bustle of the returning hundreds.

Just before the dinner formation Youngster Trotter encountered
Dave in the corridor.

"Hullo, mister!" was Trotter's greeting, and the youngster actually
held out his hand.

"I hope you had a mighty pleasant leave, sir," replied Dave, returning
the handclasp.

"Passably pleasant, passably, mister," returned Midshipman Trotter.
"But see here, mister, what's this about you and your class that
I've heard?

"Nothing, so far as I know, sir," replied Dave, scanning the youngster's
face closely.

"It must be more than nothing," returned Trotter. "I understand
that more than half of your class are furious with you over something
that happened last night. I've heard you called a sneak, mister,
though I don't believe that for a single minute. But I've heard
mutterings to the effect that your class will send you to coventry
for excessive zeal in greasing, to the detriment of your classmates.
What about it all, mister?"

Dave Darrin gazed at the youngster with eyes full of wonder.

"What about it?" repeated Dave. "That's the very thing I'd like to
know, sir, for this is the very first word I've heard of it."

Nor could Midshipman Trotter doubt that Dave Darrin had answered
in all sincerity.

"Well, you certainly must be innocent, mister, if you're as puzzled
as all this," replied the youngster. "Then it must be that malicious
mischief is brewing against you in some quarter. Take my advice,
mister, and find out what it all means."

"Thank you. I most certainly will, sir," replied Dave, his eyes
flashing.

CHAPTER VI

DAVE PASSES THE LIE

Dalzell looked up wonderingly as Darrin marched swiftly into their
room.

"Danny boy, have you heard any talk against me today?" demanded
Dave.

"Do I look as though I had been fighting?" queried Dan promptly.

"I've just heard, from Trotter, that a good many of the fellows
in our class are scorching me, and talking of sending me to coventry.
Will you--"

"I sure will," broke in Dan, dropping his book, rising and snatching
at his cap. "I'll be back as soon as I've heard something, or have
settled with the fellow who says it."

Dan was out of the room like a flash.

Dave sat down heavily in his chair, his brow wrinkling as he tried
to imagine what it all meant.

"It must all be a mistake that Trotter has made," argued Dave
with himself. "Of course, Trotter might be stringing me, but
I don't believe he would do that.