"Humph!" muttered Dalzell. "That fellow Pen is bound to go the whole
limit with you."

"He won't go much further," declared Dave, his eyes flashing.

"And the chump ought to know it, too," mused Dan. "The class history of
the last year should have taught him that. But see here, Dave, I don't
believe Pen will do anything openly. He will construct a series of
plausible accidents."

"There will be one thing about him that will be open, if he goes any
further," retorted Dave, "and that will be his face when he collides
with my fist."

"I hope I see that when it happens," grinned Dalzell. "It's bound to be
entertaining!"

"Wait a second, then. Here comes Pennington now," murmured Dave Darrin
in an undertone.

Pennington, in his immaculate blue uniform, like the chums, came
strolling along the passageway between decks.

He affected not to see the chums, and would have passed by. But Dave,
eyeing him closely, waited until Pen was barely three feet away. Then
Darrin said tersely:

"Mr. Pennington, I wish an understanding with you."

"I don't want any with you," replied Pennington insolently, as he stared