The Project Gutenberg eBook, Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis, by H. Irving Hancock

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Title: Dave Darrin's First Year at Annapolis

Author: H. Irving Hancock

Release Date: June 29, 2004 [eBook #12774]

Language: English

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS***

E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig

DAVE DARRIN'S FIRST YEAR AT ANNAPOLIS

Two Plebe Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy

by

H. IRVING HANCOCK

CONTENTS

CHAPTERS
    I. Two Admirals in the Bud
   II. The First Day at the Naval Academy
  III. A Taste of Hazing
   IV. The "Youngsters" Who Became "Spoons On"
    V. Invited to Join the "Frenchers"
   VI. Dave Passes the Lie
  VII. On the Field of the Code
 VIII. The Man Who Won
   IX. Dan Just Can't Help Being "Touge"
    X. "Just For Exercise!"
   XI. Midshipman Henkel Does Some Thinking
  XII. A Chronic Pap Frapper
 XIII. Midshipman Farley's About-Face
  XIV. The Trap in Midshipman's Quarters
   XV. Air "The Rogue's March"
  XVI. Brimmer Makes a New Friend
 XVII. Tony Baits the Hook
XVIII. In the Days of "Old Two-Five"
  XIX. The Collision of the Chesapeake
   XX. In the Line of Duty
  XXI. Official and Other Report
 XXII. The "Bazoo" makes Trouble
XXIII. The Spectre at the Fight Party
 XXIV. Conclusion

CHAPTER I

TWO ADMIRAL'S IN THE BUD

"Dave, I'm getting nervous!"

"Is that the best way you can find to enjoy yourself?" demanded the taller boy.

"But I am, Dave—dreadfully nervous!" insisted Dan Dalzell positively.

"Well, you'll have to conceal it, then. The doctors at the United
States Naval Academy won't pass any nervous wrecks," laughed Dave
Darrin.

"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. "You just keep your eye on me, Dan! Do you see me shaking? Do you hear my voice falter? 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!"

"Then aren't you nervous, just now?" demanded Dan.

"If I am, I'm not making a show of myself," retorted Darrin.

"But are you nervous?" begged Dan.

"No!" roared Dave, and then he allowed a grin to creep over his face.

"Oh, go ahead and say so tonight," jeered Dan. "Tomorrow, if you have the good luck to get sworn in, you'll have to quit fibbing and begin practicing at telling the truth. A midshipman at the Naval Academy, I understand, is kicked out of the service if he tells lies."

"Not quite—only in case he gets caught," laughed Dave Darrin.

"But really, about being nervous—"

"Oh, forget that sort of nonsense, won't you, Dan, old fellow?" begged his chum. "Just get your eye on the lovely country we're going through."

It was just about the first of June. Our two young travelers had come by train, from Baltimore to a little country junction. Thence they had traveled, briefly, by trolley, to Odenton. There, after a wait of some minutes, they had boarded another trolley car, and were now bowling along through the open country of that part of Maryland. At the end of their journey lay the historic little town of Annapolis. It was now after seven o'clock; still daylight, the fag end of a beautiful June day in Maryland.

Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell had been appointed as midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy. If they should succeed in passing the four years' course in the big government school at Annapolis, they would then be sent to sea for two years, as midshipmen, after which they would return to Annapolis for their final examinations. Passing these last examinations, they would then be commissioned as ensigns in the United States Navy, with the possibility of some day becoming full-fledged admirals.

Readers of our High School Boys Series have no need of further introduction to Dave and Dan.

These two young men will be remembered as former members of Dick & Co., six famous chums back in the lively little city of Gridley.

Dick Prescott, Greg Holmes, Dave Darrin, Dan Dalzell, Tom Reade and Harry Hazleton had composed the famous sextette who, in their day at Gridley High School, had been fast chums and leaders in all pertaining to High School athletics in their part of the state.

Following their High School days, however, the six chums had become somewhat widely scattered. Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes secured appointments to the United States Military Academy. Readers of our West Point Series are already familiar with the stirring doings and life of Dick and Greg at the fine old Army Academy on the Hudson. At the time this present narrative opens Dick and Greg had been nearly three months as plebe cadets, as told in the first volume of the West Point Series, under the title, "DICK PRESCOTT'S FIRST YEAR AT WEST POINT."

Tom Reade and Harry Hazleton had gone from Gridley High School to the far West, where they had connected themselves with a firm of civil engineers engaged in railway construction. What befell Tom and Harry is told in "THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN COLORADO," the first and very entertaining volume in the Young Engineers Series.

Readers of "THE HIGH SCHOOL CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM" recall how Dave Darrin won his