer and gentleman, who must acquire control overhimself before he can be fit to command men. "

"You talk like a padre!" (chaplain) uttered Joyce in disgust "Can't youforget, for one evening, that you're a midshipman?"

"No; I don't want to, " Dave returned quietly. 

"Prig!" uttered Joyce again, and this time he did not take the pains tospeak under his breath. But Darrin only smiled indulgently. 

By way of simple dissipation the three midshipmen went to a drug store, enjoying themselves with ice cream sodas. Soon after they foundthemselves in a Main Street bookstore, looking over post cards. Theycould, however, find no new ones, and so left without buying. 

"And there's the theatre right over there!" sighed Joyce. 

"It would be against our word as midshipmen and gentlemen to visit it, "Dave urged. "Come on, Joyce; we'll turn into one of the very quiet sidestreets and stroll along. Then we'll be out of temptation. "

Accordingly they went to one of the all but deserted side streets of thebetter sort. 

"There's a comrade ahead of us, " said Dave in an undertone presently, ashe made out the uniform half a block away. 

Hardly had he spoken when a door opened and a young man in eveningclothes came lightly down the steps. At once the unknown midshipmanwheeled and sprang at the young civilian. There was a swift interchangeof blows, over almost as soon as it started, for the unknown midshipmanspeedily knocked down the man he had assaulted. Nor did the civilian getup at once. Instead, he bawled lustily for help. 

Joyce made a move to spring forward, but Dave caught him by the arm. 

"Don't get forward, Joyce. If you do, you'll probably recognize themidshipman. Then you'll have to report his name. "

Answering the calls for help five other young men ran out of the samehouse. The midshipman disdained to flee and stood his ground. 

"We'll teach you!" snarled one of the newly arrived civilians, raisinghis cane as though to bring it down on the midshipman's shoulders. 

The midshipman, like a flash, wrenched the cane from the other'shands and began to lay it lustily about him. The whole crowd, therefore, including the young man who had first been knocked down, joined in the attack. 

"That's too much like cowardice, and we're bound to go to the rescue of acomrade!" muttered Dave Darrin, his eyes blazing. "Come on, fellows--andbe sure not to recognize that comrade!"

In a moment the fight was somewhat more equal. Darrin, Dalzell and Joycewere all accomplished and disciplined boxers. They closed with the crowdaround the midshipman. 

Crack! thump! bump! Midshipman blows landed heavily and rapidly. Thecivilians were soon worsted and scattered. 

"Whoever you are, comrade, " muttered Dave in a low tone, wheeling theunknown midshipman around, "don't look our way and don't give us anychance to recognize you. Scoot!"

"Po-o-o-lice!" lustily yelled one of the crowd of defeated civilians. 

CHAPTER XIII

HEPSON IS "SOME WILD"

"Police!" bawled others of the civilians, taking up the hue and cry. 

That spelled serious trouble if Dave and his friends should tarry there. Midshipmen are in no sense free from arrest by the civil authorities, andit is likely to fare hard with Uncle Sam's young sailors if they aretaken in by the civil authorities. 

"Come along, " muttered Darrin, leading the way. He did not run, but hecertainly walked fast, and in a direction away from Main Street. His twocompanions followed him. The "unknown midshipman, " taking Darrin's shrewdhint, had already made himself invisible. 

After the prompt drubbing they had received, not one of the youngcivilians felt any desire to follow these husky midshipmen. 

The police in Annapolis are few in number, and so do not always hear astreet summons. In this instance Dave and his friends turned a corner andwere soon away from the scene of the late affair. 

"Now, I hope you've had all the excitement you want, Joyce, " Daveremarked dryly. 

"Like most good things, it didn't last long, " complained Joyce. 

"Oh, it isn't over yet, by any means. We've the O. C. And the com. Toface, " grumbled Darrin. "But we couldn't stand by and see one of our ownpunched by a whole gang. "

"Of course we couldn't, but why fuss about the com, and his satellite, the O. C. ? They'll never hear of this. "

"I think there's a big chance that we shall hear of it, " retorted Dave. "That's why I advised you not to look at the unknown midshipman closelyenough to be able to recognize him in the dark. "

"I don't know who he was, " admitted Dan candidly. 

"Nor do I, " supplemented Joyce. 

"Then, whoever he is, the chap stands little chance of being caughtunless he voluntarily announces himself. "

Presumably the police didn't answer the hail of the young civilians. At any rate, Darrin and his friends heard nothing more of the matterwhile in town. 

But when they returned to Bancroft Hall the trio were met by thisannouncement:

"The officer in charge wishes to see you in his office. "

"It's coming, " warned Dave, as he and his companions turned and went into report themselves. 

"There has been a disturbance in Annapolis, " stated Lieutenant-CommanderDenham. "Mr. Darrin, were you in it?"

"I was in one kind of disturbance, sir, " Darrin answered at once. 

"Of what kind?"

"Several civilians attacked a man in a midshipman's uniform. I wentto his aid. "

"And attacked some civilians?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Mr. Dalzell, Mr. Joyce, did you also take part in that affair?"inquired the O. C. 

"Yes, sir, " answered both midshipmen. 

"For what reason?"

"Because, sir, " answered Joyce, "several civilians pounced upon one manwho wore a midshipman's uniform. "

"And you three rushed in and pounded some civilians?" asked theO. C. Coolly. 

"I'm afraid we did, sir, " answered Dave, who found thelieutenant-commander's gaze turned on him. 

"Who was that other midshipman, Mr. Darrin?"

"I don't know, sir. "

"Didn't you recognize him when you went to his aid?"

"I did not, sir. "

"Did either of you gentlemen recognize the midshipman to whose rescueyou rushed?"

Dan and Joyce replied in the negative. 

"Tell me the circumstances of the attack, Mr. Darrin. Take pains to makeyour statement so exact that you will not have to amend the statementafterwards. "

Darrin told the affair as it had happened. 

"Hm! And none of you recognized the fourth midshipman?" pursued the O. C. "That, in itself, was strange, Mr. Darrin, was there any agreement amongyou three that you would not recognize your comrade?"

"Not exactly an agreement, sir, " Dave confessed candidly. "At thedistance that we were from the scene before we rushed in the darknessprevented our seeing the face of the unknown midshipman. As we startedforward, I will admit that I warned Mr. Dalzell and Mr. Joyce not to lookat the other midshipman's face. "

"So that you might answer truthfully, if asked, that you did notknow the man?"

"Yes, sir; that was my reason for so advising Mr. Dalzell and Mr. Joyce. "

"That was what might be termed extraordinary foresight, Mr. Darrin, "remarked Lieutenant-Commander Denham ironically. 

"Thank you, sir, " answered Dave as innocently as though he did notunderstand that he had just been rebuked. The O. C. Frowned. 

"Mr. Darrin, since I assume you to have been the ringleader of your trio, did you give that wonderful advice to your companions just so that youmight be able to refuse any aid to the Naval Academy authorities inrunning this matter to the ground?"

"Yes, sir, " Dave answered very frankly. 

"You wished, then, " demanded the O. C. Sternly, "to hinder the course ofjustice at the Naval Academy?"

"It, at least, sir, did not strike me at the time quite in that light. "

"Yet something was happening on the streets of Annapolis that you knewwould be very thoroughly investigated if it were reported here, and soyou took precautions against being able to aid the authorities in theinvestigation?"

"I admit the truth of that, sir. "

"Mr. Darrin, why did you feel called upon to try to defeat theinvestigation that you foresaw, and which is now under way?"

"Because, sir, it is contrary to the spirit of the brigade of midshipmento carry tales against each other. I did not care to act contrary tothat spirit. "

"Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you did not dare, "observed the O. C. Half sneeringly. 

"That way of stating it would be true, sir. I do not care to turninformer against my comrades. "

"Yet you think you possess the courage to become one of our fightingofficers in the future, if the need arises?

"Of my courage as a fighting man, sir, I am unable to form any opinionuntil that courage has been properly tested. "

"But you are afraid to inform the authorities of the identity of comradeswho commit serious offenses?"

"As it is contrary to the spirit of the brigade, sir, I would be moreafraid of my own contempt than of any other punishment. "

Lieutenant-Commander Denham appeared to lose some of his patiencepresently. 

"I wonder, " he remarked brusquely, "why you midshipmen cannot learn toaccept some of your sense of honor from the officers who have seen somuch more service than you. I wonder why you will go on formulating yourown canons of honor, even when such beliefs sometimes result in thedismissal of midshipmen from the service. "

The three midshipmen, not being questioned, remained silent. 

"And so not one of you has the slightest idea of the original nature ofthe quarrel in which you so readily took part? And none of you has anyidea of the identity of the fourth midshipman concerned in thisevening's work?"

"I have not, sir, " replied Midshipmen Darrin, Dalzell and Joyce inone breath. 

"Very good, gentlemen. The matter will be investigated further. You willgo to your quarters and remain there. You will take part in the mealformations, but in no drills or recitations until you are furtheradvised. And you will not leave Bancroft Hall without direct orders fromcompetent authority. "

The three midshipmen saluted, turned and left the office, going to theirown rooms. 

"Wow!" muttered Dan as soon as the chums had closed their door onthemselves. 

"We shall surely have enough to think of, " smiled Dave wearily. 

"Oh, aye!" agreed Dalzell. 

"Oh, well, if we're going to skip some recitations we'll need all themore study, " sighed Dave, seating himself at his study table and drawinghis books toward him. 

But he was not permitted to study long in peace. Word of the affair hadspread, and Hepson presented himself at Darrin's quarters in greatconsternation. 

"Great!" mocked Hepson. "Just when we've discovered that the Navy has adub team without you two, or next door to one, then you two go and getordered to quarters. You'll not turn out with us Monday; you may notpractice with us through the week or play in our next game. Fine!"

"Perhaps, " grinned Dan, "if we two are so important to Navy prestige asyou appear to imagine, we shall not be kept long from the gridiron. "

"Dalzell, " retorted Hepson impatiently, "you're a second classman, andyou've been here long enough to know that no considerations of disciplinewill be made to stand aside in order that the Navy may have a betterathletic team of any kind. Nothing here is sacrificed to athletics, andyou surely must know it. "

"Then I guess we're dished, " confessed Dalzell mournfully. 

"A fine way for you two to go and use the football squad! Great!"insisted Hepson bitterly. 

"Had you been with us, Hepson, you'd have done just as we did. I knowthat, " Dave replied. 

"Well, you are calling me a bit, " agreed Hepson. "After all, I don't knowjust what it was that got you both into this scrape. Some kind of fight, or row, in town, was all I heard. "

"Then I'll tell you about it, " Darrin went on quietly. 

"Well, I really don't see how you could have helped it, " agreedMidshipman Hepson after he had listened. "But that doesn't save us any. We're out our two best line players and our quarter-back. "

"Oh, we'll be restored to the squad as soon as the sentence has beenpronounced, " predicted Dan Dalzell. 

"Even if you're bounced out of the Naval Academy?" demanded Hepsonsavagely. 

"It--it won't be as bad as that, " faltered Dan. 

"Perhaps not, " agreed Hepson, "though you must understand that the chargeof assaulting civilians is not a light matter. You can be dismissed forit, you know. "

"Yes, " nodded Dave Darrin, and then Danny boy went several shadesless ruddy. 

"Here's hoping for the best, " grumbled Hepson, holding out his hand toeach in turn. "And, for the love of Mike, keep out of all furthertrouble! Don't look cross-eyed--once--until after November!"

CHAPTER XIV

TWO SIDES OF A STORY

One circumstance puzzled all of the midshipmen who first heard of theaffair. The fourth, and unknown, midshipman, who had waited outside ofthe house and assaulted the first civilian, must have known the latter orit was not likely that he would have committed the assault. That beingthe case, it was just likely that the civilian knew and had recognizedthe unknown midshipman who had knocked him down. Such an attack must havefollowed some prior dispute. 

Then, since the civilians had undoubtedly made complaint to the NavalAcademy authorities, how had they been able to get out of supplying thename of the midshipman unknown to Dave and his friends?

Right after breakfast the next morning Dave Darrin and his friends of theevening before were summoned before the commandant of midshipmen. By thatofficer they were questioned very rigidly, but they had nothing to add totheir statement of the night before. They were therefore ordered back totheir quarters, with permission only to attend chapel that forenoon. 

Just after chapel, however, the fourth midshipman discovered himself tothe officer in charge. He was Midshipman Totten, of fourth class. 

Totten admitted that it was he who had waited outside of the house inquestion, and who had knocked down the civilian. He further gave the nameof that civilian, who was the son of one of the prominent officials ofthe state government. 

"Why did you strike him, Mr. Totten?" demanded the officer in charge. 

"Because, sir, the fellow had grossly insulted a young lady whom I feltbound to avenge. "

"Who is the young lady?"

"Am I obliged, sir, to give her name in the matter?"

"It will be better, Mr. Totten. You may be sure that your statement willbe treated with all the consideration and confidence possible. "

Totten thereupon explained that the young woman in question was hiscousin. Totten, who was an orphan, had been brought up by an aunt who hadbut one child of her own, the young woman in question. When Totten hadwon an appointment to the Naval Academy, the aunt and cousin had decidedto move to Annapolis sooner than have their little family broken up. 

"How did you come to be outside the Academy grounds last evening, Mr. Totten? You were not on leave to go outside. "

"I took the chances and Frenched it, sir, " confessed Totten candidly. "Iknew that I could not get leave, and so did not ask it. But I felt thatthe fellow had to be punished, no matter at what hazard to myself. "

"Then you considered the avenging of the insult to your cousin as being amatter of greater importance than your future career in the Navy?"

Midshipman Totten paled, but he answered bravely:

"Yes, sir; and at the same time a Naval career means nearly everything inthe world to me. "

Lieutenant-Commander Morrill, the new officer in charge, felt that it wasdifficult to rebuke a future Naval officer for defending from insult awoman dear to him. 

"I shall have to pass this matter on to the commandant of midshipmen, "decided the O. C. "Mr. Totten, you will go to your quarters and remainthere, until further orders, save only for meal formations. "

"Very good, sir, " replied the fourth classman saluting. 

"That is all, Mr. Totten. "

"Very good, sir. "

Within half an hour, Dave, Dan and Joyce knew that the unknown midshipmanhad come forward and announced himself, but they did not hear the storyof the reason back of Totten's attack. They heard, however, that Tottenhad not heard of their predicament until just after chapel call. 

The commandant of midshipmen sent for Mr. Totten. That official, however, after hearing the story, felt that the matter was one for thesuperintendent. The superintendent did not send for Totten and questionhim, but sent, instead, for the civilians who had lodged the complaintthe evening before. He sent also for young Crane the man Totten hadnamed, and who had not been among the complainants of the evening before. 

