"I don't know. I hope so, for I'm convinced that Dave Darrin is as
decent a fellow as ever signed papers at Annapolis."

"Go on out and buy some incense to burn before Darrin," laughed
Henkel harshly.

Perhaps Mr. Henkel might not have been as flippant had he known
that, all the time, Farley was studying him intently.

"So, in spite of all explanations, you still have no use for Darrin?"
asked Midshipman Farley.

"I have just as much use for him as I have for any other big sneak,"
retorted Mr. Henkel. "He betrayed us to the watchman, and I don't
care what explanations are offered to show that he didn't."

"And you won't be friendly with Darrin?" insisted Farley.

"I?" asked Henkel scornfully. "Not for an instant!

"Well, I hardly believe that Darrin will care much," replied Mr.
Farley, turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

"It's a mighty good thing that Darrin is going to be dropped out
of Annapolis," growled Henkel to himself. "He's altogether too
slick in playing a dirty trick on people and then swinging them
around so that they'll fawn upon him. When Farley first came
here he was a fellow of spirit. But he's been going bad for some
time, and now he's come out straight and clean for grease-mark!"

Saturday afternoon proved a dull time for Dave Darrin. The heavy
pile of demerits opposite his name prevented his getting leave
even to stroll out into the town of Annapolis. Dan could have
gone, but would not leave his chum.

Sunday morning there was chapel, but Dave, usually attentive,
heard hardly a word of the discourse. Sunday afternoon he turned
doggedly to his books. Dan, who was getting along better, and
who just now, stood three sections higher than Dave in math.,
went visiting among the members of his class.

Sunday evening all the cadets were again busy at their studies
until 9.30. As early as the regulations allowed Dave turned down
his bed, undressed and got into it, feeling utterly "blue."

"It's no use," he told himself, as he lay awake, thinking, thinking,
thinking. "Some one has it in for me, of course. But Dan and I
together can't find out who the rascal is. He may try nothing
against me again, for weeks, but sooner or later he'll turn another
demerit trick against me. Before January I shall be home again,
looking for some sort of job."

Before eight o'clock the following morning the class, after muster,
broke into sections which marched away to recitation in math