ing an officer's
uniform."

"Then undoubtedly you chanced to glance at an officer of the
Navy," Darrin replied, sarcastically soothing. "Brace up, Dan."

"But he's only a kid!" remonstrated Dan. "And he wear a lieutenant's
insignia!"

"Bosh! Some officers are quite boyish-looking," remarked Farley.
"Come on out, fellows; I haven't forgotten how to salute an officer
when I see one."

The others, except Dan, started briskly for the entrance. As for
Dalzell, he brought up the rear, grumbling:

"All right; you fellows go on out and see whether you see him.
If you don't, then I'm going to report myself at hospital without
delay. Really, I can't swear that I saw---it."

But at that moment the object of Dan's alarm reached one of the
doors of the entrance of Bancroft Hall and stepped briskly inside.

This new-comer's glance fell upon the knot of midshipmen, and
he glanced at them inquiringly, as though to see whether these
young men intended to salute him.

Surely enough, the newcomer was decidedly boyish-looking, yet
he wore the fatigue uniform and insignia of a lieutenant of the
United States Navy. If he were masquerading, here was a dangerous
place into which to carry his antics.

The five midshipmen brought their right hands hesitatingly to
the visors of their uniform caps. The very youthful lieutenant
smartly returned their salutes, half smiled, then turned, in search
of the officer in charge.

"Scoot! Skip! Let's escape!" whispered Dan hoarsely, and all
five midshipmen were speedily out in the open.

"Now, did you fellows really see---it---or did I have a delusion
that I saw you all salute when I did?"

"I saw it," rejoined Farley, "and I claim it, if no one else
wants it."

"The service is going to the dogs," growled Page, "when they give
away a lieutenant's uniform with a pound of tea!"

"What ails you fellows?" rebuked Dave Darrin. "The man who passed
us was a sure-enough lieutenant in the Navy."

"Him?" demanded Midshipman Dalzell, startled out of his grip on
English grammar. "A lieutenant? That---that---kid?"

"He's a lieutenant of the Navy, all right," Dave insisted.

"You're wrong," challenged Page. "Don't you know, Dave, that
a man must be at least twenty-one years old in order to hold an
officer's commission in the Navy?"

"That man who received our salutes is a Naval, officer," Dave
retorted. "I don't know anything about his age."

"Why, that little boy can't be a day ov