ertone. "You may make
a mistake."

"Mistake?" echoed Dan. "With that anchor on his collar?"

Hastily Dan Dalzell slipped back into the office, going up to
the young man in uniform, who had stopped before the desk.

"Good evening," began Dan politely. "I'd like to introduce myself.
'Tomorrow I expect to be one of the crowd. You're a midshipman,
aren't you?"

"I'm an officer of the Navy," replied the uniformed stranger coldly,
as he half turned to glance briefly at Dalzell. "You are a candidate,
I suppose? Then I fancy you will report at the superintendent's
office in the morning."

With that the Naval officer turned away, leaving poor Dalzell
feeling decidedly dumfounded.

"Wasn't that a midshipman?" gasped Dan, in a whisper.

"That gentleman is a lieutenant in the Navy," replied the clerk,
with a slight smile.

Crestfallen Dan hurried back to Darrin, brushing off his sleeves
with his hands as he walked.

"Served you right; you must get over being fresh," Dave Darrin
rebuked his chum. "But what is the matter with your sleeves?"

"I'm brushing the frost off of them," murmured Dan dejectedly.
"Did you notice the ice-bath that fellow threw over me?"

"Come out for a walk," urged Dave. "But be careful where you
step and what you say to others."

The two young men strolled down the street.

"Well," smiled Darrin, "I must say, Dan, that you appear to be
getting all over your nervousness."

"No; I'm still nervous," protested Dan. "Before, I was afraid
I wouldn't get into the Naval Academy. Now, I'm only afraid that
I shall."

"What nonsense are you talking now?" demanded Darrin, giving his
chum a sharp look.

"Why, if they're all going to be as chesty as that near-officer I
spoke to in the hotel," blinked Dan, "I'm not so sure that I want to
go in with the bunch."

"That officer wasn't either chesty or snobbish," rejoined Darrin.

"Then you will kindly explain what he tried to do to me?"

"That's easy enough. That Naval officer recognized in you a rather
common type--the too-chummy and rather fresh American boy. Down
here in the service, where different grades in rank exist, it is
necessary to keep the fresh greenhorn in his place."

"Oh!" muttered Dan, blinking hard.

"As to your not wanting to go into the service," Dave continued,
"if you should fail, tomorrow, in your physical examination, you
would be as blue as indigo, and have the blue-light signal up
all the way back home."

"I