"Mr. Crane, " announced the superintendent, "you know, of course, the nameof the midshipman who assaulted and knocked you down before the otherthree midshipmen interfered in the matter?"

"Er--er--possibly I do, " confessed Crane, reddening. 

"Mr. Crane, if you wish us to deal frankly with you, you must accord thesame treatment to the officials of the Naval Academy, " replied thesuperintendent coldly. 

"I--I--personally do not desire to press any complaint, " continued youngCrane. "I am sorry that my friends took such a step. "

"Then you consider, Mr. Crane, " pressed the superintendent, "that theknock-down blow you received from a midshipman was in the nature of amerited punishment?"

"I--I won't say that, " cried Crane quickly. "No, sir! I won't admit it!"

"Then, as we know that Midshipman Totten was your assailant, " continuedthe superintendent, "we shall have to place that young man on trial. Weshall be obliged to summon you as a witness at that trial, Mr. Crane. "

"But I have no intention, sir, of appearing as a witness, " blustered thatyoung man. 

"Mr. Crane, you can have no choice in the matter. If we summon you, youcan be brought here from any part of the United States. "

"I--I--can't the matter be dropped, sir?" urged the young man anxiously. 

"Not unless you confess yourself in the wrong, and exonerate Mr. Totten. In any other event the case will have to come to trial before acourt-martial, and you, Mr. Crane, since we are certain that you possessmaterial evidence, will be forced to appear as a witness. "

Mr. Crane looked almost as uncomfortable as he felt. 

"Mr. Totten, " continued the superintendent, "states that you grosslyinsulted his cousin, a young woman, and that he met you on purpose toavenge that insult. "

"There--there--was some trouble about a young woman, " admitted Crane. "But I am a gentleman, sir. "

"I am not expected to decide the last question that you have raised, "replied the superintendent dryly. "All that concerns me in the matter iswhether you exonerate Mr. Totten, or whether you do not. If you do not, the midshipman must state his case fully before a court-martial, at whichyou will be one of the important witnesses. "

"I exonerate Mr. Totten, " replied Crane in a very low tone. 

"Do you exonerate him completely?" "Ye-es, sir. "

"Then Mr. Totten's offense will be reduced to one or two-simple breachesof discipline, " went on the superintendent. 

"But see here, sir, " interposed one of the other young men, "are yourmidshipmen to be allowed to go about pounding whom they like? Are they tobe swashbucklers and bullies?"

"Very decidedly not, sir, " replied the superintendent in a voice almostthunderous. "The midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy mustconduct themselves as gentlemen at all times. "

"Did they do that, " urged the last speaker, "when they sailed into us asthey did?"

"Why did your friends go to the assistance of Mr. Crane?" asked thesuperintendent. 

"Be--because, " stammered the spokesman, "your midshipman had knockedCrane down and was misusing him. "

"Did you, the friends of Mr. Crane, consider it the act of gentlemen forseveral to rush in and attack one man?"

That left the callers rather breathless. 

"Now, as to our other three midshipmen, " pursued the superintendent, "atmost they only rushed in to see fair play. They did not make a hostilemove until they saw a whole crowd of you attacking one midshipman. Gentlemen, I am quite ready to leave it to a jury of any intelligentcitizens as to whether the offending midshipmen or yourselves displayedthe more gallantry and honor. For you have all admitted doing somethingthat is not consistent with the highest standards of a gentleman, whileour accused midshipmen have no such reproach against them. "

"Then your midshipmen are to get off, and to be encouraged to repeat suchconduct?" demanded the spokesman of the Crane party. 

"No. On the contrary, they will be punished for whatever breaches ofNaval discipline they have committed. Considering what you gentlemen haveadmitted, however, I do not believe you would have any standing aswitnesses before a court-martial. I therefore advise you all to drop yourcomplaint. Yet if you insist on a complaint, then I will see to it thatMidshipman Totten is brought to trial. "

Crane and his associates felt, very quickly and keenly, that they wouldcut but sorry figures in such a trial. They therefore begged to withdrawtheir former complaint. When they had departed the superintendent smiledat his reflection in the glass opposite. 

Before supper all of the midshipmen involved knew their fate. They wererestored to full liberty. Darrin, Dalzell and Joyce were again rebukedfor having taken such elaborate pains to escape recognizing Totten at thetime of the encounter. Beyond the lecture by the commandant ofmidshipmen, each of the trio was further punished by the imposition often demerits. 

In Frenching and in taking justice into his own hands Midshipman Tottenwas held to have erred. However, the nature of his grievance and the factthat he was only a new fourth classman were taken into consideration. ForFrenching he was punished with twenty-five demerits; for the assault ona civilian, considering all the circumstances, he was let off with tenadditional demerits. 

Yet, somehow, all of the midshipmen involved felt their punishment verylightly. They could not escape the conviction that the Naval Academyauthorities did not regard them as especially guilty offenders. 

"We've got you back on the gridiron, at any rate, " exclaimed Hepsonexultantly. "We of the football squad wish that we might be permitted todivide your demerits up among ourselves. "

"You might suggest that little point to the commandant of midshipmen, "grinned Dan. 

"And get jolly well trounced for our impudence, " grimaced MidshipmanHepson. "No, thank you; though you criminals have our utmost sympathy, wewill let matters rest where they are at present. Only a fool tries tochange well enough into worse. "

CHAPTER XV

THE NAVY GOAT WEEPS

"Did you hear that Ella had a bad tumble down three stories?" askedMidshipman Dan. 

"Ella who?" questioned Dave, looking up. 

"Elevator!" grinned Dalzell. 

"Ugh!" grunted Dave disgustedly. "Say, do you know how that would strikethe com. ?"

"No, " replied Dan innocently, looking away. "How would it strike him?"

"Hard!" Dave responded. Slam! The somewhat heavy book that Darrin, aimedwent straight to the mark, landing against Dan's nearer ear with all theforce of a sound boxing. 

"I see you appreciate a good joke, " muttered Dalzell grimly. 

"Yes, " Dave admitted. "Do you?"

"When I tell you another, " growled Dan, "I'll be holding an axe hiddenbehind my back. "

"Say, did I show you that letter of Dick's?" Dave asked, looking uppresently. 

"Appendix?" inquired Dan suspiciously. 

"Oh, stow all that, little boy!" retorted Dave. "No; did I tell you thatI had a letter from Dick Prescott?"

"I think you mentioned something of the sort, last winter, " Dalzelladmitted still suspicious. 

"No; I got one this morning from good old Dick, " Darrin went on. 

"All right, " Dan agreed. "What's the answer?"

"I haven't had time to read it yet, " Darrin responded. "But here's theletter. Maybe you'd like to look it over. "

Across the study table Dan Dalzell received the envelope and itsenclosure rather gingerly. Dan didn't like to be caught "biting" at a"sell, " and he still expected some trick from his roommate. 

It was, however, a letter written in Dick Prescott's well-rememberedhandwriting. 

"I understand that you are both on the Navy team, and that you made goodin the first game, " wrote the West Point cadet. "I hope you'll both stayin to the finish, and improve with every game. Greg and I are plugginghard at the game in the little time that the West Point routine allowsus for practice. From what I have heard of your game, I think it likelythat you and good, but impish old Dan, are playing against the veryposition that Greg and I hope to hold in the annual Army-Navy game. Won't it be great?"

"Yes, it will be great, all right, if the Navy contrives to win, " Danmuttered, looking up at his chum. 

"Either the Army or Navy must lose, " replied Dave quietly. 

"And just think!" Cadet Dick Prescott's letter ran on. "When we meet, lined up for battle on Franklin Field, Philadelphia, it will be the firsttime we four have met since we wound up the good old High School days atGridley. It seems an age to Greg and me. I wonder if the time seems aslong to you two?"

"It seems to me, " remarked Dan, glancing across at his chum, "that youand I, David, little giant, have been here at Annapolis almost ever sincewe first donned trousers to please the family. "

"It is a long time back to Gridley days, " assented Darrin. 

Then Dan went on reading. 

"Of course you and Dan are bound that the Navy shall win this year, " Dickhad written. "As for Greg and me, we are equally determined that the Armyshall win. As if the resolutions on either side had much of anything todo with it! It will seem strange for us four, divided between the twosides, to be fighting frantically for the victory. However, if Greg and Igo up against you two on the gridiron we won't show you any mercy, andwe know that we shall receive none from you. Each man must do all that'spossibly in him for the glory of his own side of the United Service!Here's to the better eleven--Army or Navy!"

"I'll bet Dick and Greg will give us all the tussle they know how, ifthey get near us in the fight, " nodded Dan, passing the letter back. 

"Well, they're bound to, aren't they?" demanded Darrin. "And now, Dannyboy, we simply must stow all gab and get busy with our lessons. We've arecitation between now and the afternoon practice. "

"And the game, to-morrow!" breathed Midshipman Dalzell fervently. 

The morrow's game was to be against the University of Pennsylvaniaeleven. The opposition team being an unusually good one that year, theNavy's gridiron pets were preparing to strain every nerve in the hopeof victory. 

In that afternoon's practice Dave and Dan showed up better than ever. Farley and Page, too, were coming along splendidly, while MidshipmanJoyce was proving himself all but a joy to exacting Hepson. 

But when the morrow came U. P. Carried away the game to the tune of fiveto nothing, and the Navy goat wept. Dave and Dan made several brilliantplays, but the Navy average both of size and skill was somewhat belowthat of the older, bigger college men. 

Other games followed fast now, and the Navy eleven and its subs. Hadplenty of work cut out for them. Up to the time of the Army-Navy game, the middies had a bright slate of eighty per cent. Of victories. Dave andDan had the pleasure of reading, in the "Army and Navy Journal, " thatthey were considered the strongest men on the left flank that the Navyhad been, able to show in ten years. 

"When we go up against the Army, " Hepson informed Dave and Dan, "I don'tknow whether you'll play at left or right. It will all depend on wherethe Army puts Prescott and Holmes. Friends of ours who have watched theplay at West Point tell me that Prescott and Holmes are armored terrorson the gridiron. "

"They are, if they've gone forward in the game, instead of backward, "Darrin replied honestly. 

"But you and Dalzell can hold 'em, can't you?" demanded Hepson anxiously. 

"I don't dare brag, " Dave answered. "The truth, if anything, is thatDanny boy and I can hardly hope to hold the Army pair back. You see, Hep, I know Prescott and Holmes pretty well, from the fact that we playedtogether on the same High School eleven for two years. Prescott, infact, was the boy who trained us all. "

"Well, don't let the Navy fellows get the idea that you're afraid of thatArmy pair, " begged Hepson. "It might get our men discouraged. Darry, wesimply must wipe up the field with the Army! There isn't--there can't beany such word as 'defeat' for us. "

As the time drew near for the greatest of all annual games theinstructors at the Naval Academy began to record lower marks for nearlyall of the men in the daily recitations. The midshipmen simply couldn'tkeep their minds from wandering to the gridiron. It meant so much--tobeat the Army!

Then quickly enough the feverish day came. Early in the forenoon theentire brigade of midshipmen, in uniform, was marched into town behindthe Naval Academy band. Scores of Navy officers, with their ladies, wentalong. A lot of the townspeople followed in the big rush to Odenton andBaltimore. From there two sections of a special train conveyed theAnnapolis host to Philadelphia. 

Franklin Field was reached, and one of the most brilliant athletic andsocial events of the year was on. 

We shall not attempt to follow the course of the game here. The Navyeleven hurled itself into the fray with undying heroism, but the Armywon the great game. It is all told in the third volume of "THE WESTPOINT SERIES, " entitled "DICK PRESSCOTT'S THIRD YEAR AT WEST POINT. " Inthat volume, too, is described the meeting of the old-time High Schoolchums, their first meeting since the old-time days back in the tome townof Gridley. 

The game was over at last. The Navy was crestfallen, though not a sign ofsorrow or humiliation showed in the jaunty step of the men of the brigadeas they marched back to the railway station and took the train for thefirst stage of the journey home--the run between Philadelphia andBaltimore. 

On the train Hepson hunted up Dave and Dan. 

"You did your best, fellows, I know, that, " murmured the defeatedfootball captain. "And you gave me, in advance, a fair estimate of thatArmy pair, Prescott and Holmes. Say, but they're a pair of terrors! If wehad that pair on the Navy eleven, along with you two, no team that theArmy ever yet sent out could beat us. But we made a strong fight, at anyrate. All of our friends say that. "

"I'm glad I didn't do any bragging in advance, " Darrin smiled wistfully. "We were fairly eaten up, Hep. "

"Oh, well, we'll hope for better luck next year, with the Navy undersome other captain. Maybe you'll be captain next year, Darry. "

"I don't want to be, " Dave answered, with a shake of his head. "If youcouldn't carry our team to victory I don't dare try. "

"Then I'll be captain--if I'm asked, " promised Dan, with the grin thatalways lurked close to the surface of his face. While hundreds ofmidshipmen felt desperately blue on the homeward journey, Dalzell hadalready nearly forgotten his disappointment. 

"You'll never be asked, " predicted Hepson good-humoredly. "Danny boy, thetrouble with you would be that the fellows would never know when you werein earnest. As captain of the eleven, you might start to give an order, and then nothing but a pun would come forth. You're too full of mischiefto win victories. "

"I hope that won't be true if I ever have the luck to command abattleship in war time, " sighed Dalzell, becoming serious for four orfive seconds. Then he bent forward and dropped a cold nickel inside ofJoyce's collar. The cold coin coursed down Joyce's spine? causing thattired and discouraged midshipman to jump up with a yell. 

"Why does the com. Ever allow that five-year-old imp to travel with men?"grunted Joyce disgustedly, as he sat down again and now realized thatthe nickel was under him next to the skin. 

"Danny boy, " groaned Dave, "will you ever grow up? Why do you go onmaking a pest of yourself?"

"Why, the fellows need some cheering up, don't they?" Dan inquired. 

"If you don't look out, Danny boy, you'll rouse them to such a pitch ofcheerfulness that they'll raise one of the car windows and drop yououtside for sheer joy. "

The joy that had been manifest in Annapolis that morning was utterlystilled when the brigade reached the home town once more. True, the bandplayed as a matter of duty, but as the midshipmen marched down MarylandAvenue in brigade formation they passed many a heap of faggots and many atar-barrel that had been placed there by the boys of the town to kindleinto bonfires with which to welcome the returning victors. But to-nightthe faggot-piles and the tar-barrels lay unlighted. In the dark thismaterial for bonfires that never were lighted looked like so manyspectral reminders of their recent defeat. 

