H. Irving Hancock

“ Dan made a grimace, but obeyed.
Then the other visitor demanded:
"Do either of you fourth class men intend to try to be ratey?"
"No, sir," replied Darrin promptly.
"Do you, mister?" turning to Dalzell.
"No, sir."
"Are you both a bit touge?" asked the youngster questioner.
"I hope not, sir," replied Dave.
"Do you feel that way, mister?"—looking at Dan.
"What way, sir?"
"Do you feel inclined to be touge, mister?"
"I'm willing to be anything that's agreeable, and not too much work, sir," replied Dan, grinning.
It is offensive for a fourth class man to grin in the presence of an upper class man. ”

“ I don't fight because I like it, but merely because I need the exercise. A fight about once a week will be very much to my liking, sir."
"You'll get it, undoubtedly," replied Midshipman Ferris dryly.
"Whee, won't it be great!" chuckled Dan, in an undertone, as he stepped over to his seconds. "Give me that towel, Dave. I can rub myself off."
While Dan was dressing, and Quimby was doing the same, one of the seconds of the youngster class came over, accompanied by the timekeeper.
"Mister, you really do fight as though you enjoyed it," remarked the latter. ”

“ The young man's heroism at Annapolis, under the most exacting conditions, will surprise no one who knows either Mr. Darrin or the splendid traditions that he helped establish among the youth of his home town. In the years to come we may look confidently forward to hearing the name of Darrin as one of the most famous among the newer generation of the United States Navy. David Darrin will always be a hero—because he cannot help it."
As Dave, his face flushing more hotly than ever, read through these lines he was conscious of the jeering gaze of the upper class men. ”

“ Dave flushed. There was a momentary flash in his eyes. Dan, watching his chum covertly, was briefly certain that Darrin was going to balk. Perhaps he would even fight.
True hazing, however, does not aim at cruelty, but at teaching a new man to obey, no matter how absurd the order.
In another moment the grim lines around the corners of Dave's mouth softened to a grin.
"Wipe off that ha-ha look, mister!" warned Youngster Paulson. ”

“ Henley, more angrily.
"If you choose to consider it in that light, sir."
"Mister, you are touge, ratey, impudent and worthless!" declared
Henley hotly.
"Then I infer, sir, that you do not wish to waste any more time upon me?"
"Oh, you will not get off as easily as that," sneered Midshipman Henley. "You are a good-sized fellow, and you have some fourth class reputation as a fighter. We shall not be so badly or unevenly matched, mister, I shall send a friend to inform you that I have called you out." ”

“ The meal over, the two young candidates sauntered again out into the hotel office.
"Any midshipmen out around the town, sir?" Darrin asked.
"Hardly, sir," replied the clerk, with a smile. "At this hour the young gentlemen are in their rooms at Bancroft Hall."
"What does a midshipman look like?" ventured Dalzell.
"Like a human being, of course," Dave laughed.
"You mean the uniform?" inquired the clerk. "A midshipman, sir, wears a dark blue uniform, like an officer's, and a visored cap, Naval pattern. He also wears the anchor insignia on each side of his coat collar." ”

“ Midshipman Trotter looked at each of the wondering plebes in turn.
It looked as though he were asking the question of them.
"I don't know, sir," admitted Dan Dalzell, at the left of the line.
"I don't know, sir," admitted the man next to Dan. So it went down the line, until Dave Darrin, at the further end, had admitted himself to be as much in the dark as were the others.
"Then, listen," resumed Mr. Trotter impressively. "The Chinese, being descended from a very ancient civilization, are not only very ingenious but also very thrifty. ”

“ It was now the time of annual examinations, of daily dress parade and the incoming of the first of the hosts of visitors who would be on hand during graduation week.
Of the annual examinations the poor fourth class men thought they had more than their share. Of the dress parades they had their full share. In the graduating exercises they took no part; they were not even present.
"What does a mere fourth class man know about the Navy, anyway?" was the way Midshipman Trotter asked the question.
Twenty-two of the fourth class men stumbled in their annual examinations. ”

“ Dan Dalzell favored his callers with a nod, but remained seated, both hands thrust deep in his pockets.
"Get up on your feet, mister!" ordered one of the midshipmen, so sternly that Dan obeyed like a shot.
"Excuse me," he began hastily. "I didn't know you came here in an official capacity. I thought—"
"Silence, mister!" commanded another of the visitors. Dan subsided.
"What's your name, mister?" demanded the last speaker, as he favored
Dave with his next glance.
"Why, my name is Dave Darrin," replied that plebe pleasantly.
"Say 'sir,' mister, when you address an upper class man. ”

