You have many fine deeds and achievements to your credit here, sir.

Within the week you led in a truly gallant rescue human life down the bay.

Mr.Darrin, in handing you your well-earned diploma, I take upon myself the liberty of congratulating your parents on their son!" As Dave returned to his seat with his precious sheepskin the elder Darrin, who was in the audience, took advantage of the renewed noises of applause to clear his throat huskily several times.
Dave's mother honestly used her handkerchief to dry the tears of pride that were in her eyes.
Another especial burst of applause started when Daniel Dalzell, twenty-first in his class, was called upon to go forward.
"I didn't believe Danny Grin would ever get through," one first classman confided behind his hand to another.

"I expected that the upper classmen would kill Danny Grin before he ever got over being a fourth classman." But here was Dan coming back amid more applause, his graduation number high enough to make it practically certain that he would be a rear admiral one of these days when he had passed the middle stage of life in the service.
One by one the other diplomas were given out, each accompanied by some kindly message from the Secretary of the Navy, which, if remembered and observed, would be of great value to the graduate at some time in the future.
The graduating exercises did not last long.

To devote too much time to them would be to increase the tension.
Later in the day the graduated midshipmen again appeared.