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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17055.txt b/17055.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..21b8da1 --- /dev/null +++ b/17055.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6090 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip, by Victor G. +Durham + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip + "Making Good" as Young Experts + + +Author: Victor G. Durham + + + +Release Date: November 12, 2005 [eBook #17055] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SUBMARINE BOYS' TRIAL TRIP*** + + +E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig + + + +Note: This is book two of eight of the Submarine Boys Series. + + + + +THE SUBMARINE BOYS TRIAL TRIP + +"Making Good" as Young Experts + +by + +VICTOR G. DURHAM + +1909 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTERS + I. A Big Cloud on the Submarine Horizon + II. A Submarine Stunt that Dumfounds the Beholders + III. Mr. Melville Hurls the Crash + IV. A Squall in an Office + V. Don Melville Takes a Hand + VI. The "Pollard" has a Rival + VII. Missing--A Submarine and Crew + VIII. Farnum Stock Goes Up + IX. A Rascally Piece of Work + X. A Race for Mixed Prizes + XI. What Befell, the Real Benson + XII. The Capitalist Doesn't Likes the Situation + XIII. On trial as Young Experts + XIV. Fooling the Navy, But Only Once + XV. Serving in the Cause of Peace, Not War + XVI. Fighting a Mutiny with Threats + XVII. Jack Perpetrates a Practical Sea Joke +XVIII. Eph Enjoys Being Rescued + XIX. Jack Stumbles Upon a Big Surprise + XX. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A BIG CLOUD ON THE SUBMARINE HORIZON + + +"At what time did you say that the 'Pollard' was due to be back, Mr. +Farnum?" + +"At two o'clock," replied the owner of the boat-building yard at the +little seaport town of Dunhaven. + +"It's within five minutes of that hour, now." + +"So it is," nodded the owner of the yard, after briefly consulting his +watch. + +For half an hour, or a little longer, a middle aged man, with the world +of business and large affairs imprinted on him, had been walking to and +fro along the shore end of the yard. In this walk he was accompanied by +his son, a handsome, dark-eyed and dark-haired young fellow of nineteen. +George Melville, the father, was attired very much as any prosperous, +busy man might have been, with a touch of fastidiousness added, but the +son, Don, was dressed and groomed to look just what he wanted to appear +to be, the born young aristocrat. + +"Punctuality is one of the cardinal virtues with me, you know," continued +Mr. Melville, impatiently, as he again glanced at his watch. "I had +hoped to be able to see your submarine boat, the 'Pollard,' this +afternoon." + +"And I certainly hope you will be able to," replied Jacob Farnum, +cordially. This builder, a young man in his thirties, allowed a shade +of uneasiness to flit across his face. + +"However, when Don is in command of the boat," continued Mr. Melville, +"things will doubtless be run on a better system. That is, if we +should decide to invest the money and place Don on board as captain." + +"Your son?" inquired Jacob Farnum, with a quick note of astonishment in +his voice. + +"Certainly," continued Mr. Melville, in the easy voice of one who is sure +of his ground. "If my friends and myself decide to invest the required +several hundred thousand dollars in your business, the first step of the +reorganization on a broader basis will be the placing of my son in +command of your boat." + +"Hm!" murmured Jacob Farnum. + +"Don is wholly fitted for learning the work that I have cut out for him," +pursued Mr. Melville. "He has frequently taken command of my steam +yacht, the '_Greyhound_,' and my sailing master, Captain Carson, assures +me that Don is not only a splendid sailor, but born to command. So, +after a little time spent in mastering details, Don will make the ideal +captain for the 'Pollard'." + +"I have a very capable young man in charge now," said Mr. Farnum. +"Captain Jack Benson has already done a few things with the boat that +have astonished Naval officers." + +"How old is this fellow Benson?" inquired Mr. Melville. + +"Sixteen." + +"Only sixteen?" queried Mr. Melville, in a voice of amazement. "Bah! +He is entirely too young to be entrusted with the hopes of such a great +boat-building company as I hope to help you organize. Don, too, is +quite young, but he has a great deal of capacity and has had a valuable +lot of experience. As to a boy of sixteen--however, your youth, +Benson, may no doubt be retained aboard as a member of the crew, if +Don likes him. And now, sir, it's two minutes of two." + +With another impatient frown Mr. Melville held his watch out before Mr. +Farnum's eyes. That younger man hardly saw the dial. He was looking +past, out beyond the mouth of the little cove or harbor. As he did so, +Mr. Farnum beheld what, at first, looked like a big ripple spreading +over the placid water. Then the top of a steel conning tower shot up +into sight. It was followed by the emergence of the upper hull of a +strange looking cigar-shaped craft. + +"Two minutes before the hour, did you say?" asked Jacob Farnum, placidly. +"Well, there's the 'Pollard,' just up from the depths, and gliding in +to anchorage." + +Don Melville had strolled away from the pair, but now, at a call from +his father, he turned to watch the oncoming craft, which was none other +than the new submarine torpedo boat, the "Pollard." + +The elder Melville was judge enough of boats and of boat-handling to +understand that the submarine was being brought into harbor in a very +clever, seamanlike manner. + +"She's still running under electric power, you know," explained Mr. +Farnum. "The distance is so short that Captain Benson doesn't consider +it worth while to start the gasoline engine." + +Now, the boat came to a stop, with a slight reversing of her propellers. +At this moment the manhole cover of the conning tower was raised. Out +onto the platform deck surrounding the tower Captain Jack Benson nimbly +stepped. As he took the wheel in the open, the craft glided on with +hardly perceptible motion to a mooring buoy a few yards distant. Out +hopped another boy, in dark blue naval uniform and visored cap. This +youth, Eph Somers, ran nimbly forward over the hull. At just the right +instant Eph bent over, securing the forward tackle to the buoy, then +straightened up, saluting the young captain, as he called: + +"Single tackle all fast, sir." + +Now, a third boy, in uniform similar to those worn by the other two, +sprang out through the manhole. Hal Hastings, who had remained behind +to shut off the electric motor, waved his cap to Mr. Farnum. + +"Well done, Captain Benson and crew!" shouted Jacob Farnum, heartily, +across the water. + +"It won't take you long to be able to beat that performance, I take it, +Don," smiled the elder Melville at his Son. Don's upper lip curled just +perceptibly. Jacob Farnum frowned slightly, as he turned his face away. +It would not do to offend George Melville without cause, for that +gentleman was considering the raising of six or seven hundred thousand +dollars of additional working capital for the making of submarine boats. + +"We're coming aboard, captain," added Mr. Farnum, shouting between his +hands, across the water. "Everything ship-shape for inspection?" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" Captain Jack responded. + +"It was a shame, really, to ask that question," laughed Mr. Farnum, +turning to his companions. "Benson was all but born aboard a boat, and +he's a genuine old maid for having things aboard in apple-pie order. +His two friends are just like him in that respect." + +Upon being signaled two workmen of the yard came hastily down to the +water's edge. They seated themselves at the oars of a large yawl, while +Mr. Farnum and his guests stepped into the boat. + +"Give way, and lay us alongside of the 'Pollard,'" directed the +boatbuilder. + +Captain Jack, Hal Hastings and Eph Somers still remained standing at +ease on the platform deck of the submarine craft. They were but a few +weeks older than when they appeared before the readers of the first +volume in this series, "_The Submarine Boys On Duty_." Readers of that +volume are familiar with the story of how Jack Benson and Hal Hastings +appeared in Dunhaven; how they made the acquaintance, first of David +Pollard, the submarine's inventor, and then of Jacob Farnum, the boat's +builder and financial backer. Readers of the first volume also remember +how Eph Somers appeared unexpectedly on the scene, and just how he +coolly put himself into the submarine picture, securing his place +aboard that wonderful craft. Those who read the first volume are +familiar with the way in which the boys met and vanquished the savage +hostility of Josh Owen and Dan Jaggers; they remember the desperate +battle, in the ocean's depths, with the crazy boatswain's mate. They +recall the dashing, laughable prank that Captain Jack played on one of +the big battleships of the Naval maneuvers fleet, and remember the +pretty romance, in which the submarine boys aided greatly, through +which Mr. Farnum secured beautiful Grace Desmond as his bride. Our +readers who have pored over the pages of the preceding volume, in fact, +will recall all the many adventures through which Jack, Hal and Eph +passed with daring and credit. + +All the people in the world move forward--or backward--a bit every +day. And so, while, our young friends were still aboard the "Pollard," +and happy, affairs were shaping that might alter the whole current of +their lives, their ambitions and their hopes. Convinced that he could, +by the use of sufficient energy and capital, equip a larger yard and +sell the United States Government a solid, efficient fleet of submarine +torpedo boats that would constitute a fearful menace on the waves--or +under them--to any foreign foe, Jacob Farnum had now begun to look +about for the necessary capital with which to expand what he believed +to be a highly promising business. + +Thus it happened that the two Melvilles now came upon the scene. The +elder possessed a good deal of spare money, and could influence several +business friends into investing heavily. It was George Melville's habit +to acquire control, gradually, of any business in which he invested +heavily. He had wonderful skill in that line of conduct, and combined +much tact with it. Mr. Melville, going into a new business, and +contributing capital heavily, was accustomed to securing whole control +of the business before his associates quite realized what was happening. + +Now, as this capitalist climbed up the side and stood on the platform +deck, looking about him, he began to picture himself as selling a fleet +of such boats--all of them practically his--to the Government. + +"Not much of a place, this deck, to stand on and handle a vessel through +rough weather?" he inquired, looking sharply at Mr. Farnum. + +"No," admitted the builder, adding with a smile: "Of course, it takes +the cream of our seafaring men to travel in such craft, anyway. Such +men can stand discomfort and any amount of danger, at need. Ask Captain +Benson." + +Young Captain Jack smiled quietly. He and his two comrades guessed that +George Melville was one of the capitalists whom Farnum was trying to +interest in the business. + +"Let us go below," suggested Mr. Melville. "Don, use your eyes to good +advantage. You may have need of all you can learn about such boats." + +Don Melville inclined his head, but said nothing. Farnum led them below. +Captain Jack helped the builder in explaining the general working +details of the boat. Hal and Eph answered such questions as were put +to them by father or son. + +"It's all very interesting," said Mr. Melville, slowly, at last. +"Farnum, let us go up on deck a few minutes. Don, you might remain below. +I have no doubt there is still much that you want to see." + +So Don remained below. The boys of the submarine's crew, feeling that +Mr. Farnum would want to be alone with his guest, also remained below. + +"Do you--er--like this sort of thing, Benson?" asked Don Melville. + +"The submarine boat work, you mean?" asked Captain Jack, brightly. "Why, +it's my life--my very life!" + +The glow that came to the cheeks of the young submarine captain bore out +his words fully. Jack did love this fine craft. He gloried in having +the command of her, though he never made the weight of his authority +felt by his two comrades, who, indeed, virtually shared in the command. +Captain Benson was especially proud and grateful at the confidence shown +in himself and in his mates in being allowed full charge of the +"Pollard." Love the life? It wouldn't be life, for him, without the +"Pollard!" + +Don began to ask some further questions about the boat. His tone was +slightly supercilious. It was plain to be seen that he looked upon +these daring, tried and proven youngsters as being decidedly his +inferiors. Yet Jack fought against a growing feeling of irritation, +giving good-humored and attentive answers. + +Then Don went over to the little door of a compartment in the wall. +Behind this door was some of the delicate mechanism--invention of +David Pollard--by means of which the compressed air supply was better +regulated than on any other type of submarine craft. + +"Why, this place is locked," observed Don. + +"Yes," nodded Captain Jack. + +"You have the key?" + +"I--I believe so." + +"Then be good enough to unlock this little door," ordered Don Melville. + +"I hope you'll pardon me," said Captain Jack, quickly, yet politely. "It +wouldn't be just the thing for me to do." + +"Why not?" Don shot at him, coldly. + +"Well--because I've no orders from Mr. Farnum to that effect. +Because--well, behind that little door are a few mechanisms that amount +to about the most important secret about the boat." + +"Then you _refuse_ to unlock that little door?" demanded Don, coldly, +trying to disconcert the young captain by a steady, cold look into his +eyes. + +"Oh, no; I don't refuse," answered young Benson, in the same cool, +pleasant tone. "But the order should come from Mr. Farnum. He's right +overhead. You can call up to him. If he says so, then I'll unlock it +with pleasure." + +"Benson," retorted Don Melville, again trying to disconcert the young +captain with a stare of cold insolence, "I guess you don't understand +quite who I am." + +"If I don't, I shall be glad to be enlightened," laughed Jack, softly. +"Who are you?" + +"I'm the son of the man who expects to put a big amount of capital into +this enterprise. Farnum wants my father to do it." + +"Then I hope your father does," nodded Jack Benson, with a look of polite +interest. + +"Of course, in that case," pursued Don, "the whole business will be +reorganized." + +"I should imagine so," nodded Jack. + +"And, as a part of that reorganization, I'm to have command of the +'Pollard,' and of any other boats that may be built here!" + +Captain Jack Benson's face blanched in an instant. He did not falter, +but he felt, for the moment, as though he had been stabbed to the heart. +Hal Hastings gave a little, barely perceptible gasp. Eph Somers, with +a snort of wrath, turned and stepped through into the motor room. + +"I'm to command this boat, and the others that may be built; that's one +of my father's conditions in putting up the required capital," continued +Don Melville. "Of course, I shall select my own helpers and crews. If +you three are really competent, and show sufficient respect for authority +over you, I may be able to provide some sort of places for you aboard +this boat and the new one that's being built. Now, do you understand +who I am?" + +"I've heard all you said," replied Captain Jack, dully. He was so dazed, +so tormented, that, for the moment, he did not dare trust himself to make +more of a reply. + +"Don!" called the elder Melville, briskly. "We're going on shore now. +You'd better leave your further studies aboard until to-morrow." + +"Good-bye, then, lads," said Don Melville, laying a hand on the nickeled +railing of the spiral stairway leading up through the conning tower. He +spoke with a trace more of cordiality as he started up the steps: "When +I come aboard next I trust there will be no misunderstanding of new +facts." + +Jack Benson still stood by the little cabin table, resting one hand on +it. His eyes were turned toward the floor, his chest heaving. The blow +had struck him like a bolt from a clear, sunny sky! + +"That cold duffer coming aboard to boss us all around like cattle?" burst +from Eph Somers, as he stamped out from the engine room. + +"Confound it!" growled Hal Hastings, savagely. "I don't believe the yarn. +Do you?" + +"I'm half afraid," replied Captain Jack, raising his eyes, "that I do." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_A SUBMARINE STUNT THAT DUMFIOUND THE BEHOLDERS_ + + +"It ain't true! Can't be! I won't believe it!" declared Eph, in a rage. + +"We've had such a good time aboard, and have been so proud of what we've +been able to do," added Hal, chokingly. + +"Mr. Farnum won't put that snob in here!" asserted Eph. "Not in charge, +anyway. Why, Mr. Farnum couldn't stand the fellow any more than we +could." + +"Fellows," rejoined Jack, looking at the hot faces of his mates, "we +mustn't be too hasty, even in talking among ourselves." + +"That fellow's a snob," asserted Eph. "I'll stand by that anywhere." + +"I don't know that I'd say that," replied young Benson, who had recovered +his calmness. "In the first place, Don Melville has evidently had a +golden spoon in his mouth from the day of his birth. He's used to having +things his own way. He may be all right at bottom." + +"Then that's where I hope he goes," quivered Eph. "Straight to the +bottom! Under a hundred fathoms of good salt water!" + +"We may like him better when we know him," ventured Jack. + +"I'm betting though," put in Hal, thoughtfully, "that we're much more +likely to like him less." + +"He's a duffer!" snorted Eph. + +"We may have to change our minds about that," smiled Jack, dully. + +"Ain't he a rich man's son?" demanded Eph, blazing. + +"That doesn't make him out a fool or a dullard," retorted the young +captain. "Rich men's sons aren't as often fools as they're suspected of +being. Some of them are mighty clever. The number of great American +fortunes that are doubled, or trebled, in the second generation, show +that." + +"Then you're going to side with him?" sneered Eph. + +"I don't know what I'm going to do, until the time comes," Captain Jack +answered, quietly. "But I do know one thing I'm going to do, at any and +all times--and so are you fellows. You couldn't help it, if you tried." + +"What's that?" Hal wanted to know. + +"We're going to be as square with Jacob Farnum as he has always been with +us. That carries with it the idea of a big lot of loyalty." + +"Right!" agreed Hal. + +"Of course," nodded Eph, less angrily. "Just as long as Farnum runs the +business. But, if other folks get in here and get the control--" + +"Of course, we can drop out of this business at any time we want to, +provided it wouldn't carry with it disloyalty to the employer who's been +mighty good to us," supplied Jack Benson. + +"Mr. Farnum sent the boat out, to see if you young men want to go +ashore," announced a voice from above. + +Within two minutes the three submarine boys were making for the shore. +After reporting at the office of the yard, and finding that Mr. Farnum +would not want them again that afternoon, the young cronies sauntered +off up into the village. At Jack's suggestion they talked no more about +the Melvilles for the present. Yet each felt as though a lump of lead +lay against his heart. + +Though they tried to enjoy themselves in the village, there was too +great a weight of dread upon them. It began to look as though all the +pleasure of their recent life must fade. Though Don Melville, if he +secured command of the "Pollard," might tolerate them aboard, all three +knew that they would feel the burden of his cool contempt for them as +inferiors. Listlessly, at last, the three submarine boys turned back +toward the yard, went aboard, cooked a supper for which they had no +appetite, and then waited for turning-in time. + +In the next few days there were many signs that Melville intended to +find and supply the desired capital for the promotion of the yard's +business. Don and his father were much about the place, though they +rarely came out to the "Pollard." Business friends of Mr. Melville's +also appeared. Finally there came an important looking lawyer and an +expert accountant. + +"I reckon it's all settled except the signing of the papers," ventured +Hal Hastings. + +"The toe of the boot for ours, then, or as bad," murmured Eph Somers +sardonically. + +During these days David Pollard, the inventor who had made this splendid +type of submarine boat possible, did not appear. For one thing, he was +away in secret, pondering over the invention of further appliances to be +tried out on the boat now building. More than that, David Pollard, shy +and with no head for affairs, entrusted all new business arrangements to +Jacob Farnum, who, he felt sure, could be trusted with a friend's +interests. + +"It's tough to be poor," grimaced Hal Hastings. "If I had the money, I'd +put it into the business for the sake of keeping my berth aboard, and +having things as pleasant as we've had 'em all along." + +"So would I," grunted Eph. "But what's the use of talking, when this is +all the capitalist that I am?" + +He took out four paper dollars, passing them ruefully between his fingers. + +"Why don't you say something, Jack?" demanded Hal. "Dry of words, for +once?" + +"I'm thinking," responded young Benson, absently. + +"Well, it's a sure thing that thinking does less harm than talking," +nodded Hal. + +"But when a fellow's silent he can't spit out all that's boiling inside +of him," snorted Eph Somers. + +"I'm getting ready to talk presently," smiled Captain Jack. + +"If it's anything strong, say it now," begged Eph. + +The three boys were sitting about the cabin table. Eph sat with his +elbows on the table, his chin in his hands, his eyes glaring defiantly +at the wall opposite. Hal, rather listless, sat low in his chair, his +feet well under the table, his hands thrust deep in his pockets. Jack +sat leaning slightly forward, his left hand tapping lightly against the +polished surface of the table. + +"Tell you what I'm going to do," suddenly exploded Eph. "I'm going to +Jake Farnum and ask him, straight, whether that snob of a duffer is going +to be put in here over us, with leave to kick us out when he chooses." + +"Don't you do it," advised Hal, with a shake of his head. + +"Why not?" + +"Our employer is absorbed, and, troubled as much as he wants to be, now," +rejoined Hastings. "When there's anything he wants us to know, and he +can find time, he'll tell us." + +"Huh!" half assented Eph. + +"Don't be forward about it," continued Hal. "Just play the waiting game +and rely upon Mr. Farnum being as fair and square as he has any chance +to be." + +"Hum" again nodded Eph. "Well, anyway, with farm labor at a premium, I'm +not going to stay aboard to black the duffer's shoes." + +"Fellows, listen!" commanded Jack Benson, suddenly looking up. + +Then he told them both the thought and the scheme that had been in his +mind all that day. While the young captain was talking his two mates +were still--Hal, because it was his nature, and Eph Somers because he +was actually staggered into silence. + +"That's what I've been thinking of," Jack wound up. + +"Don't you do it, old fellow--don't you dare!" ordered Hal, sitting up +straighter and resting an appealing hand on his chum's shoulder. + +"But think of the lives that have been lost on submarine boats during the +last few years," pleaded Jack Benson, seriously. + +"And you want to add your life to the others," retorted Hal, with mocking +irony. + +"I want to save, perhaps, hundreds of lives in the future," returned Jack, +spiritedly. + +"Then, at least, old chum," begged Hal, "tell your scheme to Mr. Farnum, +and let him hire a trained diver to make the experiment." + +"You think there's a lot of danger in it, do you?" queried Captain Jack, +mildly. + +"I certainly do," said Hastings, with emphasis. + +"Then I'll do the trick myself," contended Jack. "I'm not going to think +up a trick too dangerous for myself, and then hire another man to take +all the risk for me." + +Hal said no more. He knew the folly of trying to persuade his chum out +of a decision like the present one. + +"I don't believe Farnum will let you try it," hinted Eph. "It sounds too +dangerous." + +"Mr. Farnum won't know what it is until it's been done," responded young +Captain Benson, with a light laugh, as he rose from the table. "Fellows, +I'm going on shore for a little while. Look the electric motor over, +and test the compressed air apparatus. We want to be sure that +everything is working right." + +"Let me go ashore with you," suggested Hal, also rising. + +"Not this time," laughed Jack. "You might try to say something to Mr. +Farnum to queer my plan. Stay here. You and Eph make mighty sure that +everything is in running order." + +Going on deck, Captain Jack signaled for a shore boat, which was quickly +alongside. Landing, the young captain walked slowly up to the yard +office, thinking deeply all the time. + +Just as the young submarine commander entered the outer office Jacob +Farnum stepped out from his private, inner office. He was smoking a +cigar, and looked as though he had come out to stretch his legs. + +"Hullo, Jack," he greeted the young man, pleasantly. "Say, I hope you +haven't come to talk business. Say something foolish, won't you, lad? +I'm just in the mood for nonsense. All forenoon I've had my head +crammed to bursting with figures and business, and now I'm in the mood +for something reckless. You see, Melville is in a position to command +a lot of capital, and we need it to expand this business. He's in +there, now, with another capitalist, a lawyer and an accountant. But I +had to break away. What do you know that's reckless?" + +Jacob Farnum was not playing any part of treachery, or deception, in not +telling his submarine boys about the proposed shifting of command to +Don Melville's shoulders. The fact was that George Melville, after that +first hint, had said nothing more about the subject, but was now craftily +laying the wires for securing gradual control of the shipyard's +enterprises. + +"Why, I am glad to find you at leisure, and willing to be amused," +smiled Captain Jack, quietly. "Will it be too much like business if I +ask you down to the water to watch a little demonstration that we want +to make with the 'Pollard'?" + +"Is it something brand-new?" laughed Mr. Farnum, resting an arm on the +young captain's shoulder. + +"So far as I know, it's shiningly new," laughed Jack Benson. + +"What is it?" + +"If you don't mind, Mr. Farnum, I'd rather show it to you first." + +"How long will the demonstration take?" + +"It ought not to require more than fifteen or twenty minutes, sir." + +"I'll take you up, then," agreed Mr. Farnum, pleasantly. + +Just at that moment the inner door opened. Mr. Melville came out, +followed by his lawyer, Don bringing up the rear of the file. + +"I guess you'd better come along with me, gentlemen," called Mr. Farnum. +"Captain Benson has just invited me to witness something new in the +submarine line." + +"What is it?" questioned Mr. Melville. + +"I don't know," admitted Jacob Farnum. + +"What is it, boy?" demanded Mr. Melville, turning upon Jack. The very +tone in which the word "boy" was uttered was meant to reduce the +youthful captain to confusion, but it had the opposite effect. Though +it brought a quick flush to Jack's cheeks, he answered, courteously: + +"It is intended, principally, as a surprise to Mr. Farnum. If I were +to tell, now, it would rob him of much of the pleasure of being +astonished." + +To this George Melville did not deign to reply, though he compressed his +lips grimly enough. Don flashed a sneering look at Jack, then observed: + +"You're pretty independent for a boy." + +"Let Captain Jack alone," drawled Farnum, expelling some cigar smoke +between his lips. "He generally knows what he's doing." + +Though there was nothing in the builder's tone at which offense could be +taken, this reply quieted both Melvilles for the time being. + +"Come on. We'll all go down to the shore and see what it is," added the +yard's owner. + +Captain Jack hurried ahead, entered the shore boat and was rowed out +alongside the "Pollard." + +"It's all right, fellows," he called, as soon as he boarded. "Everything +ready?" + +Receiving assurance that all was ready, Captain Jack turned to wave his +hand to the little group watching from the shore. Two or three minutes +later the "Pollard" slipped slowly away from her moorings, going out +where the little harbor was deeper. Then, the manhole being closed, the +submarine began to sink. Her conning tower was soon out of sight beneath +the surface. + +"There's about seventy feet of water, where the boat is going down," +observed Farnum, to his guests. + +"What's the aim of all this mysterious work?" demanded Mr. Melville, with +some irritation. + +"You know as much as I do," drawled Farnum, smilingly. + +"It seems to me that you allow this young boat tender a good deal of +latitude, and tolerate a good deal of mystery in him," cried the +capitalist, impatiently. + +"I have a good deal of confidence in my young _captain_," returned Farnum, +good-humoredly, though with considerable emphasis on the title. "So far +I have never had any need to regret giving Captain Benson rather a free +hand." + +"Yet you--" + +Mr. Melville stopped right there, for Jacob Farnum, his eyes turned in a +steady look out over the water, suddenly emitted an incredulous whoop. +Then, without explanation, the boatbuilder broke into a dead run that +carried him along the shore to the northern edge of the little harbor. + +Nor was Mr. Farnum's astonishment to be wondered at, for he had just +caught sight of Jack Benson's head, above the water at the point where +the submarine had gone down. And now, Captain Jack, after blowing out +a mouthful of water, had started to swim ashore with long, easy strokes. + +Not quite catching the great significance of it all, the Melvilles and +the lawyer hurried after the builder. + +Captain Jack Benson, clad only in a bathing suit, stepped out of the +water and stood laughing before his employer. + +"Jack, how on earth did you--" began Farnum, then stopped, overpowered +by another wave of amazement. + +"What's the meaning of all this?" demanded the elder Melville, pantingly, +as he reached the scene. + +"Mr. Melville, and gentlemen," cried the boatbuilder, wheeling upon his +guests, "do you even begin to grasp the importance of the marvel you have +just witnessed? One of the great indictments found against the +submarine torpedo boat is that, when one sinks and cannot be brought to +the surface again, the crew must miserably perish. Very humane people +shudder at the very idea of ordering men into a craft that may go to the +bottom and become the hopeless grave of the crew. Yet the 'Pollard' lies +at the bottom of this harbor, and Captain Benson has just come to the +surface, laughing and uninjured." + +"I suppose he opened the manhole cover, and rose to the surface," +hazarded Mr. Melville. + +"In that case, sir," smiled Captain Jack, "wouldn't you expect the +'Pollard' to be filled with water, and my companions drowned? Besides, +sir, at a depth of seventy feet, the pressure of the water is such that +it would be sheer impossibility to raise the manhole cover." + +"Then how did you get here?" demanded the capitalist. + +"Pardon me, sir," replied Jack, courteously, though firmly. + +"Do you refuse to answer my question, boy?" + +Again the irritating, half-contemptuous use of "boy" made Jack's cheeks +flush, though he answered merely: + +"I think, sir, Mr. Farnum has a right to the first information." + +"Do you understand, boy, that I am about to take a large interest in this +business?" + +"I have heard so, sir. But I hope you won't mind my saying that this +little surprise was thought out by my comrades and myself. It seems to +me, therefore, that we have some rights in the disclosing of the secret." + +"Humph!" broke in Don Melville. "It's all some deception--some cheap +trick, anyway." + +Captain Jack held up one hand to signal the shore boat, which, with two +workmen in it, was hovering near. As the boat came in, the submarine +boy announced: + +"Now, I will show you the rest of the principle that my mates and I are +demonstrating. Mr. Farnum, by the way, has just spoken of the humane +side of this discovery, the making possible the rescue of a crew of a +boat that can't be made to rise. Gentlemen, there's still another side +to it. Under actual war conditions, with a submarine boat guarding a +coast or harbor entrance, if the commander of the boat brought the +conning tower above the surface, the presence of the boat would be +detected on a clear day. But the head of a swimmer rising from the +boat could not be observed at any very great distance. Yet the swimmer +could make out the hull or masts of a hostile vessel some miles away. +This new trick is likely to make submarine boats much more valuable to +the countries owning them. Now, I want to try something else, and see +whether I can do it." + +The shore boat put in when called. In the bow was a hundred-pound +anchor, with plenty of cable to pay out after it. Captain Jack entered +the boat, looked over the anchor tackle, then returned to shore. + +"Come to me where I stop," he directed the men in the boat. With that, +after getting his bearings fully, he swam out, counting his strokes as +he went. + +"It's about here that I came up," he called, pausing and treading water +easily. "Bring the boat here." + +Clambering aboard, he directed the casting of the anchor overboard. Then, +poising himself at the bow, he made a strong dive, vanishing under the +water. + +"What's he going to do now?" asked Mr. Melville, curiously. + +"I'd rather wait than guess," smiled Mr. Farnum. + +For just an instant Don Melville looked, as he felt, green with envy. + +Some moments passed. Then, not far from the spot where the "Pollard" had +gone down, her conning tower appeared once more. That was followed by +the emergence of the platform deck and upper hull above the water. In +another moment the tower manhole was opened, and Jack Benson, with a wave +of the hand, stepped out, his bathing suit changed for his uniform. He +lifted his cap in a joyous salute to those on shore. + +"By Jove, Jack, but you're a wonder!" shouted Mr. Farnum across the water. +"I'll have Dave Pollard excited when I write him about this thing. But +you have me guessing how the trick was done." + +Once more Benson signaled the small boat in close, after the anchor had +been lifted. Now, the young submarine captain came in to shore. + +"You come on board with me, Mr. Farnum?" invited Jack. + +"Are you going to show him how you worked the trick?" demanded Mr. +Melville, quickly. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then I believe we'll all come on board." + +"I--I am sorry, sir." Jack hesitated. "If anyone but Mr. Farnum comes +aboard I shall show nothing. Later on, when Mr. Farnum and I have talked +this matter over--" + +"Are you going to stand for this boy's nonsense, Farnum?" broke in the +capitalist, angrily. + +"I guess I shall have to," responded the builder, with the pronounced +drawl which, with him, was a sign that he was close to inward anger. +"Mr. Melville, I must beg you to remember that the secret, whatever it +is, belongs, so far, to Captain Benson. You may not approve, but I +think he is wholly right in this instance." + +The capitalist bowed stiffly. He and his son remained on the shore as +Farnum embarked with his young employe. They were soon on board the +"Pollard," which was not long in sinking. Then, after a few minutes, +Jack's head once more shot above the water. The shore boat was waiting, +and again dropped the anchor close to where the boy had come up. Jack +stood in the boat for a few minutes, taking in deep breaths and sunning +his wet skin. Then, for the second time, he dived below the surface. + +Five minutes afterward the "Pollard" was at the surface and moving back +to her moorings. Mr. Farnum and Captain Jack returned to the shore. +The boatbuilder's face was glowing with delight. + +"You saw our young captain come up while I was with the 'Pollard' down +on the bottom, didn't you?" inquired the yard's owner. + +"Yes," admitted Mr. Melville, grudgingly, while Don half scowled, then +turned his head away. "But how is the thing done?" + +"That," replied Jacob Farnum, courteously, "at the request of Captain +John Benson, must remain a secret for the present." + +"Oh!" said the capitalist, but his tone was ominous. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +MR. MELVILLE HURLS THE CRASH + + +It was really a wonderful, even if a very simple, revolution in the +handling of submarine boats that Jack Benson had thought out. + +Up to that time many scores of lives had been lost, in different parts +of the world, when the crews of submarine boats had found, for one reason +or another, that they could not raise their craft from the bottom of the +depths. Formerly, when crews found themselves placed in that +predicament, death followed. + +Jack's solution was wonderfully simple. In brief, when the "Pollard" lay +on the bottom of the little harbor at Dunhaven, the young captain had +crawled into the long tube through which torpedoes were to be discharged +in war time. + +One end of this torpedo tube projects slightly into the water, at the +bow of the submarine boat. The other end of the tube is well inside the +craft. Two doors, or "ports," as they are called, close the tube at the +ends. Ordinarily the forward port is closed, to keep water from +entering the boat. When a torpedo is placed in the tube for firing, the +outer or forward port is opened automatically just at the instant of +discharging the torpedo. Enough compressed air is turned into the tube +to force the torpedo out, after which the torpedo goes on its deadly +journey propelled by its own motor. The presence of the air thus turned +into the tube at the instant of firing keeps out the water until the +tube's forward port is once more closed. Then the rear port of the +tube, inside the submarine boat, may be opened whenever it is desired. + +Captain Jack Benson, when he reached bottom with the "Pollard," and had +donned his bathing suit, crawled into the tube through the rear port. +This port was then closed. Hal Hastings simultaneously opened the +outer port and discharged compressed air into the tube. Thus Jack +forced his way out into the water, and, with the aid of his natural +buoyancy, made a quick swim for the surface. + +In returning, he had dived down, close to the anchor cable. Nearer +the bottom he seized the cable, thus hauling himself down to the outer +port of the torpedo tube. He had quickly crawled into the tube, where +the presence of air still kept the water out. As he knocked heavily +at the rear port with both hands, Hal swiftly turned in a moderate +discharge of compressed air, while Eph, controlling mechanism inside, +swung the forward port shut. Then the rear port was swung back, Captain +Jack crawling back into the forward compartment of the boat. + +"The whole trick is rather easy," Jack informed Mr. Farnum, as they +walked that night in the village and discussed the matter in undertones. + +"But you were in not more than seventy feet of water there," suggested +the builder. "You couldn't do it at much greater depth." + +"At eighty feet of water I could do it," replied Benson, thoughtfully. + +"But at a greater depth than eighty feet--?" + +"Of course, the deeper one gets, the more tremendous the pressure of the +water is," answered the young captain. "At a depth of a hundred feet, +say, the pressure of the water would be enough to crowd me back into +the tube, crushing my body." + +"And killing you," clicked Mr. Farnum. + +"Undoubtedly. Yet seventy feet is as deep as one need go. Fifty feet +is far enough below the surface, for that matter. And we have the +splendid little 'Pollard' under such perfect control that we can drop to +fifty feet below the surface, as shown by our submersion gauge, and +keep just at that depth." + +"It's all wonderful," cried the boatbuilder. "Jack, you are a genius +at this work!" + +"There are some rather big problems to be worked out, in connection with +this new idea," hinted Benson. + +"What are the problems?" + +"Well, in observing a stretch of water, for the position or approach of +a hostile battleship, it might be necessary for the swimmer to go up +several times." + +"Yes--?" + +"That would call for a very considerable use of compressed air." + +"Naturally." + +"So, in the boat now building, Mr. Farnum, I think Mr. Pollard and +yourself should provide for the carrying of greater quantities of +compressed air. For, when a submarine is below, you must always have +reserve tanks of compressed air to be used in bringing the boat to the +surface. Of course, once on the surface, with the motor going, more +compressed air can be quickly stored." + +"You've been doing some busy thinking, Jack," spoke Mr. Farnum, +approvingly. + +"I haven't been doing it all, sir," was Benson's quick reply. "Hal and +Eph have been talking it all over with me." + +"The Melvilles are very anxious to find out how you performed the +seemingly wonderful feat of leaving the submerged boat and then returning +to it." + +"Are you going to tell them, sir." + +"Not, at any rate, until I've taken more time to think about it. Yet, +you understand, Jack, I can't be too offish with them. They are able +to control the investment of a good deal of money, and that money I am +afraid we are going to need if we are to go as steeply as we'd like +into the building of submarines." + +Jacob Farnum, it will be remembered, had married Grace Desmond, an +heiress. Her affairs were not yet fully settled through the probate +court, but she would presently be entitled to about a half million +dollars in her own right. To many it would have seemed that, with a +wife so rich, the inventor would not have to look far to find abundant +capital. Jacob Farnum, however, knew the hazards that surround even +the best conducted business concerns, and he had determined that not +a penny of his young wife's fortune should be risked in his own ventures. +In other words, it was a point of honor with him not to take the +slightest risk of involving his wife's private fortune. + +The following morning David Pollard was on hand, in response to a +telegram from his friend. Things were now about in shape for final +discussion between Melville, the builder and the inventor. + +In the private inner office of the shipyard the group of those most +interested gathered. Jacob Farnum seated himself beside his desk, +Pollard taking a chair close by. Lawyer Demarest, with a pile of +impressive looking documents before him, sat at a large flat-top desk. +Melville, senior, and two business friends, sat a little apart, while +Don Melville stood behind his father. + +"I will say, in beginning," commenced George Melville, in his smoothest, +blandest tones, "that we have talked so far, you and I, Mr. Farnum, only +in general terms. We will now come to the definite proposition under +which my friends and myself are willing to contribute the share of new +capital that you want in your business." + +"That is what I most want, before we go any further," assented Mr. Farnum. +"I will say, however, that I have in mind a proposition that I would +like to submit, before we hear from your side." + +"I am listening," nodded Mr. Melville, suavely. + +"We have already decided," continued Mr. Farnum, "that my boat yard, with +all its equipment, and including the ownership of the 'Pollard,' may be +fairly rated at three hundred thousand dollars." + +"That is quite true," nodded Mr. Melville. "That figure is in accordance +with the estimates made by our expert accountant." + +"In the boat itself," continued Jacob Farnum, "my friend Pollard has a +stated amount of interest. To come quickly to the point, then, I propose +that Pollard and myself, with the aid of a necessary third party--my +superintendent, Partridge, for instance--form a stock company with a +capital stock of three hundred thousand dollars. Then the six hundred +and fifty thousand dollars that you and your associates are to advance, +Mr. Melville, may be secured by an issue of bonds, which the company +will secure authority to issue. These bonds will bear the unusually high +interest of seven per cent., and this interest, of course, will have to +be paid before any dividend can be declared on the capital stock of the +company. That will retain the control of the company in my hands, and +in Pollard's, and that is what we want." + +"Yet do you expect that it will be easy to secure such an understanding +with capital?" inquired Mr. Melville, easily. "The proposition amounts +to this: That you put in the smaller amount of capital, and yet expect to +reap the greater profits." + +"By no means," replied Jacob Farnum, seriously. "We have demonstrated +the value of our type of boat, and we have some valuable knowledge and +ideas that cannot be appraised in dollars. So, though our amount of +material capital is less than you and your associates would contribute, +we feel that we are bringing to the enterprise the larger share." + +"I see your point," nodded Mr. Melville, pleasantly. "Yet there is much +to be discussed from _our_ side." + +So the contest was on--the quiet, polite battle that is as old as +capital itself. The men who contribute the money expect the control of +the business; the men who contribute the ideas and knowledge expect, +capital to be satisfied with a good return on its money. + +Both sides were silent for awhile. The lawyer, tapping a pencil against +his lips, knew that George Melville did not intend to go into the +enterprise on any arrangement that did not allow him to gain business +control swiftly and surely. + +"We have much to discuss, along these lines," pursued Mr. Melville, in +his smoothest tones and with his friendliest air. "But I have no doubt +at all, Mr. Farnum, that we shall presently reach a basis that will be +wholly agreeable to both sides." + +Which, on the contrary, was what the capitalist knew to be impossible. +Melville found himself wishing that something else would come into the +conversation, in order to get the boatbuilder's mind briefly away from +the main proposition. + +Steps were heard, at this moment, in the outer office, and then the faces +of Jack and Hal appeared close to the glass in the door. Eph was not far +behind them. + +"Oh, my crew," nodded Mr. Farnum, looking up. "You remember our +experiment, the other day, of having a man leave the boat while under +water? Some other problems have come up in that connection. So I sent +word to the young men, asking them to step over to the office as soon as +convenient. I guess they did not quite understand, and were busy at the +time, so that they have come over a little too late. I will step to the +door, and so inform them." + +Here was the diversion for which Mr. Melville had just been wishing. + +"Don't dismiss them, please," urged the capitalist. "On the contrary, +will you be good enough to ask them to step in here? There is something +that it might be as well to make clear before them." + +Bowing slightly, as he rose, Jacob Farnum stepped to the door, opening +it. + +"Come right in, boys," he requested. "Mr. Melville wishes to say +something before you." + +Each of the three submarine boys felt a quick throb at the heart. All +had a suspicion that a blow might be about to fall. So they stepped +inside, halting not far from Mr. Farnum's desk, and turning to face the +Melville group. + +Mr. Melville cleared his throat before he began: + +"In the reorganization of affairs here, my investing friends and myself +will be obliged to expect that the command of the 'Pollard' submarine +boat will pass to my son, who will actively represent our group. My son, +Don, will have charge and knowledge of the boat, its successors, and of +all new ideas tried aboard, and he will safeguard, so far as may be +necessary our interests. It is possible, however, that he may find it +advisable to employ some or all of the present crew. That will, of +course, be for him to decide in the near future." