rders orders.

Clack! was the sound that followed the first cry. Like a flash the
marine sentry had thrown his rifle to the deck. A single bound carried
him to one of the night life buoys. This he released, and hurled far
astern.

As the night buoy struck the water a long-burning red light was fused by
contact. The glow shone out over the waters.

In the meantime, the "Massachusetts's" speed was being slowed rapidly,
and a boat's crew stood at quarters.

The boat put off quickly, guided by the glow of the red signal light on
the buoy. Ere the boat reached the buoy the coxswain made out the head
and shoulders of a young man above the rim of the floating buoy.

Soon after the boat lay alongside. Dave, with the coxswain's aid, pulled
himself into the small craft.

Recovering the buoy, the coxswain flashed the red light three times.
From the deck of the battleship came a cheering yell sent up from
hundreds of throats.

In the meantime, however, while the boat was on its way to the buoy, a
pulsing scene had been enacted on board.

Farley went straight up to Midshipman Pennington.

"Sir," demanded Farley hotly, "why did you push Mr. Darrin over the
rail."

Pennington looked at his questioner as one stunned.

"I--I did push Darrin over," admitted Pennington, "but it was an
accident."

"An easily contrived one, wasn't it?" demanded Midshipman Farley, rather
cynically.

"It was pure accident," contended Pennington, paling. "Until it happened
I hadn't the least idea in the world that I was going to send Mr. Darrin
or anyone else overboard."

"Huh!" returned Farley dubiously.

"Huh!" quoth Hallam.

Dan Dalzell uttered not a word, but the gaze of his eyes was fixed
angrily on Pennington.

That latter midshipman turned as white as a sheet. His hands worked as
though he were attempting to clutch at something to hold himself up.

"Surely, you fellows don't believe, do you--" he stammered weakly, then
paused.

"One thing we did notice, the other day," continued Farley briskly, "was
that, when Darrin was rescued from the sea and returned to us, you were
about the only member of the class who didn't go up to him and
congratulate him on his marvelous escape."

"How could--"

"Mr. Pennington, I haven't the patience to talk with you now," rejoined
Farley, turning on his heel.

At that moment the yell started among the midshipmen nearer the rail.
Farley, Dan, Hallam and others joined in the yell and rushed to b