omewhat the leader of the class, ever since the
fellows began to find him out, back in the first year here. But this last
business has boosted Dave Darrin unmistakably and solidly now into the
post of leader of the class."

"We're safe, then!" retorted Page. "Darry won't lead us into any
trouble!"

The realization that Midshipman Dave Darrin was assured leader of
the second class was not long in coming to most of the other men of
the class.

Yet Dave did not seek the post, nor did he attempt to do any actual
leading. He still considered himself as possessing one voice, and one
only, in the class councils.

If Dave was leader, Dan Dalzell, both by reflected glory and by virtue of
his own sterling merits as well, shared the leadership with Dave to a
great extent. Dan's power might have gone further than it did had it not
been for the fact that he was so full of mischief as to leave his
comrades often in doubt as to whether he were really serious in what he
said and did.

CHAPTER XXIII

"BAGGED," AND NO MISTAKE

"Plebes Flint and Austin are having a good many callers," remarked Dave
Darrin, 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 still
hounding the poor new men?"

"I don't know," mused Dalzell. "It may be that Mr. Flint and Mr. Austin
are unusually touge."

"Touge" is Annapolis slang for "fresh." It corresponds closely to the "b
j" of West Point.

A sound as of protest came from behind a closed door at the further end
of 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 his
shoulders. "Study call will be along in fifteen minutes. Going to get an
early 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 the
inevitable, overpowering amount of grind through which a midshipman must
pass. It was now spring, and midshipmen thoughts were divided between two
topics--annual e