CHAPTER V.
WHEN THE SECONDS WONDERED One after another the launches sped ashore, carrying their swarms of distinguished looking young midshipmen.
The fight party managed to get off all in the same boat, and on one of the earliest trips.
Pennington was to have ordinary shore leave on the cruise, his fifty demerits to be paid for by loss of privileges on his return to the Naval Academy.
"Decker," proposed Dan, "you and I can skip away and find a good place in no time.

Then we can come back after the others." "That's agreeable to me," nodded Midshipman Decker.
In twenty minutes the two seconds were back.
"We've found just the place," announced Decker.

"And it isn't more than three minutes' walk from here.

Will you all hurry along ?" "The place" turned out to be a barn that had not been used for a year or more.

The floor was almost immaculately clean.