Dave Darrins First Year at Annapolis | Page 5

schools in Annapolis. The assumption was, therefore, that Dave and Dan had not been able to afford such a luxury.
"Good morning, gentlemen," was Dave's pleasant greeting. "You are candidates, like ourselves, I take it?"
This fact being acknowledged, Dave introduced himself and his friend, and soon some pleasant new acquaintances were being formed, for Darrin had a way that always made him popular with strangers.
"Have you two got to go up before the June exams. here?" asked one of the young men, who had introduced himself as Grigsby.
"Part of it," grinned Dan. "We've already gone through the primer tests and the catechism, and that sort of thing; but we still have to go before the barber and the toilet specialists and see whether our personal appearance suits."
"You're lucky, then," replied Grigsby. "Our crowd all have to take the academic exams."
"Cheer up," begged Dan. "Any baby can go past the academic exams. Arithmetic is the hardest part. One funny chap on the Civil Service Commission nearly got me by asking me how much two and two are, but Darrin saved me, just in the nick of time, by holding up five fingers; so I knew the answer right off."
Some of the candidates were already surveying Dan with a good deal of amusement. They had heard much of the severe way upper classmen at the Naval Academy have of taking all the freshness out of a new man, and, like Dave, these other candidates scented plenty of trouble ahead for cheerful, grinning Dan Dalzell.
"Gentlemen," broke in Dave quietly, "do you see the time on the clock over on the academic building? It's nine-fourteen. What do you say if we step promptly over to the administration building and plunge into what's ahead of us?"
"Good enough," nodded one of the new acquaintances. "Suppose you lead the way?"
So, with Dan by his side, Dave piloted the others over to the administration building, just beyond the chapel.
As they stepped inside, and found themselves in a hallway, a marine orderly confronted them.
"Candidates, gentlemen? Walk right upstairs. An orderly there will direct you to the office of the superintendent's aide."
"Thank you," replied Dave, with a bow, and led the way upstairs.
Near the head of the stairs another marine, in spick-and-span uniform, wearing white gloves and with a bayonet at his belt, called out quietly:
"Candidates? First two, step this way please."
He swung open a door. Dave and Dan stepped into an office where they found a young-looking though slightly bald gentleman in uniform, seated behind a flat-top desk.
"We have come to report, sir, according to our instructions," announced Dave Darrin, happily.
"You are candidates, then?" asked Lieutenant-Commander Graham, reaching for a pile of bound sheets.
"Yes, sir."
"Names?
"David Darrin and Daniel Dalzell, sir."
"Have you your papers, Mr. Darrin?"
"Yes, sir."
Dave drew an official-looking envelope from an inner pocket and handed it to Lieutenant-Commander Graham.
These the Naval aide scanned closely, after which he looked up.
"You have your papers, Mr. Dalzell?"
"Yes," nodded Dan.
A more than perceptible frown flashed across the face of the officer.
"Mr. Dalzell, whenever you answer an officer you will say 'yes, sir,' or 'very good, sir.'"
Rather red in the face Dan handed over his envelope.
Mr. Graham examined these papers, too. Then, pulling a pile of blanks before him, he filled out two, bearing the names of the young men, and signed them, after which he handed one of the signed blanks to each.
"Mr. Darrin, you will inquire of the orderly downstairs your way to the office of the commandant of midshipmen. You will then at once present yourself before the commandant, handing him this paper."
"Yes, sir; thank you, sir," replied Dave, with a slight bow.
"Mr. Dalzell, stick close to your friend and you will find out what to do."
"Yes, sir," murmured Dan, again reddening.
The orderly below directed the two young men how to proceed to the main entrance of Bancroft Hall, there to turn to their left and inquire again their way to the commandant's office.
"You see," lectured Dave pleasantly, as the chums plodded along one of the walks, "you have already received your first lesson. You answered the superintendent's aide without saying 'sir.' You'll have to work out of this freshness."
"That wasn't freshness; it was ignorance," protested Dalzell. "Don't you worry, Dave; I shall soon get the Naval trotting gait to such an extent that I shall be saying 'sir' at every other word."
This declaration was more prophetic than Dalzell could guess at that moment.
Each lad had a queer feeling at heart as he began to climb the long series of white steps that lead to the main entrance to Bancroft Hall. What would be the outcome? Were they hence-forth to find this huge pile "home" for four years to come? Would they, through all after life, look back upon this great government training school as their alma mater? It all seemed