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A SQUALL IN AN OFFICE + + +Jack Benson paled, clenching his hands tightly. Hal Hastings raised his +eyebrows slightly; he, too, changed color swiftly. Eph's face reddened; +he had all he could do to keep from shouting outright. + +Jacob Farnum flushed, half rose from his chair, then seated himself again +and turned to look at the boys. + +But George Melville appeared to have eyes, at that moment, for no one but +young Captain John Benson. + +Don stood just beyond his father's chair, regarding the leader of the +submarine boys with a supercilious stare. + +There was such silence, for a few seconds, that the ticking of the big +clock in the corner sounded almost like hammer-blows. + +"You understand fully, do you not, Benson?" demanded George Melville, +breaking the silence. + +"I heard you, sir," Jack replied, not without an effort. + +"And what have you to say, Captain Benson?" inquired Mr. Farnum, speaking +with some effort. + +Captain Jack turned around to face his employer; the other two submarine +boys wheeled with him. + +"Mr. Farnum, we have been in your employ, and we have always taken your +orders. If you say we are to be dropped from the boat's crew, we bow to +what we can't prevent." + +"No one has spoken--definitely, that is--of dropping you boys from the +'Pollard's' crew," interposed Mr. Melville, slowly. "I have only +announced that in the reorganization of this enterprise the group that +I represent will require that my son, Don, be placed in command of the +'Pollard,' and of any other submarine boats that may be built. If you +do not like to work aboard the submarines, very likely we can find work +for you at something in this yard." + +Jacob Farnum exchanged a few words in an undertone with David Pollard. +Now, the boat builder faced about. + +"Mr. Melville," he began, "Mr. Pollard and I feel under a debt of deep +obligation to Captain Benson and his mates. Boys though they are, they +have done much to make the 'Pollard' as famous as it already is. +Between an intelligent employer and a capable, honest employe there can +be no question about gratitude. I speak for both Mr. Pollard and myself, +therefore, when I say that it is our feeling that Captain Benson and his +mates must continue in their present positions." + +The color came back to Jack's face. Joy beamed out in his eyes. Hal +looked as though he had been given a new lease of life. + +"Hooray!" roared Eph. He gave two vigorous jig steps, then stopped, +abashed. + +"Excuse me, Mr. Farnum," he begged, shamefacedly. + +"I do not think you quite understand," went on Mr. Melville, regarding +the boatbuilder coldly. "The placing of my son as I have indicated is +an absolute condition on the part of our group." + +"And I have declined it," returned Mr. Farnum rising, and standing +easily. + +"Then you do not want our capital, Mr. Farnum?" sternly demanded Mr. +Melville. + +"Not on your conditions, sir!" came, sharply, from the boatbuilder. + +"Oh, you will come to your senses, soon," rejoined the capitalist, +coolly. "You need a good deal of money for the extension of your +business, and we stand ready to supply it. All that is needed is the +conceding of certain conditions, and we are ready to pass our checks +for all the money you need. My associates and myself ask for nothing +that is unfair. Now, will you take our money into your business, or +will you go on in the old, slow way?" + +David Pollard had risen, in some agitation, and had walked to the further +end of the private office. + +"Pardon me a moment," begged Farnum, then followed his friend. The two +conversed in low tones. + +"You may leave the room, boys," announced Mr. Melville, turning to eye +Jack Benson. + +Not one of the three stirred. + +"Did you hear me?" insisted the capitalist, sharply. + +"Yes, sir," answered Jack, quietly. + +"Then why don't you go?" + +"Mr. Farnum sent for us, and we are waiting to learn whether he is +through with us for the present." + +"You may take my word for it," snapped Mr. Melville. "Go!" + +The submarine boys paid no heed to him. + +"The impudent young beggars," sneered Don Melville. "Low-born, and no +manners!" + +Jack Benson turned, fixing his gaze upon Don's face Jack's look was full +of contempt, though he spoke no word. + +"Don't try any impudent airs on me," warned Don, flushing, then paling, +as his fists doubled. + +"Mr. Melville," broke in Jacob Farnum, returning, while David Pollard +remained where he was, looking out of the window, "I think we can cut +this scene very short. In the first place, in joining us, you demand +that we treat with utter injustice bright young employees who have been +extraordinarily faithful and devoted." + +"You will soon come to see the need of that," replied the capitalist, +with a light wave of his hand. + +"We do not see it," replied Farnum. "Nor do we intend to. Further, we +are disturbed by what you have made only too plain, that you intend to +get complete control of this business, and make Pollard and myself +merely subordinates in the affairs here." + +"Not as bad as that," protested the capitalist, with a smile. "Of course, +in view of the very large amount of money we are offering, we must have +some voice in the management of--" + +"Not this business!" interjected the boatbuilder, with emphasis. + +"But, man, you must have the money!" + +"We'll do without it, or get it somewhere else," went on the boatbuilder, +patiently. "We thank you, Mr. Melville, and those associated with you, +but Mr. Pollard and I have decided to go no further in the present +negotiations." + +"What's that?" demanded George Melville, springing to his feet. "You +don't want our money?" + +"We won't take it--not at the price you set on it," responded Farnum, +bluntly. + +For the first time the capitalist appeared decidedly uneasy. + +"You don't mean this, Farnum," he answered. "You're excited; perhaps +alarmed over something that I have said, or which you thought I +intimated." + +"I mean just what I have said, take my word for it, sir," retorted the +boatbuilder. "We do not intend to look to you for any money that we +need. That is final, and, therefore, that is all." + +"All this change of front because of these wretched boys?" demanded +George Melville, incredulously. + +"Partly on account of your attitude toward these boys," admitted Mr. +Farnum, "and also because Pollard and I now realize that you had intended +to wrest control of this business from us." + +"You're losing your senses," Stormed the capitalist, angrily. "Unless +you at once come to a realization of it, all we can do is to wish you +good morning." + +Mr. Farnum bowed, silently, then moved toward the office door, opening +it. + +"Come on, gentlemen," cried Melville, stiffly, turning toward his own +friends. + +In silence the members of that group started across the floor. Mr. +Farnum, surveying them inscrutably, still held the door open. + +"This is dramatic--and suicidal," said Mr. Melville, haughtily. + +"You take it too seriously," replied the boatbuilder, with a slight +smile. "It is only good morning." + +"You're a fool, Farnum!" came the answer as Mr. Melville, in a rage, +halted just inside the door. "And I warn you that, if we leave here, +now, we shall not return, no matter how changed your attitude may +become later. Have you any answer to that, sir?" + +"Good morning," replied Jacob Farnum, with another courteous bow. + +Stiffly, snorting but without words, George Melville walked out of the +office, across the outer office, and out into the yard. + +In the private office the three submarine boys stood as though riveted +to the floor. They were astounded, and knew not what to say. They were +overjoyed, but incapable of expressing any word of the gratitude that +filled their young hearts. + +David Pollard walked to a chair, dropping into it and studying the +ceiling. + +As for the boatbuilder, he stepped briskly across the room, pulling open +the door of a cupboard. Taking out a broom, he began to sweep very +carefully where the Melville group had sat or stood, and continued his +sweeping across the threshold of the doorway. Then, returning, he +tossed the broom into the cupboard. Stepping springily over, he +dropped into his desk chair, letting out a hearty laugh. + +"Well, that's over with, and a narrow escape," he announced. + +"But you couldn't quite sweep all their dirt out after them," declared +David Pollard, looking up with a smile. + +"What do you think of that crowd, boys?" asked Jacob Farnum, cheerily. + +"I'm not giving much thought to them, sir," Jack replied, adding warmly: +"But we fellows, Mr. Farnum, simply can't think of words that will +express how we appreciate the splendid way Mr. Pollard and yourself have +stood up for us." + +Jacob Farnum eyed the boys quizzically, then turned to the young captain +of the submarine to inquire: + +"Wouldn't you stand by me in anything? Wouldn't you yell for this yard +and its product with your last gasp? Answer me." + +"Why, of course we would," Jack Benson admitted. + +"Then I take just offense, if you expect me to be any less of a man than +yourself," declared Farnum, with a pretense of anger. + +"The same sentiment puts me on record," chuckled David Pollard: + +"Then let us forget the low comedy, the melodrama, or whatever it was," +proposed the boatbuilder. "Let us get down to the regular business of +the day. We want more money here, if we can get it on a fair and square +basis. If we can't, we'll do our best to go along as we've been going. +And now, Jack, and the rest of you, Pollard and I have a few little +things to whisper over." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +DON MELVILLE TAKES A HAND + + +"Are we at liberty to go up into the village, sir?" asked Jack Benson, +pausing at the door. + +"Fun?" demanded the boatbuilder, regard them with a dry smile. + +"Yes, sir," Jack nodded. "That is, the kind of fun we find in our work. +We want to get some metal, a few tools and other things, to rig up +something that we think may serve well aboard the 'Pollard.'" + +"Run right along then," rejoined Mr. Farnum. "Get a bill for whatever +you spend at the toolshop and turn the bill in as expense account." + +"Thank you. Good morning, sir." + +"Say, did you ever see that beat?" demanded Eph, all aglow with +enthusiasm, as the boys stepped across the yard. "My, but didn't Mr. +Farnum call the trick with those fellows?" + +"We've been doing a heap of useless worrying over what Don Melville let +drop the other day, haven't we?" asked Hal, quietly. + +"Fellows," stated Captain Jack, earnestly, "as long as we work for this +pair of men I'm never going to be uneasy again over anything but +displeasing them. They're bricks! They can count on us, every time!" + +Up the street, a little way past the gate of the boatyard, the Melville +party had halted to light cigars. + +"I'm afraid, Melville," said one of the capitalist's associates, "you +didn't go at the matter with quite your usual tact. You showed your +hand too soon. You came out a little to hard, just a little, too early +in the proceedings. + +"Pooh!" retorted the capitalist. "We'll go to the hotel. Farnum will +cool down soon enough, and realize what we represent to him. Inside of +two hours he'll have people out to find out whether we've left town. +Gentlemen, I don't know but it might be a good idea for us actually to +leave Dunhaven." + +"An excellent idea," replied Lawyer Demarest, dryly, "for we shall only +waste our time by remaining here." + +"What do you mean?" questioned the capitalist, quickly. + +"Farnum won't send for us." + +"He surely will, when he cools down." + +"I'm positive that he won't," asserted the lawyer. "If I know anything +about men Farnum will get along without us from now on." + +"But he needs the money." + +"He can get it, Melville, I am inclined to think," returned the man of +the law. + +"And we need the investment," continued George Melville. "Why, with my +influential connections at Washington, and some other connections that +I have, I can see a return of millions on our investment." + +"You will never make the investment, as long as Jacob Farnum has the +deciding word," insisted Mr. Demarest. + +"I'm sure of that, too," added Mr. Faulkner. + +"And all on account of those rascally boys!" uttered Don Melville, in a +tone of disgust. "Isn't it funny how some folks will cling to muckers? +Why, anyone would think that the fellow Benson and his chums are so +necessary that the business couldn't go on without them. They're +the--" + +"Hush!" murmured the lawyer. "Here come the boys." + +Jack and his mates were at this moment coming out of the yard. They had +turned on the sidewalk, and started along ere they caught sight of the +group ahead. + +"There's that infernal gang!" uttered Eph, wrathfully. + +"Keep your eyes away from them, and don't say anything, then," whispered +Jack. "Don't say or do anything that can possibly spoil the morning by +putting us in the wrong." + +But Don Melville, wrathful over the morning's happenings, and keenly +disappointed over the knowledge that he could not hope to command the +"Pollard," was not disposed to let the submarine boys go unchallenged. + +On came Jack, Hal and Eph, walking abreast, yet ready to break and pass +in silence. + +"Dewey, Sampson & Schley!" jeered Don Melville, in a low tone, yet loud +enough to be heard by Jack's party. + +Yet the boys paid no heed, but would have passed in silence, had not Don +added, insultingly: + +"The three little muckers!" + +That was too much for Eph. He couldn't help turning, the flush mounting +to his cheeks, to retort: + +"Speak for yourself!" + +Don took a step forward. Eph, unable to ignore the implied challenge, +wheeled about. + +"Don't bother with the fellow, Eph," muttered Jack, gripping his bellicose +chum by the arm. + +"'Fellow'?" cried Don, hotly. "Do you mean that for me?" + +"Well," demanded Jack, dryly, "you're not a girl, are you?" + +At that Don Melville lost his temper hopelessly. Burning at a white +heat, he hissed: + +"I'll show you whether I am, or not, you cur!" + +That word "cur" went far toward shattering Jack Benson's good resolutions. +Letting go of Eph's arm he turned to glare at his tormentor. + +"You need a lesson, mucker," added Don, hotly. + +"Don't soil your hands on the fellow, Don," cried his father, sharply. + +"I must, sir, after he has insulted me," cried Don, in a rage. "I must +kick him, anyway." + +"Nonsense, Don! No brawling with people of this class," commanded his +father, sternly. + +The elder Melville reached out to restrain his son, but that seemed +only to render the young man more furious. He rushed at Jack, aiming +a kick. + +"Don't you dare try that!" warned young Benson, his eyes flashing. + +But Don, despite both warnings, did swing his foot. Jack dodged the +impact, then darted in at the side, landing a blow on young Melville's +chest that sent him staggering back. + +"Strike _me_, will you?" flashed Don, throwing himself on guard. + +George Melville, aghast at Jack's presumption in attacking his son, now +stepped back, satisfied that Don must avenge the insult. + +A dozen boys, talking over baseball nearly a block away, saw the start +of this encounter. + +"Fight! fight!" they yelled, gleefully, and raced down the street. + +The cries readied the private office in the boatyard. Suspecting, +partly, what might be up, Jacob Farnum snatched his hat, running out. +David Pollard followed. + +"You young puppy!" almost screamed. "I'll teach you a lesson that you +need." + +"I'm usually particular about where I get my training," retorted Jack +Benson, insulted and stung past his power to endure. + +Yet Captain Jack did not attempt to follow up that first blow. Throwing +himself into the attitude of defense, he waited. + +Don Melville did not keep him long waiting, but rushed at the shorter +youth, intent on sending him to earth. + +"Hit him like a gentleman, Don!" called his father. + +Whatever way that might be, Don Melville struck out, his blood at the +white heat of rage. With such force did he aim the blow that, when +nimble Captain Jack failed to be in the way to stop it, Don pitched +forward, falling to his knees. + +"Hooray!" yelled some of the on looking boys, derisively. + +Jack halted before his foe, smiling at him quietly. + +"Know any more stunning tricks like that one?" Benson inquired. + +"I'll show you!" panted Don, leaping up. As he did so, he caught sight +of the smiling faces of Messrs. Farnum and Pollard, strolling up from +the boatyard gateway. + +As he faced the smiling submarine boy, young Melville was quick to +realize that he must cool down if he did not want to become a laughing +stock for the street crowd that was swiftly forming. Half a dozen +workmen employed in the yard had climbed up onto the fence. + +"Mind you," said Jack, coolly, "I don't want to hurt you. You started +this, Melville." + +The sheer coolness of this speech once more carried Don Melville out of +the bounds of reason. On the "gym" floor Don had studied the art of +boxing well, but he had not learned all he needed to know about coolness. + +"You young hound!" he snapped. + +"You said something like that before," Jack laughed. "Is that all you +can do? I feel as though I were wasting my time." + +"Do you?" mocked Don. "Take that, then!" + +This time he leaped forward, feinting with his left hand. But Jack was +not to be caught like that. Instead, he parried against the real blow +delivered with Don's right fist. The force of the parry threw Don to +his left. Just at that instant Benson passed behind his opponent, +landing a stinging blow on the other's neck. Down flat to the ground +went the Melville heir, hitting his nose roughly and starting the blood. + +"Hooray!" yelled a gleeful boy in the throng. "Say, ain't he fine at +jiu-jitsu, though?" + +A yell of great joy went up from some of the boys, who are always +delighted at seeing the larger fellow thrashed, especially when he is +the one who has started the trouble. + +"Don't you think you'd better wait and cool down?" inquired Jack, dryly. +"You're only making a show of yourself." + +That taunt stung Don into rising and squaring off, while his father +looked unutterably disgusted and angry over the ridiculous turn affairs +had taken. + +"Benson's advice is good--sound," approved Lawyer Demarest, stepping +in. "Don, you're no match for your opponent, at least not in your +present temper. Don't try to carry this any further." + +"Do you think I'm going to let this young mucker make a fool of me?" +demanded the Melville youth, huskily. "I've just got to settle with +him." + +"Yes, yes, Don; stop this. It's unseemly," insisted his father, +red-faced through his humiliation. "Come on!" + +Mr. Melville's other friends also interposed. Don, surrounded, yet not +very anxious to carry the fight on any further, chafed hopelessly. Jack +Benson, seeing the new turn of affairs, and realizing how ridiculous +his foe must feel, turned to Hal to say: + +"I guess we're not needed here any longer. Come on." + +"As for you, Benson," choked the elder Melville, "we shall see what can +be done about this. You ought to be arrested." + +Jack's only answer was a tantalizing grin, after which he turned, his +back, as he and his mates started off up the street, followed by a +little cheer from some of the boys gathered there. + +"What can the law do about this?" demanded the elder Melville of the +lawyer, in a low tone. + +"A warrant could be issued against your son for disturbing the peace," +came the disgusted reply of Lawyer Demarest. "As for Benson, all he did +was to protect himself when insulted and assaulted unjustly. It was a +disgraceful affair, my dear sir. Now, let us get away from here before +we're exposed to more ridicule." + +Neither Mr. Farnum nor Mr. Pollard had said a word. Now, smiling +quietly, they returned to the yard. The crowd broke up. The Melville +party kept on to the hotel of Jabez Holt not far away. