"I—I did push Darrin over," admitted Pennington, "but it was an accident."
"An easily contrived one, wasn't it?" demanded Midshipman Farley, rather cynically.
"It was pure accident," contended Pennington, paling. "Until it happened I hadn't the least idea in the world that I was going to send Mr. Darrin or anyone else overboard."
"Huh!" returned Farley dubiously.
"Huh!" quoth Hallam.
Dan Dalzell uttered not a word, but the gaze of his eyes was fixed angrily on Pennington.
That latter midshipman turned as white as a sheet. His hands worked as though he were attempting to clutch at something to hold himself up.
"Surely, you fellows don't believe, do you—" he stammered weakly, then paused.
"One thing we did notice, the other day," continued Farley briskly, "was that, when Darrin was rescued from the sea and returned to us, you were about the only member of the class who didn't go up to him and congratulate him on his marvelous escape."
"How could—"