, a look of innocent
surprise settling on his face. "We called it a demonstration--an
explanation."

"Demonstration? Explanation?" repeated the officer, astonished in his
turn. "What do you mean, Mr.--er--?"

"Benson," Jack supplied, quietly.

"I think you would better tell me a little more, Mr. Benson," pursued the
unknown naval officer.

"Why, it was like this, sir," Jack continued. "My two friends--Hastings and
Somers--and myself were talking about the West Point and Annapolis hazings,
of which we had heard and read. We were talking about the subject when a
cadet came along. I suggested to Somers that we ask the cadet about
hazing. Well, sir, to make a long story short, some of the cadets
undertook to show us just how hazing is--or used to be--done at Annapolis."

"Oh! Then it was all thoroughly good-natured, all in the way of a joke, to
show you something you wanted to know?" asked the naval officer, slowly.

"That's the way I took it," replied Jack. "So did Hastings and Somers.
We've enjoyed ourselves more than anyone else here has."

This was truth surely enough, for, in the last two minutes, not one of the
cadet midshipmen present could have been accused of _enjoying_ himself.

"Then what took place here, Mr. Benson, really took place at your
request?" insisted the naval officer.

"It all answered the questions that we had been asking," Jack replied,
promptly, though, it must be admitted, rather evasively.

"This is your understanding, too, Mr. Hastings?" demanded the officer.

"Surely," murmured Hal.

"You, Mr. Somers?"

"I--I haven't had so much fun since the gasoline engine blew up," protested
Eph.

"We entered most heartily into the spirit of the thing," Jack hastened on
to say, "and feel that we owe the deepest thanks to these young gentlemen
of the Navy. Yet, if our desire to know more about the life--that is, the
former life--of the Academy is to result in getting our entertainers into
any trouble, we shall never cease regretting our unfortunate curiosity."

For some moments the naval officer regarded the three submarine boys,
solemnly, in turn. From them he turned to look over the cadet midshipmen.
The latter looked as stolid, and stood as rigidly at attention, as ever.

"Under this presentation of the matter," said the officer, after a long
pause, "I am not prepared to say that there has been any violation of
discipline. At least, no grave infraction. However, some of these young
gentl