"Last night, shortly after eleven o'clock, Mr. Drake and this man Grice caught two midshipmen in the act of stealing an examination. Mr. Drake knows who these midshipmen are, but resigns rather than give their names. But we know them. One of these midshipmen was disguised. Mr. Blunt, put on your false beard and your hat." Harry Blunt did so, shamefacedly enough. "Look at this man; have you ever seen him before?" thundered the commandant, in scornful tones, leaning over his desk. Stonewell looked at Harry, then at Robert, and then at Captain Blunt. Again Stonewell said "Ah," and further remarked, "Now I understand." "Answer my question, sir," fairly shouted Commander Dalton. "Did you ever before see a person who looked as Mr. Blunt does now?" "Yes, sir. The man who gave three groans for the superintendent and commandant that night in the Colonial Theatre was evidently Mr. Blunt in disguise. I didn't know it at the time, but evidently my roommate did. This accounts for his past inveterate hostility to Mr. Blunt. He never told me about it, and I have been puzzled at his strong dislike for Mr. Blunt. From what you have said I imagine that Mr. Blunt was one of the two midshipmen caught by Mr. Drake. I now see what the trouble is. Mr. Drake will not tell because of his gratitude to Captain Blunt." "Mr. Stonewell," burst out the commandant, "have you descended to the bottom of the pit of hypocrisy and infamy? Do you add lying to your other crimes, sir?" "Do I add lying to my other crimes?" repeated Stonewell. "These are strange questions, Captain Dalton; will you please tell me in what way I have been infamous and a hypocrite? What are those other crimes, and in what respect have I lied?" Indignation with ringing force was in Stonewell's voice as he looked steadily and unflinchingly at the commandant. "Grice," said Captain Dalton, turning to the negro, "did you and Mr. Drake see Mr. Blunt trying to steal an examination last night?" "Yes, sir," eagerly replied Grice; "we done catched him, suh, an' Mistah Stonewell was with him, suh; Mistah Drake wasn't six feet from Mistah Stonewell when I turned on de 'lectric light, suh; dere ain't no mistake, capting. Mistah Harry Blunt was dere disguised, but I knowed 'im. An' Mistah Stonewell was dere; he wuz in his unerform, gold stripes an' all." "Mr. Drake," said the commandant turning to Robert, "I will once more order you either to deny that Mr. Stonewell was there last night or to admit it." Robert looked at his beloved friend. Never had Stonewell appeared more manly, more forceful. Character and greatness of soul seemed to radiate from him, and it almost seemed that midshipman though he was, the others present were dwarfed into insignificance.