“ It was Darrin, the cautious, who dissuaded Dalzell.
"Better shy away from athletics, Danny boy, until you've made your academic footing secure," was Dave's advice.
"You didn't talk that way in the High School," argued Dan.
"No; there the athletics were more necessary, if we were to keep in condition. Here athletics may be regarded as the luxury, which we are not yet entitled. Here, with the gym work, the fencing, the drills under arms and the boat drills, we're kept in the pink of physical condition without need for special training." ”

“ See me burning any blue lights?
"Perhaps, Dave, you don't take the whole business as much to heart as I do," continued Dan Dalzell almost tremulously. "Why, Great Scott, if they drop me at the Naval Academy, I'll be the bluest fellow you ever saw! But maybe you won't care, Dave, whether you are dropped or not."
"Won't I?" grumbled Darrin. "The Navy is the only thing in life that I care about!" ”

“ Darrin," announced the commandant, "from experience and observation, through a rather long life in the Navy, I am able to state that the kind of courage which enables a man go down in drowning with a comrade, sooner than leave the comrade to his fate, is the highest type of courage known among brave men!"
"You must have been aware, Mr. Darrin," added Lieutenant Edgecombe, "that you were taking at least ninety-nine chances in a hundred of offering up your life." ”

“ As the section was marching back to Bancroft Dan whispered:
"Dave, did you hear the old owl go 'too-whoo' at me in the section room?"
"Stop talking in section!" ordered Dave crisply.
"Blazes! There isn't a single spot at Annapolis where a fellow can take a chance on being funny!" muttered Dalzell under his breath.
"Dave, old chum," cried Dan tossing his cap on the bed as they entered their room. "Are you going to turn greaser, and stay greaser?"
"What do you mean?" asked Darrin quietly. ”

“ There was a new look in Darrin's usually patient eyes. It was a look Farley hadn't seen there before, and it warned the hot-headed midshipman that he was in danger of going too far.
"Oh, fudge on you, Darrin!" jeered Farley, turning on his heel.
"Going to be with us, Dalzell?
"No," replied Dan promptly. "I never travel with the enemies of my friends." ”

“ In truth a lot of fuss was made over that young midshipman within a few seconds.
"It can't do much harm to use you something like a human being and a comrade, anyway," declared Time-keeper Clafflin, as he wrung both of Farley's hands. "Within a few days you'll be a youngster now."
Farley explained that an itching interest in the fight had tempted him to be close at hand, and this had given him his chance to save the fight party.
Darrin and Henley were dressing like lightning, and the others would not flee until the principals were ready to take part in the flight. ”

“ And, Dave, you used to be the hothead, the living firebrand of Dick & Co.!"
"Danny boy, if hazing has lived nearly seventy years at Annapolis, then it's because hazing is a good thing for the seedling Naval officer. I believe in hazing. I believe in being forced to respect and obey my elders. I believe in a fellow having every grain of conceit driven out of him by heroic measures. And that's hazing—long may the practice live and flourish!"
"Why, what good is hazing doing you?" insisted Dalzell. ”

“ But often the new man arrives with a conviction that he will have to submit to a certain amount of good-natured hazing by his class elders. Yet this man, from having been spoiled more or less at home, is "fresh." In this case he is called only "touge."
Hence it is a far more hopeful sign to be "touge" than to be "ratey."
The new man who honestly tries to be neither "touge" nor "ratey," and who has a sensible resolve to submit to tradition, is sometimes termed "almost sea-going."
Dave Darrin was promptly recognized as being "almost sea-going." ”

“ When he called, Brimmer always remained until the warning call just before taps.
"It took you a long while to find out that Dave Darrin is white enough to shake hands with," laughed Farley, one day.
"As I remember, it took you quite a little while, also, to find it out," laughed Brimmer. "I admit that I am slow at forming my friendships. But there's no mistake about Darrin, when you get to know him. He's about the finest fellow in the class." ”

“ Yet, as he found the water closing over him, Dave Darrin felt a great thrill of terror for others run through him.
"My boat crew is the poorest in the class in swimming!" he gasped, with a throb of agony. "Not more than half of them know how to take care of themselves! ”

