He had in no way sought to direct attention at Pennington.
Towards the close of the tour the officer in whose department this instruction fell passed through the dynamo room.
"Are there any breaches of conduct to be reported, Whittam ?" inquired the officer, halting.
"Nothing worth mentioning, sir," replied the chief electrician.
"I asked you, Whittam, whether there had been any breaches of conduct," retorted the officer with some asperity.
"One midshipman, sir, after having been instructed to touch nothing, rested his hand on one of the brass rods." "His name ?" "I don't know the names of many of the young gentlemen yet, sir, so I don't know the particular midshipman's name, sir." "Then point him out to me," insisted the officer.
There was hardly any need to do so.

Pennington's face, flushed with mortification, was sufficient identification.

But the chief electrician stepped over, halting in front of the hapless one, and said: "This is the young gentleman, sir." "Your name, sir ?" demanded the officer.
"Pennington, sir." "Mr.Pennington, you will place yourself on the report, sir, for disobedience of orders," commanded the officer.

"Is this the only case, Whittam ?" "The only case, sir." The officer passed out of the dynamo room, leaving the unlucky one more than ever angry with Darrin, whom he incorrectly charged with his present trouble.
The recall sounding, Dave turned to Whittam, saying crisply but pleasantly: "Thank you for our instruction." "He's thanking the fellow for my new scrape," growled Pennington inwardly.
Dave marched his section back to deck and dismissed it.

Dan Dalzell, as section leader in steam instruction, immediately re-formed it.
"You will report in the engine-room, Mr.Dalzell, to Lieutenant-Commander Forman, who is chief engineer of this ship.