It hurt! It always hurts--either the cadets or the midshipmen--to losethe Army-Navy game. 

Once back at quarters in Bancroft Hall, it seemed to many of themidshipmen as though it would have been a relief to have to go to studytables to work. Yet, since no work was actually required on this night, none was done. 

Midshipmen wandered about in their own rooms and visited. The more theyrealized the defeat, the bluer they became. From some rooms came soundsof laughter, but it was hollow. 

Farley got out a banjo, breaking into a lively darky reel. Yet, somehow, the sound was mournful. 

"Please stop that dirge and play something cheerful!" begged the voice ofa passing midshipman. 

"Put the lyre away, Farl, " advised Page. "Nothing sounds happy to-night. "

"We love to sing and dance. We're happy all the day--ha, ha!" wailed DanDalzell. He wasn't so very blue himself, but he was trying to keep insympathy with the general tone of feeling. 

"Well, Hep, you made as good a showing, after all, as could be expectedwith a dub team, " spoke Joyce consolingly, when they met in a corridor. 

"It wasn't a dub team, " retorted Hepson dismally. "The eleven was allright. The only trouble lay in having a dub for a captain. "

It was a relief to hundreds that night when taps sounded at last, andthe master switch turned off the lights in midshipmen quarters. At leastthe young men were healthy and did not waste hours in wooing sleep andforgetfulness. 

Then Sunday morning came, and the football season was over until thenext year. 

"From now on it's going to be like starting life all over again, after afire, " was the way Dan put it that Sunday morning, in an effort to makesome of his comrades feel that all was not lost. 

Had Dan been able to foresee events which he and Dave must soonencounter, even that grinning midshipman wouldn't have been happy. 

CHAPTER XVI

THE MAN WITH A SCOWL ON TAP

"I wish we lived in Annapolis, that we might be here at every hop!"sighed Belle Meade, as the waltz finished and she and Dave, flushed andhappy, sought seats at the side of the ballroom. 

They had hardly seated themselves when they were joined by Dan andLaura Bentley. 

"I was just saying, Laura, " Belle went on, "that it would be splendid ifwe lived here all through the winter. Then we'd have a chance to come toevery hop. "

"Wouldn't we want to put in a part of the winter near West Point?" askedMiss Bentley, smiling, though with a wistful look in her eyes. 

"Perhaps that would be fairer, to you, " Belle agreed. 

"You'd soon get tired of the hops, " ventured Dave. 

"Can one ever weary of dancing?" Belle demanded. "Well, perhaps onemight, though never on the small amount that has come to me so far inlife. And this Navy orchestra plays so divinely!"

"Our number's next, I believe, ladies, " called Midshipman Farley, as heand Page came up, eager for their chances with these two very charmingbelles of the hop. 

"Hang you, Farl!" muttered Dave. 

"That's just like Darrin, Miss Meade, " laughed Farley. "He's always amonopolist at heart. Though in this instance I am far from wondering athis desire to be. "

It was the first hop after the semi-annual exams. A host of fourthclassmen and some from the upper classes had been dropped immediatelyafter the examinations, but Dave and Dan and all their more intimatefriends in the brigade had pulled through. Darrin and Dalzell had comeout of the ordeal with the highest markings they had yet achieved at theNaval Academy. 

Mrs. Meade had come down to Annapolis to chaperon Belle and Laura, butthis evening Mrs. Meade was chatting with a middle-aged Naval officer andso did not see much of the young people. 

As the music struck up, Farley and Page claimed consideration, Dave andDan were left without partners. 

"Nothing more doing for two dances, David, little giant, " murmuredMidshipman Dalzell. "Suppose we slip into our overcoats and walkaround outside. "

"I'd rather, " assented Darrin. "It's dull in here when a fellowisn't dancing. "

It was a night of unusually light attendance on the part of the fair sex, with a rather larger attendance than usual of midshipmen, for whichreason Dave found many other midshipmen outside, strolling up and down. 

"What we need, fellows, " called Joyce, coming up to the chums, "is a newregulation that no midshipman may attend a hop unless he drags a femme. "

"That would have shut you out of every hop so far this year, "laughed Dave. 

"I know it, " Joyce admitted. "But I'm going to cut all hops after this, unless some real queen will favor me as her escort and agree to dance atleast half the numbers with me. I've had only two dances this evening. It's too tame. I'm going back to Bancroft Hall and stand ready to turn inat the first signal. What's the use of hanging around at a hop whenthere's only one girl to every five fellows?"

"You have suffered the just fate of the free lance, " remarked Dan Dalzellvirtuously. "As for me, I never think of attending a hop unless I squiresome femme thither. "

"There used to be girls enough last year, " complained Joyce. "Well, I'moff for home and bed. "

"We'll stroll along up with you, " proposed Darrin. 

"No girls for you, either?"

"Not for two numbers. Then we return to the young ladies that weescorted here. "

"Just to think, " grunted Joyce, sniffing in the salt air that reachedthem from the waterfront, "a good deal more than a year more here beforewe get regularly at sea. "

"It seems as though we'd been here a long time, " sighed Dave. "But Idon't suppose there was ever a midshipman yet who didn't long to get awayfrom Annapolis and into the real, permanent life on the wave. A WestPoint man must feel some of the same longing. "

"But he's on the land at West Point, " objected Joyce, "and he's still onland after he graduates and goes to some post. The Army cadet has no suchglorious future to look forward to as has a midshipman. "

"Hello, here's Jet, " called Dave as a midshipman enveloped in hisovercoat approached them. "Going to the hop, Jet?"

"Will you do me a great favor?" asked Midshipman Jetson. 

"Certainly, if possible, " agreed Dave cordially. 

"Then mind your own business, " snapped the other midshipman. 

Darrin, who had made it a point to forget the brief unpleasantness ofthe football season, received this rebuke with about the same feelingsthat a slap in the face would have given him. 

The sulky midshipman had stepped past the trio, but Dave, afterswallowing hard, wheeled about and hailed:

"Hold on, there, Mr. Jetson!"

"Well?" demanded Jetson, halting and looking back. 

"I don't like your tone, sir. "

"And I don't like your face, sir, " retorted Jetson. "Nor your cheek, either, for that matter. "

"I tried to treat you pleasantly, " Dave went on, hurt and offended. 

"Oh! It required an effort, did it?" sneered Jetson. 

"Something may have happened that I don't know anything about, " Darrincontinued. "It may be that you have some real reason for treating me asyou have just done. If you have any good reason I wish you'd tell me, forin that case I must have done something that put me in wrong. If that'sthe case, I want to make amends. "

"Oh--bosh!" grumbled the other midshipman. 

"Come on, now!" urged Dave. "Be a man!"

"Then you imply that I am not?" demanded Jetson aggressively. 

"Not necessarily, " Dave contended. "I just want to make sure, in my ownmind, and I should think you'd be similarly interested. "

"If you want to insult me, Mr. Darrin, " flared back Jetson, "I'll remainhere long enough to hear you and to arrange for resenting the insult. Otherwise--"

"Well?" insisted Dave quietly, though his anger was rising. "Otherwise?"

"Otherwise, " retorted Midshipman Jetson, "I'll pursue my way and seekcompany that pleases me better. "

"Look out, Jet, old hot-plate!" laughed Joyce. "You'll soon be insultingall three of us. "

"I don't intend to, " Jetson rejoined quickly. "My quarrel concerns onlyMr. Darrin. "

"Oho!" murmured Dave. "There is a quarrel, then?"

"If you choose to pick one. "

"But I don't, Mr. Jetson. Quarreling is out of my line. If I've done youany harm or any injustice I'm ready to make good by apologies andotherwise. And, if I haven't wronged you in any way, you should beequally manly and apologize for your treatment of me just now. "

"Oh, bosh!" snapped Mr. Jetson once more. 

"This is none of my quarrel, " interposed Midshipman Joyce, "and I'm notintentionally a promoter of hard feeling. But it seems to me, Jet, thatDarry has spoken as fairly as any fellow could. Now, it seems to me thatit's up to you to be equally manly. "

"So you, too, are asserting that I'm not manly, " bristled Mr. Jetsonhaughtily. "You all seem bound to force trouble on me to-night. "

"Not I, then, " retorted Joyce, his spirit rising. "I'm finding myselfforced to the belief that you're hardly worth having trouble with. "

Jetson clenched his fists, taking a step forward, his dark eyes flashing. Then he halted, as though implying that he was not thus easily to bedriven into forgetting himself. 

"Come along, fellows, " urged Dan Dalzell in a low voice. "Mr. Jetsonseems to have no intention either of explaining or of affording othersatisfaction. "

"Hold on, Mr. Jetson, you needn't answer him, " interposed Darrin quickly, as Jetson opened his mouth. "First of all this affair seems to concernme. You've intimated that I'm no friend of yours and not worthy to beranked as such. Now, I ask you, fairly and flatly, what has brought yourmind to this pitch? What have I done, or what haven't I done?"

"Search your conscience, " jeered Jetson. 

"I've been doing so ever since this foolish conversation started, and Ihaven't found the answer yet. All I recall, Jetson, is that, at theoutset of my football practice, there was some little unpleasantnessbetween us. You injured me, twice, in practice play, and I admit that Iwas somewhat angry about it at the time. But you gave your word that youhadn't intended any tricks against me. I believed you to be a man ofhonor, and I accepted your word that you were innocent of evil intentionagainst me. Having accepted your word, I held no further grudge in thematter, and I have as nearly forgotten the whole business as a man with amemory can. "

"Then tell me why I didn't play on the football eleven?" flamed upMidshipman Jetson. 

"Principally, I imagine, because Captain Hepson, after consultation withthe coaches, didn't call you to the Navy eleven. "

"And why didn't Hepson call me?" followed up Jetson, all his pent-upsulkiness boiling over now. 

"I don't know, particularly. Probably, I imagine, for the same reasonthat he didn't call a lot of other men to the eleven--because he believedhe could make a better choice. "

"Darrin, you know well enough that you so influenced Hepson to keep meoff the team!"

"Jetson, are you mad?"

"No; but I'm naturally angry. "

"I give you my word that I didn't do anything to prevent your makingthe team. "

"And you expect me, Mr. Darrin, to believe that?"

"If you decline to do so, it amounts to passing the lie. But I'lloverlook that for a moment. Joyce, I think Hepson is not dancing atpresent. Will you return to the hop, and, if he is not dancing, will youbring him out here?"

"I don't want to see Hepson, " cried Midshipman Jetson. "You're the onlyone I'm interested in in this matter, Mr. Darrin. "

"You've virtually refused to accept my word. "

"I do so refuse. "

"Then you call me--"

"A liar, if you like!" snapped back Midshipman Jetson. 

"Sir, do you realize--"

"I realize that you're still talking!" sneered Jetson. 

"Then I won't talk any longer, " replied Dave Darrin in a quiet butdangerous voice. "Since you refuse to listen even to Hepson--"

"Who's taking my name in vain?" demanded a laughing voice as a burlyfigure moved in between Dave and his enemy. 

The new comer was Hepson, who had come upon the group unnoticed. 

"Perhaps you're just in time, Hep, " murmured Dave, fighting to cool downhis temper. "I wanted you to prove--"

"Stop!" ejaculated Jetson angrily. In his extreme passion he threw allrestraint and courtesy to the winds. "I wouldn't take the word ofHepson, or of any man in the entire brigade in this matter. Darrin haslied, and--"

"Step aside, Hep, please, " urged Dave, giving the late football captain agentle shove. "This matter can't go any further in words. Mr. Jetson, youhave insulted me, and grossly. Are you capable of cooling down? Do youwish to retract?--to apologize?"

"Apologize to you--you--"

Whatever the word was, it didn't get out, for in the same instant Darrincried warningly:

"Guard yourself!"

Midshipman Jetson threw up his hands, but Darrin's right fist landedacross his offending mouth with such force as to fell the sulkymidshipman flat to the earth. 

CHAPTER XVII

AN AFFAIR OF SULKS

Having struck the blow, Midshipman Darrin stepped back, to give hisopponent an unobstructed chance to rise to his feet. 

"What's this all about?" demanded Midshipman Hepson wonderingly. 

"It's gone too far for talk, now, " replied Dan Dalzell. "Wait until Darryhas put a new head on this idiot. "

Jetson took his time about getting to his feet When he did rise he didn'tassume his guard at once. 

"Well, " asked Darrin coolly, but mockingly, "have you had all you canstand, or are you going to back up your wild, crazy statements?"

Suddenly Jetson raised one of his feet quickly, as though to kick Dave inthe belt line. 

"Here, stop that!" cried Hepson and Joyce in the same breath, as theysprang forward. Darrin, seeing others interfere, didn't attempt to strikeback, but merely stepped aside. 

That was the chance for which Jetson had been watching. His kick didn'tland; he hadn't intended that it should, but Dave's surprised recoilgave the other the chance that he really wanted. Both of Jetson's fistsstruck on Dave's nose, drawing a flood of the crimson. 

"You coward! You cur!" gasped amazed Dalzell. 

"Silence, all!" ordered Hepson, speaking by virtue of being a firstclassman. "Jet is crazy, but he can't be expected to take up more thanone affair at a time. Darry, take your time to stop the flow of blood. Then you can demand an accounting of Jetson. "

"I've nothing more to say, " remarked Jetson. "I was struck and I'vereturned the blow with interest. That ends my concern in the affair. Goodnight, all. "

"Hold on!" ordered Hepson, bounding forward and laying a strong, detaining hand on Jetson's shoulder. "You can't slip away like that. Matters have gone so far that they'll simply have to go further. You'dput yourself wholly in the wrong by withdrawing now--especially after theslimy trick that you've played a fair opponent. "

"Slimy, eh?" cried Jetson angrily. "Mr. Hepson, you and I will have tohave an accounting, too!"

"Oh, just as you like, " responded the first classman, shrugging hisshoulders. "You'll find it a better rule, however, to stick to one affairat a time. Darry, are you in shape, now, to attend to this matter fromyour point of view?"

"Quite, " nodded Dave, who had about succeeded in stanching the flow ofblood from his injured nose. "Does Mr. Jetson desire to take his coatoff or not?"

"Yes!" cried Jetson tempestuously, unbuttoning his own overcoat andtossing it to the ground. "Now, take yours off, Mr. Darrin!"

"It's off, " responded Dave, tossing the garment aside. "Now, look toyourself, sir!"

The two second classmen closed in furiously. It was give and take, for afew moments. In the clinches, however, Jetson succeeded in tearingDarrin's dress coat, and also in starting the blood again so that thecrimson dripped down on Dave's white shirt front. 

