CHAPTER IV A LITTLE MEETING ASHORE
CHAPTER IV
A LITTLE MEETING ASHORE
"Stop it, both of you," whispered Dan.
"Stand at attention, ready to salute the officer."
Pennington, with the blood flowing from his damaged nose, would have made a most ludicrous figure saluting!
The instant that he saw such evidence as Pen's nose presented the officer would be bound to make inquiries.
Then, just as surely, his next step must be to Border the three before the commandant of midshipmen.
Fighting carries with it a severe penalty. Even Dan was certain to be reported, through the mere fact of his presence there, as aiding in a fight. And those who aid are punished as severely as the principals themselves.
It was a tense, fearsome instant, for midshipmen have been dismissed from the Naval Academy for this very offense.
The passage was not brilliantly lighted.
The on-coming officer, a lieutenant, junior grade, was looking at the floor as he came along.
Suddenly he paused, seemed lost in thought, then wheeled and walked back whence he had come.
Dan breathed more easily. Dave heaved a sigh of relief.
As for Pennington, that midshipman had wheeled and was stealing rapidly down the passageway, intent only on escape.
"That was the closest squeak we'll ever have without being ragged cold," murmured Dalzell tremulously.
"Where is Pennington?" demanded Dave, wheeling about after he had watched the Naval lieutenant out of sight.
"Ducked out of sight, like a submarine," chuckled Dan.
At that moment the call for midshipmen's dinner formation sounded. Dave and Dan were ready.
Pennington showed up just after the line had started to march into the midshipmen's mess tables.
To the inquiry of the officer in charge, Pen lamely explained that he had bumped his nose into something hard in a poorly lighted passageway.
Though the officer accepted the excuse, he smiled within himself.
"It wasn't iron or steel that bumped that young man's nose," thought the officer.
"Oh, the middies haven't changed a lot since I boned at Annapolis!"
Pennington's nose was no very lovely member of his face at that moment. It had been struck hard, mashed rather flat, and now looked like a red bulb.
"Meet with an accident, Pen?" asked Hallam curiously at table.
"Quit your kidding, please," requested Pennington sulkily.
That directed the curious glances of other middies at Pennington's new bulbous nose.
The young man was so brusque about it, however, that other table mates ceased quizzing him.
Yet, as soon as the meal was over, many a youngster asked others of his class for news regarding Pen. But none possessed it.
During the brief rest that followed the meal, however, Midshipman Pennington made it his business to try to meet Dave Darrin alone. He succeeded, finding Dave staring off across the water at the port rail.
"Of course, Mr. Darrin," began the other midshipman, in a voice suggestive of ice, "you are aware that the incident of an hour ago cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed."
"I don't believe there's any danger of that," retorted Darrin, with an ironical glance at Pennington's damaged-looking nose.
"Confound you, sir," hissed the other midshipman, "don't you dare to be insolent with me."
"Why, I had thought," observed Dave, "that, of your own choice, the period of courtesies between us had passed."
"I shall call you out, Mr. Darrin!"
"You'll find my hearing excellent," smiled Dave. "I shall make but one stipulation."
"I'll do you the favor of asking what that stipulation is," sneered Pennington.
"Why, after the narrow escape we had from being caught and reported, an hour or so ago, I shall ask that the fight be held where we are not so likely to be caught at it. I don't care about being dropped from the Naval Academy, nor do I believe you do."
"It would be a good thing for the service, if one of us were to be dropped," sneered Pennington.
"Yes! Oh, well, you can easily procure writing materials from the captain's clerk," volunteered Dave generously. "On a cruise, I believe, a resignation is sent direct to the commandant of midshipmen."
This ridicule served only to fan the flame of Pennington's wrath.
"Darrin," he hissed, "the Academy isn't big enough to hold us both!"
"But I've already told you how to get out," protested Dave coolly.
"I don't intend to get out!"
"No more do I," rejoined Dave. "I won't even toss pennies with you to find out who quits the service."
"Mr. Darrin, you are merely seeking to divert my mind from what I have said."
"What did you say--particularly?"
"That you would have to fight me."
"I have already signified my entire willingness, Mr. Pennington. To that I really can add nothing."
