It was one of the lights that illuminated
the corridor.
Now one of these tungsten bulbs, when struck smartly, explodes
with a report like that of a pistol.
At this hour of the night, however, there were none passing save
Naval officers on duty. None other than the lieutenant himself
had lately passed in the corridor. How, then, had this electric
light bulb been shattered and made to give forth the sound of the
explosion?
"It wouldn't go up with a noise like that," murmured the lieutenant
to himself. "These tungsten lights don't explode like that, except
when rapped in some way. They don't blow up, when left alone.
At least, that is what I have always understood."
So the puzzle waxed and grew, and Lieutenant Adams found it too big
to solve alone.
"At any rate, I've questioned all the young gentlemen about the
window episode, and they all deny knowledge of it," Lieutenant
Adams told himself. "So I'll just report that fact to the O.C.,
and at the same time I'll tell him of the blowing up of this tungsten
light."
Two minutes later Lieutenant Adams stood in the presence of
Lieutenant-Commander Henderson, the officer in charge.
"So you questioned all of the midshipmen who might, by any chance,
have entered by a window?" asked the O.C.
"Yes, sir."
"And they all denied it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you see signs of any sort to lead you to believe that any of
the midshipmen might have answered in other than the strict truth?"
continued the O.
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