“Should auld acquaintance be forgot-----”

The band was playing softly.  As the spectators took up the fine old words the band music died down.  There came a rolling rattle from the drum section of the Navy band, and then high over all the voices rose the triumphant measures of “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.”

That crowd forgot to cheer.  It was a moment for song, as thousands, catching the full spirit of the air, gave voice to—–­

“The Army and Navy forever!”

Not a word, so far, had been spoken by any one of the chums.  They had not intended to bring about a scene like this, making themselves the central figures in the great picture.  But it was too late to retreat.

“It seems as though an age had gone by, Dave,” spoke Cadet Prescott.

“It surely does, Dick,” returned Midshipman Darrin.

“And we’ve got to beat you today, too,” said Midshipman Dalzell dolefully.

“What?  Beat the Army?” gasped Cadet Holmes.

“The Navy is the only crowd that can really do it,” admitted Dalzell.

“Foes in sport today, Dave!” declared Prescott ardently.  “But in nothing else, ever!”

“Never mind either the Army or the Navy, just for the minute,” begged Dave Darrin.  “But it’s great, isn’t it, just to be in the service at all?”

Then, becoming suddenly aware that they had demoralized the practice work of both elevens, cadets and midshipmen parted.

“But do your best to beat me today, Dave!” begged Dick.

“I surely will!” came back the retort.  “And don’t you falter for the Army, Dick!”

“Old friends, Prescott?” demanded Brayton as the two cadets ran back to their own forces.

“We four learned football together, on the same team,” confessed Dick.

“Is that man Darrin as big a wonder as we’ve heard?” queried Brayton.

“Bigger, I’m afraid,” returned Prescott.

“He opposes you today.  Can he get away with you?”

“He may be able to batter me down.  But I’ll give him all the trouble I can, Brayton.  Darrin is for the Navy, but I’m equally for the Army!”

“It will be all right, as long as friendship doesn’t break up your work,” warned Brayton.

“That very friendship will make all four of us fight harder than ever we did in our lives before,” spoke Prescott seriously.

At almost the very same moment Dave Darrin was saying about the same thing to the captain of the Navy team.

“Humph!  Do those fellows think they’re posing before a moving-picture machine?”

The one who uttered that remark was turnback Haynes.  He had come on to the field with a scowling face, and the scowl was likely to deepen steadily.

Anstey, from his seat, had been “all eyes” for the pair whom he now knew to be the heard-about Darrin and Dalzell.

All Anstey’s further speculation was cut short.