riosity.

"I've heard," announced Darrin, "that you are saying some things
about me that don't sound well. So I've come to ask you what you
are saying."

"I won't keep you waiting," jeered Farley. "You know, from hearing
morning orders, that six of us were given fifty demerits apiece."

"For going over the wall to a late supper in town," nodded Dave.

"You wouldn't go with us," continued Farley angrily, "and gave
us a greaser's talk-fest instead."

"I didn't advise you against going," responded Dave, standing
with his arms folded, utterly cool as he eyed his accuser.

"Then, after we went, some one went and wised the powers," charged
Farley. "Now, no one but a most abandoned greaser would do that."

To "wise the powers" is to give information to the Naval officers.

"The fellow who would wilfully tell on you would be worse than
what you term a greaser," agreed Dave.

"Careful," warned Farley ironically. "You know who told, or who
caused the wise word to leak to the powers."

"I don't," Dave denied bluntly.

"You're the sneak, yourself!" cried Farley angrily.

"I am not," spoke Dave, with clear denial.

"Do you mean to say I lie?" demanded Midshipman Farley threateningly,
as he took a step forward.

"Do you deliberately state that I informed upon you, or caused
you to be informed upon?" demanded Dave Darrin.

"Yes, I do!

"Then you lie!" returned Darrin promptly.

With a suppressed yell Farley sprang at Darrin, and the latter
struck out quickly.

CHAPTER VII

ON THE FIELD OF THE CODE

Midshipman Farley had the bad judgment to stop that blow with
the side of his neck.

Across the room he spun, going down in a heap, his head under
the study table.

Dave Darrin looked on with a cool smile, while Farley lay there
for an instant, then scrambled out and up onto his feet.

But two or three other new midshipmen sprang in between Dave and
his accuser.

"We can't have a fight here, Farley," urged two or three in the
same breath.

"Let me at the sneak!" sputtered Farley who was boiling over with
rage.

"Yes; let him at me," voiced Dave coolly, "and I'll send him into
the middle of next term!"

But three of the midshipmen clung to Farley, who furiously strove to
fling them off.

"Let me at him!" insisted the accuser. "He struck me."

"You struck at him first, and didn't land," replied one of the
peacemakers. "You go on with a fight here, and you'll bring the
officer in charge d