When the Secretary picked up the seventeenth diploma he called:
"David Darrin!"
Who was the most popular man in the brigade of midshipmen? The
midshipmen themselves now endeavored to answer the question by
the tremendous explosions of applause with which they embarrassed
Dave as he went forward.
"Mr. Darrin," smiled the Secretary, "there are no words of mine
that can surpass the testimonial which you have just received
from your comrades. But I will add that we expect tremendous
things from you, sir, within the next few years. You have many
fine deeds and achievements to your credit here, sir. Within
the week you led in a truly gallant rescue human life down the
bay. Mr. Darrin, in handing you your well-earned diploma, I take
upon myself the liberty of congratulating your parents on their
son!"
As Dave returned to his seat with his precious sheepskin the elder
Darrin, who was in the audience, took advantage of the renewed
noises of applause to clear his throat huskily several times.
Dave's mother honestly used her handkerchief to dry the tears of
pride that were in her eyes.
Another especial burst of applause started when Daniel Dalzell,
twenty-first in his class, was called upon to go forward.
"I didn't believe Danny Grin would ever get through," one first
classman confided behind his hand to another. "I expected that
the upper classmen would kill Danny Grin before he ever got over
being a fourth classman.
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