saw the fourth classman coming, and a peculiar smile crossed
his lips. On the occasion on which Brimmer had pointed out the
chums to the Greek the latter had understood that it was Dan who
was to be the principal victim.

"Good afternoon, Tony!" was Dan's greeting, as he stepped into
the shop. "Merry Christmas."

"Thank you, sare, good frien'," was Tony's reply. Then the Greek
turned briefly, to hide a grin.

"Crowd seems to have left you, Tony," said Dan sympathetically.

"Save their money to buy present for girls," guessed the Greek.

"Tony, have you a small bottle of lemon soda that's good and cold?"

"Oh, yes, sare."

"Then I want it."

Tony fumbled among bottles clinking in ice under the counter.
At last he found what he wanted and held the bottle up to the
capping machine. Then the Greek did something unusual. Instead
of emptying the bottle into a glass on the counter he performed
that service underneath the counter. Next he held the glass up
full of bright, cold liquid filled with bubble and sparkle.

"It makes me thirstier to look at this," muttered Dan, picking
up the glass. "I'll get it down as soon as I can."

He sipped the last out of the glass, put do a coin to pay for
it, and stood, for a moment, chatting with Tony.

"Excuse me, sare," broke in the Greek, suddenly. "I hear ma wife
call me."

Opening a door behind him Tony stepped into a hallway.

The short December afternoon was drawing to a close. Standing
in the shop Dan saw that the light in the street was growing less.

"I'll walk a little further down the street," thought Dan. "Then
I'll turn back, and keep on toward State Circle, and look for Dave."

As he took the first step away from the store Dalzell noticed
a slight feeling of dizziness.

After a moment this passed off, but soon it came on again, heavier
than before.

"What ails me?" wondered the astonished midshipman. "It can't
be that I'm turning sick, for I've been feeling fine all along."

He tried the effect of will power, holding himself as erect as
he could and trying to walk slowly in a straight line.

Then, though he did not realize it, three or four passers-by turned
to look at the unsteady young man in a midshipman's uniform.

Two men passing in an auto runabout glanced quickly at Dan.

"Look at that fool midshipman, throwing away a great future for
a few glasses of strong drink," he remarked to his companion.
Then the auto sped on.

As for Dan