C.
"No, sir," replied Lieutenant Adams, and flushed slightly, as he
went on: "Of course, sir, I believe it quite impossible for a
midshipman to tell an untruth."
"The sentiment does you credit, Lieutenant," smiled the O.C.
Then he fell to questioning the younger discipline officer as
to the names of the midshipmen whom he had questioned. Finally
the O.C. came to the two names in which the reader is most interested.
"Darrin denied having been out after taps?" questioned Lieutenant-Commander
Henderson.
"He did, sir."
"Did Mr. Dalzell also deny having been out of quarters after taps?"
"He did, sir."
Lieutenant Adams answered unhesitatingly and unblushingly. In
fact, Lieutenant Adams would have bitten off the tip of his tongue
sooner than have lied intentionally. So firmly convinced had
Adams been that Dan was about to make a denial that now, with
the incident broken in two by the report of the tungsten bulb,
Lieutenant Adams really believed that had so denied. But Dan
had not, and had Dave Darrin been called as a witness he would
been compelled to testify that Dan did not deny being out.
The explosion of the tungsten bulb was too great a puzzle for
either officer to solve. A man was sent with a new bulb, and
so that part of the affair became almost at once forgotten.
Dan finally fell into a genuine sleep, and so did Dave Darrin.
In the morning Dave sought out Midshipman Farley to inquire to whom
the doughface should be returned.
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