ght of December
thirtieth instead of the thirty-first, was looked forward to with
eagerness.

The party had come out to Severndale by a special car at twelve-thirty,
and a "madder, merrier" group of young people it would have been hard to
find.

Upon their return to Bancroft Hall after Mrs. Harold's summary dismissal
from "Middie's Haven" the previous Saturday night, Ralph, Jean Paul,
Durand, Bert, Gordon and Doug had been ordered to report at the office
and had it not been for the hint given at the tea, would have gone in
trepidation of spirit. But it so happened that the officer in charge was
possessed of a flickering memory of his own midshipman days, and his
twinkling eyes and cheerful grin were reassuring. The boys all openly
adored him, and even though they had dubbed him _Hercules_ Hugh, would
have formed a door mat of their bodies had he hinted a desire for it.

When the lucky six finally grasped the fact that Captain Stewart had
actually obtained forty-eight hours liberty for them, and they were to
go out to Severndale with the house-party, some startling things came
very near taking place right in the O C's office. Luckily the favored
ones restrained themselves until they reached Durand's room on the third
deck, where a vent promptly presented itself, and is too good a story to
leave untold.

Naturally at Christmas, innumerable boxes of "eats" are shipped to the
midshipmen from all over the United States, their contents usually
governed by the section of the world from which they are forwarded. New
England invariably sends its quota of mince pies, roast turkeys and the
viands which furnish forth a New England table at Yuletide. The South
and West send their special dishes.

Durand's Aunt Belle never failed him. Each holiday found a box at
Bancroft addressed to the lad who was so dear to her, and it was always
regarded as public property by Durand's friends, who never hesitated to
open it and regale themselves, sure that the generous owner of the
"eats" would be only too glad to share with them everything he owned.
But like most generous souls, Durand was often imposed upon, and this
year the imposition went to the very limit. While Durand and his friends
were over in Wilmot Hall his box was rifled, but it could hardly have
been said to have been done by his friends, several men who had counted
upon "Bubbles being a good old scout" having made way with practically
everything the box contained. When he ret