small amount that has come to me so far in
life. And this Navy orchestra plays so divinely!"

"Our number's next, I believe, ladies," called Midshipman Farley, as he
and Page came up, eager for their chances with these two very charming
belles of the hop.

"Hang you, Farl!" muttered Dave.

"That's just like Darrin, Miss Meade," laughed Farley. "He's always a
monopolist at heart. Though in this instance I am far from wondering at
his desire to be."

It was the first hop after the semi-annual exams. A host of fourth
classmen and some from the upper classes had been dropped immediately
after the examinations, but Dave and Dan and all their more intimate
friends in the brigade had pulled through. Darrin and Dalzell had come
out of the ordeal with the highest markings they had yet achieved at the
Naval Academy.

Mrs. Meade had come down to Annapolis to chaperon Belle and Laura, but
this evening Mrs. Meade was chatting with a middle-aged Naval officer and
so did not see much of the young people.

As the music struck up, Farley and Page claimed consideration, Dave and
Dan were left without partners.

"Nothing more doing for two dances, David, little giant," murmured
Midshipman Dalzell. "Suppose we slip into our overcoats and walk
around outside."

"I'd rather," assented Darrin. "It's dull in here when a fellow
isn'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 which
reason Dave found many other midshipmen outside, strolling up and down.

"What we need, fellows," called Joyce, coming up to the chums, "is a new
regulation 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 at
least 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 in
at the first signal. What's the use of hanging around at a hop when
there's only one girl to every five fellows?"

"You have suffered the just fate of the free lance," remarked Dan Dalzell
virtuously. "As for me, I never think of attending a hop unless I squire
some femme thither."

"There used to be girls enough last year," complained Joyce. "Well, I'm
off for home and