the fleet turned back past Gibraltar, and stood on for the
Azores, the last landing point before reaching home.

When two nights out from Gibraltar a sharp summer gale overtook the
fleet. Even the huge battleships labored heavily in the seas, the
"Massachusetts" bringing up the rear.

She was in the same position when the morning broke. The midshipmen,
after breakfast, enjoyed a few minutes on the deck before going below
for duty in the engine rooms, the dynamo room, the "stoke hole" and
other stations.

Suddenly, from the stern rail, there went up the startled cry:

"Man overboard!"

In an instant the marine sentry had tumbled two life-preservers over
into the water.

With almost the swiftness of telegraphy the cry had reached the bridge.
Without stopping to back the engine the big battleship's helm was thrown
hard over, and the great steel fighting craft endeavored to find her own
wake in the angry waters with a view to going back over it.

Signal men broke out the news to the flagship. The other two great
battleships turned and headed back in the interests of humanity.

It seemed almost as though the entire fleet had been swung out of its
course by pressure on an electric button.

Officers who were not on duty poured out. The captain was the first to
reach the quarter-deck. He strode into the midst of a group of
stricken-looking midshipmen.

"Who's overboard!" demanded the commanding officer.

"Hallam, sir----"

"And Darrin, sir----"

"And Dalzell, sir----"

"How many?" demanded the captain sharply.

"Three, sir."

"How did so many fall overboard?"

"Mr. Hallam was frolicking, sir," reported Midshipman Farley, "and lost
his footing."

"But Mr. Darrin and Mr. Dalzell?" inquired the captain sharply.

"As soon as they realized it, sir, Darrin and Dalzell leaped overboard
to go to Hallam's rescue, sir."

"It's a wonder," muttered the captain, glancing shrewdly at the bronzed,
fine young fellows around him, "that not more of you went overboard as
well."

"Many of them would, sir," replied Farley, "but an officer forward
shouted: 'No more midshipmen go overboard,' So we stopped, sir."

Modest Mr. Farley did not mention the fact that he was running toward
the stern, intent on following his chums into the rough sea at the very
instant when the order reached him.

The captain, however, paused for no more information. He was now running
forward to take the bridge beside the watch officer.

The