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Read Ebook: Dave Darrin's Fourth Year at Annapolis: Headed for Graduation and the Big Cruise by Hancock H Irving Harrie Irving
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Ebook has 1871 lines and 48784 words, and 38 pages
"Farl, you're letting your prejudices spoil your eyesight."
"Here!" called a laughing voice. The door had opened, after a knock that Darrin had not noticed.
"Talking about me?" inquired Midshipman Wolgast pleasantly, as he stopped in the middle of the room.
Midshipman Farley was nothing at all on the order of the backbiter. Service in the Brigade of Midshipmen for three years had taught him the virtue of direct truth.
"Yes, Wolly," admitted Farley without embarrassment. "I was criticizing your selection as captain of the eleven."
"Nothing worse than that?" laughed First Classman Wolgast.
Midshipman Wolgast stepped over to Farley, holding out his right hand.
"Shake, Farl! I'm glad to find a man of brains on the eleven. I know well enough that I'm not the right captain. But we couldn't make Darry accept the post."
Midshipman Wolgast appeared anything but hurt by the direct candor with which he had been treated. He now threw one leg over the corner of the study table, though he inquired:
"Am I interrupting anything private?"
"Not in the least," Dave assured him.
"Am I intruding in any way?"
"Not a bit of it," Darrin answered heartily "We're glad to have you here with us."
"Surely," nodded Farley.
"Now, then, as to my well known unfitness to command the Navy football team," continued First Classman Wolgast, "do either of you see any faults in me that can be remedied?"
"I can't," Dave answered. "I believe, Wolly, that you can lead the team as well as any other man in the squad. On the whole, I believe you can lead a little better than any other man could do."
"No help from your quarter, then, Darry," sighed Midshipman Wolgast. "Farl, help me out. Tell me some way in which I can improve my fitness for the post of honor that has been thrust upon me. I assure you I didn't seek it."
"Wolgast, my objection to you has nothing personal in it," Farley went on. "With me it is a case simply of believing that Darry could lead us on the gridiron much better than you're likely to."
"That I know," retorted Wolgast, with emphasis. "But what on earth are we going to do with a fellow like Darrin? He simply won't allow himself to be made captain. I'd resign this minute, if we could have Darry for our captain."
"You're going to do all right, Wolgast. I know you are," Dave rejoined.
"Then what's the trouble? Why don't I suit all hands?" demanded the Navy's football captain.
Darrin was silent for a few moments. The midshipmen visitors waited patiently, knowing that, from this comrade, they could be sure of a wholly candid reply.
"Have you found the answer, Darry?" pressed Wolgast at last.
"Yes," said Dave slowly; "I think I have. The reason, as I see it, is that there are no decidedly star players on this year's probable eleven. The men are all pretty nearly equal, which doesn't give you a chance to tower head and shoulders above the other players. Usually, in the years that I know anything of, it has been the other way. There have been only two or three star players in the squad, and the captain was usually one of the very best. You're plenty good enough football man, Wolgast, but there are so many other pretty good ones that you don't outshine the others as much as captains of poorer teams have done in other years."
"Then you look for a big slaughter list for us this year, Darry?" Wolgast asked.
"Yes; unless the other elevens that we're to play improve as much as the Navy is going to do."
So the time sped. Dave lost his chance to read his novel, but he did not mind the loss. It was Jetson who, at last, discovered the time.
"Whew, fellows!" he muttered. "Only ten minutes to taps."
That sent most of the midshipmen scuttling away. Page and Farley, however, whose quarters were but a few doors away on the same deck, remained.
"Farl," murmured Darrin, "for the first time tonight I'm feeling a bit worried."
"Over Danny?"
"The same."
"What's up?" Page wanted to know.
"Didn't he have leave to visit town?" demanded Midshipman Page.
"Not that I've heard of," Dave Darrin answered quickly. "Nor do I see how he could have done so. You see, Wednesday he received some demerits, and with them went the loss of privileges for October."
"Whew!" whistled Page.
"What?" demanded Dave, his alarm increasing.
"Why, not long after supper I saw Danny heading toward the wall on the town side."
"You think, leave being impossible, Danny has Frenched it over the wall?" demanded Farley.
"That's just what I'm afraid of," returned Dave.
"I don't know any reason."
"Farl", broke in Dave hurriedly, almost fiercely, "has anyone a doughface?"
"Yes."
"Who has it?"
"I don't know."
"There's no time for 'buts,'" retorted Darrin, pushing Farley toward the door. "Find it!"
"You'll stay here," ordered Dave.
Darrin was already headed toward his friend's alcove, where Dalzell's cot lay. Page followed.
"The dummy," explained Darrin briefly.
Every midshipman at Annapolis, doubtless, is familiar with the dummy. Not so many, probably, are familiar with the doughface, which, at the time this is written, was a new importation.
Swiftly Dave and Page worked. First they turned down the clothing, after having hurriedly made up the cot. Now, from among the garments hanging on the wall nearby the two midshipmen took down the garments that normally lay under others. With these they rigged up a figure not unlike that of a human being. At least, it looked so after the bed clothes had been drawn up in place.
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