“ School days of Dick & Co."
"I can handle myself," nodded Dave, "unless Farley proves to be a veritable wonder."
"He certainly thinks he is," warned Rollins. "And a good many of the fellows believe Farley to be the best man of the class in this line of work."
"They won't think so much longer," returned Dan, as simply as though merely stating a proved fact. "You see, Rollins, you never had the great good luck to get your kid training with Dick & Co. Our old crowd always went in to win just because we were blind to the idea that there was any possible chance of losing." ”

“ Dave approached Tyson.
"Sir, do you believe that I fought with entire fairness?" asked
Darrin of the referee.
"Fair? Of course you did, mister," replied Tyson. "Come along,
Trotter."
Dave, who had dressed some time before, now turned with Dan and Rollins and started back. They took pains not to be seen close to the upper class men.
"Who won?" demanded a fourth class man, curiously, as they neared
Bancroft Hall.
"Farley will tell you tomorrow if he's able," grinned Dan.
When taps sounded on the bugle, that evening, all of the midshipmen, save Farley, were in their rooms. ”

“ Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were devoted to athletics and recreation.
A midshipman does not have his evenings for leisure. On the first five evenings of each week, while one half of the class went to the gymnasium, the other half indulged in singing drill in Recreation Hall.
"What's the idea of making operatic stars out of us?" grumbled
Dan to his roommate on day.
"You always seem to get the wrong impression about everything, Danny boy," retorted Darrin, turning to his roommate with a quizzical smile. "The singing drill isn't given with a view to fitting you to sing in opera." ”

“ Four of Dave's boat crew of fourth class men were transferred to another crew, their places being taken by four first class men who had been found sadly deficient in rowing drill.
"Will one of the first class men serve as crew captain, sir?" asked Darrin.
"Certainly not," replied Lieutenant Edgecombe. "You will still keep command of your crew, Mr. Darrin. And you will be expected to see that these first class men are most thoroughly grounded in the boat drill. Do no spare any of them in the least because they are upper class men." ”

“ Dave Darrin was the only one free to go to Page's assistance should he show up.
"Every man keep his eyes peeled for Mr. Page!" shouted Dave. "We simply can't stand the loss of any member of the crew!"
"There's a hat!" cried Dan, a few moments later. "Can you make it out, sir."
Dalzell was pointing further down the bay.
"A cap, yes," called Dave, striking out lustily for the spot. "But I don't see any head there. Watch, all of you, and give me a hail if you see Mr. Page's head show up anywhere."
Midshipman Farley was in agony over the thought of the loss of his roommate. ”

“ Midshipman Henkel.
"I'm afraid I don't see that," rejoined Page, shaking his head. "Dirty work is never excusable. I'd sooner let a fellow seem to win over me, for the time being, than to resort to trickery or anything like underhanded methods for getting even with him."
"Good for you, Page!" nodded Farley "That's the whole game for a gentleman—and that's what either a midshipman or a Naval officer is required to be. Henkel, old fellow, you are a little too hot under your blouse collar tonight. Wait until you've cooled off, and you'll sign in with us on our position." ”

“ Before that assortment of blows Dave Darrin was forced to resort to footwork.
"Stand up and fight!" jeered Farley harshly as he wheeled and wheeled, still throwing out his hammer blows. "Don't play sneak on the field!" ”

“ Can't we spring a game that will wipe all his grease-marks off the efficiency slate?" asked Midshipman Henkel mysteriously.
"Do you mean by putting up a job on Darrin?" inquired Page.
"That's just it!" nodded Henkel, with emphasis.
"Putting up a job on a man usually calls for trickery, doesn't it?" questioned Farley.
"Why, yes—that is—er—ingenuity," admitted Henkel.
"Trickery isn't the practice of a gentleman, is it?" ”

“ Members of the second class usually feel too grave and dignified to "take it out of" plebes. That work is left to the "youngsters" of the third class.
A little later Mr. Quimby presented himself for medical attendance. His face certainly showed signs of the need of tender ministration. "Dan, why in the world are you so fresh?" remonstrated Dave, when the two chums were back in their room. "You talk as though you wanted to fight every man in the upper classes. You'll get your wish, if you don't look out."
"Old fellow," replied Dalzell quizzically, "I expect to get into two or three more fights. ”