Nor was there great difficulty in finding three men, out of the small
crowd that had witnessed the assault, to swear to affidavits that they
had seen Darrin knock Caspar Ardmore down repeatedly.

All this "evidence" Ardmore got together with great relish, and mailed
the mass of stuff, that same night, to the Secretary of the Navy at
Washington.

Then Ardmore went out of town for three days. Behind him he left an
active toady who promised to keep watch of matters and to advise him.

It was through this toady that Dave received an intimation that his case
would be attended to at Washington. Belle, also, received a hint, and
with it she went to Darrin.

"Can the fellow really make any trouble for you, Dave?" she asked
anxiously.

"Why, yes," admitted Dave. "Anyone can make trouble for a midshipman, to
the extent that the charge must be investigated by the Navy Department.
If the Secretary were satisfied that I am a reckless sort of bully, he
would decide that I am unfit to be an officer of the Navy."




CHAPTER IV

IN THE VIEW OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT