"You may go, Mr. Darrin, and hereafter I trust to find in you
a more attentive and clear-headed officer."

Lieutenant Cantor did not hold his tone low. It is the privilege
of an officer to rebuke an enlisted man publicly, and as severely
as the offense warrants, and it is the further privilege of an
officer to make his rebuke to a subordinate commissioned officer
as sharp and stinging as he chooses.

Saluting, without a word, Darrin wheeled and walked to his quarters.

"Cantor will certainly have abundant opportunity to make things
warm for me," reflected Darrin, as he sat down before the desk
in his cabin. "I wonder what I am to do, in order to keep my
self-respect and keep my hands off the fellow. It would probably
end my career in the Navy if I struck him on this ship."

For some minutes Darrin sat in a rather dejected frame of mind,
reviewing his first acquaintance with this official cur, and the
things that had happened on shipboard since.

"I suppose I could ask for a different detail," Dave mused, forlornly.
"Undoubtedly, though, I wouldn't get the detail, unless I gave
what were considered sufficiently good reasons, and I can't tell
tales on my division commander, cur though I know him to be."

In the passage outside, sounded passing footsteps and a laugh.
Dave felt his face flush, for he recognized the voice of Lieutenant
Cantor.