Fifty-nine of the men of the fourth class were dropped for failing to keep up to the two-five standard.
And one of these was Midshipman Brimmer. He and the other unlucky ones left for their homes as soon as the results had been announced.
Brimmer would have passed, in all probability, had he not been unstrung by the knowledge that four of his comrades were working to secure the evidence which should warrant his expulsion from the Naval Academy. Oppressed by dread, this young scoundrel was not capable of doing his best work at the semi-annuals.
So Brimmer left as Henkel had done. The only difference was that
Brimmer did not have to slink away to the tune of "The Rogue's
March."
"You're past the worst of it, now, mister," murmured Youngster
Trotter, in passing Dave. "You'll win through hereafter."
But Dave Darrin could hardly help feeling that his greatest thankfulness was over the fact that the poisonous pair, Henkel and Brimmer, were both out of the Navy for good and all.
CHAPTER XIX
The Collision on the Chesapeake
The weeks slipped by quickly now.
Athletics cannot occupy as prominent a place at Annapolis as at the universities and colleges, for the midshipmen must, above all, be sure that they stand high enough in their academic work. Dave and Dan were both invited out for baseball try-out, but both asked to be excused.