"Don't you understand?" demanded Dan, in a hurt voice. "The nearer
we get to Annapolis the more nervous I'm getting."

"You'd better drop off, then," hinted Dave ironically, "and take
the next car back to Odenton and Baltimore. What earthly good
would a Naval officer be who was going to get nervous as soon
as he came in sight of an enemy?"

"But I wouldn't get nervous in the sight the enemy," flared up
Dan Dalzell.

"Then why get nervous about the folks down at the Naval Academy?
They all intend to be your friends!"

"I guess that is true," Dan went on. "Of course, back in April,
we went before the Civil Service Commission and took our academic
examinations. We passed, and haven't got that to go up against
again."

"We passed the home medical examiner, too," retorted Dave. "In
fact, you might say that we passed the sawbones with honors.

"But that medical chap put in a long time listening at my chest,"
complained Dan Dalzell, who was undeniably fidgeting in his seat.
"Then, too, the civil service sawbones told me that, while he
passed me, as far as he was concerned, I'd have to stand the ordeal
again before the Naval surgeons at Annapolis."

"Well, he did just the same thing with me," rejoined Darrin.