"Brace up, Dan." "But he's only a kid!" remonstrated Dan.

"And he wear a lieutenant's insignia!" "Bosh! Some officers are quite boyish-looking," remarked Farley.
"Come on out, fellows; I haven't forgotten how to salute an officer when I see one." The others, except Dan, started briskly for the entrance.

As for Dalzell, he brought up the rear, grumbling: "All right; you fellows go on out and see whether you see him.
If you don't, then I'm going to report myself at hospital without delay.

Really, I can't swear that I saw---it." But at that moment the object of Dan's alarm reached one of the doors of the entrance of Bancroft Hall and stepped briskly inside.
This new-comer's glance fell upon the knot of midshipmen, and he glanced at them inquiringly, as though to see whether these young men intended to salute him.
Surely enough, the newcomer was decidedly boyish-looking, yet he wore the fatigue uniform and insignia of a lieutenant of the United States Navy.

If he were masquerading, here was a dangerous place into which to carry his antics.
The five midshipmen brought their right hands hesitatingly to the visors of their uniform caps.