One day a fiery Southerner called him a dough-face, whereupon Dewey let
go straight from the shoulder and his insulter turned a backward
somersault. Leaping to his feet, his face aflame with rage, he went at
the Green Mountain Boy, who coolly awaited his attack, and they
proceeded instantly to mix it up for some fifteen minutes in the most
lively manner conceivable. At the end of that time the Southerner was so
thoroughly trounced that he was unable to continue the fight.

It was not long before Dewey had a furious scrimmage with another
cadet, whom he soundly whipped. He challenged Dewey to a duel, and Dewey
instantly accepted the challenge. Seconds were chosen, weapons provided
and the ground paced off. By that time the friends of the two parties,
seeing that one of the young men, and possibly both, were certain to be
killed, interfered, and, appealing to the authorities of the
institution, the deadly meeting was prevented. These incidents attest
the personal daring of Admiral Dewey, of whom it has been said that he
never showed fear of any living man. Often during his stirring career
was the attempt made to frighten him, and few have been placed in so
many situations of peril and come out of them alive, but in none did he
ever display anything that could possibly be mistaken for timidity. He
was a brave man and a patriot in every fibre of his being.

A youth can be combative, personally brave and aggressive, and still be
a good student, as was proven by the graduation of Dewey, fifth in a
class of fourteen. As was the custom, he was ordered to a cruise before
his final examination. He was a cadet on the steam frigate _Wabash_,
which cruised in the Mediterranean squadron until 1859, when he returned
to Annapolis and, upon examination, took rank as the leader of his
class, proof that he had spent his time wisely while on what may be
called his trial cruise. He went to his old home in Montpelier, where he