The explosion of the tungsten bulb was too great a puzzle for either officer to solve. A man was sent with a new bulb, and so that part of the affair became almost at once forgotten.
Dan finally fell into a genuine sleep, and so did Dave Darrin. In the morning Dave sought out Midshipman Farley to inquire to whom the doughface should be returned.
"Give it over to me and I'll take care of it," Farley replied.
"Say, did you hear a tungsten bulb blow up in the night!"
"Did It" echoed Darrin devoutly. Then a sudden suspicion crossed his mind.
"Say, how did that happen, Farl?" demanded Dave.
"If anyone should ask you——-" began the other midshipman.
"Yes——-?" pressed Darrin.
"Tell 'em—-that you don't know," finished Farley tantalizingly, and vanished.
It was not until long after that Darrin found out the explanation of the accident to the tungsten bulb. Farley, during Dan's absence, had been almost as much disturbed as had Dave. So Mr. Farley was wide awake. When he heard Lieutenant Adams receive the message in the corridor Farley began to wonder what he could do. Presently he was made to rise, with Page, stand at attention, and answer the questions of the discipline officer.
Soon after Dave and Dan were called up, Farley, listening with his door ajar half an inch, slipped out and hit the tungsten burner a smart rap just in the nick of time to save Dan Dalzell's Navy uniform to that young man.