Very respectfully, "Your obedient servant, "(Signed) LEOK B.CHAMBERS, "_Secretary of the Navy_." As he read, and realized how flat his charge had fallen, Ardmore's face passed through several shades of red.
"Of all the government red tape!" he muttered wrathfully.

"I didn't think the fool Secretary would do anything like this.

I thought he'd just call Darrin down hard and plenty, and perhaps bounce him out of the Naval Academy.

Humph! I guess all these Navy folks stand together.

There doesn't seem to be much justice about it." Ardmore thereupon took another vacation away from Gridley.