At the end of a full minute, however, Darrin had sent his enemy to theground, stopped in a knock-out. Both of Jetson's eyes were also closedand badly swollen. 

"Joyce, " asked Hepson, "will you kindly remain with Jetson and see thathe is assisted to the hospital, if he needs it? It won't do for toomany of us, especially Darry, to be found here by any officer who maybe passing. "

"I'll attend to it, " nodded Midshipman Joyce, "though I'd rather performthe service for any other fellow in the brigade. "

Now that the affair was over, and Dave, after inspecting the damage tohis dress coat, was pulling on his overcoat, he was suddenly recalled toother responsibilities. 

"Danny boy, " he said ruefully, as Hepson walked away with them, "I can'tvery well get back to the hop soon--perhaps not at all tonight. I can'tgo back in this torn coat, and I may not be able to borrow another thatwill fit me well. Will you be good enough to hurry back and explain toBelle why I am delayed--perhaps prevented from seeing her again tonight?"

"Certainly, " nodded Dalzell, turning and hastening back. 

"Now, what was it all about, Darry?" asked Hepson, as he walked alongwith Dave. 

Midshipman Darrin explained the trouble as well as he could. 

"So the idiot accused you of keeping him off the football eleven!"demanded Hepson in astonishment. 

"Yes; and I offered to prove, by you, that I had nothing to do with hisexclusion from the team. "

"Why the sole and whole reason why Jetson wasn't called to the Navyteam, " declared Hepson, "was because he was believed to be too awkwardand too dangerous to other players. Whew, but I'm certainly sorry thisthing has happened!"

"So am I, " Dave confessed candidly. 

"And Jet made the further fool mistake of declaring that he wouldn'taccept the word of any midshipman in the brigade. "

"Something of the sort. "

"Why, that's a wholesale, blanket insult to the whole brigade. Darry, your class will have to take action over such a remark as that. "

"Oh, Jetson uttered the remark in the heat of an exceptional temper. "

"That won't save him, " predicted Hepson sagely. "The insult is there andit will stick. Your class, Darry, would lose caste with the fellows hereif it allowed such an insult to go. "

"Well, if it gets around, I suppose some sort of action will have tobe taken. "

"The second class, under the circumstances, can't do much less than sendJetson to Coventry. "

"Oh, that would be too much!" Dave protested generously. "Jetson hasalways been an honorable, square fellow in the past. "

"He has always been infernally sulky and high-handed, " growledMidshipman Hepson. 

"A bad temper is not such an uncommon failing, " smiled Dave. 

"No; but there are limits to the amount of temper that a gentleman maydisplay and still be worthy to associate with gentlemen, " contendedHepson stubbornly. "It's the insult to the whole brigade that I'mthinking of. Darry, I'll wager that your class won't and can't do lessthan give Jetson a trip to Coventry. "

[Illustration: "Take Off Your Overcoat, Mr. Darrin. "]

"Oh, that would be too much--unjust!" protested Dave. 

"The class will do it just the same. "

"If the class mixes up in my affair, and carries it so far as to sendJetson to Coventry, I'll be hanged if I don't go there with him!" criedDarrin impulsively. 

The words were out. A man of Darrin's honest nature would feel bound tostand by even that heated utterance. 

"Oh, come, now, Darry, don't be so foolish over a fellow who has treatedyou in such fashion. "

"I've said it, haven't I?" asked Dave grimly. "It would be an utterinjustice, and I'm not going to see something that is my own affairdistorted into an injustice that would be altogether out of proportion toJetson's offense. "

By this time the strolling pair of midshipmen had reached the entrance toBancroft Hall. 

"What are you going to try to do about your dress coat, Darry?" askedHepson in an undertone. "Borrow one?"

"If I can find one that fits. "

"Take my advice, then. Don't just borrow, and thereby run a chance ofgetting both yourself and the lender in trouble. For of course you knowthat one can never tell when an inspection may be made, and the man whosedress coat was gone would have to account for it. So go to the O. C. , state that your coat was accidentally torn, and ask permission to borrowone in order that you may return and escort your ladies back to thehotel. Your O. C. Won't raise any objection to that. "

"But he might want to see the coat that I have on, " grimaced Dave. "Thenthe O. C. Would be sure to see the blood-drips on my shirt front, or thecollar, at least. Then talk of a mere accident might lead to questions asto the nature of the accident. "

"True, " nodded Hepson. "Then get back to your room. Get out clean linenand get into it. While you're doing that I'll negotiate the loan of adress coat that will fit. Then you can go to the O. C. , after you'vechanged the telltale linen. "

This course, accordingly, was followed. Dave changed his linen as quicklyas he could, while Hepson appeared with three borrowed dress coats for atry-on. One was found to fill the bill. Resting it over a chair, Darrinslipped on his service blouse and reported to the O. C. Permission wasgranted to borrow a dress coat. If the officer in charge felt anysuspicion or curiosity as to the nature of the accident he cleverlyconcealed the fact. 

A good deal of time, however, had been consumed. By the time thatMidshipman Dave Darrin returned to the hop the orchestra was justbreaking into the strains of "Home, Sweet Home. "

Dave's quick glance roved the floor and the seats. He beheld Belle Meade, seated at the side, while Farley bent over her in an inviting attitude. Darrin quickly reached the scene. Belle saw him coming, just in time torefrain from taking Farley's arm. 

"You won't mind this time, will you, Farl?" Dave asked, smiling. 

"I had given you up, " said Belle, as they moved away together inthe dance. 

"Of course Dan told you what had delayed me. "

"He told me you would return as soon as you could, " replied Miss Meade, "but he was provokingly mysterious as to the cause of your absence. "

"There was a little trouble, " Dave whispered. 

"Are you in trouble?" asked Belle quickly, her cheeks paling. 

"No; I think not. By trouble I mean that I just took part in a fight. "

"So you took the time when I am here as the most suitable occasion for afight?" asked Belle, her color coming back and heightening. 

"It isn't wise for me to explain it now, Belle, " Dave told her quickly. "You won't blame me when you know. But I'd rather save it for tellingwhen we are out of the Academy grounds. "

"Oh, just as you like. Dave, we mustn't let anything spoil what's left ofthis last short dance of the night. "

"Thank you, Belle. These dances together don't happen any toofrequently. "

It was when the young people were walking back to the Maryland Hotel, andMrs. Meade had joined Dan and Laura, that Belle again asked the nature ofthe trouble that had deprived Darrin of three of his dances with her. 

Dave told the story, briefly, adding:

"Under the midshipmen's code, the blow had to be struck when the liewas passed. "

"I don't blame you for knocking the fellow down, " Belle agreedindignantly. "What a worthless fellow that Mr. Jetson must be!"

"Do you know, Belle, I can't quite bring myself to believe that he isworthless?"

"His conduct shows it, " argued the girl. 

"At first thought it would appear so but Jetson, I believe, is only thevictim of an unhappy temper that makes him suspicious and resentful. He'sbrave enough, and he's never been caught in a dishonorable trick. "

"Except the tricks he played on you at the football practice. "

"He passed his word that he intended no trick, and I have been whollyinclined to take his word in the matter. "

"Dave, you must look out for this man Jetson! He's going to get you intosome trouble before you're through with him, " exclaimed Belle earnestly. All her instinct was aroused in the matter, for Dave Darrin's success wasdearer to Belle Meade than was anything else in the world. 

"There are two things that I regret very much to-night, " Dave went on. "One was that Jetson should provoke such a senseless dispute, and theother that I should be obliged to miss so much of your company here atAnnapolis. "

"I wouldn't mind anything, " Belle answered, "if I could feel sure that nomore trouble would come out of this affair with Jetson. "

"I don't believe there will be any disturbing outcome, " Dave assured her;"unless, possibly, another fight. "

"A fight is nothing, " declared Belle with spirit. "You're in training tobecome a fighting man, and a bout or two at fistcuffs is nothing more orless than so much valuable experience. Dave, promise me something?"

"Of course, if it's anything promisable. "

"You'll write me--"

"Can you doubt that, Belle?"

"And let me know exactly and truthfully if anything further comes ofthis, " she finished. 

"I'll write and tell you anything that a midshipman is at liberty to makeknown concerning the conduct of the brigade. "

"Just what does that cover?" asked Belle. 

"I can't easily answer until the something or other happens to turn up. "

"At any rate, Dave, if I get a suspicion that you're withholding from meanything that I ought to know, I shall be dreadfully worried. You can'thave any idea how worried I have been about you sometimes in the past. "

Not much time was there for the two midshipmen to remain at the foot ofthe steps of the hotel Then, after hearty good nights, Dave and Dan leftthe ladies, whom they would not see again until the next visit. 

"From one or two things that I couldn't help overhearing, I judge thatBelle is greatly worried over the possibility of trouble arising fromthe Jetson affair, " remarked Dan on the way back to the Naval Academyand quarters. 

"Yes, " Dave admitted. 

"Pooh! How can any trouble come to you out of the matter? With Jetsonit's different He declared that he wouldn't take the word of anymidshipman in the brigade. "

"That was spoken in the heat of temper. Jetson didn't mean it. "

"Just the same, some of the fellows have heard of it already, and Ishan't be surprised if our class holds a meeting and sends Jetson toCoventry--where the fellow belongs. "

"If they send Jetson to Coventry, " spoke Dave quietly though bluntly, "Ishall go along to Coventry with him. "

Dalzell halted, staring at his chum in open-mouthed wonder. 

"You idiot!" blazed Dan in wrathful disgust. 

CHAPTER XVIII

THE CLASS MEETING SITS AS JURY

Three days later the class meeting was held. 

Jetson was especially impressed with the notion that he must attend, since he must appear as the accused. With one of his disposition it wasquite natural that the young man should go before the class in a highlyresentful mood. 

After a few introductory remarks, Jetson was summoned by the classpresident to rise. 

"Mr. Jetson, " asked the class president, "do you intend to deny havingmade the remark imputed to you--that you would not take the word of anymidshipman in the brigade!"

"I made the remark, after a measure, sir, " Jetson replied. "What I saidwas that in a certain matter I would not take the word of any midshipmanin the brigade if it went counter to my fixed belief. "

"Mr. Jetson, don't you consider that, under the circumstances, thatamounted to a statement of your unwillingness to accept the word ofmembers of the brigade?"

"I should be sorry to have that construction placed on my remark, Mr. President, for I know that nearly all the men of the brigade are men witha fine sense of honor. "

"Then how do you reconcile this statement with your other one?"

"Mr. President, I meant, and I still mean, that I am so certain of thetruth of the charge that I made to one Darrin, that, if members of thebrigade spoke differently, I would then know that they were not tellingthe truth. "

A storm of protests went up, while one hoarse voice bellowed:

"Throw him out!"

And another called:

"Coventry!"

"Order!" commanded the class president, rapping hard with his gavel. "Mr. Jetson, it is a most serious matter to impugn the good faith andhonor of the brigade. It is hardly mitigated by the fact that the wordswere uttered in the heat of passion, especially when, in your coolermoment, you are not inclined to retract your statement or to render itharmless. I believe, therefore, that I am in accord with the sense ofthis meeting of the class when I ask you if you have any retraction orapology to offer. "

"For the statement, in the form in which I offered it, Mr. President, Ihave no retraction or apology to offer, and only such explanation as Ihave lately given. "

"Coventry! Coventry!" came the insistent call. 

"Well, then, you can send me to Coventry, you friends of Darrin, if youfeel yourselves justified in doing it!" quivered Midshipman Jetson, tossing his head and glaring defiantly around the room. 

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Wentworth. "

"In view of the charge, and the subsequent statements of Mr. Jetson, Ifeel that we have an unpleasant duty to perform. The brigade is foundedand based on honor. We, the members, cannot allow that honor to beimpugned by one who would otherwise be fitted to be a member of thebrigade. As Mr. Jetson refuses to retract his words, and as some one musttake the initiative, it is my disagreeable duty to move you, sir, thatthe second class decide that Mr. Jetson is no longer worthy to be of ournumber, and that he accordingly be sent to Coventry. "

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Page. "

"Mr. President, I desire to second the motion, and this I do asregretfully as it was moved. "

"Oh, go ahead and send me to Coventry, then!" Jetson blazed forthangrily. "This class appears to have been hypnotized by Darrin. But, evenif you do send me to Coventry, we shall see whether your action will bepotent enough to drive me from the Naval Academy!"

Waving his arms wildly in the heat of his anger, Midshipman Jetsonhurried from the room, midshipmen moving aside to favor his swift exit. 

Hardly had the door banged when from all parts of the room the cry wentup:

"Question! question! Put the motion. "

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Darrin. "

"I arise, sir, to discuss the motion. I ask the gentlemen of the class tobear with me patiently while I set forth some of the aspects of thismatter as I see them. 

"At the very outset, sir, I wish to make it as plain as possible that Ido not seek to stand here as the apologist for Mr. Jetson. I feel verycertain that he would not authorize me to take that position. What Istate I am stating on my own authority purely, and therein I am onlyexercising my right as a member of the second class. 

"I would remind you, sir, that you all know, as well as I do, that Mr. Jetson has always borne an honorable reputation in this class and in thebrigade. You all know his leading traits as well as I do. Mr. Jetson isa man of quick temper and rather lasting resentments. There is a gooddeal of sullenness in his nature--"

"And they're not the best qualities in a man who is being trained tocommand!" broke in a midshipman at the rear of the room. 

"As to whether Mr. Jetson will be, by graduation time, well fitted tocommand men, " Dave answered, "is not a question that this class is calledupon to pass on. That question rests with the faculty of the NavalAcademy. I am trying to get you to look at this matter only from thepersonal and the class point of view. Doubtless you all feel that Mr. Jetson is the victim of an unhappy temper. You would punish this frame ofmind. Yet I ask you, bluntly, who among you have ever tried to aid Mr. Jetson in overcoming his own peculiar style of temper? If there is oneamong you who has made such attempt at aid, I ask that gentleman to standuntil he can be recognized. "

Dave made a pause, glancing around him, but no midshipman rose. 