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE "POLLARD" HAS A RIVAL + + +Capital, backed by energy, can often accomplish wonders. + +On the next day after the Melville squall in the boatyard office, Jacob +Farnum, looking out of a window, and through the open gateway, saw three +heavily-laden lumber trucks go by. + +"That looks like a good deal for little Dunhaven," he thought to himself. +"I wonder what's happening?" + +His horse and buggy were in the yard. The young owner presently went out +and got into his vehicle, driving slowly along the street to the +northward. + +About a third of a mile from his yard Mr. Farnum came to the spot where +the lumber was being unloaded. That was a hitherto vacant piece of land +located at the edge of a small deepwater cove. Mr. Melville and Don +were there, and also a gang of workmen. Carpenters were opening tool +chests, as though preparing to go to work. + +"Hm!" mused Jacob Farnum. Turning up a side street, he drove, by a +roundabout way, back to his yard. Thereafter he took pains to keep +himself informed of the Melville doings. + +By night the foundations of a shipbuilder's shed had been laid by a +large force of carpenters. Another gang of carpenters had gone to work +building a fence as rapidly as laborers could set up the poles. By the +night of the following day the fence was completed, and the shed, so far +as outward appearances went, was completed. + +And now, though George Melville and his son, preserved an air of great +secrecy, the news leaked out that a new boatyard was added to the +industries of Dunhaven, coupled with the further information that Mr. +Melville was engaged in the manufacture of submarine torpedo boats. + +Both Farnum and Pollard looked somewhat grave when this knowledge was +first brought to them by Eph Somers, who had a great knack for picking +up local news. However, the young builder was quick to cheer up. + +"So we're to have a rival yard, and the 'Pollard' is to have a rival?" +said Mr. Farnum. "Competition ought to stir us forward to the very best +that is in us. Somers, ask Captain Benson and Hastings to come here. +We'll talk this matter over." + +Twenty minutes later the few devoted friends of the "Pollard" boat were +gathered around Mr. Farnum's desk. + +"Unless I'm in great error," said the young boatbuilder, "we're in for +a lively rumpus, now. Melville is aroused over our refusal to let him +in to this enterprise, and he's starting an opposition. He can command +a great deal of money, and I understand that he has a good many +influential friends in Washington. If he can carry on the most +successful rivalry, he may do us a great deal of harm. For instance, +if he can build so fine a boat that he can put ours in the shadow. +In fact, while I don't mean to be a quitter or a skulker, I'll admit +that Melville may possibly be able to dig a hole and drop us into it. +If he produces a type of boat that goes far ahead of ours, then the +Government is likely to buy his, overlook ours and leave me stranded +financially. About all I'm worth is tied up in the present 'Pollard' +and in the new torpedo submarine that I'm now building." + +"He can't invent or build a finer submarine than the 'Pollard,'" declared +Captain Jack, with conviction. + +"Nor get as fine a crew to handle his craft," added David Pollard. + +"Don't be too sure of that," warned Jack, Soberly. "I think we fellows +have done fairly well with your boat, up to date. But suppose Mr. +Melville should be able to get a lot of experienced submarine men, and +even, perhaps, an officer, from the United States Navy. We boys could +hardly beat such a combination as that." + +"I'm not so sure that you're right on this point, Jack," clicked Mr. +Farnum. "I'll say this much: It would make me more uneasy to lose the +services of you boys than it would to hear that Melville has a Navy crew +for the boat he's building." + +"Of course," went on Jack, thoughtfully, after a pause, "if you, Mr. +Farnum, could interest all the capital you want, on your own fair +conditions, you wouldn't have to be afraid of this man Melville." + +"No," admitted the boatbuilder, making a wry face. "But getting all +that capital together is the problem. You see, Jack, we know just how +good a boat we have, but others don't." + +"Others don't?" repeated Captain Benson. "That gives me an idea." + +"Another trouble," pursued the builder, "is that this submarine business +is just something of a speculation. Suppose investors come forward with +a lot of ready money to put into this enterprise? Our boat is good, but +how do the investors know that, within the next few months, some other +inventor won't come forward with a new type of submarine boat that will +leave ours hopelessly behind? Then the investors would stand to lose +every dollar that they put in with us. That's the thought that makes +investors shy." + +"Yet Mr. Melville did not seem to be afraid of the chance of losing," +remarked Jack Benson. + +"He's a gambler all the way through, and he has some moneyed friends of +his sort," replied Mr. Farnum. "But it's hard to find such investors." + +"Now, for that idea I mentioned," proposed Captain Jack. "You can see +what you think of it. Why not get people to talking about our boat? +Why not make them talk about it as the most wonderful thing possible in +a submarine boat? You know how I managed to leave the boat under water, +and to return to it. The thing has never been done before. You know +how simple the trick was, and that it was blundered upon by accident. +But the people of the country at large don't know. Show the trick is +done. When they hear about it, broadcast, won't they think that the +'Pollard' is the only real thing in submarines? Use the 'Pollard' type +of boat, and no more men need be killed when a boat won't rise. That's +the way the people will talk. So, Mr. Farnum, why not write to the +editor of each of the biggest daily papers, inviting him to send a +representative here on a near date, to see the thing done? Don't let +the editors know just what feat is to be displayed. Simply let them +know, in a mysterious, general way, that the thing we will demonstrate +revolutionizes the whole art of submarine warfare--as it really does." + +"That will make people talk, surely," acknowledged the young boatbuilder. + +"And there'll be pressure put upon Congress to buy your boat, and more +like it," urged Captain Jack. "All the newspaper talk will be free +advertising, and I imagine that the kind of advertising that newspapers +are forced to _give_ is all the best paying." + +"I haven't had much experience in that line, but I imagine it is the best +kind," nodded Mr. Farnum. + +All hands set to, to devise a list of newspapers to which invitations +should be sent. The stenographer was soon intensely busy with this +work. + +Down at the new Melville yard affairs went on with a rush. Two +tumble-down houses were rented in a little habited part of the town, +and in these a gang of close-mouthed Italian laborers was quartered. +Jabez Holt felt the new increase in prosperity, for Mr. Melville +engaged his entire hotel. Before long there was a constant succession +of arrivals at the hotel. Steel salesmen, motor drummers, salesmen +in electrical supplies, and a whole host of miscellaneous +representatives came to town, putting up at the hotel, where Mr. +Melville had reserved a suite of rooms for temporary offices. The +strangers in town spent money freely, and all the villagers enjoyed +their presence. + +In fact, so much business did these new happenings bring that Jacob +Farnum speedily became sensible of the fact that the villagers looked +upon the Melvilles with decided favor. + +"The Melville crowd are at their new enterprise in real and bustling +earnest," remarked Farnum, with an air of uneasiness, to his associate, +the inventor. + +"I imagine those people can control millions of dollars, if they need +that much money," hazarded David Pollard. + +"Undoubtedly," nodded the boatbuilder "And, though I am seeking for +capital that will come in on terms fair to us, it's mighty uphill work." + +This conversation was carried on in young Benson's hearing. Captain +Jack turned to them with a laugh, to say: "Wait and see, though, if the +exhibition before the newspaper correspondents won't take a lot of wind +out of the Melville sails." + +"It ought to," nodded the builder, "unless the Melvilles, or some of +the experts they're dealing with, are shrewd enough to figure out how +you left the boat and returned to it." + +"Would you have figured that out, Mr. Farnum, if I hadn't told you?" + +"Probably not, Jack. It's one of the things that are too simple to +guess at easily." + +Passers by the Melville yard were now able to hear the hammering of the +riveters daily. It looked as though the new yard must be pushing a +submarine boat to rapid completion. + +"There hasn't been a launching, anyway, so I don't believe the Melville +people will be able to do anything to beat our show to-morrow," remarked +Captain Jack, on the night before the day that had been set for the show +before the newspaper men. + +Early the next forenoon newspaper correspondents began to arrive in +numbers from half a dozen large cities. As the hotel was monopolized, +by the Melville crowd, Mr. Farnum had engaged other quarters at which +to entertain the men of the press. Some of the newspapers sent women +writers. + +None of these visitors were taken direct to the yards. Mr. Farnum and +Mr. Pollard took the journalistic visitors in charge and finally +conveyed them in carriages to the boatyard, arriving at about a quarter +before eleven. + +Here Jack, Hal and Eph, looking at their best in their natty uniforms, +were on hand to be presented. Of course, the mere fact of a competent, +well-trained boy crew was a novelty to the newspaper writers, who made +much of the submarine boys and asked them many questions about their +work. + +"How soon are you going to take us out aboard the 'Pollard'?" inquired +one of the women reporters. + +"Just as soon as Captain Benson and his young men have had a chance to +show you the remarkable feat that you have come here to see," promised +Mr. Farnum. + +"And what is that remarkable feat?" asked another journalist. + +"The wonder of it will strike you all the more if we do not announce it +in advance," rejoined David Pollard. + +"Captain Benson, what have _you_ to say about it?" pleaded one of the +newspaper women. "Won't you give us at least a hint?" + +"I'd like to, immensely," smiled Captain Jack, "but I've always had +a great respect for Mr. Farnum's judgment." + +"Good enough, captain," laughed the boat builder. "And now, signal for +the boat that is to put you aboard." + +As the boat was coming in Captain Jack turned to the newspaper writers +to say: + +"Ladies and gentlemen, the thing that is to be done to-day is something +that has never been done on any other boat than the 'Pollard.' If it +looks a bit dramatic, you will understand, of course, that that is a +means toward making it all the more impressive." + +"Oh, dear, but you _are_ making me dreadfully inquisitive," complained +one of the newspaper women, plaintively. + +Embarking in the shore boat, the "Pollard's" crew were soon aboard the +submarine. From the platform decks they waved their caps, then, one by +one, disappeared through the tower, the manhole cover being pulled down +after them. + +"Are they going to take the boat out and submerge it?" asked one of the +correspondents. + +"Yes," nodded Mr. Farnum. + +"And what else--please?" asked the particularly impatient newspaper +woman. + +Mr. Farnum smiled, then added: + +"There they go, under electric power. Watch!" + +By the time that the boat had gone a little more than a hundred feet one +of the correspondents called out: + +"They're sinking!" + +"All a part of the performance," stated Mr. Pollard. + +Before some of the visiting journalists could quite realize it, the tip +of the conning tower had disappeared below the surface. + +"That's all very interesting to look at," half shuddered one of the women. +"But what if they couldn't bring the boat up again?" + +"The boat is built to go up or down, at need," Mr. Farnum assured her. +"Captain Benson has never had an accident yet." + +So the group of some thirty newspaper people watched intently, keeping +their gaze on the place where they had seen the last ripples close in +over the vanishing conning tower. + +The minutes passed by. The shore boat, with the hundred-pound anchor and +cable in the bow, hovered just where Captain Jack had directed, but what +could be going on in the submarine at the bottom of the little harbor? + +"Mr. Farnum, don't you sometimes get nervous over such things?" demanded +one of the women. + +"Never," the boatbuilder assured her. + +Yet is was not long before the yard's owner pulled out his watch to look +at the dial. Eleven minutes had passed since the disappearance of the +submarine. The next time Farnum glanced at his watch the time had +lengthened to fifteen minutes. Then the time dragged by to half an hour. + +David Pollard was fighting hard to conceal the nervous dread that had +seized him. + +"Farnum," he found chance to whisper, at last, "something tragic has +happened to the boys, at last. What on earth can it be? Whatever it +is, we're utterly powerless to help them!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +MISSING--A SUBMARINE AND CREW + + +Fifteen minutes more dragged by. + +"Where's your show, Mr. Farnum?" + +"Something has gone wrong, eh?" + +The correspondents were pressing about the worried builder and the uneasy +inventor. + +"There's a tragedy going on over there, isn't there?" demanded another +journalist, pointing out across the water. + +"I--I'm afraid there is a chance of it," nodded Mr. Farnum, dejectedly, +again looking at the watch in his hand. "It's getting on toward an hour +since the 'Pollard' went down." + +"What are you going to do about it?" + +"Is there no way to rescue the crew?" + +"Don't let those boys die, without lifting a finger to save them." + +"Get busy, man--in heaven's name, get busy!" + +Such were the comments, questions and advice that poured in on the +builder. David Pollard, his sensitive nature suffering extremely, shrank +back out of the crowd. + +"Gentlemen--and ladies, too--don't you understand that nothing really +can be done--at least not in a rush?" cried Jacob Farnum, the cold sweat +standing out on his face. "There isn't a diver in or near Dunhaven, and +that unfortunate boat is down in seventy feet of water. I'm going to +rush a wire to the nearest place where I know a diver to be, but I--I am +certain that it will be hours before we can hope to have one here. That +is all--all that can possibly be done." + +"Oh, this is dreadful!" sobbed one of the women writers. "Those brave, +splendid boys--such a fearful fate!" + +"Must they be asphyxiated down there, below?" cried another woman. + +"Don't," choked Jacob Farnum. "I must rush for the telegraph station and +get off a message for a diver--also for a wrecking company to send tugs +and floats here for raising the 'Pollard.' Yet it will take a wretchedly +long time." + +"And the boys? Rescue will come too late to save them?" asked a newspaper +man, with a decided choke in his voice. + +Jacob Farnum made a wild dash for his office, telephoning for a messenger +boy. While waiting he wrote two telegrams in feverish haste. + +Several of the newspaper people wrote hasty, excited dispatches to their +papers for the evening editions. The messenger boy, when he arrived on +a run, was all but loaded down with paper. Then the yard's owner and +the newspaper folks dashed back to the shore. + +Out on the harbor the water lay unruffled. There was not a sign of the +suspected tragedy that lay beneath the waves. + +"It's an hour and a half since the boat sank," called one of the +correspondents. + +"What were the boys supposed to do, anyway?" insisted another. + +Jacob Farnum opened his mouth, as though to speak, then closed it again. + +"Tell us," insisted one woman. + +"Yes, tell us," insisted a man. + +Just then, there came a shout over the waters. "Say, you lubbers, what +did you move that boat for?" + +There was an instant gasp from all who turned so swiftly to look out +over the water. + +Only Jack Benson's brown-haired head showed above the surface of the +harbor, but his look was laughing, utterly care-free. + +The boatmen who had allowed their craft to drift while waiting, now +thrust out their oars, making quick time to where the submarine boy +stood treading water. + +In his sudden revulsion of feeling the inventor all but fainted. Jacob +Farnum, his gnawing suspense over, felt as though his knees must give +way under him. Then, by a mighty effort, just as the deafening cheering +started, he led the race around the harbor. + +"Here, you--Jack Benson!" gasped the yard's owner. "You come in here +mighty quick! Give an account of yourself. What was wrong below?" + +"Wrong?" hailed back Benson, standing in the bow of the shore boat as +it made for shore. + +"What were you doing down below, all this time?" demanded Mr. Farnum. + +"Doing? Oh, Eph was taking a nap--" + +"Taking a nap?" + +"Hal was tinkering with the gasoline motor, and I was reading." + +"Reading?" fumed Mr. Farnum. "What were you trying to do? Torment the +life out of us?" + +"Were any of you folks worried?" asked Jack, smiling innocently at the +excited crowd. + +"Worried?" ejaculated the boatbuilder. "I've telegraphed for a diver and +a wrecking company's outfit." + +"Better countermand the order, air," advised Jack, dryly. + +"But what on earth caused all the delay? What did it mean?" persisted +the boatbuilder. "Answer me, Benson." + +"Why," laughed Jack, "when we started, I dropped a word or two about +trying to make the exhibition dramatic, didn't I?" + +"If that's what you tried to do, young man," grunted one of the +correspondents, "you've certainly succeeded. Why, in five or ten minutes +more the evening papers in half a dozen cities will have extras out +announcing that one more big submarine boat disaster has occurred!" + +"Did you really send that to your papers?" asked Jack Benson, some of +his glee showing. + +"Of course we did." + +"And that reminds me," shouted another. "We've got to send the follow-up +news, at once. I have, anyway." + +That roused the newspaper people to a sense of what they were there for, +though one man broke in: + +"Just a second, folks! Let's find out what the show was intended for." + +"Why, it's intended to show," replied Jack, "that a boat built and +equipped like the 'Pollard' isn't a death-trap for the crew, if it +should happen, through some accident, that the boat refuses to rise to +the surface." + +"That's the trick," confirmed Mr. Farnum. "But, Jack, why did you wait +so long before coming up." + +"So that you could all realize something of the anxiety of people over +such accidents to submarines, and the great dread over the fate of the +crew," laughed the boy. "I think our delay made you all realize +something of that." + +"You _have_ something of the dramatic instinct, truly," murmured the +newspaper woman who had sobbed. "You had us all scared nearly to the +fainting point." + +"Now," continued Captain Jack, "just to show you that the boat didn't get +disabled in any way, I'm going down again and then come up with the +boat." + +"It won't take you as long as it did this last time, will it?" demanded +one of the reporters. + +"Wait right where you are," promised Jack Benson, "and you'll see me once +more before you've really had time to realize it." + +"No more dramatic business, eh, and needless tears on our part?" insisted +another. + +"This time," laughed Jack, "the dramatic will be confined to speed of +operation." + +He motioned to the men to row out. Jack calculated, finely, just where +he had come up, and there the heavy anchor was dropped, the end of the +cable being made fast in the boat. + +Then overboard dived the submarine captain, going straight down. A tug +at the line showed when he seized hold of it, down in the depths. + +A little time passed, but now the newspaper folks, accustomed to all +manner of sensations, were not apprehensive. + +"Here she comes!" shouted David Pollard, gleefully. + +More and mote of the conning tower showed above the water, the platform +deck and hull coming next into view. Then, as the manhole cover was +raised, Eph Somers stepped into view at the steering wheel. The +"Pollard" moved over to her moorings, and Hal came up to aid in making +fast. Soon afterward, Jack Benson, in complete uniform, appeared on +deck. + +"Now, give us just an idea of how the thing is done, Mr. Farnum," begged +one of the correspondents, turning to the boatbuilder. + +"Ladies and gentlemen," replied the yard's owner, gravely, though he was +tempted to laugh over the mystery he was making, "I am certain that you +all want to know." + +"We do," came the chorused answer. + +"But if I were to tell you," responded Farnum, speaking as gravely as +ever, "it would be to reveal to the whole world one of the strongest +points in our plan of submarine operation. You will understand that, of +course, and will realize that we do not care to explain anything so +valuable, when that idea is not yet patented." + +"I suppose you're right about that," admitted one of the journalists, +thoughtfully. "We'd like awfully to know just how the feat is +accomplished, and you have equally good reasons for not telling us." + +"Have you much genius for machinery?" whispered one of the women writers +to a man beside her. "For, you know, we've been promised a chance to +visit the boat. If you keep your eyes open, very likely you can detect +how it is possible to leave the 'Pollard' when she's on the bottom--a +performance that isn't possible with any other type of submarine torpedo +boat." + +Jacob Farnum now slipped away to countermand his orders for a diver and +wrecking apparatus, the newspaper people also seizing the chance to send +another wire to their home newspapers. + +After that Captain Jack received one-third of the party aboard the +"Pollard." He gave them a short trip on the surface. Then, pressed to +do so, he submerged the boat for two minutes. After that the rest of +the correspondents were taken out and below the water. Most people are +not particularly eager, at first, for a trip under the water in submarine +boats, but with the newspaper fraternity it is different. They are +always on the lookout for any new experience, no matter how dangerous it +may seem to be. It is a part of their calling. + +Yet not one in all this party of thirty trained, keen-minded people +managed to penetrate the secret of how Captain Jack had been able to +leave and return to the "Pollard" while that craft lay on the bottom of +the harbor. + +When all had visited the boat, and had sunk with her, Jacob Farnum took +the party in carriages to his home, where luncheon was served. The +boatbuilder, by the use of all his tact, kept the party together until +it was time, to drive them to the railway station and see them aboard +the train. + +In this way, he prevented any of his visitors from falling into the hands +of the Melville people. Consequently, when the next day's papers +appeared there was much in them about the wonderful work done by Captain +Jack Benson in a "Pollard" submarine, but there was not even as much as +a mention of the fact that any rival submarine boatyard existed in +Dunhaven. + +"That is one long march stolen on the Melville foes," laughed Jacob +Farnum to Benson. "It has been a splendid bit of business, Jack, and +you boys have helped it all through in great fashion. To-day, we have +the satisfaction of knowing that people all through the country are +talking about the 'Pollard.'" + +"That fellow Benson is being a lot talked about to-day," declared Mr. +Melville, after scanning two or three of the morning papers. + +"Humph! Let him be talked about," returned Don, with a lowering scowl. +"I suppose he's pretty conceited to-day, but it won't be long before I'll +have it fixed so that his pride shall go down lower than ever the +'Pollard' could sink." + +"Will you use our submarine boat to do it?" inquired the elder Melville, +with a meaning smile. