was a mean trick--a scoundrelly one!" cried Darrin resentfully. Then
he described just what had happened.

The skipper's own bronzed cheeks burned to a deeper color.

"I can 'ardly believe that an Englishman would play such a trick on
young h'officers of a friendly power," he declared. "But I told you,
sir, the fare out to your ship would be half a sov. I lied. If a nasty
little cockney played such a trick on you, it's my place, as a decent
Englishman, to take you out for nothing--and that's the fare."

"Oh, we'll gladly pay the half sov." protested Darrin.

"Not on this craft you can't, sir," replied the skipper firmly.

Looking eagerly ahead, the three middies saw two of the launches go
along side of the "Massachusetts" and discharge passengers. As the
second left the side gangway the Briton, who had been crowding on steam
well, ranged in along side.

"What craft is that, and what do you want?" hailed the officer of the
deck, from above.

"The tender 'Lurline,' sir, with three of your gentlemen to put h'aboard
of you, sir," the Briton bellowed through a window of the wheel-house.

"Very good, then. Come alongside," directed the officer of the deck.

In his most seamanlike style the Briton ranged alongside. Dave tried to
press the fare upon the skipper, but he would have none of that. So the
three shook hands swiftly but heartily with him, then sprang across to
the side gangway, where they paused long enough to lift their caps to
this stranger and friend. The Briton lifted his own cap, waving it
heartily, ere he fell off and turned about.

"You didn't get aboard any too soon, gentlemen," remarked the officer of
the deck, eyeing the three middies keenly as they came up over the side,
doffing their uniform caps to the colors. "Hustle for the formation."

Midshipman Pennington was chuckling deeply over the supposed fact that
he had at last succeeded in bringing Darrin in for as many demerits as
Darrin had helped heap upon him.

"That'll break his heart as an avowed greaser," Pen told himself. "With
all the demerits Darrin will get, he'll have no heart for greasing the
rest of this year. It's rough on Farley, but I'm not quite as sorry for
Dalzell, who, in his way, is almost as bad as Darrin. He's Darrin's
cuckoo and shadow, anyway. Oh, I wish I could see Darrin's face now!"

This last was uttered just as Midshipman Pennington stepped into line at
the supper formation.

"I wish I could see Darrin's face now!