ademy, will find it all set forth
in the concluding volume of the West Point Series, entitled _"Dick
Prescott's Fourth Year At West Point."_

Strangely enough, the first effect of this news from West Point
was to send the Navy eleven somewhat "to the bad." That is to
say, Dave Darrin, despite his best endeavors, seemed to go stale
from the first hour when he knew that he was not to meet Dick
Prescott on the gridiron.

"Mr. Darrin, what ails you?" demanded coach kindly, at the end
of the second practice game after that.

"I don't know, sir."

"You must brace up."

"Yes, sir."

"You seem to have lost all ambition. No; I won't just say that.
But you appear, Mr. Darrin, either to have lost some of your snap
or ambition, or else you have gone unaccountably stale."

"I realize my defects, sir, and I am trying very, very hard to
overcome them."

"Are you ill at ease over any of your studies?" persisted coach.

"No, sir; it seems to me that the fourth year studies are the
easiest in the whole course."

"They are not, Mr. Darrin. But you have had the advantage of three
hard years spent in learning how to study, and so your present
course appears rather easy to you. Are you sleeping well?"

"Yes, sir."

"Eating well?"

"Splendid appetite, sir."

"Hm! I shall soon have a chance to satisfy myself on that point,
Mr. Darrin. The day after to-morrow the team goes to training
table. Have you any idea, Mr. Darrin, what is causing you to
make a poorer showing?"

"I have had one very great disappointment, sir. But I'd hate to
think that a thing like that could send me stale."

"Oh, a disappointment?"

"Yes, sir," Dave went on frankly. "You see, sir, I have been
looking forward, most eagerly, to meeting Prescott and downing
him with the tricks that Jetson, Dalzell and I have been getting
up."

"Oh! Prescott of the Army team?"

"Yes, sir."

"I think I heard something about his having been sent to Coventry at
the Military Academy."

"But, Mr. Darrin, you are not going to fail us just because the
Army loses a worthy player or two?" exclaimed Lieutenant-Commander
Parker in astonishment.

"Probably that isn't what ails me, sir," Dave answered flushing.
"After all, sir, probably I'm just beginning to go stale. If
I can't shake it off no doubt I had better be retired from the
Navy eleven."

"Don't you believe it!" almost shouted coach. "Mr. Darrin, you
will simply have to brace! Give us all the bes