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +FARNUM STOCK GOES UP + + +"Got time to look at something, Mr. Pollard?" asked Captain Jack, two +days later. + +The captain and crew of the submarine had entered the outer office. In +his hands Jack carried a small wooden box. Hal and Eph looked +delightfully mysterious. + +"Time to look at something?" repeated the inventor, with a laugh. "I +seem to have plenty of time for almost anything these days." + +There being none of the office employees about at the moment, Benson led +the way to one of the desks, opened the box and took out a +complicated-looking little model. + +"You know, Mr. Pollard," murmured Jack, while the other two boys drew +close, "although we have hit upon the way for some of a submarine's crew +to escape when the boat is at the bottom, or in deep water, it always +needs at least one of the crew to remain behind to close the rear port +of the torpedo tube and to operate the compressed air a little. So, +valuable though our trick may be, it really means that, in case of +serious accident, one member of the crew would have to remain behind in +order to help the next to last to get away. So, in case of accident, +there would always be one member of the crew who would have to be left +behind to die. That's the thing we fellows have been working on, and +here's the result. At least, it's the best we can do with it." + +"What's the idea?" inquired the inventor, examining the small model +curiously. + +"Why," laughed Jack Benson, good-humoredly, "it's an automatic device, +set to a time principle, for closing the after port of the torpedo tube +and letting off some compressed air. By means of this automatic device +the last fellow could let himself out safely. That's the theory, you +see; but we're new inventors, and so there's some flaw in the device. +It will take a skilled mind like yours to see where the fault lies." + +Jack explained volubly, while David Pollard looked over the model that +the trio of young geniuses had put together. Then Benson drew from an +inner pocket, and spread out, some carefully made mechanical drawings +that made his idea plainer. Jack was not a trained draughtsman, but he +had a great natural talent in that direction. + +"Why, you have a splendid idea here," cried the inventor, presently. + +"It doesn't quite work, though," said Hal, ruefully. + +"Lot's of inventions don't, unfortunately," winced David Pollard. "I +know something about that, for a big percentage of my inventions have +turned out to have more flaws than good points. But this is really +ingenious, boys. Who has had the big share in this get-up?" + +"The other fellows," replied the young captain. + +"Jack's idea, mostly," broke in Eph, "although Hal Hastings and I have +been allowed to butt in some." + +"It's splendidly done, as far as you've gone," glowed the inventor, full +of unselfish admiration. "And you've made it plain just how you expect +to attach this device and make it work automatically. What are you going +to do with it, now?" + +"We thought, perhaps, Mr. Pollard," explained Captain Jack, "that you +might think it worth while to take the device up at this point, and work +over it until you find out where the hitch is in the idea. If you +succeed, it will make the 'Pollard' absolutely perfect in her class." + +"But it would seem mean of me to take your idea, so nearly finished, and +go ahead with it," protested the inventor. + +"Well, you see, sir," Jack replied, earnestly, "we don't care who brings +the idea through provided it makes the 'Pollard' a world-beater. Do you +care to take this in hand, Mr. Pollard, and try to perfect it? For +we'll admit we're stuck fast and can't get any further with it." + +"Do I care to?" repeated the inventor. "Why, boys, I'll be delighted to +work over it. It'll be better than sleep to me for many a night to come. +But I hate to take it out of your hands, since you originated it." + +"Take it and welcome," begged Hal Hastings. "The only thing we want is +to see it work." + +"And the sooner the better," grunted Eph Somers. + +"Then thank you, I will," cried the inventor, earnestly. "But you boys, +if the device can be made to work, shall have your full share of the +credit." + +"Hullo, boys," greeted Jacob Farnum, coming out from the inner office, +a letter in his hands. "By the way, here's something that may interest +you. I've a letter from a man who writes about the new trick of leaving +a submerged boat. He refers to you boys as our young experts." + +"He doesn't know, does he," chuckled Jack, "that we're only three +apprentices, and rather raw, at that?" + +"No, you're not," retorted Mr. Farnum. "My correspondent is pretty near +right in referring to you as young experts." + +"If we're going to get that reputation," muttered Benson, more than half +seriously, "we'll have a heap to do in 'making good.'" + +"Just look here, Farnum, at what these boys have been at work on," begged +the inventor, calling attention to the partly-finished model. + +In an instant the boatbuilder became absorbed in the idea as shown by +model and drawings. + +"Can this be made perfect, Dave?" he asked, eagerly, turning to the +inventor. + +"I think it can," answered Mr. Pollard. "The boys have been good enough +to ask me to try." + +"Then I hope you'll start, this minute," exclaimed the yard's owner. "It +means more to us, Dave--more to us, boys--than any of you suppose at +this moment! Let me tell you something. This letter holds the key to +the secret. Trying to interest people in our work, I've been writing +right and left trying to raise more capital on terms that would be fair +to us. Now, here's a letter from Broughton Emerson, a man worth +millions. He admits that my letter has interested him. He'll come here, +soon, and he states that, if we can show him a good enough chance to +make money he will put in the needed capital, taking satisfactory +security, and yet leave the business under its present control. In +other words, he's likely to do just what we wanted George Melville to +do. Isn't that good enough news for one morning?" + +"Yes, provided we can make as good a showing as he expects," replied the +inventor, cautiously. + +"Oh, if we could only get a chance to make a trial trip for a United +States Naval board!" sighed Jack Benson, wistfully. "The Navy Department +has money now at its disposal for the purchase of submarines. If we +could get the Government to buy the 'Pollard,' that would show investors +what's what in money-making." Benson's face was all aglow with mingled +enthusiasm and wistfulness. He, and his mates, took as keen an interest +in the future of the "Pollard" as though they themselves owned that +doughty little craft. + +"A trial trip for the Navy Department?" smiled Mr. Farnum, gravely. +"Well, I don't mind telling you that we may have that, too, before long." + +"Is any date set?" breathed Captain Jack, quickly. + +"Not yet, nor is the matter even fully decided. But the newspapers have +produced a big effect on the Navy Department. The makers of other types +of submarine boats are green with jealousy of us, just now. Your +escaping trick, Jack, has made so much public clamor that Farnum stock +is going up all over the country. We'll have some big chances, mighty +soon, I'm thinking. If we get the chances, I'm certain enough that you +boys will help push us on to victory!" + +Happy dreams were these that builder, inventor and crew dreamed! The +fever of conquest was in their veins. + +Shutting himself up in a room at Farnum's home, depriving himself of +much of his needed sleep, often refusing food, David Pollard attacked +the problem of perfecting the device that Captain Jack and his mates had +originally planned. + +Two days later Broughton Emerson arrived. He was a pleasant, portly +man of more than fifty years. His manners were quiet and easy. He was +affable with everyone, but he had a keen way of looking into things. +No one could guess quite what he thought of the chances of success in +the enterprise of building submarine boats. Before the day was over +George Melville, who was slightly acquainted with Mr. Emerson, learned +that he was in town. That evening Mr. Melville succeeded in meeting +Mr. Emerson and getting him over to his hotel. + +"If you want to save a lot of money, Mr. Emerson," hinted George +Melville, "you want to be very careful to keep it out of the Farnum +investment." + +"What's wrong with the Farnum business?" questioned the other capitalist. + +"About everything, I believe," replied Mr. Melville. "And, even if the +'Pollard' were a capable a boat as its backers claim, it would still be +beaten by the type of boat that I am now working on." + +"Are you looking for capital for your submarine business?" asked +Broughton Emerson, a shrewd little twinkle in his eyes. + +"No; I have all we want. Not a dollar is needed, but I don't like the +idea of your losing a lot of money with that other crowd. They haven't +any real show to do anything with their boat." + +"They are a great lot of enthusiasts over at the Farnum yard," said Mr. +Emerson, musingly. "I like people as enthusiastic as they are. Why, +just think of those boys; what a bright lot they are!" + +"Humph! In the end Farnum will wish he never seen those boys," sneered +Mr. Melville. + +"Why?" + +"Well, the boys are wholly ready to sell out all they know about the +Farnum boat." + +"Are you sure of that, Melville?" demanded Mr. Emerson, opening his eyes +more widely. + +"Wholly positive. Benson has already offered to sell us all he knows +about the 'Pollard.' He'll steal plans, shift to our employ, or serve us +in any way that he can by betraying his present employers." + +"You astound me," cried the other capitalist. "And you are really quite +sure of this?" + +"As sure as I can be made by Benson's own offer." + +In declaring this George Melville believed he was telling the truth. His +son, Don, hoping to work out a scheme whereby Jack could be hopelessly +disgraced, had gone as far as to tell his father that Jack was willing +to overlook the past fight, and to "sell out" all he knew about the +design and inner workings of the "Pollard." + +"The Farnum business looks very inviting, despite what Melville says +against it," thought Broughton Emerson, later that night. "Yet, if I +put any money into the venture, on any terms, I must insist on the one +condition that the boys be banished from Farnum's employ." + +Of this far-reaching mischief, following Don's deliberate lie to his +father, Captain Jack Benson and his mates had not even a suspicion. + +Two days later the three submarine boys were delighted at knowing that +Broughton Emerson, despite the advice he had received from Mr. Melville, +was thinking most seriously of advancing a few hundred thousand dollars +to help boom the "Pollard" type of submarine boat. + +"That will put a crimp in the Melvilles, when they hear, won't it?" +laughed Jack, in talking it over with Hal Hastings and Eph Somers. + +Not one of the boys would have slept that night, had they known of the +plans forming to disgrace Jack Benson even in the eyes of Messrs. +Farnum and Pollard. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A RASCALLY PIECE OF WORK + + +"Now, we shall soon know!" cried David Pollard, hoarsely. + +He was trembling with the fever of the intense inventor. + +Out in the little harbor the "Pollard" lay on the bottom. In the cabin, +besides the three submarine boys, were only Jacob Farnum and David +Pollard. + +The eyes of all five were fixed on a small but ingenious bit of mechanism +that had been carefully adjusted near the rear port of the boat's +torpedo tube. This was the automatic device, first planned by Jack +Benson, with the aid of his mates, and carried forward to working order +by Mr. Pollard. By the aid of this automatic mechanism it was believed +that the last man aboard a torpedo boat could let himself into the tube, +relying upon the automatic device first to close the rear port, then +opening the forward port and at the same time letting just the right +amount of compressed air into the tube. By this means the last man +aboard a submarine below the surface could provide for his own escape, +without the aid of a comrade. + +Eph Somers had been chosen to make the effort. He now stood, in his +bathing suit, awaiting the word. + +"Go ahead, Eph," ordered Mr. Farnum. "Be very careful to set the device +just right. Not one of us is going to touch it." + +Eph carefully set the time hand on the dial, next crawled into the +torpedo tube, the rear port of which stood open. Sixty seconds later +the automatic device closed the rear port with a sharp click. + +David Pollard counted up to fifteen. + +"He must have had time to get clear of the boat," quivered the inventor. +"Now, captain, take us to the surface." + +In a twinkling, almost, the "Pollard" was riding the waves. + +"There's Eph, dancing up and down on the beach," reported Captain Jack, +from the conning tower. + +"It worked like a charm," chuckled Eph Somers, gleefully, as soon as the +others had joined him on shore. "That little charge of compressed air +shot me out of the tube, and up I bounded to the surface, like a piece +of cork." + +"Now, we really lead the whole world in submarine boating," cried Mr. +Farnum, hoarsely. "I don't care what any other inventor may have +discovered, I'm satisfied that no one else can a boat as safe for the +crew as the good little old 'Pollard' is!" + +So happy did all of the five feel, in fact, that they shook hands +gleefully, all around. Then, while Eph rowed out to the craft to dry +himself and get into uniform, Jacob Farnum ran to the machine shops, +there sounding several sharp, triumphant blasts on the steam whistle. + +The whole affair--Eph's escape to the surface, the joy of the submarine, +party and the blowing of the whistle, were all noted by a spy whom Don +Melville had set to the task of watching the Farnum crowd. + +Don was equally well aware that David Pollard had been working day and +night in his room at Mr. Farnum's house. + +"They've discovered something that pleases them mightily," thought Don, +sick with rage. "What can it be? I'm going to know, if money has still +any power to buy other men's services." + +"Jack Benson may be very happy now," muttered Don, vindictively, "but his +joy shall soon be turned to ashes--or worse." + +Nor was Don Melville speaking by mere guesswork. His ignoble nature had +evolved the whole plan by which Jack was to be ruined. Don even stooped +to use his father as an innocent tool in a series of rascally deceptions. + +"I got word that you wanted to see me at once," said Broughton Emerson, +dropping in upon Mr. Melville that afternoon at the hotel. + +"I certainly do," returned Mr. Melville, leading the way to an inner +room. "Emerson, you remember my telling you that Farnum's crew are +wholly willing to sell out their people if the price is big enough?" + +"Yes, certainly." + +"Would you like to see that proved?" + +"By all means, if it can be," replied Mr. Emerson, a look of keen +anxiety in his eyes, for he had finally determined to use his own +judgment and invest heavily in the Farnum submarine enterprise. + +"Will you consent to doing a little watching with me?" asked Mr. +Melville. + +"What's in the wind?" + +"To-night, at eleven o'clock, on a lonely bit of road well out of town," +replied George Melville, "young Captain John Benson has agreed to meet +my son, Don." + +"For what purpose?" + +"Pollard has recently perfected a submarine boat device of the greatest +practical value. Young Benson has promised Don to steal the drawings and +descriptions pertaining to that device, and to turn them over to Don, for +a price, of course!" + +"It's horrible--unspeakable!" gasped Mr. Emerson, indignantly. + +"Of course. But I want you to understand the kind of crowd that +surrounds Farnum. It will be a guide to you in investing with those +people. If you go with me, to the appointed place, ahead of time, and +we hide close enough to witness the whole transaction, then you'll +believe all that I've been telling you, won't you?" + +"Of course," nodded Mr. Emerson, speaking thickly. His whole soul +revolted at the treachery of such a transaction, which made him add: + +"But won't you and your son, Melville, be in as bad a light through +profiting by such infernal treachery?" + +"We would, if we _did_ profit," replied George Melville, flushing. +"However, as soon as Don has dismissed the young blackguard, Benson, +my son will touch a lighted match to the papers and burn them all, with +yourself looking on. What do you say, Emerson?" + +"It's a mean kind of business to take any part in," protested Broughton +Emerson, hoarsely. "But--yes, I'll go, for if such things can be done +it is my duty to myself to know." + +Plans were thereupon made for the meeting in the evening. Broughton +Emerson, honorable and broad-minded went away from that meeting heavy +of heart. He hated the whole business, and yet he admitted to himself +that he must know the truth ere he invested a fortune in other folks' +business game. Yet, weighed down by the sickening feeling that, at best, +he was about to play the spy, Mr. Emerson presently called up Jacob +Farnum on the telephone. + +"Farnum," he said, "I understand that something is to happen, to-night, +that you and I ought to know." + +"What is it?" asked the boatbuilder, alive with curiosity. + +"I'll give you a chance to find out, to-night, but you must pledge me +your word that you won't breathe a word of this, until afterwards, to +anyone, not even to Pollard. Just come along and learn what you learn, +then act as you please. Will you agree to that?" + +"Yes," promised Mr. Farnum. + +"Good enough. Then be at--" Broughton Emerson followed with directions +for late the coming evening. He did not explain who was to be spied +upon, or anything of the nature of the business, though he did add: + +"Don't be surprised, Farnum, no matter whom you see me with. It's all +a part of the night's walk. Just follow us both, without letting your +presence be known at any stage. I know this all sounds mysterious, but +believe me, it's going to be vastly worth your while." + +The remainder of the afternoon the boatbuilder's heart was, somehow, +heavy with undefined dread as to what he was to learn that night. + +In the middle of the afternoon, Don Melville, with the aid of one of his +father's Italian workmen, laid the last stone in the edifice of +trickery that he was building for the crushing of Jack Benson. + +"Jack was coming down the street from the village, when his steps were +arrested by the sound of a sharp: + +"Hist!" + +Turning, he saw an Italian workman, beckoning mysteriously. Jack went +curiously up to him. + +"I have message for you--you alone," whispered the Italian, speaking +fairly good English. "You are in danger of great meanness. One of your +enemies plots it." + +"You're one of the Melville workmen, aren't you?" asked Captain Jack, +looking curiously at the fellow. + +"Yes, and you have bad, wicked enemies over at our place." + +"I guess that may be true enough," smiled Jack, grimly. + +"Some of us are bad over there, and some honest," went on the Italian. +"Some of us hate much to see dirty work done, and I have friend who works +also for Melville. My friend knows all about what Don would do against +you. It is wicked--very. Meet my friend, to-night, at nine o'clock, +and he will tell you all--everything. I cannot tell you now. But you +will meet my friend?" + +"Yes, I guess I will," nodded Jack Benson. + +"But you must go alone; not tell your odder friends. Until you have +seen my friend you must keep all this gr-reat secret." + +After some further talk Jack Benson agreed to all this. The Italian +seemed wholly honest and earnest. Moreover, he appeared as though +greatly troubled and anxious to save the submarine boy from some +unusually mean trick. + +So Jack Benson walked on, thinking deeply and wondering much. He had no +suspicion of any trap against him in the person of this seemingly very +honest Italian, and so Don Melville had succeeded in laying the last +wire of his despicable plan. + +At half-past eight that fateful night Captain Jack found a pretext for +leaving his companions. Swinging out onto the road, and down past the +new Melville yard, he went on briskly to the point, well out of town, +that had been named for the meeting. + +"I wonder if I'm foolish?" he thought, suddenly. "Is there any trick in +all this? But, pshaw! The Melvilles surely aren't that kind of people, +and no one else has anything against me. It's all likely enough that +Don is putting up some mean game against me down at the yard, or that +he's saying something mighty mean against me. Whatever it is, these +Italians are honest enough to feel disgusted, and they want to warn me. +Yet they don't want to have any Melville eavesdropper seeing them with +me. That's all natural enough, for these Italians have their jobs to +look out for, even if they _do_ hate the rascals who pay 'em wages." + +So Captain Jack kept on his way, feeling that any suspicions of the +Italians were unfounded and therefore unnecessary. + +David Pollard, after wandering through the grounds around the Farnum +home, that evening, and missing his friend, the owner, at last decided +to go to his own room and read. + +Always soft-footed, Mr. Pollard made no noise until he turned the knob +of the door to his room. There was a sudden, scurrying sound inside. +Though he was a man of very nervous temperament the inventor was no +coward. He darted in, in time to see a figure making through the dark +for an open window. + +"Who's there Here! Stop!" thundered the inventor, rushing forward. + +But the intruder did not obey. + +Hidden behind a book in a bookcase was the inventor's revolver. Mr. +Pollard hauled the book out, dropping it, and, in a trice, had the +weapon in his hand, racing again toward the window. + +The intruder had gained the ground by the time that Mr. Pollard reached +the window. + +"Stop, you thief! Hold up, or I'll shoot!" warned the inventor. + +However, the skulker took to his heels. Pollard fired once, the flame +spitting from the muzzle of his revolver. But the figure still continued +in flight, and the inventor realized that there was no further use in +firing. + +"That was odd," thought Pollard. "The fellow had on a uniform just such +as our boys wear. If it weren't so absurd, I might be tempted to +believe, despite the darkness, that it was Jack Benson. But _he_ would +have no need to break in here." + +Then Mrs. Farnum appeared, with the servants, for the shot had alarmed +the household. + +"Have you found that anything is missing from here?" inquired Mrs. +Farnum, while Mr. pollard searched and explained at the same time. + +The inventor now halted before his desk, rummaging. + +"Yes," he answered, dryly, though with a slight quaver in his voice. "The +thief found and departed with the drawings of a most important new +device, originated by Benson and his friends and finished by myself. I'd +rather lose a large sum of money than those drawings." + +At about this time Jacob Farnum was prowling carefully about the spot +that Mr. Emerson had named. He waited there, in hiding, for a long time, +ere Messrs. Melville and Emerson came along. He let them pass, then +followed slyly, in accordance with Broughton Emerson's directions of +that afternoon. + +"Now, what on earth does this all mean?" wondered Jacob Farnum, unable, +despite his curiosity, to regard this expedition without a feeling of +considerable disgust with himself. "Confound it, it's unmanly, this +spying on someone else! It makes me feel like a rubber-soled detective, +a thug or a labor picket trying to 'warn' a workman with a lead-stuffed +club! Yet Emerson is a gentleman, or I've been fooled. It must be all +right, I suppose." + +The night was dark, and the moon not yet quite due to rise. When it +did come up above the horizon it was certain to be more or less obscured +by the clouds hanging there. + +While Messrs. Melville and Emerson stepped off along the road, Jacob +Farnum was forced to keep behind bushes and other natural objects of +cover, which increased the boatbuilder's uneasy feeling that he was, +doing something well nigh dishonorable. + +At last, however, the two capitalists stepped off the road, concealing +themselves in a clump of bushes as though by previous understanding. + +"It looks like a prearranged meeting of some sort," reflected the +boatbuilder, after having crept close enough to be able to see and to +overhear. + +Five minutes went by. Then Don Melville, narrowly escaping running into +Mr. Farnum, appeared suddenly before his father and Mr. Emerson. + +"It's almost the time, now," laughed Don, speaking in a low voice, as +he held his watch close to his eyes. "I'll slip right down into the +road, in plain sight, where you can see what happens." + +Back of all the rest, in the bushes, Jacob Farnum muttered, disgustedly, +to himself: + +"I like it little enough to find George Melville this. I like it still +less, now that I find Don having a finger in the pie of mystery." + +Smoke wafted back from a cigarette that Don was smoking. A few minutes +thus passed, when there came the sound of a low whistle. Tossing away +the stub of his cigarette, Don answered with another whistle. + +Broughton Emerson straightened up instantly, being well enough hidden +for that, and so did Jacob Farnum, whose presence, of course, was +unsuspected by either of the Melvilles. + +Then out from the cover of the woods stepped a boy of sixteen, in a +uniform like that worn by the submarine boys. + +"Have you got the plans?" asked Don, in a low voice that was yet distinct +to all the listeners. + +"Yes," came in a hoarse whisper, from the one in uniform. + +"Pass them over, then," commanded Don. "That's right. Here's your +money, in this envelope." + +Just then ray from the rising moon struggled through the filter of +clouds, the light touching lightly upon the uniformed one. + +Jacob Farnum started as though he had been shot. There was a great bound +at his heart. + +"Jack Benson!" he throbbed. "By the Great Shark, are my eyes playing me +a hideous prank?" