"See here, Pen," he muttered, in a low voice, his eyes blazing fiercely
into the other midshipman's, "that is the last piece of impudence that
will be tolerated from you."

Midshipman Pennington's lip curled disdainfully.

Dan had not seen the "accident," but he was near enough to hear the
talking, and he caught Dave at it. So Dan ordered, impartially:

"Mr. Darrin, you will place yourself on report for unauthorized talking
in section!"

Dave flushed still more hotly, but said nothing.

Midshipman Dalzell now marched the section from the furnace room, and
dismissed it. It was near noon, and would soon be time for the middies
to eat.

Dave hurried away, washed, changed his uniform, and then stepped away
swiftly to place himself on the report.

"I was sorry to do that, old chum," murmured Dan, as he met Dave
returning. "But of course I couldn't play favorites. What made you so
far forget yourself?"

"A something that would have had the same effect on you," retorted Dave
grimly. Thereupon he described Pennington's two underhanded assaults
that morning.