"Now, sir, " continued Dave Darrin, "if we, as a class, take hasty andunwise action, it is quite possible that we may be depriving the UnitedStates Navy of a future officer who would be most valuable to his countryin time of need. Have we the right to punish when we are forced to admitthat none of us has ever attempted to help Mr. Jetson to escape from thefruits of his temperament? Mr. President, how would you attempt toextinguish a fire? By fanning it? Yet, when a member of this class issmouldering in his own wrath, it is proposed to meet his sullenness bycasting him out of our friendship. Do we not owe some duty to our countryin this matter? Mr. Jetson is one of our capable students in thisbrigade, and if he be given a fair chance to graduate, he is likely tobecome a Naval officer of merit. Do we desire to take upon ourselves theprobable smothering of such a Naval career? Mr. President, and you, gentlemen of the second class, I trust sincerely that the motion ofCoventry in this case will not prevail. I feel, as I believe many of younow present feel, that we should be taking too much upon ourselves, andthat we should be making a grave mistake. If the motion now before theclass should be defeated, I shall then be delighted to second any othermotion that has for its object the finding of some way to make Mr. Jetsonfeel more fully that he is one of us, that he has our full sympathy, andthat we hope to see him mould his character into a form that will enablehim to become a credit to the United States Navy. "

As Darrin sat down there was a ripple of applause. There were manypresent, however, who took a sterner view of the affair. These wanted tosee Jetson, and all others who might similarly offend the brigade, forcedto quit the Naval service. 

"Question! question!" called a score of voices at once. 

"Any further remarks?" inquired the class president, glancing about. 

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Jerould. "

"Mr. President, " said Midshipman Jerould, "I am certain that we allappreciate the remarks of Mr. Darrin. The remarks were prompted by agenerous heart, and we respect Mr. Darrin and his motives alike. But Iam certain, sir, that the majority of us feel that this is an uglybusiness and that only stern treatment can meet the situation. Itherefore trust that the motion will be at once put and passed. " (Loudcries of "hear! hear!")

"Any further--"

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Darrin. "

"Mr. President, I wish I could throw my whole being and soul into thisproblem, in order to make it clearer, as I see it. I would even appeal, as a favor, to the class to quash this Coventry resolution, and perhapsI might be considered to have some right to ask the favor, since thewhole trouble grew out of an affair between Mr. Jetson and myself. I begof you all, classmates, to quash the motion now before the class. "

"No, no, no!" came the hearty response. 

"Then, Mr. President and gentlemen, " went on Dave Darrin in a voice slowand grave, "speaking for myself, as an individual member, I beg to statethat I cannot respect a Coventry ordered under such circumstances. Inthis matter I would find myself unable to respect the mandates of theclass. Therefore. I beg you to send me to Coventry with Mr. Jetson!"

Blank astonishment fell over the second class. Utter indignation seizedsome of the midshipmen. In another moment the feeling boiled up so that afew hisses rose. 

Dave Darrin was pallid, but he had no desire to recede. He had actedaccording to the dictates of his conscience and he had kept his word. 

In that pained instant Midshipman Farley sought to save the situation. Heleaped to his feet, shouting:

"Mr. President, I move that this meeting adjourn!"

"Second the motion, " called Page promptly, and now there was uproar onall sides. 

CHAPTER XIX

DAVE STANDS ON PRINCIPLE

A motion to adjourn being always "in order, " the class president put it. 

"Aye!" came a thundering response. 

"Contrary minded?"

"No. "

The ayes appeared to have it, but the chair called for a showing ofhands. Then the chair declared the class meeting adjourned. 

"Hustle along with us, Darry. I want to talk with you!" sputtered Farley. He thrust an arm inside of Dave's and carried him along, Dalzell and Pagefollowing. Straight to Darrin's quarters they went. 

"Now, then, " demanded Farley, almost savagely, "what's the meaning of thevery remarkable exhibition that you gave the class?"

"How was it remarkable?" questioned Dave. 

"In your asking the class to send you to Coventry along with Jetson. "

"It wasn't just to Jetson, just because he made a slip, that he should beshunned by the whole class. "

"Couldn't the class decide that better than one man?" insisted Farley, his eyes gleaming. 

"Without a doubt, " Dave admitted. "I didn't attempt to do thedeciding for the class. All I did was to try to throw my personalweight against it. "

"And you compelled the class to adjourn without attending toJetson's case. "

"You're wrong, there, Farl"

"Didn't you?"

"I certainly didn't. "

"Darry, you knew the class wouldn't vote to send you to Coventry justbecause you had ventured to give your opinion. Now, the only way theclass could escape from the consequences of your action was to adjournwithout action on Jetson. "

"It was you, Farl, who moved to adjourn. "

"Just to save a lot of hot-bloods from jumping on you, Darry. They'd havedone it in another minute. The motion to adjourn was the only thing wecould do. "

"That's just it, " nodded Midshipman Page. 

"But there'll have to be another meeting called right away, " Farley wenton. "The brigade will expect it--will have a right to demand it. A memberof our class has insulted the whole brigade, and under our old traditionsonly the second class can administer discipline. "

"Well, then, " pursued Darrin calmly, "when the new meeting is held Jetsonand myself can be punished, if that be the wish of the entire class. "

"Darry, " stormed Farley, "you've simply got to withdraw your fool remarkswhen the class comes together again. "

"Do you expect that I'll do that?" Dave inquired. 

"If you don't, " retorted Farley warmly, "you won't be worth the furtherconcern of your friends. What do you say, Danny boy?"

"From what I know of Dave Darrin, " replied Dalzell, "the class will bewasting its time if it expects Darry to retract. "

"But what do you want to be sent to Coventry for?" demanded Farley. 

"I don't, " Dave answered. "I know how it hurts. I wouldn't see anymidshipman here sent to Coventry for anything except positive andundeniable dishonor. Jetson hasn't been guilty of anything worse than amean, quick temper and a fit of sulks afterwards. That's why, with myexperience here at Annapolis, if Jetson is to be sent to Coventry, Idecline to be bound by the class action. "

"But you can't refuse to be bound by class action, " retortedFarley aghast. 

"Try me and see, " smiled Dave stubbornly. 

"Don't be an idiot, Darry!"

"It would be a contemptible thing, " Dave went on, as calmly as before. "Coventry would mean the chasing of Jetson out of the brigade. You wouldruin a man for a defect of temper that some of you others don't possessin quite the same degree. Is it fair to ruin any man because he has themisfortune to have a fit of sulks? That's why I won't heed the classaction if it cuts Jetson. I'll bow to him whenever I meet him. I'll talkto him if he'll let me. "

"But he won't, " insisted Farley triumphantly. "No such sulky fellow asJetson will let you make up to him. "

"If he refuses, " Dave contended, "then I can't help it. But I won't be aparty to ruining the man. It would be far more to the purpose if thefellows would help the fellow to see that his sulkiness is his worstbarrier here. Then a good student and naturally honorable fellow woulddevelop into a capable Naval officer. 

"That's the kind of talk for the padre" (chaplain), sniffed Farley. 

"Glad you mentioned the padre, " Dave retorted. "He's just the man tosettle the case. Farley, I'll go with you to the padre at any time. Youstate one side of the case, and I'll state the other. If the padredoesn't back me, then I'll retract all I've said in open class meeting, and abide by whatever action the class may take. "

"Oh, bother the padre!" snorted Farley angrily. 

"All right, then, " answered Dave good-humoredly. "If the class has amatter of ethics and morals that it doesn't dare submit to an expert inmorals, then the class action is weak and wrong. "

"There's no use talking to you, I'm afraid, " sighed Farley ruefully. "But if you--"

Here the call to study interrupted further discussion. Farley, shakinghis head gravely, left the room, followed by Page, who was shaking hishead with equal force. 

"If you think you're all right, David, little giant, go ahead, " remarkedDalzell as he passed to his study desk. 

"I think I'm right, " Dave answered. "If not, I can be made to see thelight. I don't claim to know everything, but what I've done I did in aneffort to see and do the right thing. "

When release from study came Dalzell expected to see several members ofthe class drop in. To his astonishment the minutes sped by without anyknock at the door. 

"You've gotten yourself in badly, Dave, " Dan remarked at last. "Thefellows don't even think it worth while to come here and remonstratewith you. "

"For which I'm thankful, " Darrin smiled. "Danny boy, I'm going to bedwithout waiting for taps. "

By morning the news of Dave's action at the class meeting was knownthroughout the brigade. As he strolled about for a few minutes, afterbreakfast, while Dan went back to his room to do some hurried study, Darrin noted that many once friendly faces were turned away from him. 

"Good morning, Hepson, " was Dave's greeting as his friend went by. 

"Good morning, " muttered Hepson, and was gone. 

"Good morning, Watson, " said Dave to one of his own classmates. 

"'Morning, ' replied that midshipman briefly, and turned away. Joyce, Pageand several other second classmen were standing in a group when Davestrolled in their direction. 

"Good morning, fellows, " from Dave. Joyce and Page answered; some of theothers merely nodded coldly. Presently all had strolled away exceptJoyce and Page. 

"You see how it is, Darry, " murmured Joyce. "You've hurt the fellows. "

"Are they going to cut me after this?" Dave asked. His smile wasfriendly, though the look in his eyes was cool. 

"No-o-o, " hesitated Midshipman Joyce. "I don't believe the fellows willexactly cut you; at least, not unless the situation grows more acute. Butmany of the fellows are sore on you for your words last night. "

"My words were only my words. My opinion doesn't have to govern anyoneelse, Joyce. "

"But, hang it, Darry, the class doesn't want to cut you out! Can't youget that through your head?"

"The class doesn't have to cut me. "

"But it will, if it puts Jetson in Coventry and you break the Coventry. That's what the fellows hate to do to you, and that's why they're all sosore at you. "

"I see, " nodded Dave. 

"Come, now, Darry, you're going to be reasonable, aren't you?" beggedJoyce. "Don't break your friends all up with your stubbornness. "

"I note that two of the fellows are talking with Jetson, " continued Dave, letting his glance wander to another group. 

"They have a right to, " contended Joyce. "The class hasn't yet committeditself as to Jetson. "

"Darry, if you don't look out, " warned Page, "you'll precipitate matters. You may bring the storm down on Jetson if you test the temper andstubbornness of an offended class. "

"I see that I was wrong in at least one particular, " nodded Davethoughtfully. "I shouldn't have made any remark about my intentions. Ishould have confined myself to a plea for Jetson. Then, if the class hadgone against my view I could have ignored the class action and have takenthe consequences just the same. "

"Oh, hang you!" cried Page impulsively. 

"Barry, " begged Midshipman Joyce, resting a hand on his friend's arm, "don't do any more talking about this. Just let things quiet down. "

"I'm perfectly willing to stop talking about it, " agreed Dave. "In fact, since the class adjourned its meeting I haven't said a word on thesubject except in answer to some other fellow's remarks. "

Page and Joyce strolled away, leaving Dave by himself to think mattersover. As it happened, the two second classmen with whom Jetson had beentalking had now left the sulky midshipman, who, at this moment, wascoming down the walk in Dave's direction. 

"Good morning, Jetson, " nodded Dave pleasantly, though not too cordially. 

Midshipman Jetson paused a moment, looked Darrin full in the eyes, andthen passed on. 

"Not promising material to work with, at first, " Dave told himself, laughingly. 

There was no time for further thought, for it was within two or threeminutes for the first formation for morning recitations. Dave ran back tohis room, picked up a book and a writing pad. 

"How have the fellows been treating you, chum?" asked Dalzell, looking upanxiously. 

"To a most liberal dose of advice, " laughed Darrin. 

Dan sighed. 

"Do you wish I'd take some of the advice, old fellow?"

"I don't know that I do, " Dan answered slowly and with unwontedgravity for him. "I'm not one of the padre's star young men, and Idon't often discourse on morality. Yet I'm inclined to believe that, when a fellow goes contrary to the spirit of the crowd, and issatisfied that he is doing so from generous and manly motives, he ispretty likely to be pursuing the right course. After a fellow has madea real effort to listen to his conscience, I don't believe he is everwrong in following it. "

"Thank you, Danny boy. That's always been the way it has struck me. Idon't want to do any injustice to Jetson--or to the class, either. "

"If you have to go to Coventry, " announced Dalzell, giving a finalbrushing to his hair and fitting on his cap, "I'm going with you. "

"But you don't have to, Dan! A fellow's roommate doesn't have to observea Coventry. "

"If it comes to Coventry, " muttered Dalzell, "I shall invite it byspeaking to Jetson, too. "

Dave Darrin was aghast. He hadn't contemplated dragging Dan intosuch a scrape. 

"There's formation now, " announced Dan. 

Out in front of the entrance, and along the terrace the many sectionswere falling in. Dan had occasion to pass the now very unpopular Jetson. 

"Good morning, Jetson, " was Dan's greeting. 

Jetson started slightly, then replied, with a sulky frown:

"Good morning, Dalzell. "

"Glad he'll speak to me, " thought Dan with an inward grimace, "for I'mafraid that, before long, I'll be in the way of feeling mighty lonely agood deal of the time. "

In another moment or two the sections were marching away, with thesteady, rhythmic, tread peculiar to bodies of military in motion. 

"I wonder how it is all going to come out?" sighed Dan, as he seatedhimself at his desk in the section room in the Academic Building. 

"I wonder what sort of crazy or calculating grandstand play Darrin istrying to make just now?" pondered Midshipman Jetson, when informed ofDave's action at the meeting. 

CHAPTER XX

"DON'T BE A FOOL, DARRY!"

A week went by without another class meeting. 

For that reason Midshipman Jetson was still nominally in good fellowship. 

The delay in action was by no means due to lack of class interest. Theclass seethed with interest in the affair, but with many of themidshipmen there was a belief that here was a case where slow andthoughtful consideration would be best for all concerned. 

Darry was too good a fellow, and far too popular to be forced out offellowship if it didn't have to be done to preserve the present feelingof ruffled class dignity. 

Knowing that the matter hadn't been dropped, the first and third classeswaited--in curiosity. The fourth class really had no standing in suchweighty matters of the internal discipline of the brigade. 

Every time that Dave Darrin passed Jetson he spoke pleasantly to thelatter. The sulky one, however, did not respond. 

"Some day, Darry, you'll tumble that you've been played for a fool, "grumbled Farley. 

"Then I'll have the satisfaction, won't I, of knowing that it's all myown fault?" smiled Dave Darrin. 

"Yes; but I hate to see you go to pieces for a fellow like Jetson. "

The following Saturday afternoon Darrin came in from a brisk walk, tofind Dan poring over his books at the study desk. 

"Letter there for you, " said Dan, without looking up, as Dave, afterglancing into the room, had turned with the intention of calling onFarley and Page. 

"Thank you. " Darrin crossed the room, picking up the letter. "FromBelle, " he remarked. "The second from her this week, and I haven'twritten her. Answering letters should be part of a man's honor, soinstead of cruising about on the deck, I reckon I'd better sit down andwrite Belle. "

"What are you going to tell her?" asked Dan quietly, without looking up. 

"Hang it all!" grumbled Dave. "This is where the situation begins to betough. Of course you understand how things are, Danny boy, and you areaware that I have asked Belle to take upon herself the right to beequally interested with me in my career. "

"It is tough, " assented Dan, with ready sympathy, and laying aside hisbook for the moment. "If my memory serves, Belle asked particularly, when she was here, that you let her know how the Jetson row turned out. "

"Yes; she did. "

"And now you've got to tell her--what?"

