ddenly he paused, seemed lost in thought, then wheeled and walked
back whence he had come.

Dan breathed more easily. Dave heaved a sigh of relief.

As for Pennington, that midshipman had wheeled and was stealing rapidly
down the passageway, intent only on escape.

"That was the closest squeak we'll ever have without being ragged cold,"
murmured Dalzell tremulously.

"Where is Pennington?" demanded Dave, wheeling about after he had
watched the Naval lieutenant out of sight.

"Ducked out of sight, like a submarine," chuckled Dan.

At that moment the call for midshipmen's dinner formation sounded. Dave
and Dan were ready.

Pennington showed up just after the line had started to march into the
midshipmen's mess tables.

To the inquiry of the officer in charge, Pen lamely explained that he
had bumped his nose into something hard in a poorly lighted passageway.

Though the officer accepted the excuse, he smiled within himself.

"It wasn't iron or steel that bumped that young man's nose," thought the
officer.

"Oh, the middies haven't changed a lot since I boned at Annapolis!"

Pennington's nose was no very lovely member of his face at that moment.
It had been struck hard, mashed rather flat, and now looked like a red
bulb.

"Meet with an accident, Pen?" asked Hallam curiously at table.

"Quit your kidding, please," requested Pennington sulkily.

That directed the curious glances of other middies at Pennington's new
bulbous nose.

The young man was so brusque about it, however, that other table mates
ceased quizzing him.

Yet, as soon as the meal was over, many a youngster asked others of his
class for news regarding Pen. But none possessed it.

During the brief rest that followed the meal, however, Midshipman
Pennington made it his business to try to meet Dave Darrin alone. He
succeeded, finding Dave staring off across the water at the port rail.

"Of course, Mr. Darrin," began the other midshipman, in a voice
suggestive of ice, "you are aware that the incident of an hour ago
cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed."

"I don't believe there's any danger of that," retorted Darrin, with an
ironical glance at Pennington's damaged-looking nose.

"Confound you, sir," hissed the other midshipman, "don't you dare to be
insolent with me."

"Why, I had thought," observed Dave, "that, of your own choice, the
period of courtesies between us had passed."

"I shall call you out, Mr. Darrin!"

"You'll find my he