"Dave," announced Belle almost sternly, "you've simply got to
say something savage about the action of the West Point men in
sending Dick Prescott to Coventry."
"The West Point men didn't do it," rejoined Dave. "It was all
done by the members of the first class alone."
"Well, then, you must say something very disagreeable about the
first class at the Military Academy."
"But why?" persisted Dave Darrin. He was disgusted enough over
the action of the first class cadets, but, being in the service
himself, he felt it indelicate in him to criticise the action
of the cadets of the United States Military Academy.
"Why?" repeated Belle. "Why, simply because Laura Bentley will
insist on asking me when I get home what you had to say about
Dick's case. If I can't tell Laura that you said something pretty
nearly awful, then Laura will be terribly hurt."
"Shall I swear?" asked Dave innocently.
Belle opened her eyes wide in amazement.
"No, you won't swear," Belle retorted. "Profanity isn't the
accomplishment of a gentleman. But you must say something about
Dick's case which will show her that all of Dick's friends are
standing by the poor fellow."
"But, Belle, you know it isn't considered very manly for a fellow
in one branch of the service to say anything against fellows in
the other branch."
"Not even---for Laura's sake?"
"Oh, well," proposed Midshipman Darrin, squirming about between
the horns of the dilemma, "you just think of whatever will please
Laura most to hear from me.
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