The aide to the superintendent and the commandant were passing the young men quickly through the mill.
"Mr.Darrin, Mr.Dalzell!" called the midshipman master of ceremonies.
As Dave and Dan started to their feet their conductor added: "Follow me to the Board Room." Down the corridor and into the Board Room the two chums were led.
There, awaiting them, they found three Naval medical officers, all in their proper uniform and one of them seated at a desk.
"Strip, with the least delay possible," ordered the senior surgeon.
In a very short space of time Dave and Dan stood forth, minus clothes and, it must be confessed, both very nervous as to what these medical men might or might not find.
Thorough, indeed, was the examination, which began with the heart.
But it went much further, including the hair, scalp, eyes, teeth, the condition of the tonsils, the appearance of the tongue, and so on, by regular stages, down to the soles of their feet.
"If there's a square quarter of an inch these fellows have missed, I didn't notice it," muttered Dan to himself.
"You may dress, Mr.Darrin," announced the senior surgeon, and Dave went to the chair on which his clothing lay.
"Mr.Dalzell, come here a moment" Dan began to feel queer.

What had they missed?
On what point was his physical condition doubtful?
"Open your mouth," directed one of the surgeons.
Then followed some more exploration of his teeth.
"Oh," murmured Dan, when the medical men gave him a rest for a moment.

"It's only my teeth, eh?
That's not a vitally important point, is it, sir ?" "We reject candidates for what might seem very slight defects of the teeth," replied the senior surgeon, with emphasis.

"Open your mouth again." The cold ooze stood out on Dan's brow this time.

Joke as he might, he did not want to be dropped out of the Navy.