ice."

"That will do, for the present, Mr. Henkel. Mr. Farley, will you
now state just what you saw, while watching this forenoon?"

Midshipmen Farley told, simply, how he and Page had commenced
their watch.

"In the first place, sir," declared Farley, "as soon as Mr. Darrin
and Mr. Dalzell had left their room, and the corridor was empty,
Mr. Page and I, acting by permission and direction of this office,
went at once to Mr. Darrin's room. We made an inspection. At
that time there were no such signs of disorder as those which
Lieutenant Nettleson subsequently found. Then, sir, Mr. Page
and I went back to our room. I held our door very slightly ajar,
and stood in such a position that I could glance down the corridor
and keep Mr. Darrin's room door constantly within my range of
vision."

"As a matter of vital fact, Mr. Farley," interrupted the commandant
of midshipmen, "did you at any time relax such vigilance, even for a
few seconds?"

"Not even for a few seconds, sir."

"After the inspection that Mr. Page and yourself made, who was the
first person that you saw enter Mr. Darrin's room?"

"Mr. Henkel!

"Was he Alone?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you then immediately send Mr Page to the officer in charge?"

"I did, sir."

"And yourself?"

"Without allowing my glance to turn from Mr. Darrin's door, sir, I
stepped out into the corridor, walked close to Mr. Darrin's room
door, and then stood there until Lieutenant Nettleson and Mr.
Hawkins arrived."

"Then, Mr. Farley, you are certain that there was no disorder in
Mr. Darrin's room at the time when he and Mr. Dalzell left to
recite in mathematics?

"I am absolutely positive, sir."

"And you are also certain that none but Mr. Henkel entered that room
up to the time when the disorder was discovered by Lieutenant
Nettleson?"

"I am certain, sir."

Midshipman Page was then questioned. He bore out the testimony
just given by Farley in every particular.

The manner of the commandant of midshipmen was still gentle when he
turned again to Henkel.

"Mr. Henkel, do you wish to modify your previous statements in
any way?"

"No, sir," replied Henkel. "In all my answers I have told the
whole and exact truth, as I know it. I am eager, sir, to answer
any further questions that you may wish to put to me on the subject."

"Gentlemen, you may all withdraw, save Lieutenant Nettleson and
Mr. Henkel," announced the commandant, after a few moments of
seemingly mil