case.

Yet the task required time. His roommate, Brimmer, was back before
Henkel was ready to depart.

"You'd better wait, now, until the coast is clear," whispered
Brimmer. "Hosts of the fellows are hanging about outside."

"They won't see me," jeered Henkel harshly. "I'll wait until
they're off at afternoon duties. But see here, Brimmer, don't
you dare forget that I might have said much about you, and that
I didn't. Don't dare forget that I leave to you the task of humbling
that fellow, Darrin. If you fail me, Brimmer, it won't be too
late for me to do some talking."

"Oh, I'll get Darrin out of here," grimaced Brimmer. "But I won't
try to do it the way you did. You went in for enmity. I'm going
to undo Darrin by being his friend."

"Well, I'm through and ready to leave," muttered Henkel. "But
I'm not going until the coast is clear."

Seating himself by the window, he stared moodily out, thinking
of the life which had strongly appealed to him, and from which
he had exiled himself. While he was so occupied knock sounded
at the door; then the cadet officer of the day stepped in:

"I see you are ready to go, Mr. Henkel," announced the cadet officer.
"The published order was to the effect that you leave the Naval
Academy immediately. The officer in charge has sent me to see that
you comply with the order at once."

"Oh, well," muttered Henkel bitterly. He turned, holding out his
hand to his late roommate.

"Goodby, Brimmer; good luck!"

"The same to you," replied Brimmer, as their hands met. That
was all that was said with the cadet officer of the day looking
on, but both of the late roommates understood the compact of dishonor
that lay between them concerning Dave Darrin's coming fate.

With his derby hat pulled low over his eyes and gripping his suit
case, Henkel slunk through the corridors of Bancroft Hall. Now
he faced the hardest ordeal of all in going out through the entrance
of the great white building, beyond which stood many groups of
midshipmen.

Now these young men of the Navy caught sight of Henkel. No goodbyes
were called out to him. Instead, as his feet struck the flagging
of the walk scores of lips were puckered. The midshipmen gave
the departing one a whistled tune and furnished the drum part with
their hands. That tune was--

"The Rogue's March."

CHAPTER XVI

BRIMMER MAKES A NEW FRIEND

"Darrin, I hope you don't hold me in any way responsible for that
f