Lieutenant Bradshaw set down a mark of 2.9, whereas Dalzell, had he stuck sensibly to the business in hand, would have been marked as high as Dave had been.

As the section was marching back to Bancroft Dan whispered: 

“Dave, did you hear the old owl go ‘too-whoo’ at me in the section room?”

“Stop talking in section!” ordered Dave crisply.

“Blazes!  There isn’t a single spot at Annapolis where a fellow can take a chance on being funny!” muttered Dalzell under his breath.

“Dave, old chum,” cried Dan tossing his cap on the bed as they entered their room.  “Are you going to turn greaser, and stay greaser?”

“What do you mean?” asked Darrin quietly.

“You told me to shut up in the ranks.”

“That was right, wasn’t it?  I am under orders to see that there is no talking in the section when marching.”

“Not even a solitary, teeny little word, eh?”

“Not if I can stop it,” replied Dave.

“And what if you can’t stop it?”

“Then I am obliged to direct the offender to put himself on the report.”

“Great Scott!  Would you tell your chum to frap the pap for a little thing like that, and take demerits unto himself?”

“If I had to,” nodded Dave.  “You see, Dan, we’re here trying to learn to be Naval officers and to hold command.  Now, it’s my belief that a man who can’t take orders, and stick to them, isn’t fit to give orders at any period in his life.”

“This sort of thing is getting on my nerves a bit,” grumbled Dan.  “Just think of all the freedom we had in the good old days back at Gridley!”

“This is a new life, Dan—­a different one and a better one.”

“Maybe,” half assented Dalzell, who was beginning to accumulate the elements of a “grouch.”

“Dan,” asked Darrin, as he seated himself at his desk and opened a book preparatory to a long bit of hard study, “don’t you know that your bed isn’t the regulation place to hang your cap?”

“Oh, hang the cap, and the regulations, too!” grumbled Dalzell.  “I’m beginning to feel that I’ve got to break through at some point.”

“Pick up your cap, and put it on its hook—­do,” begged Darrin coaxingly.

At the same time he looked us with a smile which showed that he thought his friend was acting in a very juvenile manner.

Something impelled Dan to comply with his chum’s request.  Then, after hanging the cap, with great care, on its nail, the disgruntled one slipped to the study table and picked up a book.

Just as he did so there came a knock on the door.

Then Lieutenant Stapleton, in white gloves and wearing his sword, stepped into the room, followed by a midshipman, also white-gloved.

Lieutenant Stapleton was the officer in charge, the young man the midshipman in charge of the floor.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” said the Lieutenant pleasantly, as both midshipmen promptly rose to their feet and stood at attention.  Dave and Dan remained standing at attention while the lieutenant stepped quickly about the room, taking in everything with a practiced glance.