"Have I got to tell her?" wondered Darrin aloud. "Yes; any other coursewould be unfair. But another question is, have I a right to tell her justwhat took place in a class meeting?"

"I think so, " spoke up Dalzell. "Of course, you needn't attempt to reportthe speeches, or anything like that, but it's rather clear to me that youhave a right to tell Belle the exact news so far as it affects you--andtherefore her. "

"Thank you. " Dave drew out stationery, picked up a pen and began towrite. Dalzell returned to his text-book. When Dave had written theletter, he read to Dan the portion that related to a description of theJetson matter before the class. 

"I think it's all right to send that much of a statement, " nodded Dan. 

"Then I'm going to mail the letter at once, and it will go out to-night. Belle tells me that she is extremely anxious to know the outcome of thematter. Poor girl, I'm afraid my letter may be even worse than no news. "

"Belle didn't betroth herself to the uniform or the Navy, if I knowher, " returned Dan quietly. 

Dave went out and mailed the letter. It would not reach Belle untilMonday morning. Wednesday afternoon, on returning from the lastrecitation, Dave found her answer on his study table. 

"Want to hear a part of it, Dan?" questioned Midshipman Darrin. 

"Of course I do, " admitted that young man. 

"Listen, then, " and Dave read from Belle's letter as follows:

"'I won't attempt to say that I am not in the least worried or botheredover the turn the Jetson matter has taken, '" ran Belle's letter. "'Ican't help feeling vitally interested in anything that concerns you. Butyou tell me that you have followed your own sense of honor and your ownconscience in the matter. The best man that ever lived couldn't do betterthan that. I hope--oh, I _do_ hope--that the whole affair will turn outin some way that will not be disagreeable to you. But remember, Dave, that the lightheaded little High School girl who plighted her faith toyou is interested in you--not particularly in a future Naval officer, necessarily. If the affair should go to the worst ending, and you find itadvisable to resign from the Naval Academy on account of any classfeeling, there are plenty of bright prospects in life for an honorableand capable man. Don't ever imagine that I shall be disappointed overanything that you do, as long as you remain true to yourself and yourmanhood. And I will add, if you care to know it, that I approve of whatyou have done and am proud of you for your grit to do the right thing, '"

"A great girl!" cried Dan admiringly. "Just the kind of girl, too, that Iwas sure she is. "

"Just the same, " commented Dave musingly, "I know quite well that Bellehas set her heart on seeing me serve in the Navy with credit. "

"She wanted that because she knew you wanted it, " Dan assured him. 

Darrin was in the middle of his week's studies, where every minute's workcounted, but he took the time to write an intense, if short, answer toBelle's letter. That finished, and dropped in the mail-box, he went backto his room and began to study. 

Rap-tap! Farley slipped into the room. 

"Thought I'd better come right away, Darry, " explained the caller. "Thenews won't keep. A class meeting is called for Friday night right aftersupper. You know what that means, don't you?"

"Yes, " Dave answered steadily. 

"Old fellow, we all hope to see you come back to yourself at themeeting, " went on Farley earnestly, resting a hand on Dave's blue sleeve. 

"Meaning that I should desert my convictions and bow to the class?"

"Yes; if you put it that way. Darry, old friend, don't feel that you knowmore than the entire brigade. "

"I don't, " Dave answered. 

"Then you'll drop the line of talk you started the other night?"

"No. "

"Darry, old friend!"

"I haven't changed my mind. Then, if I changed my attitude, wouldn't I beacting a false part?"

"Don't be, a prig, Darry!"

"Be a knave instead, eh?"

"Darry, you ought to have been born a Puritan!"

"I'm glad I wasn't, " Dave smiled. 

"And are you enjoying yourself?"

"No, " Dave answered seriously. "I'm not. Neither is Jetson. It is likelythat the class may do a great injustice to us both. "

"Why are you so struck on a fellow like Jetson?" pursued the othermidshipman. 

"I'm not, " Dave rejoined. "But I think, if he could be awakened, he hasqualities that would make us all like him. "

"And you're going to throw yourself away on such thankless missionarywork, Darry?"

"Not at all. I'm acting on my best lights, as I see them for myself. "

"I'm sorry, " sighed Farley honestly. 

"And so am I. Don't believe that I enjoy the situation that hasbeen created. "

"That you've created for yourself, you mean!"

"I see that you can't or you won't, understand it, Farley. "

"I wish I could understand it!" quivered Farley, who felt far moreunhappy than he was willing that Dave should see. In the end, Farleyreturned to his own room, pondering deeply and trying to think out someplan of speech or of action that would save Midshipman Dave Darrin fromthe class anger that seemed certain to come. 

After supper and just before study time was due, Dave went to Jetson'sdoor and knocked. As he entered he found Warner, the other midshipmanquartered there, as well as Jetson. 

"Good evening, gentlemen, " began Dave, after he had stepped into the roomand closed the door. 

"Good evening, Darrin, " responded Warner, while Jetson merely scowled andpicked up a book. 

"Warner, " went on Dave, "I came here to have a brief talk with Mr. Jetson. Would it be asking too much to ask you to step outside--unlessMr. Jetson feels that he would prefer that you remain?"

"Mr. Jetson prefers that Mr. Warner remain, and that Mr. Darrin takehimself away with great expedition, " broke in Jetson decisively. 

But Warner thought differently, and, with a murmured "certainly, Darrin, "he left the room. 

"I won't ask you to take a seat, Mr. Darrin, " said Jetson, "because I'llbe candid enough to say that I hope you won't remain long. "

"I don't need a seat, " laughed Dave easily, "for I've heard that the bestAmericans transact their business on their feet. Mr. Jetson, I've come ona somewhat embarrassing mission. "

"Yes?"--sneeringly. 

"You know quite well the snarl that is to be untied before the classmeeting Friday evening. "

"Quite well, " replied Jetson sulkily. "It is a situation that I owe tothe fact of having been acquainted with yourself, Mr. Darrin. "

"Jetson, " resumed Dave, dropping the formal "Mr. ", "the situation is onethat menaces you and your standing here. It menaces me equally. I couldget myself out of the scrape quite easily by withdrawing from the standthat I took the other night. "

"I either fail or refuse to understand why you went to the risk that youdid the other night, Mr. Darrin. "

"If I were to retract what I said, " Darrin added, "it would cause me toviolate whatever respect I may have for right and justice. On the otherhand, Jetson, surely you do not consider yourself right in refusing anapology for a remark in which you thoughtlessly cast an unjust reflectionupon the whole body of midshipmen. "

"To what is this leading, Mr. Darrin?"

"Jetson, your own sense of honor and justice surely tells you that youowe it to yourself to go before the meeting Friday evening--"

"I shall not attend, Mr. Darrin. The class may take whatever action itchooses in my absence. "

"Jetson, you owe it to yourself, as well as to the class, to offer yourapology for a remark that reflected upon the whole brigade. You canviolate no feeling of honor or proper pride by such an apology. In fact, I do not see how you can justify yourself in withholding such apology forhaving expressed a sentiment which you know you did not mean in the waythat the brigade has taken it. "

"My feelings on questions of honor cannot possibly concern you, Mr. Darrin. "

"On the contrary, your conduct does vitally concern me, Jetson. Ifyou do not make your apology the class will--well, you know whatwill happen. "

"Yes, I know, " Jetson assented, his brow darkening. 

"And possibly you know what it means to me. By my own statement--and Icannot, in honor retract it, I shall be compelled to share Coventrywith you. "

"No, you won't sir!" retorted Jetson, rising, his face ablaze with sulkyanger. "You may go to Coventry, Mr. Darrin, and welcome, but you shallnot share mine with me. You shall not share anything whatever withme--not even the air of this room if I can prevail upon you to takeyourself out of a room where you are not wanted. Mr. Darrin, I indulgemyself in the honor of wishing you--good evening!"

Jetson crossed the room, threw open the door and bowed low. Flushing, breathing quickly, Dave Darrin stepped out into the corridor and the doorclosed smartly behind him. 

CHAPTER XXI

MIDSHIPMAN JETSON HAS THE FLOOR

It was Friday afternoon, and the last sections had been dismissedin front of Bancroft Hall. The balance of the afternoon belonged tothe midshipmen, though most of them found it necessary to give thetime to study. 

Jetson was not one of the latter. Always well up in his studies, he hadno occasion to worry about daily markings or semi-annual examinations. 

He had not grown less sulky, but he found himself a victim of unusualrestlessness. So he decided upon remaining out in the open air forthe present. 

Though actuated by a very different class of feelings, Darrin, also, feltdisinclined for books. He tried to study, for a few minutes, but gave itup and caught up his cap. The winter day being mild, he did not troublehimself to don his uniform overcoat. 

"Going to slip your cable?" inquired Dan, who was moored fast to atext-book. 

"Yes; I feel the need of fresh air. "

"Shove off, then!"

Dave went out quietly, Dan gazing curiously after his friend until thedoor had closed behind him. 

"Poor chap, " muttered Dan. "I reckon he has need enough of something tostop that restless feeling. The class meets to-night!"

Jetson, after some fifteen minutes of aimless wandering, felt himselfattracted to the gymnasium. Going inside, he went to his locker, where, with feverish energy, he changed to gym costume. 

For a few minutes the sulky one performed on the flying rings. He was anadept at this work, and something in the rapid motion soothed histroubled mind. 

Tiring of the rings at last, Jetson stood with folded arms, looking abouthim, until his eyes lighted with interest on the trapezes. One was uphigher than the rest. Drawn toward this one, Jetson took hold of theclimbing rope and drew himself up, hand over hand. Seating himself on thebar, he sat looking about at the few other midshipmen who were exercisingat that hour. 

"There comes that Darrin fellow, " thought Jetson, with a sudden burst ofrage. "Wonder if he's going to work this afternoon? If he does, I'll putit all over him, even if I break my neck in the trying. "

Back and forth swung Jetson, getting up speed on the trapeze. Then, suddenly, he threw his head downward, hanging on by his knees. Anintentional slip, and he hung fully downward his ankles holding at theends of the crossbar. 

Folding his arms, Jetson again began to swing as he hung head downward. Among the midshipmen there were not so very many who were skillful atthis form of exercise. Jetson was, and he was secretly proud of it. 

"This will put the fellow Darrin to the bad if he came in with any notionof showing off, " thought the sulky one exultantly. 

Now the other midshipmen turned to leave the gym. In a moment more theonly two left were Darrin and the man on the trapeze. In addition to themidshipmen there were two gym. Attendants at some little distance. 

"Who's doing that fine work?" wondered Dave, stepping closer. "Why, it'sJetson! Well, he has one accomplishment that I really envy him!"

Midshipman Jetson was now going through some rapid evolutions, firsthanging head downward, and then, after developing speed, raising himselfand turning over the crossbar. It was really work of which any athletemight have been proud. 

"Say, Jim, " muttered one attendant to the other, "that middie has menervous for fair. "

"Forget it, " advised the other attendant, "It's the middie's neck, not yours. "

"But we took the net down that goes with that bar. Suppose the youngman should fall. He'd break his neck, and what could we say with thenet gone?"

"He's no business up there at this late hour in the afternoon, " grumbledthe other man. 

"That talk won't save us, either, if anything happens. "

Jetson, filled with the desire to show off before the comrade he hated, had increased the speed of his brilliant flying movements. 

But suddenly he slipped. There was no regaining his grip. With a howl offright he felt himself plunging head downward more than thirty feet tothe hard floor of the gym. He was in a fair way of landing on his head, cracking his skull and breaking his neck. Worse, in his sudden dread, heseemed to have lost control of his muscles. 

"Turn! Land on your feet!" called Dave. 

It all happened in a second. Dave, brief as the instant was, realizedthat the other midshipman was not going to land on his feet. In the samefleeting moment that Darrin called he hurled himself into position. 

Straight down shot Jetson. Dave waited, with outstretched arms, ready torisk his own neck in the effort to save his sulky comrade. 

From their end of the gym. The two startled attendants had watched theimpending disaster, but there was no time for them to do anything. 

From the way that Jetson fell it looked as though he had made a straightdive for Dave Darrin's head. At all events, their heads met in sharpcollision. 

Down went Dave, as though shot, and Jetson went with him, but Darrin'soutstretched arms had grasped the other's body, and Jetson was saved theworst of his fall. 

Now the two midshipmen lay where they had fallen, Jetson lying somewhatacross Dave's motionless body. 

"They're killed!" yelled the attendant Jim hoarsely. 

"We'll look 'em over first, before we give up, " retorted the otherattendant, stooping and gently rolling Jetson over on his back. 

"Sure they're killed, Bob, " protested Jim huskily. "They met head on. You'll find that both middies have their skulls broken. "

"Bring two pails of water, you chump, " ordered Bob. "I tell you, we won'traise a row until we've done the best we can for 'em. "

[Illustration: Straight Down Shot Jetson. ]

The water was brought. Under liberal dashes of it over his face and neckJetson soon opened his eyes. 

"I--I had a bad fall, didn't I?" he asked of the man nearest him. 

"You'd have broken your neck, sir, if Mr. Darrin hadn't jumped forwardand broken the force of your fall. "

"I'd rather any other man had saved me, " muttered the sullen one, slowlyaiding himself to sit up. "How did Mr. Darrin do it?"

"Well, sir, " responded Bob, "he stopped you partly with his head, and itwould have been broken, only he had his hands out and gripped you at theshoulders or trunk. It may be that his head was split as it was, but Ihardly think so. "

Two more liberal douses of water, and Dave, too, opened his eyes. 

"Is Jetson all right?" was Darrin's first question. 

"Yes, " muttered Midshipman Jetson, "and thanks to you, as Iunderstand it. "

"Oh, if you're all right, then I'm glad, " responded Dave. "Bob, have youtime to help me to stand up?"

"How do you feel, sir?" asked Bob, after he had complied and stoodsupporting Midshipman Darrin on his feet. 

"Just a bit dizzy, Bob; but that'll pass off in a moment. Jetson, I'mglad to see you alive. Not badly jolted, I hope?"

Jim was now aiding Jetson to his feet. 

"Do you want a surgeon, either of you?" asked Bob. 

Both midshipmen shook their heads. 

"I think I'll go over to one of the side seats, " remarked Darrin, andBob piloted him there, while Jim aided Jetson out to the shower roomand locker. 

Dave Darrin soon conquered the dizzy feeling enough to stand up and walkwithout assistance. 

