Dave Darrins Fourth Year at Annapolis | Page 5

minutes later. True, the electric light in rooms is turned off at
taps---but midshipmen have been known to keep candles hidden, and to
be experts in clouding doors and windows so that no ray of light gets
through into a corridor after taps.
Just how often discipline officers were accustomed to look in through
the night, Dave Darrin did not know from his own knowledge. Usually,
at the times of such extra visits, Darrin was too blissfully asleep.
Tonight, however, despite the darkness of the room at present, Dave lay
wide awake. No sleep for him before daylight---perhaps not

then---unless Dan turned up in the meantime.
After an interval that seemed several nights long, the dull old bell of the
clock over on academic Hall began tolling. Dave listened and counted.
He gave an almost incredulous snort when the total stopped at eleven.
Then another long period of waiting. Darrin did not grow drowsy. On
the contrary, he became more wide awake. In fact, he began to imagine
that he was becoming possessed of the vision of the cat. Dark as it was
in the room, Dave began to feel certain that he could distinguish plainly
the ghostly figure of the saving doughface in the alcove opposite.
Twelve o'clock struck. Then more waiting. It was not so very long, this
time, however, before there came a faint tapping at the window.
Dave Darrin was out of bed as though he had been shot out. Like a
flash he was at the window, peering out. Where, after all, was the cat's
vision of which he had thought himself possessed? Some one was
outside the window. Dave thought he recognized the Naval uniform,
but he could not see a line of the face.
Tap-tap-tap! sounded softly. Dave threw the window up stealthily.
"You, Dan?" he whispered.
"Of course," came the soft answer. "Stand aside. Let me in---on the
double-quick!"
Dave pushed the window up the balance of the way, then stepped aside.
Dan Dalzell landed on his feet in the room, cat-like, from the terrace
without. Then Dave, without loss of an instant, closed the window and
wheeled about in the darkness.
"Hustle!" commanded Dave.
"What about?"
"Get off your uniform! Get into pajamas. Then I'll-----"

Dave's jaws snapped together resolutely. He did not finish, just then,
for he knew that Midshipman Dalzell could be very stubborn at times.
"I'll have a light in a jiffy," whispered Dan "I brought back a candle
with me."
"You won't use it---not in here," retorted Dave. "The dark is light
enough for you. Hustle into your pajamas."
Perhaps Midshipman Dalzell did not make all the speed that his
roommate desired, but at last Dan was safely rid of his uniform,
underclothing and shoes, and stood arrayed in pajamas.
"Now, I'll hide this doughface over night," whispered Darrin, going
toward Dalzell's bed. "At the same time you get the articles of your
equipment out from under your bed clothes and hang them up where
they belong."
"I'll have to light the candle for that," muttered Dan.
"If you do, I'll blow it out. There's a regulation against running lights in
the rooms after taps."
"Do you worship the little blue-covered volume of regulations, Dave?"
Dan demanded with a laugh.
"No; but I don't propose to take any chances in my last year here. I
don't intend to lose my commission in the Navy just because I can't
control myself."
Dan sniffed, but he silently got his parts of uniform out from between
the sheets and hung up the articles where they belonged, in this going
by the sense of feeling.
Then, all in the dark as they were, Midshipman Dave Darrin seized his
chum and roommate by the shoulders.
"Danny boy," he commanded firmly, "come over with an account of
yourself! Why this mad prank tonight---and what was it?"

CHAPTER II
SOME ONE PUSHES THE TUNGSTEN
You don't have to know every blessed thing that I do, do you?"
demanded Dan Dalzell, in an almost offended tone.
"No; and I have no right to know anything that you don't tell me
willingly. Are you ready to give me any explanation of tonight's
foolishness?
"Seeing that you kept awake for me, and were on hand to let me in, I
suppose I'll have to," grumbled Dan.
"Well, then?
"Dave, for the first time tonight, I struck my flag."
"Struck to whom?"
"Oh---a girl, of course," grunted Dan.
"You? A girl?" repeated Dave in amazement.
"Yes; is it any crime for me to get acquainted with a girl, and to call on
her at her home?"
"Certainly not. But, Dan, I didn't believe that you ever felt a single
flutter of the pulse when girls were around. I thought you were going to
grow up into a cheerful, happy old bachelor."