“This breeze is so fine,” suggested Laura, “what do you say if we seat ourselves here and watch the river for a while?”

Accordingly the four young people seated themselves.  The launch was the only craft in sight that was away from her moorings.  A sailboat and three canoes lay tied to the lee side of the float, that is the off-side from the weather.  Even they rocked a good deal.

“What kind of weather is coming?” asked Belle.

“It’s going to be pretty squally, in all probability,” spoke up Midshipman Dan.  “Do you see the big puffs of wind in the clouds yonder?”

“It must take a sailor to see that sort of thing,” remarked Belle.  “What I see in the cloud looks like big, fluffy masses of cotton, streaked with something darker.”

“That’s the wind,” nodded Dave Darrin.  “Now, girls, I don’t want you to think me a muff.  That wind may swerve, and not come this way, although in all probability the wind will get this way and the water will be rougher.  If it does get rougher on the river, and if we had taken you two out, and the boat had capsized, then by some chance we might not have been able to get you to shore.  What would your folks then say to us if we had had the miserable luck to survive you?”

“You did just right,” Laura declared promptly.  “To tell the truth, I didn’t want to disappoint either of you boys this afternoon, but I didn’t believe the wind was quiet enough for boating on the river.  But mother reminded me that I was going with two young men who had been trained as sailors, and that I ought to be as safe as I would in the home parlor.”

“Well, aren’t you?” smiled Belle Meade.

“Did you really want to go out on the river, Belle?” Dave asked.

“Not when you don’t believe it to be safe.”

“I suppose Foss will be joking around town about our being afraid of the water,” muttered; Dan.

“What do you care!” asked Dave quietly.  “You’re responsible to the United States Government—­not to a few private citizens on the streets of Gridley.”

“You’ll take us out on the water before your leave is over, won’t you?” urged Belle.

“A dozen of times, if you care to go,” Dave; replied quickly.

“In a sailboat?” quizzed Belle.  “It must; be great fun to sail, and I’ve never been in a sailboat.”

“I’d rather take you out in a good, solid rowboat,” Dave answered slowly.

“Why, haven’t you had much sailboat practice at Annapolis yet?”

“We’ve had some,” Darrin nodded.  “But I’m afraid I don’t believe much in small sailboats for girls’ parties.”

“Oh, very well.”

“Now, Belle, you will begin to believe that I’m a muff at heart,” Darrin remonstrated.

“I won’t anyway, Dave,” Laura broke in.  “I can see that you’re merely determined that we shall take no risks when we go out with you.  I shall feel very safe in whatever you propose for water sports.”