"Unless you're on the best of terms with a young lady, don't attempt to call on her without having learned that your purpose will be agreeable to her.

And so Miss Preston, while receiving your calls, has been engaged to some one else ?" Dan nodded, adding, "She might have given me some hint, I should think." "I don't know about that," Darrin answered thoughtfully.

"Another good view of it would be that a young lady's private affairs are her own property.

Didn't she ever mention the lucky fellow to you ?" "It seems that she did," Dalzell assented.

"But I thought, all the time, that she was talking about her brother." "Why should you especially think it was her brother whom she was mentioning ?" "Because she seemed so mighty fond of the fellow," Dan grunted.
Dave choked a strong impulse to laugh.
"Danny boy," he remarked, "girls, very often, are mighty fond, also, of the fellow to whom they're engaged." "Why did she let me call ?" demanded Dan gloomily.
"How often have you called ?" inquired Midshipman Darrin.
"Once, before to-night." "Only once?
Then, see here, Danny! Don't be a chump.