"It's tough to get those demerits, though," contended Dan. "I imagine there'll be a large allowance of them, and in his fourth year a fellow can't receive many demerits without having to get out of the Academy. One or two more such scrapes, and I'll soon be a civilian, instead of an officer in the Navy!" "See here, Dan; I'll offer an explanation that you can make truthfully. Just state, when you're called up, that you and I were absorbed talking football, and that you really forgot to turn in the right direction while your mind was so full of Navy football. That may help some." "Yes; it will---not!" Dan Dalzell passed into the outer room of the officer in charge, picked up a blank and filled it out with the report against himself. Dave was waiting outside as Dan came out from the disagreeable duty of reporting himself. "Hang the girls!" Dalzell muttered again disgustedly. CHAPTER VII DAN'S EYES JOLT HIS WITS Dan Dalzell, on the point of stepping out of Bancroft Hall, wheeled like a flash, and bounded back against Farley, Jetson and Page. "Don't look!" whispered Dan hoarsely. "Duck!" "What on earth is the matter?" demanded Midshipman Darrin, eyeing his chum sharply. "I---I don't know what it is," muttered Dan, after he had backed his friends some feet from the entrance. "What does it look like?" asked Farley. "Something like a messenger boy," returned Dan. "Surely, you're not afraid of a messenger boy with a telegram," laughed Darrin. "Little chance that the message is for you, at any rate." "But---it's got a Naval uniform on, I tell you," warned Dan. "No; you hadn't told us. What is it---another midshipman?" "Not by a jugful!" Dan sputtered. "It's wearing an officer's uniform." "Then undoubtedly you chanced to glance at an officer of the Navy," Darrin replied, sarcastically soothing. "Brace up, Dan." "But he's only a kid!" remonstrated Dan. "And he wear a lieutenant's insignia!" "Bosh! Some officers are quite boyish-looking," remarked Farley. "Come on out, fellows; I haven't forgotten how to salute an officer when I see one." The others, except Dan, started briskly for the entrance. As for Dalzell, he brought up the rear, grumbling: "All right; you fellows go on out and see whether you see him. If you don't, then I'm going to report myself at hospital without delay. Really, I can't swear that I saw---it." But at that moment the object of Dan's alarm reached one of the doors of the entrance of Bancroft Hall and stepped briskly inside. This new-comer's glance fell upon the knot of midshipmen, and he glanced at them inquiringly, as though to see whether these young men intended to salute him. Surely enough, the newcomer was decidedly boyish-looking, yet he wore the fatigue uniform and insignia of a lieutenant of the United States Navy. If he were masquerading, here was a dangerous place into which to carry his antics.