"I think I'll go, now, " he told Bob. "I don't believe there is anythingthat I can do for Mr. Jetson. "

"There is, sir, if you don't mind, " interposed Jim, striding up. "Mr. Jetson has just asked if you mind waiting for him. "

"My compliments to Mr. Jetson, and I shall be glad to wait for him. "

The sulky midshipman soon hove in sight, having donned his uniform. Hecame up to Dave looking decidedly embarrassed. 

"Mr. Darrin, I fear I must thank you for having stopped my course to thefloor, " admitted Jetson, with a sheepish grin. 

"I won't make it too hard to thank me, " replied Dave, with a smile. "I'll just say that you're wholly welcome. "

"But if you hadn't caught me in just the way that you did, your skullwould have been smashed by the impact with my head. You risked your lifefor me, Mr. Darrin. "

"I didn't stop to think of that, at the time. At any rate, risking one'slife goes with the Naval service, doesn't it?"

"It was a splendid thing for you to do, Mr. Darrin! May I walk alongwith you?"

Dave nodded. It was dark, now, and that portion of the yard appearedclear of any moving beings but themselves. 

"Darrin, " continued Jetson, "when you risked Coventry in the effort tosave me from it, I thought you were posing, though for the life of me Icouldn't fathom your motive. But the risk that you took this afternoonwasn't in the line of posing. Do you mind telling me why you did it?"

"I'd have done as much for any man in the brigade, " Dave answeredfrankly. 

"Just the same it has touched me--touched me deeply. "

"I'm glad of that, Jetson, " Dave answered heartily. "And now I hope thatwe can bury the hatchet and be friends, as men in the brigade shouldalways be. "

"But why do you want to be friends with a fellow like me?"

"Because I want to know the real Jetson--not the one that youpresent outside of a sulky exterior. Jetson, I know there's gold inyou, and I want to see it brought to the surface. I want yourfriendship because--well, it may be a selfish reason, but I thinkit's worth having. "

"That's a funny notion to take, " laughed Midshipman Jetson uneasily. "I have never been conceited enough to fancy that my friendship wasworth having. "

"Let yourself out and be natural, man!"

"How?"

Then indeed did Dave Darrin plunge into his subject. There was a lotto be said, but Dave said it briefly, tersely, candidly. Jetsonlistened with a flushing face, it is true, but at last he stopped andheld out his hand. 

"Will you take it, Darrin?"

"With all my heart!"

There was chance for but little more talk, as now the slowly movingmidshipmen were close to the entrance to Bancroft Hall. 

"You'll be at the class meeting this evening, won't you?" askedDave Darrin. 

"You may be very sure that I shall!"

Then they entered the lobby of Bancroft Hall, parting and going theirdifferent ways. 

In Darrin's eyes there was a strange flash as he turned down the "deck"on which he lived. But Dan, still absorbed in study, did not pay especialheed to his roommate. 

Immediately after supper in the mess-hall, Dalzell caught his chum's arm. 

"Let's get in early at the meeting, David, little giant. I'm afraidthere's big trouble brewing, and we must both be on hand early. We mayhave some chance to talk a bit before the meeting is called to order. "

"I don't believe I shall care to talk any, Danny boy, before thepresident raps. "

"Don't be too stubborn, Davy! Your future will very likely be at staketo-night. Your most dependable friends will be on hand and under arms foryou. Back 'em up!"

At least half of the class was gathered when the chums entered. Darrinlooked about him, then took a seat. He watched the door until he sawMidshipman Jetson enter. 

Rap, rap, rap! went the gavel at last. 

"Gentlemen, " announced the president, "there is some unfinished businessbefore the meeting. At the last class meeting a motion was made andseconded that Midshipman Jetson be sent to Coventry. Any remarks that maybe offered on that resolution will be in order now. "

Dave Darrin was on his feet in an instant. Three or four men hissed, butDave appeared not to notice. 

"Mr. President, " Dave began in a slow, steady voice, "this motion moreclosely affects Mr. Jetson than it does any other member of the class. Iunderstand that Mr. Jetson has a few remarks to make. "

There was a murmur that ran around the room as Jetson rose to his feet, claiming the chair's recognition. 

"Mr. President and gentlemen, " began Jetson, his face pale and his wordscoming with effort, "I am not going to discuss the question of whetherthe class will or will not be justified in sending me to Coventry. I havea duty to perform to-night, and I assure you that it comes hard, for mytemper and pride have been beyond my control for a long time. I wish tomake a most earnest apology for remarks of mine that were construed asbeing insulting to the members of the brigade. I further desire to makeany statement, or any admission that will most quickly banish any senseof wrong coming from me. In doing so, I am moved to this proper course bymy friend, Mr. Darrin!"

CHAPTER XXII

THE BIRTH OF A GENTLEMAN

It wasn't a real bombshell that hit the class, of course, but the effectwas almost as startling. First, there were murmurs, then a hubbub ofvoices, last of all a rousing cheer. 

In the midst of the excitement Midshipman Farley leaped to his feet. 

"Mr. President!" he bellowed. 

But his voice did not carry ten feet from where he stood. 

"Mr. President!" he yelled, louder than ever before. 

Still the hubbub continued. Farley leaped to the seat of his chair, turning and waving both arms frantically. Any midshipman who had glancedtoward the chair would have discovered that the occupant of the classchair was rapping hard with his gavel, though no sound of it was heardabove the tumult. 

Presently, however, Farley's antics produced their effect. The noisegradually lessened. 

"Mr. President!" essayed Farley once more. 

"Mr. Farley has the floor!" shouted the class president hoarsely. 

"Mr. President, " went on Farley, at the top of his voice, "class honorand that of the brigade have been satisfied by the direct, manlystatement of Mr. Jetson. I move you, sir, that the motion now before thisbody be tabled, all further action dropped and the class meetingadjourned subject to call. "

"Second the motion!" yelled Page. 

"The motion to adjourn must follow the disposal of the first part of themotion, " ruled the chair. 

"I accept the amendment, " called Farley. 

"I, also, " assented Page. 

"Question! question!"

"Before putting the motion, " continued the chair, "I desire to ask Mr. Jetson if he has fully considered his statement and the revised positionthat he has taken? Since the matter affects the entire brigade, and notthis single class, I feel that there should be no doubt, or any questionto be raised later. "

"Mr. President, " announced Jetson, when he had secured recognition, "I have retracted any offensive words that I may have uttered. Ihave attempted no justification of any of my words, but have madeflat apology. "

"Three cheers for Jet!" shouted one impulsive midshipman. 

"Any remarks?" questioned the chair. 

"Mr. President!"

"Mr. Darrin. "

"I do not see how Mr. Jetson's retraction or apology could be made anymore explicit. I trust to see Mr. Farley's motion, seconded by Mr. Page, put to the vote and carried at once. I am wholly aware that I haveincurred the class's displeasure (cries of 'no! no!') but I urge thatwhatever action may be taken regarding myself be deferred until after Mr. Jetson has been restored to the fullest measure of class and brigadefellowship. "

"Any further remarks?" questioned the class president, when Darrin hadseated himself. "If not, I will state the motion. "

A few "nays" succeeded the great chorus of "ayes, " and the motion ofCoventry for Jetson was declared tabled. 

"Any further action?" demanded the chair. 

"Move we adjourn!" called Farley. 

"Second the motion!" seconded Page. 

The motion was put and carried without dissent Then, amid the greatestjollity, the meeting was declared adjourned. 

There was a rush of at least twenty men to shake hands with Jetson, who, with flushed but pleased face, bore his honors as modestly as he could. 

"What on earth came over you, Jet?" demanded Joyce bluntly. 

"It would be a long story about Darrin, " replied Midshipman Jetson. "Hehad the grace to show me that I was a constitutional ass, with perhapssome slight chance of being reborn. To make it short, Darrin persuaded meto come before the class, eat humble pie and set myself right withmyself, even if I couldn't with the class. "

"It was beautifully done, Jet, " murmured Page, who was tremendouslygrateful at seeing Dave Darrin rescued from sacrificing himself to aprinciple. 

"If any of you fellows catch me in the sulks hereafter, " spoke up Jetson, though he winced as he said it, "I hope the man who catches me will do methe very great favor of passing me a few sound kicks before others have achance to catch me to the bad. "

"Bully for you--you're all right, Jet!" called several warmly. 

Fully half of the class members had left the room by this time. DanDalzell, who had been thunderstruck, and who was now full of questions, was being urged out of the room by Dave. 

"So Darry converted you, did he?" laughed Joyce. "Bully for Darry. Why, that great and good fellow dared the class to send him to Coventry afterit got through with you. He accused the class of kicking a man withoutgiving that man a chance to get up on his feet. "

"It's a good deal like Darrin, " remarked Jetson, his eyes a triflemisty, "though it took me a thundering long time to realize that Darrinwas really of that kind. "

"How did it happen, any way?" insisted Farley. 

"You've heard nothing about it?"

"Not a word--not a hint, " protested Page eagerly. 

There were less than twenty of the midshipmen now remaining in theroom, so Jetson did not feel as embarrassed as he might have done hadhe been called upon to give the recital before a class meeting. Hetold his listeners the story of Dave's splendid conduct in the gym. That afternoon, and of the talk that had followed the reconciliationof the enemies. 

"That was like good old Darry again, " remarked Farley proudly. "No fellowhas a warmer temper than Darry when he's aroused to righteous anger, butno fellow has a more generous temper at all times. "

"Let's go down and jump in on Darry, all hands!" proposed Joyce. 

"Listen!" warned Farley. 

Study call! That took the young men hastily to their regularacademic duties. 

"One thing this business has done, " remarked Midshipman Farley, lookingup from his books. 

"I'll be the goat, " murmured Page. 

"Darry has always been somewhat the leader of the class, ever since thefellows began to find him out, back in the first year here. But this lastbusiness has boosted Dave Darrin unmistakably and solidly now into thepost of leader of the class. "

"We're safe, then!" retorted Page. "Darry won't lead us into anytrouble!"

The realization that Midshipman Dave Darrin was assured leader ofthe second class was not long in coming to most of the other men ofthe class. 

Yet Dave did not seek the post, nor did he attempt to do any actualleading. He still considered himself as possessing one voice, and oneonly, in the class councils. 

If Dave was leader, Dan Dalzell, both by reflected glory and by virtue ofhis own sterling merits as well, shared the leadership with Dave to agreat extent. Dan's power might have gone further than it did had it notbeen for the fact that he was so full of mischief as to leave hiscomrades often in doubt as to whether he were really serious in what hesaid and did. 

CHAPTER XXIII

"BAGGED, " AND NO MISTAKE

"Plebes Flint and Austin are having a good many callers, " remarked DaveDarrin, halting by the door of quarters before he and Dan entered. 

"Sure! Aren't you wise?" inquired Dan, with a wink. 

"I think so, " murmured Dave. "The callers all seem to be third classmen. "

"Of course; they're putting the rookies through their paces. "

"Surest thing!" murmured Dalzell without excitement. 

"But this is March. Isn't it a rather late time in the year to be stillhounding the poor new men?"

"I don't know, " mused Dalzell. "It may be that Mr. Flint and Mr. Austinare unusually touge. "

"Touge" is Annapolis slang for "fresh. " It corresponds closely to the "bj" of West Point. 

A sound as of protest came from behind a closed door at the further endof the deck. 

"I hope our youngsters aren't going too far, " Dave remarked, "youngster"being the accepted term for the third classmen, and the same as"yearling" at West Point. 

"Well, it's none of our business, " replied Dan, with a shrug of hisshoulders. "Study call will be along in fifteen minutes. Going to get anearly start with the books to-night?"

"I guess that will be wise, " Darrin nodded. 

"It surely will. "

The rest of the winter had gone along rather uneventfully, save for theinevitable, overpowering amount of grind through which a midshipman mustpass. It was now spring, and midshipmen thoughts were divided between twotopics--annual exams, and summer cruise. 

Dan had started into the room, and Dave was about to follow, when heheard an unusually loud thud at the further end of the deck. 

"Danny boy, the plebes must be getting it hard to-night. "

"I'd like to see the fun, " muttered Dalzell, his eyes snapping withmischief. "But it doesn't seem to be any of our business. Hazing work isleft in charge of the youngster crowd. "

"Yes; a second classman shouldn't interfere, " assented Dave. "Well, studyfor ours. "

"I'm afraid I'm not as studious as I was a minute ago, " contended Dan, with a grin. 

Dave looked almost startled as he seized his chum by the arm. 

"Inside with you, Danny boy!"

"Not under compulsion, " laughed Midshipman Dalzell. 

"I'll condescend to coaxing, then. But don't anger the youngsters bybutting in. "

"And why not? An upper classman has a right to step in, if he wishes. "

"It is, at least, against the rules of good taste to interfere, "argued Darrin. 

"Well, hang you, I don't want to interfere. All I want to do is to lookon. Can't an upper classman do that?"

"I won't, " returned Dave. 

Yet almost immediately he changed his mind, for two hard bumps and a gustof laughter swept up the deck. 

"They're making so much racket, " murmured Dave, lingering by his owndoor, "that, the first thing we know, a duty officer will swoop down andrag the bunch. "

"Let's go in, then, as grave and dignified second classmen, and warn theyoungsters like daddies, " proposed Dan, but his eyes were twinkling withthe spirit of mischief. 

A good deal against his own inclination Darrin allowed himself to becoaxed into the thing. 

Nine youngsters were found in Midshipmen Flint and Austin's room whenDave and Dan entered after rapping. 

"We're not intruding, I hope?" inquired Dalzell, with his mostinviting grin. 

"Not at all, gentlemen, " responded Midshipman Eaton, of the third class. 

"These fourth classmen seemed unwontedly popular to-night, "insinuated Dan. 

"They've been most uncommonly touge all through the year, sir, " repliedEaton, tacking on the "sir" in order to impress Midshipmen Flint andAustin with the tremendous dignity or all upper classmen. 

"What form does their tougeness take?" Dan wanted to know. 

"They have not yet learned the respect that is due to upperclassmen, sir. "

"And especially to third classmen?" inquired Dan, now without the flickerof a smile. 

"They are especially touge, sir, with third classmen. "

"And you are showing them the error of their ways?"

"We are trying to do so, sir. "

"I thought so, from the noise we heard, " pursued Dalzell. 

"If you have any better ways, Mr. Dalzell, we shall be glad to profitfrom your riper experience, sir, " suggested Midshipman Eaton. 

"No; I've forgotten almost everything that I ever knew in that line, "remarked Dan. 

"Mr. Darrin, sir?" suggested Eaton, turning to the other secondclassman present. 

"I have nothing to suggest, " replied Dave slowly, "unless--" Thenhe paused. 

