reath Dave's comrades pushed him
along breaking down all opposition--until Dave, with a sudden, wild
dash, was over the line for a touchdown.

"Darry did it! Darry did it!"

For fifteen seconds the uproar was deafening. The college players looked
stunned, while their howlers, over on the visitors' seats, seemed to
shrink within their coats.

"Seven to six!"

"Make it eight!"

Dave Darrin had borne the brunt of battle. Now his eyes were flashing
with excitement.

"I'd like you to try the kick for goal, Darry, but I don't know," called
Hepson in his ear. "You may be about used up."

"Let me have the kick. I'm not afraid," Dave half boasted, for now he
could think of nothing but victory.

"All right. Take it," agreed Hepson.

Dave Darrin did take the kick. Never had he made a better one. The ball
went straight and true between the goal-posts.

The band-leader held his baton poised, but the Navy spectators broke into
such a riot of joy that he let the baton fall inertly.

"What's the use?" he asked the musicians.

Again the players lined up, with the Navy; score eight to six.

Ten seconds later, the whistle blew, announcing the end of the game.

CHAPTER XII

JOYCE IS BITTEN BY THE TROUBLE BUG

The game was over. The giant visitors had departed, and the Naval Academy
atmosphere appeared to be rarefied.

Most of the members of the brigade were back in Bancroft Hall, and this
being late Saturday afternoon, study was over save for those who felt the
need of devoting extra time to their books.

Farley, Page and Joyce had dropped into the room occupied by Dave and
Dan.

"Hepson was nearly crazy this afternoon," remarked Joyce, laughing.

"Then he had an easy way of concealing the fact," Dave replied. "I call
him a cool football captain, with plenty of judgment and patience."

"Yes; but I happen to know that he was badly upset," returned Joyce.
"Twice he sent me the wrong signal about the numbers to call, and he
admitted it afterward. He was afraid, before the game was twenty minutes'
old, that we were up against a big walloping."

"Oh, well," Darrin replied, with a shrug of his shoulders, "the Navy is
just as used as the Army is to being walloped in athletics. The trouble
with the Army and Navy teams, in athletics, is that we're always pitted
against college men who are bigger and older than we are. It's just about
as unfair to us, as it would be unfair to High School teams if we played
agains