brawl in this fashion.

"You're a--" began Ardmore, but Dave Darrin moved quickly up to him.

"Do you retract the statement you made?" demanded the midshipman in a
low voice.

"I retract nothing," quivered Ardmore. "I repeat, and repeat--"

Dave closed in like lightning, Ardmore attempted to guard himself, but he
was all but helpless before such a fast, trained hitter as Dave. The fop
went down under two well-aimed blows delivered almost together.

Once more Ardmore leaped to his feet, while Darrin disdainfully
awaited him.

But two or three men in the crowd leaped between the enemies, forcing
the fop back.

"Don't be a fool, Ardmore!" urged one of the men, speaking in the
fellow's ear. "That's Midshipman Dave Darrin, and he's one of the
quickest, hardest hitters in Gridley."

"Oh, that's the midshipman, is it?" demanded Ardmore in a sneering voice.
"Oh, well, then, I won't hit him again. I know another way of making his
skin smart."

Dave tarried only long enough to make sure that the fop did not care to
carry the encounter further. Then, turning on his heel, he walked rapidly
in the direction Belle had taken. He overtook that young lady before she