"Well, then, you must say something very disagreeable about the first class at the Military Academy."
"But why?" persisted Dave Darrin. He was disgusted enough over the action of the first class cadets, but, being in the service himself, he felt it indelicate in him to criticise the action of the cadets of the United States Military Academy.
"Why?" repeated Belle. "Why, simply because Laura Bentley will insist on asking me when I get home what you had to say about Dick's case. If I can't tell Laura that you said something pretty nearly awful, then Laura will be terribly hurt."
"Shall I swear?" asked Dave innocently.
Belle opened her eyes wide in amazement.
"No, you won't swear," Belle retorted. "Profanity isn't the accomplishment of a gentleman. But you must say something about Dick's case which will show her that all of Dick's friends are standing by the poor fellow."
"But, Belle, you know it isn't considered very manly for a fellow in one branch of the service to say anything against fellows in the other branch."
"Not even—-for Laura's sake?"
"Oh, well," proposed Midshipman Darrin, squirming about between the horns of the dilemma, "you just think of whatever will please Laura most to hear from me."
"Yes——-?" pressed Miss Meade.