Fourth classmen are always addressed as "mister," and they must use the same "handle to the name" when addressing upper classmen. But members of the three upper classes resort to the use of "mister," in addressing classmates, only when they wish to be offensive or nearly so.
"I will send a friend to meet you," Pennington continued.
"Why, I thought," bantered Darrin ironically, "that you were going to fight me yourself."
"So I am--be sure of it. I will amend my statement by saying that I will send a second to see you."
"Save time by sending him to Dalzell."
"Very good, Mr. Darrin."
"Is that all you wished to say to me?"
"Yes."
"Very good, Mr. Pennington."
With two very stiff nods the midshipmen parted.
Pennington hastened at once in search of Hallam.
"Will you serve me, old man?" queried Pennington.
"Sorry, but----"
"Well, you see, Pen, not knowing all the facts of the case, I must admit that all my sympathies are with Darrin."
"All your sympathies?" echoed Pen, frowning.
"Well, nearly all, anyway. You see, I've known and observed Darrin for a full year now, and I don't believe patient old Darry is the one to start any trouble."
"He called me a liar," protested Pennington.
"Did he?" gasped Hallam.
"Well, he qualified the statement, but his way of saying it was as offensive as the direct lie could have been."
"So you're bent on fighting Darry?"
"I am."
"Too bad!" muttered Hallam, shaking his head.
"Are you anxious for your idol?" asked Pen in a disagreeable tone.
"No, Penny; it's you that I'm concerned about in my own mind. You're going next to a very hard proposition. Darry is patient--almost as patient as the proverbial camel--but when he fights he fights! You'll be hammered to a pulp, Pen."
"Pooh!"
"No one has yet beaten Darrin at a fist fight."
"There always has to be a first time, you know."
"And you think you're It?"
"As far as Darrin is concerned--yes."
"Too bad--too bad!" sighed Hallam. "I'm afraid, Penny, that the heat in the furnace room was too much for you this morning."
"Then you won't serve as one of my seconds?"
"The honor is most regretfully declined," replied Hallam in a tone of mock sadness.
"You want to see Darrin win?"
"If there has to be a fight, I do," replied Midshipman Hallam.
"Don't bet your money on him, anyway."
"I'm not a gambler, Penny, and I don't bet," replied Hallam, with a dignity that, somehow, ended the conversation.
Pennington had considerable difficulty, at first, in finding a second. At last, however, he induced Decker and Briggs to represent him.
These two midshipmen went to see Dan Dalzell.
"Wait until I send for Mr. Farley," proposed Dalzell. He soon had that midshipman, who was wholly willing to serve Darrin in any capacity.
"We're ready to have the fight this evening," proposed Midshipman Decker.
"We're not," retorted Dan, with vigor.
"Why not?"
"This forenoon Pennington deliberately stepped on Darrin's shoulder, with such force as to lame it a good deal," replied Dan. "Our man insists that he has a right to rest his shoulder, and to wait until to-morrow."
"But to-morrow we have a short shore liberty at Hampton Roads," remonstrated Briggs.
"Yes; and during that shore liberty we can have the fight more safely than on board ship," insisted Dalzell.
"But we intended to devote our shore leave to pleasure," objected Decker.
"You'll find plenty of pleasure, if you accept our proposition," urged Dan dryly. "At any rate, we won't hear of Darrin fighting before to-morrow. He must have to-night to rest that shoulder."
"All right; so be it," growled Decker, after a side glance at Briggs.
"On shore, at some point to be selected by the seconds?" asked Dan Dalzell.
"Yes; that's agreed."
Details as to whom to invite as referee and time-keeper were also arranged.
"I suppose we'll have to use up our shore leave that way, then," grunted Pennington, when told of the arrangement.
"There's one way you can save the day," grinned Decker.
"How?"
"Put Darrin to sleep in the first round, then hurriedly dress and leave, and enjoy your time on shore."
"But Darrin is a very able man with his fists," observed Pennington.
"Yes; but you're a mile bigger and heavier, and you're spry, too. You ought to handle him with all the ease in the world."
"I don't know," muttered Pennington, who didn't intend to make the mistake of bragging in advance. "I'll do my best, of course."
"Oh, you'll win out, if you're awake," predicted Midshipman Briggs confidently.
When the cadets were called, the following morning, they found the battleship fleet at anchor in Hampton Roads.
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