Dave Darrins Fourth Year at Annapolis | Page 3

the study table, though he inquired:
"Am I interrupting anything private?"
"Not in the least," Dave assured him.
"Am I intruding in any way?"
"Not a bit of it," Darrin answered heartily "We're glad to have you here
with us."
"Surely," nodded Farley.
"Now, then, as to my well known unfitness to command the Navy
football team," continued First Classman Wolgast, "do either of you see
any faults in me that can be remedied?"
"I can't," Dave answered. "I believe, Wolly, that you can lead the team
as well as any other man in the squad. On the whole, I believe you can

lead a little better than any other man could do."
"No help from your quarter, then, Darry," sighed Midshipman Wolgast.
"Farl, help me out. Tell me some way in which I can improve my
fitness for the post of honor that has been thrust upon me. I assure you I
didn't seek it."
"Wolgast, my objection to you has nothing personal in it," Farley went
on. "With me it is a case simply of believing that Darry could lead us
on the gridiron much better than you're likely to."
"That I know," retorted Wolgast, with emphasis. "But what on earth are
we going to do with a fellow like Darrin? He simply won't allow
himself to be made captain. I'd resign this minute, if we could have
Darry for our captain."
"You're going to do all right, Wolgast. I know you are," Dave rejoined.
"Then what's the trouble? Why don't I suit all hands?" demanded the
Navy's football captain.
Darrin was silent for a few moments. The midshipmen visitors waited
patiently, knowing that, from this comrade, they could be sure of a
wholly candid reply.
"Have you found the answer, Darry?" pressed Wolgast at last.
"Yes," said Dave slowly; "I think I have. The reason, as I see it, is that
there are no decidedly star players on this year's probable eleven. The
men are all pretty nearly equal, which doesn't give you a chance to
tower head and shoulders above the other players. Usually, in the years
that I know anything of, it has been the other way. There have been
only two or three star players in the squad, and the captain was usually
one of the very best. You're plenty good enough football man, Wolgast,
but there are so many other pretty good ones that you don't outshine the
others as much as captains of poorer teams have done in other years."
"By Jupiter! Darry has hit it!" cried Farley, leaping from his seat.

"Wolly, you have the luck to command an eleven in which most of the
men are nearly, if not quite, as good as the captain. You're not head and
shoulders over the rest, and you don't tower---that's all. Wolly, I
apologize for my criticisms. Darry has shown me the truth."
"Then you look for a big slaughter list for us this year, Darry?" Wolgast
asked.
"Yes; unless the other elevens that we're to play improve as much as
the Navy is going to do."
At this moment Page and Jetson rapped and then entered. Ten minutes
later there were fully twenty midshipmen in the room, all talking
animatedly on the one subject at the United States Naval Academy in
October---football.
So the time sped. Dave lost his chance to read his novel, but he did not
mind the loss. It was Jetson who, at last, discovered the time.
"Whew, fellows!" he muttered. "Only ten minutes to taps."
That sent most of the midshipmen scuttling away. Page and Farley,
however, whose quarters were but a few doors away on the same deck,
remained.
"Farl," murmured Darrin, "for the first time tonight I'm feeling a bit
worried."
"Over Danny?"
"The same."
"What's up?" Page wanted to know.
"Why, he hasn't been around all evening. Surely Dalzell would be
coming back by this time, unless-----"
"Didn't he have leave to visit town?" demanded Midshipman Page.

"Not that I've heard of," Dave Darrin answered quickly. "Nor do I see
how he could have done so. You see, Wednesday he received some
demerits, and with them went the loss of privileges for October."
"Whew!" whistled Page.
"What?" demanded Dave, his alarm increasing.
"Why, not long after supper I saw Danny heading toward the wall on
the town side."
"I have been afraid of that for the last two or three minutes," exclaimed
Dave Darrin, his uneasiness now showing very plainly. "Dan didn't say
a word to me about going anywhere, but-----"
"You think, leave being impossible, Danny has Frenched it over the
wall?" demanded Farley.
"That's just what I'm afraid of," returned Dave.
"But why-----"
"I don't know any reason."
"Then-----"
"Farl", broke in Dave hurriedly, almost fiercely, "has anyone a
doughface?"
"Yes."
"Who has it?"
"I don't