e "under
full headway," and wasted no time in "laying hold of the helm." That
talk upon the train had been what he termed "one real old
heart-to-hearty," for Mrs. Harold had foreseen just such a crisis and
felt under no obligation to refrain from speaking her mind where Mrs.
Stewart was concerned. She had seen just such women before. Captain
Stewart had asked her to read the letters sent to him. She nearly had
hysterics over Harrison's, but Peggy's brought tears to her eyes, for
she loved the girl very dearly and understood her well. Mrs. Stewart's
letter made her eyes snap and her mouth set firmly, as she said:

"Captain Stewart, you have asked my advice and I shall give it exactly
as though Peggy were my daughter, for I could hardly love her and Polly
more dearly if they were my own children. I am under every obligation of
affection to Peggy but not the slightest to Mrs. Stewart, and from all I
observed in New London she is by no means the woman to have control over
a girl like Peggy. She is one of the most lovable girls I have ever
known, but at the same time has one of the most distinct personalities
and the strongest wills. She can be easily guided by combined wisdom and
affection, but she would be ruined by association with a calculating,
unrefined, or capricious nature, and, pardon my frankness, I consider
Mrs. Peyton Stewart all of these. Peggy needs association with other
girls--that is only natural--and we must secure it at once for her."

Neil Stewart laid her words to heart, and the ensuing week brought to
pass some radical changes.

On the thirtieth of September the whole brigade of midshipmen came
pouring back to Annapolis, the academic year beginning on October first.

On the thirtieth also came Mrs. Glenn Harold and her niece Polly
Howland, brown, happy and refreshed by their summer's outing, and Polly
eager to meet her old friends at the Academy and her chum Peggy.

October first falling upon Sunday that year the work at the Academy
would not begin until Monday, and, although the midshipmen had to report
on September thirtieth, Sunday was to a certain extent a holiday for
them and on that afternoon a rare treat was planned for some of them by
Captain Stewart.

On Sunday morning Neil Stewart, with Mrs. Stewart and Peggy drove into
Annapolis to attend service at the Naval Academy Chapel where their
entrance very nearly demoralized Polly Howland, no hint of their
intention having been given her. They