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A RACE FOR MIXED PRIZES + + +As the moon's ray vanished behind a cloud Jacob Farnum was breathing +hard. + +Nor was it any wonder that the boatbuilder felt staggered with +astonishment. He had grown to trust Captain Jack Benson to the utmost. +Now, to find him faithless came like a heavy blow on the head. + +To this man's ears came Don's low but clear cut tones: + +"You'll keep your eyes open, won't you, Benson, and bring us all the +points you can? Anything that you think will be useful to us?" + +The boy in uniform nodded. Though the boatbuilder could not see the +uniformed one's face very well, he observed that nod, as did also +Messrs. Emerson and Melville. + +"You don't want to have anyone see us here together, then," went on Don. +"So scoot! You know how to communicate with me when you want to. +That's all." + +Don waved his hand as a sign of dismissal. + +The other boy, with a nod, turned to make his way off. "No, by the +Great Porpoise, that isn't all!" + +The words, shouted, with a tremendous energy behind them, caused some +other hearts to bound. + +Jacob Farnum, his blood now boiling, found himself unable to contain +himself any longer. + +As he shouted out, he burst through the bushes, making a bee-line for +the departing boy in uniform. + +Don Melville gasped, in sheer dismay, yet he had the presence of mind +to yell: + +"Scoot, Benson! Travel as fast as ever you can!" + +Then Don ran a few steps in the opposite direction. Young Melville was +a very fair sprinter, but he wanted to have a bit of a start in case +of need. + +"Melville, you young scoundrel, I'll settle with you later!" roared +Jacob Farnum, keeping on down the road. + +Straight in the middle of the road the fugitive was now dashing along, +until Don yelled after him: + +"Take to the woods, Benson! You can lose him there!" + +"I'll get him, anywhere on earth!" shouted Jacob Farnum, full of purpose +and vim. + +The boatbuilder was long-legged and slim. He had been a runner at +college, and now his old knack was coming back to him. + +Undoubtedly the most humiliated man present was George Melville. Though +that capitalist had not been averse to stooping to the purchase of +secrets from another man's trusted employe, he felt badly indeed to have +Farnum detect his son. + +So George Melville now came out quickly from cover. + +"Don," he demanded, "how could Farnum ever have gotten wind of this?" + +"Talk it over with Mr. Emerson," panted Don Melville. "I'm off after +Benson and Farnum." + +With that Don put his own sprinting abilities to the test, dashing into +the woods at the point where he had seen the others vanish. + +Though it flashed through George Melville's head that Broughton Emerson +must have given information to the rival boatbuilder, the elder Melville +did not now stop to question Mr. Emerson. + +Instead, the father, who was rather heavy, started off puffily in the +wake of his son. + +"This looks like ticklish business," George Melville told himself, "and +Don, though usually self-contained, is hot enough of temper, at a time +like this, to make matters pretty bad for all concerned." + +Wanting to see the matter through Broughton Emerson kept a little to +the rear of the other capitalist. It was a curious Indian file that +stretched out through the woods with the uniformed boy in the lead. + +"You may as well stop!" yelled Jacob Farnum, after the fugitive. "I'm +going to catch you, anyway!" + +It looked that way, indeed. Dark as it was, with the moon behind a +cloud, the running boy, looking back over his shoulder, could see the +enraged boatbuilder coming after him at great strides. + +Mr. Farnum was soon so close upon the heels of his quarry that he could +all but reach out his hand and grasp the boy's collar. But just then +the boy went down to earth, instantly rolling himself as nearly into a +ball as he could. + +Jacob Farnum, unable to stop in time, tripped and fell over the fugitive, +plunging, head-first, into a clump of bushes and scratching himself. + +With a jubilant laugh the boy in uniform was up again, and off. He got +a good start, but the boatbuilder, after listening a few seconds, and +getting the sounds of flight, bounded off, once more, in the right +direction. + +Don had halted precipitately, when he saw the tumble, but now he too +darted forward once more. + +"If Farnum can catch him," shivered Do; "I've got to be at hand to help +out in a lightning rescue." + +Mr. Farnum did some tall running before he again came in sight of the +runner ahead. + +Yet the pursuit had not reached its finish. The fugitive suddenly dived +through a fringe of bushes, going out of sight. + +Mr. Farnum reached the spot, then halted, looking undecided, almost +bewildered. + +There was now no sound to guide the pursuer. + +"Confound him, if he has gotten away," muttered the boatbuilder, +impatiently, to himself. Yet he did not dare risk running forward in +any direction, for fear of getting further from his quarry. + +Don Melville halted, too, chuckling softly to himself. + +"Oh, you!" snorted Farnum, glancing backward over his shoulder in high +disgust. + +Don chuckled again. + +Just then the sound of stealthily moving feet came to the boatbuilder's +ears. Don, in his glee, had lost the chance to make so much noise with +his own feet that the other boy could steal softly away undetected. + +Without a word, now, the boatbuilder sprang forward. As he advanced, he +heard the running of the uniformed boy plainly enough, and, a moment +later, came in sight. + +Now, Jacob Farnum, though not much given to making empty threats, decided +to try the effect of a ruse. + +"You! You ahead!" he shouted. "Stop, or I'll send some lead after +you. Do you want me to fire?" + +Swift as thought Don Melville, again in pursuit at the rear, yelled: + +"Don't mind him, Benson! Scoot! He hasn't any gun." + +"If some fairy only would take care of that snake-in-the-grass behind +me!" quivered Mr. Farnum, silently. + +Having the uniformed boy plainly in sight, though some hundred or more +feet ahead, Farnum by no means felt like giving up the race. All the +same, the boatbuilder, long out of practice in athletics, was beginning +to feel severely the effects of this chase over rough ground and through +bushes. + +"I've got to die or get him!" muttered Farnum, doggedly, between his +teeth. "Oh, for a little light on this cloudy night! If I could be +sure the fellow is, or isn't, Benson, I might be more willing to drop +this pace!" + +Putting on a better spurt, as a last, desperate resort, Farnum did all +in his power to overtake the uniformed boy. + +He seemed likely enough to do it--would have done it, no doubt, but for +a new trick on the part of the enemy. + +Don Melville, seeing how matters were going, and being in much better +training, increased his own burst of speed, running as softly as +possible. + +Then, with an exultant cry, Don leaped upon the back of Jacob Farnum, +catching him around the neck and bearing him to the ground. + +"Run, Benson!" cheered young Melville, "He'll never catch you now!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WHAT BEFELL THE REAL BENSON + + +Whistling softly, the real Jack Benson went along cheerily to the +appointed place. + +Being wholly courageous, there was no thought of dread in his mind over +any possible treachery. + +As he came in sight of the two trees, between which he had been asked to +meet the Italian, he made out a man waiting there. + +"Good evening," came the low, soft hail. + +Then the speaker stepped forward, proving to be the same who had accosted +the young submarine captain in the afternoon. + +"Good evening," was Jack's pleasant reply. "You're on time, I see." + +"Oh, sure!" laughed the Italian. "I been here twenty minute, already." + +"Where's your friend?" + +"Up in the woods. We take this path here, and we find him." + +The Italian took Jack Benson lightly by one arm, piloting the boy until +he had turned him into the path. Then the foreigner stepped in advance, +saying: + +"We reach my friend, in minute." + +Thus they proceeded for perhaps five hundred feet into the woods. +Presently a small light, looking as though it might be the glowing end +of a cigar, appeared ahead. + +"Ah, here is my friend," announced the guide. "Giacomo, here is the +young captain." + +"Hush! Not too loud," came the soft warning from the man behind the +cigar. + +As Benson came up this second man held out a hand, which the submarine +boy unsuspiciously took, at the same time looking over this second man. +He appeared, like the first, to be a laborer at the Melville yard. + +"I hear you have some interesting word for me," began Benson. "I--oh, +great Scott! How dare you?" + +For, dropping his cigar from between his teeth, this second Italian, +while still holding the boy's hand, gave his wrist a wrenching twist +that forced Captain Jack over to the ground. + +In a twinkling the guide fell upon him, too. + +"What on earth does this mean!" demand Benson, freeing his right hand +and doing all in his power to fight. + +The spot was fearfully lonely. Captain Jack remembered, in a jiffy, +all the gruesome tales he had heard about the dread doings of the +Black Hand. Brave though he was, the young submarine expert felt +suddenly cold and creepy, though he did not once think of giving up the +fight. + +"Now, be still you!" ordered the late guide, plaintively. "We not want +to hurt you. But, if you make us--" + +"Be still, behave, and you be all right," promised the other Italian, in +a gruff appeal for reasonableness. + +Though he tried to fight like a savage, Jack Benson soon found himself +being yanked to his feet, while a stalwart laborer held him by either +arm. + +"You see, you can do nothing," advised the Italian who had thrown the +boy. "You not want to get hurt? We no want hurt you, but if you be +one big fool, then--!" + +"What's the meaning of this rough game?" Jack demanded, hoarsely. + +"You be verra good, no make noise, come with us and wait little while, +then you go loose bimeby. Make fight, and well--then we no can help!" + +That statement, coupled with the sinister, menacing tone, was +sufficiently clear. It didn't take the submarine boy more than a few +seconds to realize that he was helpless, and that the most sensible +thing to do would be to go along, provided no worse violence than had +already been used were attempted. + +"Where do you want me to go?" he asked. + +"Oh, we show you," replied the late guide, in a tone half implying that +he stood ready to do his young captive a great favor. + +There appeared to be no help for it. Grim faced, and with teeth tightly +clenched, Captain Jack allowed himself to be led on through the woods, +both his arms being still tightly held by his conductors. Had they +intended any more dastardly violence, he reasoned, they could easily have +carried out their purpose without having hauled him to his feet. + +No more was said as the three tramped through the woods. Though the +Italians did not by any means relax their hold, they used no more force +than seemed necessary for their purpose. Indeed, they acted with that +smooth consideration typical of the Latin races, even in bad moments. + +A tramp of a quarter of a mile brought them to a little clearing in the +woods. In the middle of the open space stood a building. As he got +closer young Benson saw that it was a dilapidated-looking structure that +for many years, probably, had not been a home. + +The front door stood open, however, and to this the captors marched their +victim. + +"Look out you do not trip over broken sill," admonished the late guide, +politely. Then, as all three moved into the dark interior: + +"You be good, and lay down on floor for minute. That's all." + +Jack felt his feet kicked out from under him. Down he went, one of the +Italians sitting firmly on him. The other went across the room, fumbled, +and presently lighted a lantern in an open cupboard. + +"Now, you come along, no fuss and no hurt," advised the late guide, as +they raised the boy. They conducted him through into a rear room, where +one of the pair raised a trap-door in the floor. + +"Now, this is easy," smiled one of the pair, pointing to the darkness +under the open trap. + +"We have take ladder away, but you can drop. Not far." + +Then, seeing a look of alarm flit across the boy's face, the fellow +laughed, adding: + +"No hurt. All right. See?" + +He dropped a stone through the trapway. It fell on ground underneath, +nor did the distance down appear to be more than a few feet. + +"Cellar, that's all," grinned the Italian, reassuringly. "Now, drop, +and we not hurt you. No danger. In two, three, four hour we put down +ladder and let you up. Keep you here little while; that's all." + +Of course Jack Benson could have tried to put up a fight, but he knew he +would easily be beaten. Besides, these men, smiling and polite as they +now appeared, might have tempers bad enough to lead them to resort to +Italian steel, if they had to do it. Therefore Jack nodded, then knelt +at the trapway, and next, with an inward prayer, let himself drop down +into the darkness. He landed on damp, soft earth. + +"Good boy!" called one of the Italians, the lantern lighting his smiling +face as it appeared framed by the trapway for an instant. "Not so very +long to wait. Let you out so you go home, bimeby." + +Then the trapdoor was gently put tack in place, after which Jack heard +the click of a padlock above to secure the barrier in place. + +Young Benson got upon his feet, stretched to make sure he was unhurt, +then broke forth, under his breath: + +"Of all the prize fools in the world, commend me to Jack Benson! Here, +at the request of a perfect stranger, I've taken a long walk this night, +just in order to place myself wholly in the hands of men who, however +mild they may be in their piracy, certainly wish me no good. Oh, you, +Jack! Oh, you blooming, prize idiot!" + +Then he smiled grimly, wondering. From what had happened so far he felt +inclined to believe the smiling rascals above. Had they intended worse +violence, they had had abundant opportunity to show it. + +"Of course, they're probably stretching a point when they say I'm to be +here only three or four hours," reflected the boy. "Yet, now I'm here, +I imagine I'll have to remain here until they're pleased to let me out. +But--will I, though?" + +Overhead, at that moment, sounded the tinkle of a mandolin. It came, +apparently, from the room nearer the front door. The two foreigners +began to hum softly to the accompaniment of their instrument. + +"May-be it was a lucky thing it never occurred to the pair to search me," +murmured the submarine boy. "Probably they wouldn't have left this box +of matches in my possession." + +Lighting one of the matches, Jack began to explore. The cellar was much +like any other, and wholly empty. On each side was a little, low window, +probably not large enough for the submarine boy to crawl through. Even +at that the openings had been bricked up and looked as though they would +resist a long assault. + +At the rear of the cellar were steps, leading up to a stout-looking +bulkhead. It was padlocked, on the under side, with stout hasp and +staples. + +"Nothing doing here, either," muttered Jack. "Yet--hold on--blazes!" + +Almost feverishly he felt in an inner pocket. It was there--a case +containing seven or eight small, fine saws and other tools often employed +by machinists in constructing small devices or models. He had been using +some of the instruments on the boat that afternoon. + +"Wow!" sputtered the submarine boy, joyously. "And again--some more +_wow_!" + +Lighting another match, carefully selecting his saw, and then lighting +still another match, he took a look at the padlock, trying to find some +portion of the ring where the metal was more slender. The saw was +intended for use on metals. After he had made a sufficient notch in the +ring, young Benson was able to work, much of the time, in darkness. + +"Blessings on that mandolin," chuckled this industrious young human +beaver. "If it wasn't for their jolly old twang-twang those Italians +might hear my fairy buzz-saw at work." + +Yet, though he progressed, what a fearful length of time this task +appeared to take! + +"And, if it turns out that there's another padlock in place on the +outside, this will be just another case of love's labor lose," sighed +the boy. + +Occasionally, when the mandolin sounds ceased for a few moments, Benson +rested, too. It would never do to take the risk of having his slight +noise overheard. + +At last! The saw went through the ring, proclaiming the task all but +finished. First, with trembling fingers, the submarine boy replaced the +saw in its case. Then, with another tough little tool, he started +patiently to bend the severed ends of the ring metal sufficiently far +apart. In this he succeeded finally. + +Removing the padlock, he let the hasp fall away from the staple. On the +floor above the mandolin was twanging merrily, the voices of the +Italians rising somewhat in their song. + +With his pulses throbbing, Jack Benson essayed to raise the bulkhead. +Glory! It rose! A moment later Captain Jack Benson was out in the +open, under the cloudy skies. + +No time did he lose there, however. Stealing softly for the woods, he +sped on into them. Nor did he cease his hurried gait until he had +covered at least a quarter of a mile. + +"Not much risk of their finding me, now, even if they're wise at last," +reflected the submarine boy, slowing down to an easier walk. + +In all, Captain Jack must have gone nearly three-quarters of a mile from +the scene of his late confinement when something occurred that made him +fairly jump. + +Ahead there came the sound of rapid steps. Then the sounds of a slight +scuffle, followed by Don Melville's undoubted tones, shouting: + +"Run, Benson! He'll never catch you now!" + +"How on earth does Don Melville know I'm here?" quivered Jack, stopping +short. