"But, Len, do you realize that the fellows at the Naval Academy will make us read aloud to them this yarn you're proposing to write about us--that is, if they happen to hear about it?" "And then, after we've read the yarn straight, they'll make us sing it all to some blamed old tune or another," groaned Dalzell. "Well, I can't help it," sighed good-natured Len. "It's a story we've got to have to-morrow morning. I'd lose my position if I didn't write a good story about this afternoon's work. And, now that I've got a wife and baby to feed, I can't afford to waste any good time in job-hunting." "Then I hope none of the other fellows at the Naval Academy hear about the 'Blade's' story," gulped Dan, as he wrapped himself in a blanket while waiting for his dry clothes. "Hear about it?" retorted Len. "They'll hear about it, all right. The Associated Press man at Gridley will be sure to send something about it to the papers all over the country." "I guess we've got to take our medicine, Danny," hinted Midshipman Dave Darrin. In the meantime Tom Foss was soon comfortable, wrapped up in blankets and with plenty of coffee inside him. Nor did it take long to bring Ab Canty around. In three quarters of an hour Susie Danes opened her eyes. As for Ella Wright, the physicians and nurses worked over her long and earnestly, and were on the point of giving her up when at last a flutter of her eyelids was seen. By night time all of the young people were quite out of danger, but the parents of the Wright and Danes families were highly indignant over the recklessness of Tom Foss in taking the girls out on the river in such a heavy wind. Three days later even the launch was saved; that is, it was raised and was towed to a boat-builder for overhauling and repairs. CHAPTER III THE TROUBLE-MAKING FOP The story that Len Spencer wrote for the "Blade" was "worse" than the midshipmen had expected. That is, the newspaper made them out to be heroes of some rare, solid-gold type. To add to the trouble, the story, in a condensed form, was printed broadcast by the dailies all over the country. "We can't hope to keep it quiet, Danny boy," groaned Dave when the two chums met the next morning. "No," sighed Dan. "The most we can hope for is to be allowed to live it down." "And I'm much afraid that we've got to stand for a lot more of gush this afternoon," continued Darrin. "At the reception? Oh, yes! I wish we could desert the town and get away somewhere to hide." The affair for the afternoon was a reception for which Laura Bentley had sent out hurried invitations to a lot of the former High School boys and girls of Gridley. Though Laura was more especially interested in the U. S. Military Academy at West Point--because Dick Prescott was there--yet she did not show undue partiality to the Army. "I'm sorry Laura didn't wait a fortnight," Dan continued. "Oh, well, she doesn't understand," Dave urged. "You're going, of course?"