Again red-faced and humiliated, Ensign Darrin saluted, wheeled, made haste to his quarters, then returned wearing sword and gloves.  This time he saluted and made his report in proper form.

“Mr. Darrin,” said his division officer, scathingly, “this is the second time to-day that I have had to teach you the things you should have learned in your first week at Annapolis.  You are making a bad beginning, sir.”

Dave saluted, but this time did not answer in words.

“You may go, Mr. Darrin, and hereafter I trust to find in you a more attentive and clear-headed officer.”

Lieutenant Cantor did not hold his tone low.  It is the privilege of an officer to rebuke an enlisted man publicly, and as severely as the offense warrants, and it is the further privilege of an officer to make his rebuke to a subordinate commissioned officer as sharp and stinging as he chooses.

Saluting, without a word, Darrin wheeled and walked to his quarters.

“Cantor will certainly have abundant opportunity to make things warm for me,” reflected Darrin, as he sat down before the desk in his cabin.  “I wonder what I am to do, in order to keep my self-respect and keep my hands off the fellow.  It would probably end my career in the Navy if I struck him on this ship.”

For some minutes Darrin sat in a rather dejected frame of mind, reviewing his first acquaintance with this official cur, and the things that had happened on shipboard since.

“I suppose I could ask for a different detail,” Dave mused, forlornly.  “Undoubtedly, though, I wouldn’t get the detail, unless I gave what were considered sufficiently good reasons, and I can’t tell tales on my division commander, cur though I know him to be.”

In the passage outside, sounded passing footsteps and a laugh.  Dave felt his face flush, for he recognized the voice of Lieutenant Cantor.

“Danny Grin is a good chum,” reflected Darrin, “but in this affair he can’t advise me any better than I can advise myself.  I wish I could talk freely with some older officer, who knows shipboard life better.  But if I were to go to any older officer with such a tale as I have, it would-----”

“In, Mr. Darrin?” sounded a cheery voice, and Commander Bainbridge, the executive officer, stood in the doorway, bringing young Darrin to his feet in prompt salute.

“I was passing, Darrin, and so I called,” announced the executive officer.  “Otherwise, I would have summoned you to my office.  Lieutenant Cantor has secured shore leave until eleven o’clock to-night.  As we are busy aboard, Mr. Cantor’s division is due for watch duty at eight bells this evening.  As Mr. Cantor has shore leave you will report as officer of the deck until relieved by Lieutenant Cantor on his return to the ship.  At any time between now and four bells report at my office and sign for these instructions.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”