"Hum--hadn't thought of that!" Croyden answered. "Better go in and show ourselves to him, this afternoon. He seems to be something of a personage down here, and we don't want to offend him. These naval officers, I'm told, are sticklers for dignity and the prerogatives due their rank." "Hold on!" exclaimed Macloud. "On that score, we've got some rank ourselves to uphold." "What!" said Croyden. "Certainly! the Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, of the United States Senate, is with us. According to the regulations, is it his duty to call _first_ on the Superintendent?--that's the point." "Give it up!" laughed Croyden. "However, the Superintendent has a copy of the letter, and he will know the ropes. We will wait a day, then, if he's quiescent, it's up to us." "Great head!" laughed Macloud. "You should have been a diplomat, Croyden--nothing less than an Ambassadorship for you, my boy!" Croyden smiled. "A motor boat would be mighty convenient to go back and forth to Annapolis," he said. "Look at the one cutting through the water there, midway across!" It came nearer, halted a little way off in deep water, and an officer in uniform swept the tents and them with a glass. Then the boat put about and went chugging upstream. "We didn't seem to please him," remarked Macloud, gazing after the boat. Suddenly it turned in toward shore and made the landing at the Experiment Station. "We are about to be welcomed or else ordered off--I'll take a bet either way," said Macloud. "Welcomed!" Croyden responded. "Otherwise, they wouldn't have despatched an officer--it would have been a file of marines instead. You haven't lost the permit, Macloud!" "You don't seem very sure!" Macloud laughed. Presently, the officer appeared, walking rapidly down the roadway. As soon as he sighted the tents, he swung over toward them. Macloud went a few steps forward to meet him. "Is this Senator Rickrose?" the Lieutenant inquired. "No," said Macloud. "Senator Rickrose isn't coming until later. I am one of his friends, Colin Macloud, and this is Mr. Croyden and Mr. Axtell." "Very glad to meet you, gentlemen!" said the Lieutenant. "The Superintendent presents his compliments and desires to place himself and the Academy at your disposal." (He was instructed to add, that Captain Boswick would pay his respects to-morrow, having been called to Washington to-day by an unexpected wire, but the absence of the Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee rendered it unnecessary.) "Thank Captain Boswick, for Senator Rickrose and us, and tell him we appreciate his kindness exceedingly," Macloud answered. "We're camping here for a week or so, to try sleeping in the open, under sea air. We're not likely to prove troublesome!" he added. Then they took several drinks, and the aide departed.