mer call had been intended as anything more than
a pleasant social diversion. The Prestons supposed that every
one knew that their niece was betrothed to an excellent young
fellow. So, at this particular moment, Mr. Preston was engaged
in sitting on a trunk, while his wife tried to turn the key in
the lock. Neither of them was favoring Midshipman Dalzell with
as much as a thought.

"Why on earth is it that all girls are so tricky?" Dan asked himself
savagely, taking it for granted that all girls are "tricky" where
admirers are concerned.

"Oh, my, what a laugh Davy will have over me, when he hears!" was
Dan's next bitter thought, as he strode along.

Having just wronged all girls in his own estimation of them, Dan
was now proceeding to do his own closest chum an injustice. For
Dave Darrin was too thorough a gentleman to laugh over any unfortunate's
discomfiture.

"What a lucky escape I had from getting better acquainted with
that girl!" was Dalzell's next thought. "Why, with one as wholly
deceitful as she is there can be no telling where it would all have
ended. She might have drawn me into troubles that would have
resulted in my having to leave the service!"

Dan had not the least desire to do any one an injustice, but just
now he was so astounded and indignant that his mind worked violently
rather than keenly.

"Serves me right!" sputtered Dalzell, at last. "A man in the
Navy has no business to think about the other sex. He should
give his whole time and thought to his profession and his country.
That's what I'll surely do after this."

Having reached this conclusion, the midshipman should have been
more at peace with himself, but he wasn't. He had been sorely,
even if foolishly wounded in his own self esteem, and it was bound
to hurt until the sensation wore off.

"You'll know more, one of these days, Danny boy," was his next
conclusion. "And what you know will do you a lot more good, too,
if it doesn't include any knowledge whatever of girls---except
the disposition and the ability to keep away from 'em! I suppose
there are a few who wouldn't fool a fellow in this shameless way
but it will be a heap safer not to try to find any of the few!"

Dan's head was still down, and he was walking as blindly as ever,
when he turned a corner and ran squarely into some one.

"Why don't you look out where you're going?" demanded that some
one.

"Why don't you look out yourself?" snapped Midshipman Dalze