Commander Dalton's manner was vehement and intimidating. "What have you to say, sir?" he thundered, slamming a clinched fist with a bang on his desk. With parched lips and in trembling accents Robert commenced to speak. Four years of the strictest training urged him to yield to the commandant's order; but Robert had expected this and had tried to prepare himself for it. "As I have handed in my resignation, sir," he faltered, "I respectfully request that I be not asked any questions. This is all I can say, sir." The commandant dropped into his chair; he looked sorrowfully at Robert, and then in an altered tone said: "Mr. Drake, you and Mr. Stonewell are close friends, are you not?" "He has been more to me than a brother could have been, sir," replied Robert, in a broken voice. And then in an effort to control his feelings he turned his back on the commandant and with blinding tears in his eyes looked through the window in front of him at the mournful, steady rain without. Captain Dalton picked up a telephone and said, "Central, give me number twenty-seven. Hello, is this Captain Blunt?" "Yes, the commandant of midshipmen." "Blunt, can you come to my office immediately? A most serious charge has been made against your son." Then he rang for his orderly and said: "Tell the officer-in-charge I won't inspect this morning, and tell him to send Midshipman Blunt to my office immediately." When Harry Blunt walked in the office, instead of his usual debonair manner, there was a look of worry and anxiety on his face. "Wait a few minutes, Mr. Blunt. Beckwith, excuse me while I write something." Harry Blunt glanced at Robert and at the others; several times he looked as if he were about to say something, but he did not. It was not long before Captain Blunt appeared; he jumped out of an automobile that had stopped before the Academy steps, and fairly ran up them and into the commandant's office. Commander Dalton rose to greet him with a worried expression. "Captain Blunt," he began, "a week ago Mr. Drake reported to me that Grice informed him two midshipmen were planning to steal an examination in mathematics; I told Mr. Drake to ascertain who these midshipmen were if he could. This morning Grice reported to his department head, Beckwith, that he and Mr. Drake had caught two midshipmen in the act of stealing this examination. Grice was afraid to tell who they were; he said Mr. Drake could. I sent for Mr. Drake and asked him who they were, and if Grice's statement was true. Instead of replying Mr. Drake hands me this paper. Read it. Then Grice made the most astounding statement I have ever heard. He says the midshipmen were Mr. Stonewell and Mr. Harry Blunt." "Impossible!" exclaimed Captain Blunt. "And when Grice made this statement Mr. Drake remained silent, and he still remains so." "Impossible!" again exclaimed Captain Blunt, in an agony of spirit. "Harry, my boy, say it is false."