"Unless--sir?" followed up Midshipman Eaton. 

"No; I won't say it. It might give offense, " Darrin responded. 

"Have no fear of that, Mr. Darrin, " urged Eaton. 

"All I was going to suggest, Eaton, was that this is the month of March. "

"Yes, sir?" inquired Eaton wonderingly. 

"When Dalzell and I were fourth classmen we weren't troubled at all bythe youngsters after Christmas. Last year, Eaton, our class didn't botheryours at any later date, either. "

Some of the youngsters present began to look embarrassed, though Dave'stone had been quiet and free from rebuke. 

"But, sir, don't imagine that we're doing anything to the plebes for ourown amusement, " protested Eaton. "This is the only pair of the fourthclass left that need any attention from our class. These two youngmisters are the tougest lot we've had to deal with. In fact, sir, they're ratey!"

"Still, " rejoined Dan Dalzell, "I think you are keeping it up prettylate in the year, even if they are ratey. "

A midshipman who is "ratey, " as has been explained in an earlier volume, is a much greater offender than a midshipman who is merely touge. For aratey fourth classman makes the foolish blunder of considering himself asgood as an upper classman. 

"Of course, " suggested Dan, making haste to smooth over any astonishmentthat his own and his chum's remarks might have caused, "we don't proposeto instruct the members of the third class in the way they shall performtheir duties toward the members of the fourth. Don't let us interferewith you, Mr. Eaton. "

"By no means, " murmured Dave Darrin, smiling. "We don't wish to intrude. "

"But wait just one moment gentlemen, " begged Eaton. "We want you to seefor yourselves how effectively we are smoothing the touge creases out ofthese baby midshipmen. "

During the discussion Flint and Austin had been standing at one side ofthe room, looking decidedly sheepish. Both had their blouses off, thoughneither had been required to take off his collar. The trousers of the twofourth classmen were rather liberally overlaid with dust, showing thatthey must have been performing some rough stunts on the floor. 

"Step over to that, basin, mister, " ordered Youngster Eaton, eyeingFlint, who promptly obeyed. 

"Now, mister, stand on your head in that bowl, " commandedMidshipman Eaton. 

Looking doubly red and uncomfortable, with these two grave-looking secondclassmen present, Flint bent down, attempting to stand on his head in thebowl of water, while he tried, at the same time to push his feet up thewall, thus standing on his head. Twice Flint essayed the feat and failed, splashing a good deal of water over the floor. Then, for the third time, Flint tried the performance. This time he succeeded, but his two previousfailures had provoked such a storm of laughter that no man present hearda cautious rap on the door. The next instant that door was flung open andLieutenant Preston stepped into the room. 

With the entrance of that discipline officer half of the midshipmenpresent wheeled about, then, startled as they were, did not forget tocome to attention. 

"Hm!" said Lieutenant Preston, at which the other half heard andcame to attention. Flint, whether too scared, or perhaps enjoyingthe discomfiture of his tormentors, made no effort to return tonormal position. 

"What's your name, sir?" thundered the discipline officer, glaringfiercely at Midshipman Flint. 

"Flint, sir, " replied the fourth classman in a gasp. 

"Bring your feet down and come to attention, sir!"

Flint obeyed. 

During this time Lieutenant Preston had stood so that no midshipman inthe room could slip by him into the corridor. 

"I will now take the names of the gentlemen present, " went on thediscipline officer, drawing a notebook and pencil from an inner pocketand commencing to write. 

"All except the fourth classmen present will at once fall in by twosoutside, " commanded Lieutenant Preston, closing the notebook and slippingit away. "Midshipmen Flint and Austin will mend their appearances asspeedily as possible and then form the last file outside. "

"Wow!" whispered Dan in his chum's ear outside. "Talk about thefifty-seven varieties! We're in all the pickles!"

"Yes, " murmured Dave. 

"What are you going to do about it, Davy?"

"Take my medicine, " Dave replied. 

"But we weren't really in the thing. "

"Danny boy, never get out of a thing, or try to, by playing cry baby!"

"No danger, " retorted Dalzell. "David, little giant, we'll just consoleourselves with the realization that we're in the worst scrape we everstruck yet. "

"Yes, " nodded Dave. 

Fourth classmen Flint and Austin were not long in making themselvespresentable. Then they fell in at the rear of the line. 

"Squad, forward march!" commanded the discipline officer dryly. 

Through the corridor and off that deck the little squad of thirteenmidshipmen marched. Never had thirteen been more unlucky, for the presentsuperintendent was known to be a man determined to stamp out hazing. 

Nor did the affair remain a secret for more than a moment Midshipmenreturning to their own decks stepped to the wall to let the squad pass. Nor was more than a look at the two rear fourth classmen needed to enableany wondering midshipmen to guess the nature of the offense with whichthe remaining eleven upper classmen were to be charged. 

"Our Darry in that!" gasped Farley, as the squad went by. "Did you seehim?"

"Yes, " Page mournfully admitted. 

"Then my eyes didn't play me any trick, as I had hoped. Darry andDalzell! What evil spirit tempted them to be in that scrape?"

In the meantime Lieutenant Preston was arraigning the captureddelinquents before the officer in charge, and the commandant ofmidshipmen had already been telephoned for and was on the way. 

Study call cut short a good deal of excited discussion on the differentdecks. The commandant of midshipmen arrived, heard the evidence of thediscipline officer, looked over the offenders, entered their names on hisown record, and then spoke briefly, but in the voice of fate itself:

"The accused midshipmen will go to their rooms. They will, until furtherorders, remain in their quarters, except for recitations and mealformation. They will forego all privileges until the superintendent orhigher authority has acted finally in this matter. That is all, younggentlemen. Go to your rooms, except Midshipmen Flint and Austin, whowill remain. "

As soon as the upper classmen had departed, the commandant took Flint andAustin in hand, questioning them keenly and making notes of the moreimportant answers. 

Back in their own rooms, Midshipman Dan Dalzell was at first overwhelmedwith horror. 

"We're dished, Davy! We walk the plank! The super won't forgive a singleman who is caught at the royal pastime of hazing! I'm going to write, now, for the money to get home with. You know, in the last two affairs, the hazers have been dismissed from the Naval Academy. "

"Yes, " Dave nodded. "It looks black for us. But keep a stiff tipper lip, Danny boy. "

"It's all my own miserable fault!" uttered Dalzell, clenching his fists, while tears tried to get into his eyes. "You've got me to blame for this, Davy! It was all my doing. I insisted on dragging you down to that room, and now you've got to walk the plank, all because of my foolishness! Oh, I'm a hoodoo!"

"Stop that, Danny!" warned Dave, resting a hand on his chum's arm. "Ididn't have to go, and you couldn't have made me do it. I wouldn't havegone if I hadn't wanted to. I'm not going to let even you rest the blamefor my conduct on your shoulders. "

Finally the chums went to study table. 

"What's the use!" demanded Dan, closing a book after he had opened it. "We don't need to study. We've got to walk the plank, at any rate, andall the study we do here for the next day or two is so much time wasted!"

"We may walk the plank, " retorted Dave. "In fact, I feel rather certainthat we shall. But it hasn't happened yet Danny boy, open that bookagain, and open it at the right page. Study until recall, and workharder than you ever did before. You know all about that old-time Navyman who said, 'Don't give up the ship!'"

They studied, or manfully pretended to, until release sounded. Howmuch they learned from their books that night may have been adifferent matter. 

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

By the next day it was generally conceded among the midshipmen that theranks of the brigade were about to be thinned as a result of the lasthazing episode. Nor did the third class generally uphold Eaton and hisyoungster associates in the affair of the night before. 

"They were out for trouble, and they got it, " declared one thirdclassman. "The rest of us let up on all hazing before Christmas. "

In some underground way Farley and Page heard the straight storyconcerning Dave and Dan; how the two upper classmen had gone to the roomand Darrin had entered a mild protest against the hazing. 

Though it was against regulations to visit them confined to theirquarters, Farley took the chance and got a few words with Dave. 

"Darry, don't let anyone trim you for what you didn't do, " beggedMidshipman Farley. "Go straight to the com. ; tell him that you and Danhad just entered the room to see what was going on, and that you had justmade a protest against the hazing. "

"Nothing doing there, Farl, " Dave gently assured his friend. "We werepresent and we really had no business to be. We wouldn't make ourselveslook any more manly by crying when the medicine is held out to us. "

"But you did protest, " urged Farley anxiously. "Stand up for your ownrights, Darry. Remember, I'm not counseling you to lie, or to make anystretched claims. That would be unworthy of you. But tell the full truthin your own defense. "

"Dan and I will truthfully answer all questions put to us by competentofficers, " Dave replied gravely. "Farl, that is about all we can do andkeep our self-respect. For, you understand, we were there, and we knewjust about what we were going to look in on before we crossed thethreshold of that room. "

"But we can't lose you from the brigade, Darry, " pleaded Farley hoarsely. "Nor can the people of this country spare you from the Navy of thefuture. Stick up for all your rights. That's all your friends ask of you. Remember, man, you're nearly three fourths of the way through tograduation! Don't let your fine chances be sacrificed. "

Dave, however, still maintained that he was not going to play baby. Indismay some forty members of the second class held an unofficial outdoormeeting at which ways and means were suggested. In the end Joyce, Farleyand Page were appointed a committee of three to think the matter oversolemnly, and then to go to the commandant of midshipmen with whateverstatement they felt justified in making. 

At the earliest possible moment the three waited outside the door of thecommandant's office, after having sent in their cards and a message as towhy they desired to see the commandant. 

"Well, gentlemen, " began the commandant briskly, "I understand thatyou want to see me in reference to the last hazing outrage. What haveyou to say?"

"We come in behalf of two members of our own class, sir, " spoke upFarley. 

"Hm! What do you expect to be able to say for Midshipmen Darrin andDalzell? They do not attempt to deny the fact that they were present atthe hazing, and that they were at least looking on when LieutenantPreston entered the room. "

"May I inquire, sir, " replied Farley very respectfully, "whether eitherMr. Darrin or Mr. Dalzell have stated that Mr. Darrin had just entered aprotest against the hazing, and that they had made the protest justbefore Lieutenant Preston went into the room?"

"No; such a statement has not been made by either Mr. Darrin orMr. Dalzell, " admitted the commandant. "Are you sure that Mr. Darrin did protest?"

"I can only say, sir, " replied Farley, "that I have been so informed. Ialso know, from Mr. Darrin's own lips, that he has refused to inform youthat he made such a protest. "

"Why?" shot out the commandant, eyeing Mr. Farley keenly. 

"Because, sir, Mr. Darrin feels that he would be doing the baby act toenter such a defense. "

"And so has commissioned you to appear for him?"

"No, sir, " returned Farley almost hotly. "In fact, sir, I believe Mr. Darrin would be very angry if he knew what I am doing and saying at thismoment. This committee, sir, was appointed by some forty members of thesecond class, sir, who are familiar with the facts. We have been sent toyou, sir, by our classmates, who are frantic at the thought of losing thefinest fellow in the class. "

"I thank you, gentlemen, " said the commandant, in a tone which signifiedthe polite dismissal of the committee. "I will keep in mind what youhave told me. "

The investigation was being carried on daily. All of the third classoffenders were put on carpet more than once. At the next session withthe youngsters the commandant questioned them as to the truth of thestatement that Darrin had tried to protest against the hazing. 

"Why, yes, sir, " Eaton admitted, "Mr. Darrin did say something againstwhat we were doing. "

"As an upper classman, did Mr. Darrin order you to stop?"

"No, sir, " Eaton admitted; "he didn't command us to stop. "

"What did Mr. Darrin say?"

"I can't state with accuracy, now, sir, just what Mr. Darrin didsay to us. "

"Did he disapprove of your acts?"

"Yes, sir. I am very certain that he made every third classman presentfeel uncomfortable. "

"Then whatever Mr. Darrin's words were, they had the effect, if not theexact form, of a rebuke against your conduct?" pressed the commandant. 

"Yes, sir, " replied Midshipman Eaton with great positiveness. 

Eaton's companions in the hazing all bore him out in the statement. Thecommandant of midshipmen then took up the matter of their testimony withthe superintendent of the Naval Academy. 

After six days of confinement to quarters, Darrin and Dalzell wereordered to report before the commandant. With that officer they found thesuperintendent also. It was the latter officer who spoke. 

"Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell, on the testimony of others, not ofyourselves, we have learned that Mr. Darrin had just entered a rebukeagainst the hazing before Lieutenant Preston entered the room in whichthe hazing was taking place. We have this on such general assurance thatboth the commandant and myself feel warranted in restoring you to fullduty and privileges. At the same time, Mr. Darrin, I desire to thank youfor your manliness and attention to duty in entering a protest againstthe hazing. "

"I thank you very much, sir, " Dave Darrin answered. "However, much as Ilong to remain in the Navy, I do not want to hide behind amisunderstanding. While I spoke against the hazing, candor compels me toadmit that I did not protest so vigorously but that more hazing went onimmediately. "

"That I can quite understand, " nodded the superintendent. "I am aware ofthe disinclination of the members of one upper class to interfere withthe members of another upper class. The fact that you made a protest atall is what has convinced me that yourself and Mr. Dalzell were in theroom at the time with a worthy instead of an unworthy motive. Worthymotives are not punished at the Naval Academy, Mr. Darrin. For thatreason yourself and Mr. Dalzell are restored to full duty and privileges. That is all, gentlemen. "

Thus dismissed, Dave and Dan could not, without impertinence, remainlonger in the room. 

There was wild joy in the second class when it was found that the classleaders, Darrin and Dalzell, had escaped from the worst scrape they hadbeen in at Annapolis. 

Eaton, Hough and Paulson, of the third class, proved to have been theringleaders in the hazing. They were summarily dismissed from the NavalAcademy, while the other six youngsters implicated in the affair all camein for severe punishments that fell short of dismissal. 

After that matters went on smoothly enough for the balance of the term. Dave, Dan, Joyce, Farley, Page, Jetson and all their closest intimates inthe class succeeded in passing their annual examinations. Jetson, inaddition, had made good in his new role of amiable fellow. 

As these young men, now new first classmen, stood on the deck of abattleship, watching the Naval Academy fade astern, at the beginning ofthe summer cruise, Dave Darrin turned to his friends, remarkingwistfully:

"Fellows, if we get through one more year of it without falling down, weshall then be putting to sea once more, and then as graduated midshipmen, afloat in our effort to win our ensign's commissions!"

How did they come out?

The answer must be deferred to the next and last volume of this series, which is published under the title, "DAVE DARRIN'S FOURTH YEAR ATANNAPOLIS; Or, Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise. "

THE END