The Project Gutenberg eBook, Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz, by H. Irving Hancock

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Title: Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz

Author: H. Irving Hancock

Release Date: June 29, 2004 [eBook #12776]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ***

E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig

DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ

Fighting with the U.S. Navy in Mexico

by

H. IRVING HANCOCK

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS
I. Ready for Fight or Frolic
II. At the Mercy of a Bully
III. The Junior Worm Turns
IV. The Ward-Room Hears Real News
V. Watching and Waiting--Behind the Guns
VI. First to Invade Mexico
VII. Dave Darrin to the Rescue
VIII. Disobedience of Orders
IX. Cantor Finds His Chance
X. Dave is Stung to the Quick
XI. A Brother Officer's Whisper
XII. The Man of the Evil Eye
XIII. "After the Rascal!"
XIV. A "Find" of a Bad Kind
XV. Ready for Vera Cruz
XVI. In the Thick of the Snipping
XVII. Mexicans Become Suddenly Meek
XVIII. In the House of Surprises
XIX. A Traitor in the Service
XX. The Skirmish at the Diligencia
XXI. A Rescue and a "Facer"
XXII. Playing Birdman in War
XXIII. The Dash for the Traitor
XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I

READY FOR FIGHT OR FROLIC

"Do you care to go out this evening, Danny boy?" asked Dave Darrin,
stepping into his chum's room.

"I'm too excited and too tired," confessed Ensign Dalzell. "The
first thing I want is a hot bath, the second, pajamas, and the
third, a long sleep."

"Too bad," sighed Dave. "I wanted an hour's stroll along Broadway."

"Don't let my indolence keep you in," urged Dalzell. "If you're
going out, then I can have the first hot bath, and be as long
about it as I please. Then I'll get into pajamas and ready for
bed. By that time you'll be in and we can say `good night' to
each other."

"I feel a bit mean about quitting you," Dave murmured.

"And I feel a whole lot meaner not to go out with you," Dan promptly
assured his chum. "So let's compromise; you go out and I'll stay in."

"That sounds like a very odd compromise," laughed Darrin. "On
the whole, Dan, I believe I won