oulder."

"All right; so be it," growled Decker, after a side glance at Briggs.

"On shore, at some point to be selected by the seconds?" asked Dan
Dalzell.

"Yes; that's agreed."

Details as to whom to invite as referee and time-keeper were also
arranged.

"I suppose we'll have to use up our shore leave that way, then," grunted
Pennington, when told of the arrangement.

"There's one way you can save the day," grinned Decker.

"How?"

"Put Darrin to sleep in the first round, then hurriedly dress and leave,
and enjoy your time on shore."

"But Darrin is a very able man with his fists," observed Pennington.

"Yes; but you're a mile bigger and heavier, and you're spry, too. You
ought to handle him with all the ease in the world."

"I don't know," muttered Pennington, who didn't intend to make the
mistake of bragging in advance. "I'll do my best, of course."

"Oh, you'll win out, if you're awake," predicted Midshipman Briggs
confidently.

When the cadets were called, the following morning, they found the
battleship fleet at anchor in Hampton Roads.

CHAPTER V

WHEN THE SECONDS WONDERED

One after another the launches sped ashore, carrying their swarms of
distinguished looking young midshipmen.

The fight party managed to get off all in the same boat, and on one of
the earliest trips.

Pennington was to have ordinary shore leave on the cruise, his fifty
demerits to be paid for by loss of privileges on his return to the Naval
Academy.

"Decker," proposed Dan, "you and I can skip away and find a good place
in no time. Then we can come back after the others."

"That's agreeable to me," nodded Midshipman Decker.

In twenty minutes the two seconds were back.

"We've found just the place," announced Decker. "And it isn't more than
three minutes' walk from here. Will you all hurry along?"

"The place" turned out to be a barn that had not been used for a year or
more. The floor was almost immaculately clean. In consideration of two
dollars handed him, the owner had agreed to display no curiosity, and
not to mention the affair to any one.

"How do you like it, Darry?" asked Dan anxiously.

"It will suit me as well as any other place," responded Dave, slipping
off his blouse, folding it neatly and putting it aside, his uniform cap
following.

"And you?" asked Decker of his man.

"The floor's hard, but I don't expect to be the man to hit it," replied
Pennington.

In five minutes both midsh