nsidered that it would
be an impertinence to do so."

"That will be all, Davis. You may retire."

The court of inquiry closed soon after that, and the board took the
evidence into consideration, excluding all persons from the cabin,
including the captain.

The whole ship's company seemed to feel a sense of depression. They
did not believe their commanding officer had been at fault, but they
knew that Seaman Davis had saved the ship. Envious eyes were cast at
the lad during the rest of the day. Dan, however, appeared not to
observe this. He was more worried than any of his fellows, feeling
that perhaps had he acted upon his first impulse, and notified the
ship's officers of his discovery, all this might have been avoided.

After the inquiry the board lunched with the captain. Then they took
their departure from the ship with the same formality that they had
boarded it. It was noticed, after they had left, that the commanding
officer appeared much relieved. His face brightened considerably, and
the lines of worry that had appeared there after the accident seemed to
have disappeared.

"I guess the Old Man feels better," whispered Sam to his chum. "He
must have got a hunch."

They did not know it, but the board had held him blameless, subject to
the approval of the Navy Department.

"Don't use slang. And, besides, I do not like to hear you refer to our
captain as the 'Old Man.' It is not respectful."

"Everybody calls him that."

"Well, you are not everybody. Be different, for a change."

"Everybody in the Navy calls the captain the 'Old Man.'"

"You never heard me do so, did you?"

"Well, no," admitted Sam; "but you're not the whole Navy."

"I'm a very little part of it, but I have my ideas as to what is right
and wrong."

The captain was standing on deck watching the work that was going on.
The boatswain's mate was seen to come aft on the superstructure.

"Harper," called the captain.

"Aye, aye, sir."

"This will be a good opportunity to get out the racing gig."

"Now, sir?"

"No; not now. This afternoon, after four o'clock. The tide will not
be strong then and the weather is fine. Some of these lads are anxious
to get their try-out, too," with a glance at Dan Davis and Sam Hickey,
which brought a flush to the face of each of the Battleship Boys.

There was a stir among the crew as the captain made the announcement.
All their hopes were centered in the trim racing gig. To their w