CHAPTER XXII

THE “BAZOO” MAKES TROUBLE

“Sir, the brigade is formed,” reported the brigade adjutant, the next day, as the midshipmen stood in ranks, ready to march into the mess hall.

“Publish the orders,” directed the cadet commander.

Then the brigade adjutant rattled off the orders, reading them in a quick monotonous voice.

“For coolness, judgment and remarkable bravery displayed in an accident encounter in the sinking and foundering of a sailboat under his command, which accident was not any way due to his own negligence or incapacity—­”

Dave started, then crimsoned, as the brigade adjutant continued reading: 

“Midshipman David Darrin, fourth class, is hereby specially commended, and his conduct is offered as an example to all his comrades in the brigade of midshipmen.”

A moment later the crisp marching orders rang out, and the brigade was marching in by classes.

Dave’s face was still flushed, his blood tingling somewhat.  It was pleasing, doubtless, to be thus reviewed in orders, but Dave was not unduly elated.

In the Navy, though courage may sometimes be mentioned in orders, not much fuss is made over it.  All officers and men in the Navy are expected to be brave, as a matter of course and of training.

Dan, in fact, was more pleased over that one paragraph in orders than was his chum.

“Of course everyone in the Navy must brave,” thought Dalzell, to himself.  “But old Dave will always be one of the leaders in that line.”

In accordance with custom a copy of the order giving Darrin special commendation was mailed to his father, as one who had a right to know and to be proud of his son’s record at the Naval Academy.

Not a doubt was there that the senior Darrin was proud!  So many of the elder Darrin’s friends were favored with a glimpse of the official communication received from Annapolis that the editor of the Gridley “Blade,” heard of it.  Mr. Pollock asked the privilege of making a copy of the official communication, which contained a copy of the paragraph in orders.

Mr. Pollock, however, was not contented with publishing merely a copy of the official communication from the Naval Academy authorities.  The editor printed a column and a half, in all reminding his readers that Midshipman Darrin was one of a recently famous sextette of Gridley High School athletes who had been famous as Dick & Co.  Not only did Dave receive a flattering amount of praise in print.  Dan came in for a lot of pleasant notice also.

Dave received a marked copy of that issue of the “Blade.”  He fairly shivered as he read through that column and a half.

“Danny boy,” shuddered Darrin, passing the “Blade” over to his roommate, “read this awful stuff.  Then help me to destroy this paper!”

Dan Dalzell read the column and a half, and reddened, grinning in a sickly sort of way.