ded on either side.
Then, suddenly, Dave darted in and under, and brought a right-arm hook
against Pen's nose in a way that started that member to bleeding again,
and with a steady flow.

That jarred the larger midshipman. He plunged in, heavily and blindly,
blocking one of Darrin's blows by wrapping both arms around him.

"None of that, Mr. Pennington! Break away fast!" ordered Midshipman
Remington quickly.

Dave took a fair get away, not attempting to strike as the clinch was
broken. But an instant later Dave came back, dancing all around his
dazed opponent, landing on the short ribs, on the breast bone, under
either ear and finally on the tip of the chin.

Pen was sure that none of these blows had been delivered with the force
that Darrin could have sent in.

"Time!" shouted Midshipman Dawley.

The principals retired to their corners, Pennington almost wholly afraid
from the conviction that his antagonist was now merely playing with him
to keep the interest going.

So Pennington was still rather badly scared when the two came together
for the fifth round.

"Get lively, now, gentlemen, if you can," begged Referee Remington.
"Finish this one way or the other, and let us get some of the benefits
of our shore leave."

Pen started by putting more steam behind every blow. Dave, who had used
up so much of his wind by his brilliant footwork, began to find it
harder to keep the upper hand.

Twice, however, he managed to land body blows. He was trying to drive in
a third when Pennington blocked, following this with a left-arm jab on
Darrin's left jaw that sent the lighter man to the floor.

Instantly Dawley began to count off the seconds.

"--seven, eight, nine, te----"

Dave was up on his feet. Pen tried to make a quick rush, but Darrin
dodged cleverly, them wheeled and faced his opponent as the latter
wheeled about.

After that there was less footwork. Both men stood up to it, as keenly
alert as they could be, each trying to drive home heavy blows. While
they were still at it the call of time sounded.

"Don't let him put it over you, David, little giant!" warned Dan, as the
latter and Farley vigorously massaged Darrin's muscles. "He all but had
you, and there isn't any need of making Pen a present of the meeting."

"I tried to get him," muttered Dave in an undertone, "and I shall go on
trying to the last. But Pennington is pretty nearly superior to anyone
in my class."

"Just waltz in and show him," wh