Darrin and Mr. Dalzell, on the testimony of others, not of
yourselves, we have learned that Mr. Darrin had just entered a rebuke
against the hazing before Lieutenant Preston entered the room in which
the hazing was taking place. We have this on such general assurance that
both the commandant and myself feel warranted in restoring you to full
duty and privileges. At the same time, Mr. Darrin, I desire to thank you
for your manliness and attention to duty in entering a protest against
the hazing."

"I thank you very much, sir," Dave Darrin answered. "However, much as I
long to remain in the Navy, I do not want to hide behind a
misunderstanding. While I spoke against the hazing, candor compels me to
admit that I did not protest so vigorously but that more hazing went on
immediately."

"That I can quite understand," nodded the superintendent. "I am aware of
the disinclination of the members of one upper class to interfere with
the members of another upper class. The fact that you made a protest at
all is what has convinced me that yourself and Mr. Dalzell were in the
room at the time with a worthy instead of an unworthy motive. Worthy
motives are not punished at the Naval Academy, Mr. Darrin. For that
reason yourself and Mr. Dalzell are restored to full duty and privileges.
That is all, gentlemen."

Thus dismissed, Dave and Dan could not, without impertinence, remain
longer in the room.

There was wild joy in the second class when it was found that the class
leaders, Darrin and Dalzell, had escaped from the worst scrape they had
been in at Annapolis.

Eaton, Hough and Paulson, of the third class, proved to have been the
ringleaders in the hazing. They were summarily dismissed from the Naval
Academy, while the other six youngsters implicated in the affair all came
in 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 in
the class succeeded in passing their annual examinations. Jetson, in
addition, had made good in his new role of amiable fellow.

As these young men, now new first classmen, stood on the deck of a
battleship, watching the Naval Academy fade astern, at the beginning of
the summer cruise, Dave Darrin turned to his friends, remarking
wistfully:

"Fellows, if we get through one more year of it without falling down, we
shall then be putting to sea once more, and