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.