Both stood at attention, their glances on the commandant's face.
"I do not know what to say," the officer admitted at last.

"I will take the matter under advisement.

You may both go." Outside, well away from the office, Dave Darrin halted, swinging and confronting Clairy sternly.
"You lying scoundrel!" vibrated Darrin, his voice shaking with anger.
"It constitutes another offense, Mr.Darrin, to use such language for the purpose of intimidating a midshipman in the performance of his duty," returned Midshipman Clairy, looking back steadily into Dave's eyes.
"An offense?
Fighting is another, under a strict interpretation of the rules," Dave replied coldly.
"And I do not intend to fight you," replied Clairy, still speaking smoothly.
"Perhaps I should know better than to challenge you," replied Midshipman Darrin.

"The spirit of the brigade prohibits my fighting any one who is not a gentleman." "If that is all you have to say, Mr.Darrin, I will leave you.
You cannot provoke me into any breach of the regulations." Clairy walked away calmly, leaving Dave Darrin fuming with anger.
Page was sent for next, then Dalzell.

Both denied utterly the charges on which Clairy had ordered them to report themselves.
Again Mr.Clairy was sent for, and once more he asserted the complete truthfulness of his charges.
It was so in the cases of the five remaining midshipmen under charges, though still Mr.Clairy stuck to the correctness of the report.
Action in all of the eight cases was suspended by the commandant, who went post-haste to the superintendent.