since he had not
deliberately planned it."

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

"Yes, or with any other man in the brigade. I don't suspect any man here
at the Naval Academy of anything intentionally and deliberately
dishonorable."

"Good, Darry!" cried several midshipmen.

For a few minutes the talk grew fast and furious. Then some one looked
at his watch and there was a prompt flight of visitors. Ten minutes later
taps sounded and a master switch turned off the lights in midshipmen's
quarters, with nearly eight hundred young men in their beds and already
dropping asleep.

At eight the next morning the many sections marched off to recitations
and for hours the grind of the day was on. At the Naval Academy, as at
West Point, not even football is allowed to interfere in the least with
studies or recitations. No football player is permitted to go into
section room, after extra practice in the field, and announce himself
unprepared to recite. Only midshipmen of a good grade of scholarship are
permitted to join or remain in the football squad.

Late in the afternoon, when recreation time came, all was speedily
changed. Every member of the squad hastily reported in togs. Scores of
midshipmen not of the squad hastened over to see the practice work. The
scores were presently increased to hundreds. Fifty or more Naval officers
detailed at the yard were scattered along the side lines. Many of the
wives and daughters of officers stationed at Annapolis turned out to view
the work. Other young ladies came from Annapolis. There was also a big
delegation of "St. Johnnies," as the gray-clad young men from St. John's
College are called.

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

"A big part of this crowd is out to see you and Danny boy," Hepson
remarked 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 beat
the Army this year."

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

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

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