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE CAPITALIST DOESN'T LIKE THE SITUATION + + +Someone was dashing through the woods straight at Jack Benson. + +Almost immediately there came the yell, in baffled rage: + +"Confound you, Don Melville! I'll settle with you for this!" + +"That's Mr. Farnum's voice!" throbbed the real Jack, all agog with +wonder. + +Immediately there dashed between the trees a panting boy in a uniform +identically like Benson's. + +"That you, Hal?" shouted the real Jack. + +"Yes," came a hoarse answer. + +"What's wrong?" + +"Run to Farnum--quick!" + +"You're a liar, whoever you are!" retorted Jack, putting himself in +motion after the fugitive. "You're not Hal Hastings--nor yet Eph +Somers!" + +The race was a spirited one. The fugitive ran splendidly, gamely, but +Jack Benson's wind had had a long rest, and now he was in the pink of +condition for sprinting. + +So, ere three hundred feet had been covered, the young submarine boy +made a flying leap that carried him onto the shoulders of the fugitive +down went both to earth. + +"Now, hold quiet, will you, or shall I have to pummel your face out of +any human likeness?" demanded Jack. + +"Oh, Jack! Jack Benson! That you?" shouted the wondering voice of +Jacob Farnum. + +"Yes, and I've got some fellow who's masquerading in _our_ uniform!" yelled +Captain Jack. + +Jacob Farnum had succeeded in hurling Don Melville away from him, and +now the all but exhausted boatbuilder came through the forest with +lumbering steps. + +All of a sudden the downed fugitive began to fight, and Jack was forced +to be strenuous. + +"Here, let me take him. I'll quiet him," promised Jacob Farnum, grimly. +That gentleman was in a state of mental maze over the sight of what at +first appeared to be two Jack Bensons fighting each other; Yet the +incident gave him evidence that there was something unusual in this +night's appearances. Without any difficulty, now, he separated the +real from the false Jack, and promptly laid hands on the latter. + +Don Melville's face was now a sickly white, but he felt that he had to +act on the instant. + +"Here, let that fellow go," he ordered, darting up, his eyes blazing. + +"Get back there! Stand away! Hands off!" roared the submarine boy, +facing young Melville and sending him back by a blow in the chest. + +"Let that fellow go!" insisted Don, angrily. "If you try to hold him, +I won't be responsible for what I do!" + +"I can tell you what you'll do, if you try to mix in at all where Mr. +Farnum is busy," retorted Jack, facing his foe with a savage grin. + +Nevertheless, Don, espying a stick of wood lying on the ground, snatched +it up, then tried to dart around Captain Jack in order to get at Mr. +Farnum, who was having a rather one-sided struggle with the recent +fugitive. + +But Jack stopped Don--stopped him all of a sudden, by rushing at him +and forcing him back up against a tree trunk. Whack! thump! It was +no time for delicacy. Young Benson struck Don two hard blows in the +face, next wrenching the stick away from him. + +"The ground's good enough for you--full length!" snapped Jack; +wrathfully. Leaping at the Melville heir once more, he bore that +angered youth to the ground. Had not Don been winded by so much running +he would not have been so easy to handle. + +"Now, you stay there," commanded Jack, testily. "I believe you know a +good deal about things that have happened to me to-night, and we've got +to get it all straightened out." + +"I've got this one, Jack," called Mr. Farnum, gleefully. + +The arrival of the real Jack Benson on the scene, in contrast with the +sham one, had opened the boatbuilder's eyes. He could not fathom, yet, +what it all meant, but he was certain that his hitherto trusted young +captain would be able to explain it all satisfactorily. + +The young stranger in blue now lay on his back, while Jacob Farnum sat +astride of him. The boatbuilder felt carefully over the outside of the +clothing of his captive, until his hands encountered the feel of paper. + +"I guess this is what I'm looking for," muttered the "Pollard's" builder, +thrusting his hand into a pocket and pulling out an envelope. "This +looks like the envelope Don Melville handed you, back there up the road. +Let us see how much you got for your rascality to-night." + +Striking a match, Mr. Farnum drew some banknotes from the envelope, +counting them. + +"Twenty dollars, for all that dirty work," sneered the boatbuilder. +"Young man, you sell yourself too cheaply. It ought to be worth more +than twenty dollars, just to have to be found with the Melvilles." + +Hearing that, Don gnashed his teeth. Like many another rascal, Don +wanted people to think well of him. + +"Jack," called out the boatbuilder, "see if young Melville has a long, +white envelope anywhere about him. In the inside coat pocket, if I +remember rightly." + +"Don't you dare!" challenged young Melville. But Jack glanced down at +him with contempt, retorting: + +"I follow only Mr. Farnum's orders. People who follow your orders take +too big a risk of having to go to jail." + +In Don's inner coat pocket rested a long, white envelope. Jack fished +it out with a cry of triumph. + +"Got it, Jack?" hailed the boatbuilder. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then hold on to that envelope until we have a good chance to look it +over. It's supposed to contain plans, or some sort of information, that +you were supposed to be selling the Melvilles to-night." + +"What?" gasped Captain Jack. + +"Oh, there's a lot to the affair, and some of it needs unraveling, but +we'll get to the bottom of it yet." + +"I should say we'd have to!" + +"This young hoodlum that I'm holding down is dressed in a uniform just +like yours." + +"I noticed that, sir." + +"He's your figure, and complexion, and doesn't look a whole lot unlike +you, Jack. I was fooled to-night, from the distance, when he +impersonated you. But, now I have a closer look, this young fellow +looks more like a thug, and he's slightly cross-eyed, too." + +"I hear voices, so they must be over this way," sounded the tones of +Broughton Emerson, between the trees. Then he and George Melville came +upon the scene. + +The elder Melville stared incredulously, with a startled gasp, when he +got close enough to make out what had happened. + +"Benson," blurted the capitalist, "how dare you? This is an outrage, +you young puppy! Don, get up out of that undignified position. Get +up this instant!" + +"He will," said Jack, dryly, "as soon as he can get away. At present +he's held down by force of circumstances." + +"Get off my son, you impudent young upstart!" insisted George Melville, +aghast at the ignoring of his first order. "Don, get up this instant." + +"Mr. Farnum gives all the orders here, so far as I'm concerned, Mr. +Melville," announced the submarine boy. + +"Oh, let him up," said Farnum, dryly. "We know just where to find Don +Melville any time that we need him." + +Jack got up willingly enough, then. But Don, as soon as he had recovered +some of his crumpled dignity, held out one hand imperiously. + +"Give me that envelope you just took from my pocket," he commanded. + +"Oh, will I?" rejoined Benson. "Ask Mr. Farnum for it." + +"Hold onto that envelope, Jack," commanded the boatbuilder. + +Jack Benson thrust it into his inner coat pocket, next firmly buttoning +the front of his coat. Don made a move forward, as though to prevent, +but drew back sullenly when he caught the flash of the submarine +captain's steady eyes. + +"Did young Benson take anything from your pockets?" demanded George +Melville, stiffly. + +"Yes, that envelope that he has just buttoned up in his own coat," said +Don, sulkily. + +"Return that to my son, at once," insisted the capitalist. + +Jack, this time, did not even honor the command so far as to admit having +heard it. + +Broughton Emerson, deeply puzzled, had left group to go over to Mr. +Farnum and the strange boy in blue. + +"Jack!" called the boatbuilder, and Benson ran to him. + +"Do you think you can fasten onto this youth, and prevent his getting +away from us?" asked Jacob Farnum. + +"I'm rather sure of it," nodded Benson. + +"Then keep your eye on the fellow, Jack. He's got to go to jail. He's +been engaged in some conspiracy against us, and I'm going to fathom it +all, and have the fellow sent up for years and years at hard labor." + +The fellow whom Jack was now holding heard this with a start and a +shiver. + +"You hear that, Don Melville?" he gasped. "Remember, you promised to see +me through safely, if any trouble happened. You've got to keep your +word." + +"Hold your tongue if you think I'm going to do anything for you," +growled Don. + +"If you don't stand by me," threatened the prisoner, "I'll make things +warm for you--and you know I can do it!" + +Don paled, visibly, under that threat. + +"Ho, ho!" laughed Jacob Farnum. "When thieves fall out--" + +"Mr. Farnum, sir," thundered the elder Melville, stalking over to where +the boatbuilder stood, "do you realize you're talking about my son?" + +"Well, why not?" asked Mr. Farnum, coolly. "It's becoming pretty +evident that he isn't a bit too good to be talked about." + +"What does all this hubbub and outrage mean, anyway?" cried George +Melville. + +"It looks to me," rejoined Farnum, coolly, "as though your son would +have the extensive task of informing us." + +"Come on, father; let's be getting away from these people," proposed +Don. "But what are you going to do with that young man?" + +"In the name of the Commonwealth," replied the boatbuilder, "I've placed +this young man under arrest, and I'm going to deliver him up to the +authorities. He has been engaged in a conspiracy, and must suffer for +his full share in the affair. If he confesses, and implicates others, +they'll have to stand the consequences." + +Again Don lost color, though now he was careful not to betray himself +any further. But he hesitated, afraid to go away, lest Jack's prisoner +be led into betraying him. + +"Start your young man towards the road, Jack," directed Mr. Farnum, who +now had the envelopes taken from Don and the stranger. + +Jack started, holding to the arm of his late impersonator. + +"Mr. Farnum, may I have a word with you?" asked George Melville, as the +others walked along. + +"Mr. Emerson," urged the boatbuilder, "will you walk on the other side +of Captain Benson's prisoner? I want to make sure that no attempt at +rescue is made." + +Broughton Emerson readily nodded his agreement, and stepped up ahead. +As for Don, he fell in behind this group, while Messrs. Melville and +Farnum walked still more to the rear. + +"Now, what does this whole affair mean?" demanded George Melville. + +"As far as I understand it," answered Jack's employer, stiffly, "it looks +as though your son and yourself had framed up a scene, to be witnessed +in poor light, at night, in which my young captain would appear to be +hound enough to sell out Pollard's business secrets, and mine." + +"I can assure you," said the capitalist, coldly, "that I had nothing to +do with any deception." + +"Then your son, without your knowledge, fixed up to-night's affair." + +"You seem bound to fasten something upon my son." + +"Well, Mr. Melville, can't you yourself understand that everything +appears to point to Don as the prime mover in all this business?" + +"I do not agree with you, sir." + +"Well, perhaps that's hardly to be expected." laughed Jacob Farnum. +"However, since the real Jack Benson wasn't in that little picture so +neatly framed for inspection, let us get up closer to him, and ask him +to tell us just what did happen." + +So Jack, as the party turned into the road, related the story of the +trap that had been sprung on him, and how he had escaped from it. + +At the conclusion of the narrative, Mr. Farnum turned around to say +to Don: + +"Young man, if you have engineered the whole of to-night's plan, I must +compliment you on your originality and ingenuity. Nothing but accident +prevented you from having a complete triumph." + +"Be careful, sir, what you say about my son!" warned George Melville, +pompous in his anger. + +"As it disturbs you," smiled Farnum, "I won't say any more about it. +The whole business will keep." + +The elder Melville, however, pulled Mr. Farnum by the arm until he had +him well to the rear of the others. + +"Now, Farnum," murmured the capitalist, in a conciliatory voice, "I am +ready to admit that it begins to look a bit as though my son may +possibly have been a bit reckless. I shall want the truth of it all +proved. But, if I am satisfied that Don has been wholly in the wrong +in anything that he has done, believe me, I shall be most ready to make +the matter right with you." + +"Right with me?" repeated the boatbuilder, in amazement "What do you +mean by that?" + +"Why, I mean, of course, that, if I am convinced that Don has been +headstrong and over-zealous--" + +"Mr. Melville, listen to me, and understand me fully. It looks as +though to-night's business had been engineered on purpose to dissuade +Mr. Emerson from investing money in my enterprises. If that is true, +it is a matter of conspiracy, and I cannot hold out any hope to you that +I shall allow anyone to escape just punishment." + +"Do you threaten my son?" demanded the elder Melville, a menacing frown +clouding his face. + +"Of course not unless he can be shown to be undoubtedly guilty. For +your sake and his I hope that won't be the case. And now, sir, good +night." + +They were nearing the streets of the village, and, Soon after the two +Melvilles fell behind, Mr. Farnum found a constable who took the +stranger in the blue uniform in charge. + +Mr. Emerson excused himself, going to his own stopping place, but Mr. +Farnum and Jack continued with the officer until they had seen the +young stranger locked up. + +Then Mr. Farnum hurriedly telephoned to the house of a lawyer, rousing +that gentleman, and sending him to the lock-up to interview the prisoner. +Jacob Farnum had already returned to the young stranger the twenty +dollars found in the envelope in his pocket. The boatbuilder had also +handed to Don Melville the envelope taken from him, after having +ascertained that it contained only blank paper. + +As Mr. Farnum and Captain Jack again turned into the street they +encountered David Pollard, rushing along and looking much excited. + +"Oh, here you are," burst from the inventor. "I've been looking for you +everywhere, since you were not at home. Two things of the utmost +importance have happened." + +"Some other things, also, of which I do not believe you yet know," +smiled the boatbuilder. "But let's have your news, first, Dave." + +"A thief, dressed in a uniform very much like Jack's, and of the same +size and similar build to our captain, broke into my room and stole the +drawings for the automatic closer for the torpedo tube," hastened on the +inventor, almost breathlessly. "I fired a shot at him, from my window, +but he escaped." + +"We know the fellow, I guess," nodded Jacob Farnum, "and we know he +disposed of some blank paper to-night. But I did not know your drawings +had been stolen." + +"Say," broke in Jack Benson, thoughtfully, "do you remember the two +holes in the right side of the fellow's coat?" + +"Yes, I do," rejoined the boatbuilder. + +"Probably he's the same fellow. A bullet, passing through his coat, +might have made those two holes without touching his body." + +"Jove!" muttered Farnum. "Yes; that's so. I believe your guess is +wholly right, Jack." + +"Tell me about that," begged Mr. Pollard. + +"One thing at a time, please," urged the boatbuilder. "Now, if that +young rascal had the drawings, did he turn them over to Don Melville +before the arranged meeting that I saw? For our prisoner had no such +papers aboard him when I searched him." + +"That will have to be solved," muttered Jack, seriously. "We can't +afford to have those secret drawings in the possession of the rival +submarine boat builders." + +"But what about your other news, Dave?" interposed Mr. Farnum. + +"This telegram!" burst, eagerly, from the inventer, producing a yellow +envelope. "It was addressed to you, but in your absence I opened it." + +While Jack struck a match, the boatbuilder read with feverish interest +showing in his eyes. + +"Oh, but this is great news!" he gasped. "We've finally got the Navy +Department awake. This dispatch inquires how soon we can be ready to +run the 'Pollard' through an exhaustive trial trip with a board of +Naval officers aboard. Do you grasp it, Jack? If the trial succeeds +we'll sell our first boat to the Government and be on the high road to +success and fortune! Oh, this is the grandest news! It overshadows +everything else!" + +It truly did. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +ON TRAIL AS YOUNG EXPERTS + + +Very early the next morning Jacob Farnum sent the following telegram to +the Navy Department at Washington: + +_"Send board of officers as soon as you desire. Everything in readiness. +Advise me promptly, and how many will be in party."_ + +Then, knowing that he could not expect to hear from the national capital +for at least several hours, and feeling that he simply must have +something absorbing on his, hands, the boatbuilder turned his attention +to following up the business of the night before. + +He soon learned, through means of his own, that Don Melville had engaged +a driver and had left Dunhaven during the night. + +"Pooh!" snapped the boatbuilder. "If we want that young man, detectives +will find him sooner or later. Or else, he'll be compelled to hide at +the ends of the earth, so that he'll give us no further trouble." + +The young stranger at the lock-up steadfastly refused to admit that he +was David Pollard's burglar of the night before. Naturally, therefore, +he failed to disclose what had become of the envelope of drawings stolen +from the inventor's room. + +Yet the lawyer engaged by Mr. Farnum had strong hopes that, eventually, +the prisoner would be forced to reveal all that he knew. Another +attorney, engaged, presumably, by Mr. Melville, had also seen the +prisoner, and probably had succeeded in making the young man feel that +he would be well paid for silence. + +During the forenoon the prisoner's case was called in the local justice's +court, but Farnum's lawyer had no difficulty in having the hearing +postponed. The prisoner gave the name of James Potter, which undoubtedly +was fictitious. No bail was offered for "Potter." If Mr. Melville +felt inclined to do that, he undoubtedly dreaded that such an act would +be construed as a tacit admission of Don's connection with the strange +business. + +Captain Jack was sent, with an officer, to see whether he could identify +the two Italians who had trapped him the night before. Though all the +workmen of the yard were rounded up, Jack could not find his recent +assailants among them. + +"And now," cried Mr. Farnum, when Captain Jack returned to the Farnum +yard, "you will have to get busy with any preparation on board the boat +that has to be made." + +"No preparation is necessary," replied Benson, "except to remove the +automatic closer from the after port of the torpedo tube, so the Navy +men won't see it. That can be done in ten minutes or less. The +'Pollard' is all ready for inspection or any kind of tests, sir." + +So Jack spent his time at leisure aboard the submarine. Eph and Hal +listened enviously to the recital of his night's adventure. + +"And all that time," grumbled Hal, "I was taking an extra nap in the +starboard stateroom." + +"And I was reading a great story about the boy scouts of the War of +1812," sighed Eph, regretfully. "Doing that when something real was +happening within a long stone's throw of here. Oh, Jack, Jack! Why +didn't you tip us off?" + +"If I had only suspected that something was up, I would have done it," +Jack replied. "I tell you, fellows, there was a time, when those +Italians were marching me through the woods, that a little company of +my own sort would have been mighty pleasant. I couldn't be very sure, +at one time last night, of whether you'd ever see me again. But I had +the conviction that, if I tried to put up a useless fight against those +two powerful fellows, there'd be sure to be a new captain aboard the +'Pollard.'" + +It was well along in the evening when Mr. Farnum received a telegram +from Washington, informing him that a board of three Naval officers, +provided with proper credentials, would arrive in Dunhaven on the next +morning but one. + +The boatbuilder came promptly on board the submarine with the news, +adding, earnestly: + +"Don't you boys leave this boat unguarded for an instant until after +the trial trip is over. Mr. Melville will very likely hear about this +and I'm not sure he'd hesitate to disable our boat if he could. At the +rate at which work is going on at his yard his boat may be finished +before our second submarine is ready for demonstration. It would be +greatly to his interest to have a boat to show the Government first, +especially if he now has the plans of our automatic closing device." + +It turned out that the suspicion of Mr. Melville receiving the news of +the coming trial trip was wholly correct. The next morning that +capitalist called at Jacob Farnum's office. + +"Farnum," he announced, "I've decided that, in order to heal all +breaches, and also to make what is very likely to be a good investment +for myself, I'll be ready to put in all the money desired with you, and +on what I think will be your own terms." + +"Of course I feel greatly obliged to you," rejoined the boatbuilder, with +evident sarcasm. "But to put money into this enterprise, Mr. Melville, +would be to encourage, needlessly, competition with your own submarine +building." + +"Oh, we can merge the two yards, Mr. Farnum," responded the capitalist, +with a wave of his hand. + +"Some little time ago, Mr. Melville, I would have been very greatly +pleased with your offer. Now, Mr. Emerson stands ready with hundreds +of thousands of dollars. He knows that a trial trip is being arranged +for the Government, and he stands ready to act by the result. If we +can sell our first boat to the Government he stands ready to turn over +all the money we can possibly use." + +"But what if the Government doesn't buy?" + +"Then there would be no sense in using more capital for the present." + +"The Government may be fairly well satisfied, and yet there may be a +hitch about buying one of your boats. What, then?" + +"We shall have to wait and see," replied Mr. Farnum. + +"But my offer, Mr. Farnum, if not accepted to-day, will not be repeated," +warned the capitalist. + +"Your offer, Mr. Melville, would not, under any circumstances, be +considered, or even tolerated," rejoined the boatbuilder, coolly. + +George Melville leaped to his feet, his face flushing. + +"Do you mean that?" he demanded, glaring at the man opposite him. + +"I never meant anything more in all my life," smiled the boatbuilder. +"Mr. Melville, I thank you for suggesting that you are ready to advance +money, but I assure you, on my word, that I shall never have any +business dealings with any members of your family." + +"Man, you are talking like an idiot! Throwing away chances like a +fool!" stormed Mr. Melville, his look becoming blacker every instant. + +"And I appreciate the fact that you are much too wise a man to talk with +a fool," laughed the boatbuilder, walking over and throwing the office +door open. "Good morning! This will be my busy week." + +"You'll want me when, it's too late," cried the angry capitalist, +striding through the doorway. "You will live to see the day, very +soon--" + +What that day was Mr. Farnum didn't learn, for he closed the door on +his departing caller, going, laughing, back to his desk, where he +picked up a cigar and lighted it. + +"How poison runs through the blood of some families," mused the +boatbuilder, blowing out several rings of smoke. + +On the morning appointed the three Naval officers arrived at Dunhaven. +Their appearance did not excite much interest among the natives, for all +three were in ordinary civilian dress. + +Commander Ennerling came as president of the board; the other two +members were Lieutenant Commander Briscoe and Lieutenant McCrea, the +latter serving as recorder of the board. + +"I've had the pleasure of meeting you before, haven't I, Lieutenant?" +murmured Mr. Farnum, in an aside. + +"Yes, and the commander of your boat is the same who played that +wonderfully funny trick by leaving the submarine's card painted on the +side hull of the battleship 'Luzon' during the hours when I was watch +officer," replied the Naval officer, in an equally low tone. "But +please don't refer to it before my comrades, They've stopped hazing me +about it, and have almost forgotten the incident." + +As Lieutenant McCrea spoke his face was very red. He had been tormented +much by his brother officers over the laughable prank that Captain Jack +had played upon him, as related in the first volume in this series. + +Mr. Farnum took the Naval board first of all to his house, where the +inventor was presented to them. Then, after an early lunch, the party +went out to board the "Pollard." + +Captain Jack Benson and his crew of two were on the platform deck to +receive the visitors from Washington. As Jack's hand met Lieutenant +McCrea's the submarine boy said only: + +"I am very glad to see you again, sir. I hope we shall have something +worth showing to you." + +"Get away