See here, Pen," he muttered, in a low voice, his eyes blazing fiercely
into the other midshipman's, "that is the last piece of impudence that
will be tolerated from you."

Midshipman Pennington's lip curled disdainfully.

Dan had not seen the "accident," but he was near enough to hear the
talking, and he caught Dave at it. So Dan ordered, impartially:

"Mr. Darrin, you will place yourself on report for unauthorized talking
in section!"

Dave flushed still more hotly, but said nothing.

Midshipman Dalzell now marched the section from the furnace room, and
dismissed it. It was near noon, and would soon be time for the middies
to eat.

Dave hurried away, washed, changed his uniform, and then stepped away
swiftly to place himself on the report.

"I was sorry to do that, old chum," murmured Dan, as he met Dave
returning. "But of course I couldn't play favorites. What made you so
far forget yourself?"

"A something that would have had the same effect on you," retorted Dave
grimly. Thereupon he described Pennington's two underhanded assaults
that morning.

"Humph!" muttered Dalzell. "That fellow Pen is bound to go the whole
limit with you."

"He won't go much further," declared Dave, his eyes flashing.

"And the chump ought to know it, too," mused Dan. "The class history of
the last year should have taught him that. But see here, Dave, I don't
believe Pen will do anything openly. He will construct a series of
plausible accidents."

"There will be one thing about him that will be open, if he goes any
further," retorted Dave, "and that will be his face when he collides
with my fist."

"I hope I see that when it happens," grinned Dalzell. "It's bound to be
entertaining!"

"Wait a second, then. Here comes Pennington now," murmured Dave Darrin
in an undertone.

Pennington, in his immaculate blue uniform, like the chums, came
strolling along the passageway between decks.

He affected not to see the chums, and would have passed by. But Dave,
eyeing him closely, waited until Pen was barely three feet away. Then
Darrin said tersely:

"Mr. Pennington, I wish an understanding with you."

"I don't want any with you," replied Pennington insolently, as he stared
at Dave from under much-raised eyebrows. He would have gone by, but Dave
sprang squarely in front of him.

"Just wait a moment!" warned Dave rather imperiously, for he was aglow
with justifiable indignation.

"Well?" demanded Pennington halting. "Out with