Soon the "decks" of Bancroft Hall swarmed with young life.

Then, outside, to seaward, the brigade fell in by companies.
Military commands rang out briskly, roll was called, reports made and the brigade marched in to supper.
What a joyous, noisy affair it was.

Some license in the way of boisterousness was allowed this evening, and most of the young men took full advantage of the fact.
Swat! A slice of bread, soaked in a glass of water and kneaded into a soppy ball, struck Dalzell full in the back of the neck, plastering his collar and sending a sticky mess down his spine.
"I'll fight the man who did that," promised Midshipman Dan, wheeling around.

Then added cautiously: "If he's a graduate." There being, naturally, no graduates present except the officer at the furthest corner of the mess hall, Dan's challenge provoked laughter.
Many other pranks were played, but there is not room to record them here.
The meal over and the brigade dismissed, some of the midshipmen--there were nearly eight hundred of them--went to their own quarters, or visited the rooms of cronies.

Hundreds took the air in the grounds.
Almost the sole topic was football.