strolling through Lover's Lane, not far from the
administration building at the United States Naval Academy.

Their instructions bade them report at 9.15. Dan was for going
in at once and "calling on" the aide to the superintendent. But
this Dave vetoed, holding that the best thing for them to do was
to stick to the very letter of their orders.

So, as they waited, the young men got a glimpse of the imposing piles
of buildings that compose the newer Naval Academy. Especially did
handsome, big, white Bancroft Hall enchain their admiration. This
structure is one of the noblest in the country. In it are the
midshipmen's mess, the midshipmen's barracks for a thousand young
men, numerous offices and a huge recreation hall.

"That's a swell hotel where they're going to put us up for four
years, isn't it?" demanded Dan.

"I fancy that we'll find it something more--or less--than a
hotel, before we're through it," was Dave's prophetic reply.

As, at this time in the morning, all of the enrolled midshipmen
were away at one form or another of drill or instruction, the
central grounds were so empty of human life that the onlooker
could form no idea of the immense, throbbing activity that was
going on here among the hundreds of midshipmen on duty.

"Here's some of our kind," spoke Dan, at last, as he espied more
than a dozen young men, in citizen's dress, strolling along under
the trees.

"I guess they're candidates, fast enough," nodded Darrin, after
briefly looking at the approaching group.

"Cheap-looking lot, most of them, aren't they?" asked Dalzell
cheerfully.

"Probably they're saying the same thing about us," chuckled Dave
dryly.

"Let 'em, then. Who cares?" muttered Dalzell.

"Dan, my boy, I reckon you'll need to put the soft pedal on your
critical tendencies," warned Dave. "And, if you want my friendly
opinion, I've a big idea that you're going to talk your way into
a lot of trouble here."

"Trouble?" grinned Dalzell. "Well, I'm used to it."

In truth Dan had been victor in many a hard-fought schoolboy
disagreement, as readers of the High School Boys Series are aware.

As the young men in question drew nearer they eyed Darrin and
Dalzell with a disapproval that was not wholly concealed. The
truth was that Dave and Dan were recognized as not being boys
who had studied at one of the Naval prep. schools in Annapolis.
The assumption was, therefore, that Dave and Dan had not been
able to afford such