inst yourself, Davy," muttered Dan.

"No; but I think I know what a Naval officer should be, and I
also know how far short I fall of what I should be."

"If you get your diploma," argued Midshipman Dalzell, "the faculty
of the Naval Academy will testify on the face of it that you're
a competent midshipman and on your way to being fit to hold an
ensign's commission presently."

"But that's just the point, Danny. I shall know, myself, that
I'm only a poor, dub sort of Naval officer. I tell you, Danny,
I don't know enough to be a good Naval officer."

"Then that's a reflection on your senior officers who have had
your training on hand," grinned Dalzell. "If you talk in the
same vein after you've gotten your diploma, it will amount to
a criticism of the intelligence of your superior officers. And
that's something that's wisely forbidden by the regulations."

Dan picked up a text-book and opened it, as though he believed
that he had triumphantly closed the discussion. Midshipman Darrin,
however, was not to be so easily silenced.

"Then, if you're not fitted to be a Naval officer," blurted Dalzell,
"what on earth can be said of me?"

"You may not stand quite as high as I do, on mere markings," Dave
assented. "But there are a lot of things, Danny, that you know
much better than I do."

"Name one of them," challenged Dalzell.

"Well, steam engineering, for instance. Now, I'm marked higher
in that than you are, Danny. Yet, when the engine on one of the
steamers goes wrong you can hunt around until you get the engine
to running smoothly. You're twice as clever at that as I am."

"Not all Naval officers are intended to be engineer officers,"
grunted Midshipman Dalzell. "If you don't feel clever enough
in that line, just put in your application for watch officer's
work."

"Take navigation," Dave continued. "I stand just fairly well
in the theory of the thing. But I've no real knack with a sextant."

"Well, the sextant is only a hog-yoke," growled Dalzell.

"Yes; but I shiver every time I pick up the hog-yoke under the
watchful gaze of an instructor."

"Humph! Only yesterday I heard Lieutenant-Commander Richards
compliment you for your work in nav."

"Yes; but that was the mathematical end. I'm all right on the
paper end and the theoretical work, but it's the practical end
that I'm afraid of."

"You'll get plenty of the practical work as soon as you graduate
and get to sea," Dan urged.

"Yes; an