od that is possible for me,"
Dave replied solemnly.

"You must have formed some wonderful friendships here."

"I have."

"And, I suppose," hesitated Belle, "a few unavoidable enmities."

"I don't know about that," Dave replied promptly and with energy.
"I can't think of a fellow here that I wouldn't be ready and
glad to shake hands with. I hope---I trust---that all of the
fellows in the brigade feel the same way about me."

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

There was one more formation yet---one more meal to be eaten under
good old Bancroft Hall.

But right after breakfast the graduates, each one now in brand-new
cit. attire, began to depart in droves.

Some went to the earliest train; others stopped at the hotels
and boarding houses in town to pick up relatives and friends with
whom the gladsome home journey was to be made.

"I don't like you as well in cits.," declared Belle, surveying
Dave critically in the hotel parlor.

"In the years to come," smiled Dave, "you'll see quite enough
of me in uniform."

"I don't know about that," Belle declared, her honest soul shining
in her eyes. "Do you feel that you'll ever see enough of me?"

"I know that I won't," Dave rejoined. "You have one great relief
in prospect," smiled Belle. "Whenever you do grow tired of me
you can seek orders to some ship on the other side of the world."

"The fact that I can't be at home regularly," answered Midshipman
Darrin, "is going to be the one cloud on our happiness. Never
fear my seeking orders that take me from home---unless in war
time. Then, of course, every Naval officer must burn the wires
with messages begging for a fighting appointment."

"I'm not afraid of your fighting record, if the need ever comes,"
replied Belle proudly. "And, Dave, though my heart breaks, I'll
never show you a tear in my eyes if you're starting on a fighting
cruise."

Mrs. Meade and Dave's parents now entered the room, and soon after
Danny Grin, who had gone in search of his own father and mother,
returned with them.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Mr. Darrin. "I understand
that we have hours to wait for the next train."

"We can't do much, sir," replied Dave. "Within another hour this
will be the deadest town in the United States."

"I should think you young men would want to spend most of the
intervening time down at the Naval Academy, looking over the familiar
spots once more," suggested Mrs. Dalzell.

"Then I'm afrai