"Who ever made the Naval Academy and the service so hard as that?" the
girl wanted to know.

"Congress, I guess," laughed Dave, "but acting, very likely, on the
advice of a lot of old admirals who are through themselves, and who
expect the youngsters to know as much as the very admirals. Why, Belle,
when I was a few years younger, and first began to dream about going to
the Naval Academy I had a mental picture of a very jolly life, in which
we sailed the seas and absorbed our knowledge. I had an idea that the
midshipman's life was made up mainly of jolly larks ashore and afloat,
with plenty of athletics to keep us from ever feeling dull. Of course, I
knew we had to do some studying, but I didn't imagine the studies would
be hard for a chap who had already gone through a good High School."

"Your High School studies did help, didn't they?" demanded Belle.

"They helped somewhat in the exams, to enter Annapolis, but they've never
helped me with any of the studies that I've had to tackle as a
midshipman."

"Oh, well, you'll get through," the girl predicted with cheery
confidence.

"I shall, if it's really in me," Dave promised. "But I'm not going to do
any bragging, Belle, until I'm safely through and have been out of the
woods for a long time."

"And you won't do any bragging then, either. It isn't in your line.
What's Dan Dalzell going to do while he's home on leave?"