etter
points of vantage.

Pennington tried to join in the cheer, but his tongue seemed fixed to
the roof of his mouth. He stood clenching and unclenching his hands, his
face an ashen gray in his deep humiliation.

"I don't care what one or two fellows may say," groaned Pennington.
"But I don't want the class to think such things of me."

He was the most miserable man on board as the small boat came alongside.
The boat, occupants and all, was hoisted up to the davits and swung
in-board. To the officer of the deck, who stood near-by, Dave turned,
with a brisk salute.

"I beg to report that I've come aboard, sir," Darrin uttered.

"And very glad we are of it, Mr. Darrin," replied the officer. "You will
go to your locker, change your clothing and then report to the captain,
sir."

"Aye, aye, sir."

With another salute, Dave hastened below, followed by Dan Dalzell, who
was intent on attending him.

Ten minutes later Dave appeared at the door of the captain's cabin. Just
a few minutes after that he came out on deck.

A crowd gathered about him, expressing their congratulations.

"Thank you all," laughed Dave, "but don't make so much over a middy
getting a bath outside of the schedule."

To the rear hung Pennington, waiting his chance. At last, as the crowd
thinned, Pennington made his way up to Dave.

"Mr. Darrin, I have to apologize for my nonsense, which was the means
of pushing you overboard. It was purely accidental, on my honor. I did
not even know it was you at the stern, nor did I realize that my antics
would result in pushing any one overboard. I trust you will do me the
honor of believing my statement."

"Of course I believe it, Mr. Pennington," answered Darrin, opening his
eyes.

"There are some," continued Pennington, "who have intimated to me their
belief that I did it on purpose. There may be others who half believe or
suspect that I might, or would, do such a thing."

"Nonsense!" retorted Dave promptly. "There may be differences,
sometimes, between classmates, but there isn't a midshipman in the Navy
who would deliberately try to drown a comrade. It's a preposterous
insult against midshipman honor. If I hear any one make a charge like
that, I'll call him out promptly."

"Some of your friends--I won't name them--insisted, or at least let me
feel the force of their suspicions."

"If any of my friends hinted at such a thing, it was done in the heat of
the moment," replied Dave heartily. "Why,