dshipman Dan Dalzell was not there, as Darrin knew
to his own consternation. Dave did not go to sleep. Well enough
he knew that he was on duty indefinitely through the hours until
Dan should return. If Midshipman Darrin fell into a doze this
night he would be as bad as any sentry falling asleep on any other
post.

So Darrin lay there and fidgeted. Twenty times he tried to solve,
in his own mind, the riddle of why Dalzell should be away, and where
he was. But it was a hopeless puzzle.

"Of course, Danny didn't hint that he was going to French it tonight,"
thought Dave bitterly. "Good reason why, too! He knew that,
if I got wind of his intention, I'd thrash him sooner than let
him take such a chance. Oh, Dan! Dan, you idiot! To take such
a fool chance in your last year here, when detection probably
means your being dropped from brigade, and your career ended!"

For Dave Darrin knew the way of discipline officers too well to
imagine that that one brief inspection of the room was positively
all the look-in that would be offered that night. Some discipline
officers have a way of looking in often during the night. Being
themselves graduates of the Naval Academy, officers are sure to
know that the inspection immediately after taps does not always
suffice. Midshipmen have been known to be in bed at taps, and
visiting in quarters of other midshipmen ten minutes later. True,
the electric light in rooms is turned off at taps---but midshipmen
have been known to keep candles hidden, and to be experts in clouding
doors and windows so that no ray of light gets through into a
corridor after taps.

Just how often discipline officers were accustomed to look in
through the night, Dave Darrin did not know from his own knowledge.
Usually, at the times of such extra visits, Darrin was too blissfully
asleep.

Tonight, however, despite the darkness of the room at present, Dave
lay wide awake. No sleep for him before daylight---perhaps not
then---unless Dan turned up in the meantime.

After an interval that seemed several nights long, the dull old
bell of the clock over on academic Hall began tolling. Dave listened
and counted. He gave an almost incredulous snort when the total
stopped at eleven.

Then another long period of waiting. Darrin did not grow drowsy.
On the contrary, he became more wide awake. In fact, he began
to imagine that he was becoming possessed of the vision of the
cat. Dark as it was in the roo