imself. Tony must take all the risk. If the
Greek got into any trouble Brimmer could deny all knowledge of
the matter.

One Saturday afternoon, just before Christmas Midshipman Brimmer
came down Main Street, looked in and found the Greek standing
alone in his shop.

"Howdy, Tony," was the midshipman's greeting, as he sauntered
into the store.

"Hullo, my good frien', sare."

"Wish you a Merry Christmas, Tony."

"I don' know, sare, I don' know," replied the Greek, shaking his
head.

"Why, isn't business good now, Tony?"

"You do ver' much, my frien', to help make it better," replied
Tony, shaking his head, "but still I not make much money."

"Are you hard up at Christmas, Tony?" asked Brimmer, with pretended
sympathy.

"Oh, yes, sare; all time hard up."

At that moment Brimmer's gleaming eyes saw Dave Darrin and Dan
Dalzell passing on the other side of the street.

"Quick, Tony! Get a look at my friends over there!" whispered
Brimmer. "Take such a good look that you will know them again
anywhere. Now, it's the one on the inside, especially. Note
him sharply, Tony."

"I never mistake him again, sare, eff I see him," replied the
Greek gravely.

"Do you see many of these ten-dollar bills nowadays, Tony?" questioned
Brimmer, carelessly displaying a banknote.

The Greek shook his head wistfully.

"This is yours now, Tony; and twice as much more afterwards, if
you do what I want of you. It's a good joke that I want to play
on a midshipman down at the Academy."

"A joke, eh?" repeated the Greek. "Then, sare, my frien', it
can't be anything so ver' bad, eef it only a joke."

"Oh, it isn't anything bad," Brimmer lied cheerfully. "But that
fellow played a warm one on me, and I want to pay him back."

"I understand, sare, my ver' good frien'."

Inside of five minutes Tony understood very much better. Still,
the Greek saw no real harm in what he now engaged himself to do.

That night Tony slept with Brimmer's ten-dollar note under his
pillow. Dave Darrin slept as soundly as ever, unconscious of
harm hanging over his head.

Midshipman Brimmer did much gleeful chuckling after taps, as he
lay on the bed in the room that Henkel had once shared with him.

"Now, let's see anyone get a chance to bring this job back to
me!" laughed Brimmer. "And goodby, Darrin! The Naval Academy
won't know you much longer!"

CHAPTER XVII

TONY BAITS THE HOOK

Up to this time Darrin had dropped in at