rom Gridley. A few days
after he went Midshipman Darrin received a brief communication from the
Secretary of the Navy, stating that no further action had been taken by
the accuser, and that the Department was satisfied that the midshipman's
conduct had been fully justified. Therefore the matter would not be
called to the attention of the Naval Academy authorities for action.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then she found chance to murmur, in a voice too low for any of the others
present 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 at
Annapolis, the circumstances of which are wholly familiar to the readers
of the earlier volumes of this series.

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

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

Three minutes later two midshipmen were being whirled through the city
limits 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 the
watchman 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 the
officer in charge. By that officer the two midshipmen were assigned to
the 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.