A whole lot of fellows who managed to get through the Academy find themselves going to pieces on that examination at sea." "And then--" went on Belle.
"Why, if a fellow can't pass his exams, he's dropped from the service." "After he has already graduated from Academy?
That isn't fair," cried Belle Meade.
"No, it isn't quite fair," assented Midshipman Dave, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Yet what is one going to do about it?
It's all in the game--to take or leave." "Who ever made the Naval Academy and the service so hard as that ?" the girl wanted to know.
"Congress, I guess," laughed Dave, "but acting, very likely, on the advice of a lot of old admirals who are through themselves, and who expect the youngsters to know as much as the very admirals.

Why, Belle, when I was a few years younger, and first began to dream about going to the Naval Academy I had a mental picture of a very jolly life, in which we sailed the seas and absorbed our knowledge.

I had an idea that the midshipman's life was made up mainly of jolly larks ashore and afloat, with plenty of athletics to keep us from ever feeling dull.

Of course, I knew we had to do some studying, but I didn't imagine the studies would be hard for a chap who had already gone through a good High School." "Your High School studies did help, didn't they ?" demanded Belle.
"They helped somewhat in the exams, to enter Annapolis, but they've never helped me with any of the studies that I've had to tackle as a midshipman." "Oh, well, you'll get through," the girl predicted with cheery confidence.
"I shall, if it's really in me," Dave promised.