"
"If that happened," laughed the girl, "I could take a trip to
Europe couldn't I? And the social position of a Naval officer
isn't a bad one. His wife enjoys the same social position, you
know, mamma."
"Yet why Mr. Dalzell, if you really don't care anything about
him?"
"Because he's so simple, mamma. He would be dreadfully easy to
manage!"
The four young people looking for the Atterlys had unavoidably
heard every word. They halted, Dan violently red in the face.
Then Laura, with quick tact, wheeled about and led the way back
to the ball room floor.
"Better luck next time, Dan," whispered Belle, gripping Dalzell's
arm.
"Don't you think twice is enough for a simpleton like me?" blurted
Midshipman Dan.
CHAPTER XVI
THE DAY OF MANY DOUBTS
Busy days followed, days which, for some of the first classmen,
were filled with a curious discontent.
Some, to be sure, among these midshipmen soon to graduate, took
each day as it came, with little or no emotion. To them the Naval
life ahead was coming only as a matter of course. There were
others, however---and Dave Darrin was among them---who looked
upon a commission as an officer of the Navy as a sacred trust
given them by the nation.
Dave Darrin was one of those who, while standing above the middle
of his class, yet felt that he had not made sufficiently good
use of his time. To his way of thinking there was an appalling
lot in the way of Naval duties that he did not understand.
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