A group of six naval cadets form a convivial, semi-academic society where they smoke, play games, and study together to prepare for exams. One evening they take in a starving orphan girl, clean and clothe her, and install her as their housekeeper; she proves capable and becomes both domestic manager and the object of affection for some members under a set of playful rules. The narrative follows their daily routines, debates about membership and propriety, practical economy, camaraderie, and how private attachments complicate their studies and household life.