David Darrins Second Year at Annapolis | Page 2

& Co., a sextette
of youngsters who had made a name for themselves in school athletics.
Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes, two other members of the sextette, had
been appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point,
where they were serving in the corps of cadets and learning how to
become Army officers in the not far distant future. All of the
adventures of Dick and Greg are set forth in "THE WEST POINT
SERIES."
The two remaining members of famous old Dick & Co., Tom Reade
and Harry Hazelton, became civil engineers, and went West for their
first taste of engineering work. Tom and Harry had some wonderful
and startling adventures, as fully set forth in "THE YOUNG
ENGINEERS' SERIES."
On this early June day when we again encounter Dave Darrin and Dan
Dalzell in their handsome Naval uniforms, all members of the first,
second and third classes were due to be aboard one of the three great
battleships that lay off the Yard at Annapolis at four p.m.

These three great battleships were the "Massachusetts," the "Iowa" and
the "Indiana." These three huge, turreted fighting craft had their full
crews aboard. Not one of the battleship commanders would allow a
"jackie" ashore, except on business, through fear that many of the
"wilder" ones might find the attractions on shore too alluring, and fail
to return in time.
With the young midshipmen it was different. These young men were
officially and actually gentlemen, and could be trusted.
Yet here, in the back room of this laundry, was one who was apparently
not dependable.
This young midshipman's name was Pennington, and the fact was that
he lay in deep stupor from the effects of smoking opium!
It had been a storekeeper, with a shop across the street, who had called
the attention of Dave and his four comrades to the probable fate of
another of their class.
"Chow Hop runs a laundry, but I have heard evil stories about a lot of
young fools who flock to his back room and get a chance to 'hit' the
opium pipe," the storekeeper had stated to Dave. "One of your men, or
at least, one in a midshipman's uniform, went in there at eleven o'clock
this forenoon, and he hasn't been out since. It is now nearly two o'clock
and, I've been looking for some midshipmen to inform."
Such had been the storekeeper's careful statement. The merchants of
Annapolis always have a kindly feeling toward these fine young
midshipmen. The storekeeper's purpose was to enable them to help
their comrade out.
So the five had entered the laundry. The proprietor, Chow Hop, had
attempted to bar their way to the rear room.
But Dave had seized the yellow man and had flung him aside.
The reader already knows what they discovered, and how it affected

these young men.
"Bring that copper-colored chink in here, if you'll be so good," directed
Dave.
Dan and Hallam departed on the quest.
"You're wanted in there," proclaimed Dalzell, jerking a thumb over his
shoulder.
"Me no sabby," replied Chow Hop, looking up briefly from his ironing
board.
"Get in there--do you hear?" commanded Hallam, gripping the other's
arm with all his force.
"You lemme go chop-chop (quickly), or you get alle samee hurt--you
sabby?" scowled Chow Hop, using his free hand to raise a heavy
flat-iron menacingly.
But Dan Dalzell jumped in, giving the Chinaman's wrist a wrench that
caused him to drop the iron.
Then, without a bit of ceremony, Dan grasped the Oriental by the
shoulders, wheeled him about, while he protested in guttural tones, and
bluntly kicked the yellow-faced one through the door into the inner
room.
At this summary proceeding both the Chinese helpers gripped their
flat-irons firmly; and leaped forward to fight.
In an ugly temper the Chinaman is a bad man to oppose. But now this
pair were faced by a pair of quietly smiling midshipmen who were also
dangerous when angry.
"You two, get back," ordered Dalzell, advancing fearlessly upon the
pair. "If you don't, we'll drag you out into the street and turn you over
to the policemen. You 'sabby' that? You heathen are pretty likely to get
into prison for this day's work!"

Scowling for a moment, then muttering savagely, the two helpers slunk
back to their ironing boards.
Yet, while Dan turned to go into the rear room, Hallam stood just
where he was, to keep an eye on two possible sources of swift trouble.
"Chow Hop," began Dave Damn sternly, as the proprietor made his
flying appearance, "You've done a pretty mean piece of work
here"--pointing to the unconscious midshipman in the berth. "Do you
understand that you're pretty likely to go to prison for this?"
"Oh, that no maller," replied Chow, with a sullen grin.