was their direct chief.

"Gentlemen and friends," announced the superintendent, "I take
the greatest pleasure that may come to any of us in introducing
our chief---the Secretary of the Navy."

And now other officers appeared on the rostrum, bearing diplomas
and arranging them in order.

The name of the man to graduate first in his class was called.
He went forward and received his diploma from the Secretary,
who said:

"Mr. Ennerly, it is, indeed, a high honor to take first place
in such a class as yours!"

Ennerly, flushed and proud, returned to his seat amid applause
from his comrades.

And so there was a pleasant word for each midshipman as he went
forward.

When the Secretary picked up the seventeenth diploma he called:

"David Darrin!"

Who was the most popular man in the brigade of midshipmen? The
midshipmen themselves now endeavored to answer the question by
the tremendous explosions of applause with which they embarrassed
Dave as he went forward.

"Mr. Darrin," smiled the Secretary, "there are no words of mine
that can surpass the testimonial which you have just received
from your comrades. But I will add that we expect tremendous
things from you, sir, within the next few years. You have many
fine deeds and achievements to your credit here, sir. Within
the week you led in a truly gallant rescue human life down the
bay. Mr. Darrin, in handing you your well-earned diploma, I take
upon myself the liberty of congratulating your parents on their
son!"

As Dave returned to his seat with his precious sheepskin the elder
Darrin, who was in the audience, took advantage of the renewed
noises of applause to clear his throat huskily several times.
Dave's mother honestly used her handkerchief to dry the tears of
pride that were in her eyes.

Another especial burst of applause started when Daniel Dalzell,
twenty-first in his class, was called upon to go forward.

"I didn't believe Danny Grin would ever get through," one first
classman confided behind his hand to another. "I expected that
the upper classmen would kill Danny Grin before he ever got over
being a fourth classman."

But here was Dan coming back amid more applause, his graduation
number high enough to make it practically certain that he would
be a rear admiral one of these days when he had passed the middle
stage of life in the service.

One by one the other diplomas were given out, each accompanied
by some kindly message from the Sec