“You never told me that you had that trick, Darry,” muttered Wolgast, in the rest that followed this swift, brilliant play.

“I wanted to show it to you before telling you about it” laughed Dave.

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t know whether it were any good.”

“Any good?  Why, Darry, if you can get up one or two more like that you’ll be the greatest gridiron tactician that the Navy has ever had!”

“I didn’t get up that one,” Dave confessed modestly.

“You didn’t, Mr. Darrin?” interposed Coach Parker.  “Who did?”

“Mr. Jetson, sir.”

“I helped a bit,” admitted Jetson, turning red as he found himself the center of admiring gazes.  “Dalzell and Darrin helped work it out, too.”

“Have you any more like that one, Mr. Darrin?” questioned Coach Parker.

“I think we have a few, sir,” Dave smiled steadily.

“Are you ready to exhibit them, Mr. Darrin?”

“We’ll show ’em all, if you order it, sir,” Darrin answered respectfully.  “But we’ll undoubtedly spring two or three of ’em, anyway, in this afternoon’s practice.”

“I’ll be patient, then,” nodded coach.  “But I want a brief talk with you after practice, Mr. Darrin.”

“Very good, sir.”

“I just want you to sketch out the new plays to me in private, that I may consider them,” explained the lieutenant-commander.

“Yes, sir.  But I am not really the originator of any of the new plays.  Mr. Dalzell and Mr. Jetson have had as much to do with all of the new ones as I have, sir.”

“And this is Darrin’s last year!  The Navy will never have his like again,” groaned one fourth classman to another.

“Ready to resume play!” called coach.  “Navy to start the ball.”

The play was on again, in earnest, but this time it fell to the right flank of, the Navy team to stop the onward rush of the Rustlers as they charged down with the ball after the Navy’s kick-off.

In fact, not during the team practice did Dave or Dan get a chance to show another of their new tricks.

“Just our luck!” grunted many of the spectators.

Meanwhile Dave, Dan and Jet got out of their togs, and through with their shower baths as quickly as they could, for Lieutenant-Commander Parker was on hand, awaiting them impatiently.

Until close to supper call did the coach hold converse with these three men of the Navy’s left flank.  Then the lieutenant-commander went to Midshipman Wolgast, who was waiting.

“Mr. Wolgast, I see the Army’s banner trailed low in the dust this year,” laughed coach.  “These young gentlemen have been explaining to me some new plays that will cause wailing and gnashing of teeth at West Point.”

“I’m afraid, sir, that you forget one thing,” smiled Darrin.

“What is that, sir?” demanded coach.

“Why, sir, the Army has Prescott and Holmes, beyond a doubt, for they played last year.”