from moorings, Captain Benson," directed Mr. Farnum. "Then, +when we get out on the broad ocean, we'll be ready for any tests that +these gentlemen want." + +Within a very few minutes more the "Pollard" was a mile off shore, +heading almost due east and traveling at nearly her full speed. + +"We'll see how fast you can log the knots off for an hour," proposed +Commander Ennerling, picking up a satchel that he had brought with him. +With McCrea's help he adjusted a patent log that he had brought along +with him, casting the line over the rail into the water. + +"Now, let me know how soon you are ready to have the record of your +speed begin," he suggested. + +"Take the log from this minute," requested Captain Jack, for, as soon as +he saw the Naval officers adjusting the log, he had quietly passed word +by Eph to Hal Hastings, who was in the engine room, to crowd on every +revolution of the twin shafts that the gasoline motor would stand. + +For an hour there was nothing to do but to steer straight ahead. Part +of the time some of the officers spent below smoking, though always at +least one of them remained on deck, to make sure that the log record was +not tampered with. + +At exactly the end of the hour the indicator of the log was read off. + +"Twenty-one and four tenths knots!" cried commander Ennerling, with an +expression of amazement. "Whew! I knew we were traveling fast, but I +didn't imagine we were doing quite as well as this." + +"You're satisfied with your test, aren't you?" inquired Mr. Farnum. + +"Yes, for the log was carefully standardized for us before we came." + +Hal Hastings was called on deck to be complimented for this performance. + +"The motor can be improved so as to beat that speed," declared Hal, +flushed and happy, for he had nursed that motor along during the hour! + +"As it stands, the twenty-one-spot-four record beats anything of the +kind with any other submarine boat in the United States, doesn't it?" +inquired David Pollard. + +"I--I--it may do. It's a very excellent record for speed, anyway; +very remarkable," admitted the president of the board, cautiously. + +"Now, gentlemen, what test will you have next?" asked Mr. Farnum. + +"Suppose," replied Commander Ennerling, after glancing at his associates, +"that you submerge the boat, on even keel, and let us see how many feet +under water you dare to go with this craft?" + +"It shall be done," nodded Mr. Farnum. Accordingly the ventilators were +shipped, all hands went below, and the conning tower manhole was closed. +Everything was in readiness for the drop below the surface. The +gasoline engine was shut off, the electric motor being started. At +Captain Jack's order Eph stepped up to take the conning tower wheel, +while the young commander stood by the diving controls. + +"Even keel, if you please," again requested Commander Ennerling. + +Jack began to flood, slowly, the water tanks, the "Pollard" sinking +gradually. With the young captain at one side of the gauge, Messrs. +Farnum and Pollard took their posts at the other side, to watch the +readings. + +"How many feet down do you want to go?" asked young Benson, coolly. + +"How far down do you dare to take the boat?" asked Mr. Farnum, almost +hesitatingly. + +"As far as you dare to let me," replied Jack, with spirit. "Watch +the gauge, and tell me when to stop." + +"Jove, but you have a cool nerve, lad, if you back that up," laughed +lieutenant McCrea. + +"Perhaps our young skipper is relying upon the caution of his employer," +suggested Commander Ennerling, smiling. + +It is always a question of great importance just how far below the +surface a submarine torpedo boat may go with safety. The greater the +depth the more enormous the pressure of the water. At sufficient depth +the water pressure is terrific enough to crush in the hull of the +stoutest submarine. At even less depth the pressure may easily start +the plates so that the inrush of water will destroy all on board. + +Yet Jack Benson's proposition was to send the "Pollard" further and +further below the surface, until owner or inventor should order him to +stop. + +All three of the Navy officers shot a look of admiration at the doughty +young skipper. Then, almost immediately, their faces resumed their +usual expressions. To the Navy officers this experience carried with it +no dread. The "Pollard" might prove, under severe test, wholly unfit to +stand the pressure below surface. Their death might be but a minute or +two away, but with these Naval officers it was all in the line of duty. + +It was not, with the members of the board, so much a matter of actual +grit as of constant association with all forms of danger. + +"We're going pretty low," muttered Mr. Farnum to himself, as he read the +gauge. + +"Can we stand much more depth?" wondered David Pollard, inwardly uneasy, +though outwardly calm. A moment later he told himself: + +"Jack Benson has never been as low as this before!" + +"It won't take much more of this to make further trial trips of no +interest to us," almost shivered Jacob Farnum. + +Yet Jack, true to his word, allowed the "Pollard" to sink lower and +lower. He was waiting for the word--or the bottom! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FOOLING THE NAVY, BUT ONLY ONCE + + +Commander Ennerling bent forward to read the submergence gauge. + +"Jove, but you've really your nerve with you, Captain Benson," he +declared, simply. + +"Confidence in the boat, sir," Jack answered coolly. + +Up in the conning tower, where he could observe the duplicate gauge, Eph +Somers, though not easily frightened, was beginning to feel more than +curious. + +"If we go much deeper, I'll sure let out a yell," Eph gritted, between +his teeth. + +At last Jack's voice broke in, coolly: + +"You see, gentlemen, the gauge now gives a constant reading. We can't +go any lower, for the water tanks are as full as they'll hold, and +there's still the buoyancy caused by all the air the interior of the +boat. So we're as far below the surface as we can go." + +"Bully for you, Benson!" cried Lieutenant McCrea, slapping the young +skipper on the back. "You understand what you're doing, and no one +could do it with more coolness. You must have been born aboard a +submarine." + +"He never saw a craft of this kind, until a few weeks ago," retorted +Jacob Farnum admiringly. + +Taking out a notebook and pencil, Commander Ennerling recorded the +reading of the submergence gauge, which showed how many feet the craft +was below the surface of the water. + +"Of course," hinted Mr. Farnum, smilingly, "don't know the gauge to be +correct." + +"We've the means with us of testing and standardizing the gauge in the +harbor," replied the president of the board. + +"If we ever see the harbor again," muttered Eph Somers, overhead in the +conning tower. + +"How does this compare with the depths touched by submarine boats now +owned by the Navy?" asked David Pollard, a bit feverishly. He was not +afraid of their present rather dangerous position, but was frightfully +nervous over the thought of any good showing this craft born in his +brain might fail to make. "This is thirty feet lower than any +submarine record I've ever heard of." + +"I--perhaps it would be wiser for me not to say," replied Commander +Ennerling. "It may be as well for me to wait and compare this record +with those on file at the Navy Department." + +"Have you had all you want of this, gentlemen?" inquired the boatbuilder. +"Shall we show you anything else?" + +"Yes; you might give us a run at full speed under water, at the lowest +depth that you deem it wise to try to run the craft," answered the +president of the board. + +"Very good," nodded the builder. Hal took this as the signal to leap +back into the motor room. + +"How far below the surface would _you_ dare run the 'Pollard,' Captain +Benson?" inquired Commander Ennerling. + +"At the greatest depth we can go, the present depth," quietly answered +Jack, without bravado. + +The president of the board glanced at the builder of the submarine. + +"Does that appeal to you, Mr. Farnum?" + +"I'll let Captain Benson have his own way, unless the members of the +board have other instructions," replied Jacob Farnum, promptly. + +"Well, Captain Benson, if you deem it wise to work your propellers at +their best at the present level, go ahead and try it," laughed the +president of the board. + +"Half speed ahead, Hal," called the young submarine captain. "Full +speed as soon as you get well started. Eph, swing around and go due +west." + +"Aye, aye, sir," came the response, from both members of the crew. + +Erelong the splendid little craft was making the best speed of which she +was capable. That there was a big chance of risk in it all knew. If +the hull of the boat was not of the most perfect construction there +would presently come an ear-splitting report through the bursting in of +steel plates on account of the tremendous pressure of the water all +around the boat. That would be followed by the inrush of the ocean +and prompt destruction. + +There was another danger, not so great. Wrecks of ships often sink +below the surface, there to drift tediously about as long as the timbers +hold together. If the "Pollard," traveling under present conditions, +should collide with such a hull, there would be no future for anyone +aboard. + +Yet, though all three of the submarine boys fully comprehended the +chances that now confronted them, all three did their work without +faltering. + +In fact, none of the eight human beings aboard during this extremely +hazardous undertaking betrayed any cowardice, nor even alarm. + +Lieutenant McCrea watched the gauge, the other two officers going +forward to make record of the number of revolutions per moment at which +the electric motor could drive the propeller shafts. + +After ten minutes the president of the board approached Mr. Farnum +to say: + +"We are satisfied with this part of the work. Let us return to the +surface for a welcome look at the sky." + +"Will you hold your watches, gentlemen," inquired Captain Jack, "in +order to see how much time passes before we are running on the surface?" + +One of the members of the board, watch in hand, climbed up the staircase +to stand beside Eph in the conning tower. + +"Awash, sir," Eph soon called down. + +The time was noted. + +"Now, show us anything that you wish," suggested Commander Ennerling. + +Captain Jack looked significantly at Messrs. Pollard and Farnum. Both +nodded. + +"Then, sir," rejoined Captain Benson, "if don't mind, we'll run back to +Dunhaven, and show you a specialty of ours in the harbor at Dunhaven." + +"Very good," agreed the president of the board. + +Not until they were in sight of the little harbor was the manhole opened. +Now, some of the party stepped out onto the platform deck and remained +there a few minutes. + +"I'll have to ask you to come inside, now, gentlemen," requested Jack +Benson, courteously, after making an unobserved signal to someone on +shore. "We're going down to the bottom of the harbor." + +As soon as the "Pollard" had sunk, and rested on bottom, Jacob Farnum +invited the members of the board into one of the staterooms aft. + +"For just a few minutes, gentlemen," he explained, "we want to keep +you from seeing something." + +As soon as the visitors were out of the way, Captain Jack sprang forward +to the torpedo tube. Hal Hastings, stripping off his outer clothing, +stood forth in his bathing suit. + +"Into the tube with you, now," whispered Jack. "Crawl well +forward--right up to the forward end of the tube--so. Get hold of the +crossbar of the cap. Hold on hard. Now, when we close the rear port, +and open the forward cap, with a little rush of compressed air, the cap +will open forward and up, dragging you out into the water. Now, then, +got a good hold?" + +"A grip like death itself," laughed Hal. + +"Be ready, then." + +Captain Jack closed the rear port of the tube, and turned on some +compressed air, which also drove the forward port open and up. A moment +later the submarine boy tapped at the door of the state-room. + +"Has anything happened?" smiled Mr. Farnum. + +"Hal Hastings is missing, sir," reported Jack. + +"Missing?" demanded the boatbuilder, leading his guests out into the +cabin. + +Young Benson pointed to the pile of clothing, just as Hal had left it on +the floor. + +"Get to the surface," commanded Mr. Farnum. "We shall have to look into +this." + +Soon the conning tower of the "Pollard" reappeared above the waves. + +"Hal is safe, gentlemen," reported Captain Benson, from the tower. + +An instant later he opened the manhole of the tower, allowing all hands +to step out on deck. + +Grinning delightedly, Hal stood in the bow of the small shore boat. + +"How did he get there, from a submarine on the bottom?" asked Commander +Ennerling, in astonishment. + +"That is one of the secret features of this boat," laughed Mr. Farnum. +"Now, gentlemen, if you will kindly come below again, we're going to +sink." + +Hardly had the submarine touched bottom before Mr. Farnum again conducted +his guests back to the state-room. When Captain Jack summoned them +forth, they returned to find Hal Hastings, laughing in a way that showed +his white teeth, standing there in his dripping garments. + +"From what you have seen, gentlemen," said the builder, seriously, "I am +sure you will understand that we have mastered a new feature, of great +value in submarine boating." The three Navy officers struggled to +conceal their wonder. + +"Make for the surface, Captain Benson," directed the owner. + +When the passengers aboard the submarine stood once more on the platform +deck, the yard's owner signaled for the shore boat to lay alongside. +Into this small boat he took his guests. The boat was rowed away two or +three lengths, immediately after which the "Pollard" again sank. + +Two or three minutes passed. Then Captain Jack's head shot above the +surface. He made for the boat, hanging onto the gunwale. + +"It would be bad judgment to call you young fellows mermaids," said +Commander Ennerling, dryly, "but you are surely _merboys_." + +A moment later Hal Hastings's head came above the surface. + +"Mr. Pollard and young Somers could as easily leave the boat and join +us," explained Mr. Farnum. "However, if the last man aboard leaves +the boat then there is no way provided for a return to the 'Pollard,' +and we would be placed at great expense in raising her. I think we +have, however, shown you enough to make you believe that we have mastered +some new wrinkles in submarine work." + +"You have shown us more than we can quite digest," admitted Lieutenant +Commander Briscoe. "But how is this all done?" + +"That," responded Mr. Farnum, gravely, "the Government will know when +the boat is purchased for the American Navy." + +The anchor being again lowered, both Jack and Hal dived below. In five +minutes the "Pollard" was on the surface. Mr. Farnum asked: + +"Have we shown you enough at one time?" + +"Yes," admitted the officers. "This evening, after dark, we may ask you +to take us out and show us your boat's diving powers." + +"Jack, my boy," whispered Jacob Farnum, when the young captain joined the +party on shore, "your trick of leaving and returning to the boat when it +lies on the bottom has gotten our friends of the Navy into a state of +hard guessing. Do you think we'd better show them some more of it at +another time?" + +"If you want my opinion, sir, I think we'd better not. We've puzzled +them this time, but if we keep on doing the trick for them, I'm afraid +they'll soon guess how it's done. I don't believe, sir, you can fool the +American Navy more than once." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +SERVING IN THE CAUSE OF PEACE, NOT WAR + + +"It seems almost a shame to have to go below," sighed Lieutenant McCrea. + +It was evening, the time about nine o'clock. For nearly an hour the +"Pollard" had been running out to sea at something below her full speed. +She was now something like a dozen miles off the coast. + +Commander Ennerling had just decided that it would be a good time to test +the diving capabilities of the submarine. + +Ventilators were shipped, and all other preparations had been made for +going below the surface. + +Eph was left in the conning tower, Lieutenant McCrea with him. + +"How far do you want the dive to be made, sir?" asked Jack Benson. + +"A depth of forty feet ought to serve the purpose," stated the president +of the board. + +"Then, sir, we will make a sloping dive to that depth, then complete the +curve until we strike the surface again," proposed the submarine boy. +"How will that suit you, sir?" + +"Excellently," agreed the Navy commander. + +"Do you want to take the record with your stop watch?" + +"Yes?" + +"All ready, sir." + +As Captain Jack gave the word he threw open the forward water tanks, so +that water rushed in, tilting the bow of the craft downward. The +"Pollard" moved on a decided slant until Captain Jack read the depth of +forty feet on the gauge. Then, with a barely perceptible rest. On an +even keel, the young submarine expert threw compressed air into the +forward tanks, expelling the water, at the same time admitting water to +the tanks aft. + +Gracefully, and with, the precision of a trained living being, the +submarine craft curved upward until Lieutenant McCrea shouted down: + +"We're awash, sir" + +Benson drove the water from the tanks aft, and the boat rode the waves. + +"Now, let us see you run a little lower than awash, with just enough of +the conning tower in the air for the helmsman to see where he is +steering," proposed the president of the board. + +Jack went above to relieve Eph at the wheel, while Commander Ennerling +stationed himself beside the boy. + +"You may use your searchlight, of course," proposed the commander, "and +proceed just as though you were trying to pick up a battleship of the +enemy without much exposing yourself." + +As the broad, bright beam of the searchlight shone out over the waters +ahead, Captain Benson called down for the best speed. + +Commander Ennerling watched the boat's performance, and the work of the +young captain for some minutes before he said: + +"Benson, I'll admit that the more I see of this craft the more anxious +I am to see her under our Navy flag." + +"I'm glad to hear you say that, sir," cried Jack, his face glowing. + +"Yet I'm a bit puzzled, after all." + +"How so, sir?" + +"Why, the more I think about it, the more I wonder just how much of my +delight and interest are due to the boat itself, and how much to the +splendidly expert way in which you young men handle her." + +"You call us experts, sir?" + +"Don't you believe, yourselves, that you are?" + +"We hope that some day we shall be," was Jack's slow response. + +"Benson," went on the Navy officer, earnestly, "if you're not now +experts, you never will be." + +"Does that mean, sir, that we shall never know much more about such craft +than we do now?" + +"By no means. You'll know more every year that you stick to the work. +What I intended to convey is that you three are the best experts in this +line I have ever seen, considering, of course, the amount of time you +have already given to this work. Give you three lads time enough, and +the United States appears destined to possess the three greatest +submarine experts in the world." + +"That's great praise, sir," said Jack, quietly, his cheeks tingling. + +"I mean all I've said," rejoined Commander Ennerling, gravely. + +They had run some miles by this time. Captain Jack, reaching up to swing +the searchlight about over the course ahead, suddenly uttered: + +"Look over there, sir--two points off starboard. What do you make out?" + +Commander Ennerling instantly became absorbed as he caught sight of a +steam yacht something more than a mile away. + +"Going under full power, but shooting rockets," added Jack. "They've +just sent up two from aft." + +"Distress sign, without a doubt," mused the Naval officer. "Wonder what +it means?" + +Jack had reached for a pair of night glasses, which he now handed +Commander Ennerling. + +Already the "Pollard" had swung to a bow-on course and was making +straight for the steam yacht. + +"Mutiny, by Jove!" murmured the Naval officer. He did not speak +excitedly, but with a certain grim dryness. "Catch up with them as soon +as you can, Captain Benson." + +"There they go, heading away from us," muttered Captain Jack. + +"From her present performance she doesn't look to be over a fourteen-knot +boat," declared Ennerling. "You won't be long in running alongside." + +"What do you make out, sir?" + +"A white-haired old man, in a yachting suit, and another man in white +duck. They are aft, and both appear to be holding pistols. There are +two women, one middle-aged, I should say, and the other barely more than +a girl. Excellent glasses, these, Benson." + +"Can you make out any mutineers?" + +"There are some men, pressing back astern, yet seemingly not wholly +liking to risk revolver fire," went on Commander Ennerling. "I don't +believe I can make out all the mutineers, from this point of view." + +"What shall we do, sir, when we get alongside?" + +"Quell the mutiny," retorted Commander Ennerling, with emphasis. "It's +the one choice a Naval officer has in a case of this sort. Briscoe! +McCrea!" + +The two junior officers came hastily up the spiral stairway. Commander +Ennerling told them as rapidly as he could what had happened. + +"There's something wholly wrong on that yacht," he wound up, "and we've +got to get alongside and look into it." + +"Want to get out on the platform deck?" inquired Captain Jack. + +"Yes, by all means." + +More of the water was expelled from the tanks until the platform deck +was two feet above the surface. Then the manhole was opened, and an +interested crowd hurried out on deck. Only Eph remained below, he, to +his disgust, being sent to the motor. + +Jack Benson now stood at the deck wheel, while the others gathered at +the rail to watch the progress of the pursuit. + +Even as they looked, the older man aft on the yacht fired his revolver +twice, aiming forward. The flashes could be distinctly made out, though +the reports of the weapon were borne away by the breeze. + +"Have either of you gentlemen a revolver?" demanded Commander Ennerling +of his subordinate officers. + +Neither of them had. Nor had any of the submarine's own people. + +"Hm!" muttered the commander, grimacing. "This is a fine Naval outfit +to lay alongside of a craft that has a mutiny aboard!" + +"Do you want to hail, or try to board the yacht?" inquired Jacob Farnum. + +"I think we'd better run alongside and hail that crowd," answered +Commander Ennerling. "Yet, if it comes to it, we'll have board!" + +Three shots flashed out, amidships, on the yacht, showing that the fire +was directed towards the stern. Two shots from the two men aft replied. +No one appeared to have been hit. + +"We'll have to fight if we're to be of any use," muttered Ennerling. +"With our fists, too, confound the luck!" + +They were now rapidly overhauling the yacht. It was with throbbing +pulses that Captain Jack Benson steered the "Pollard" up alongside. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +FIGHTING A MUTINY WITH THREATS + + +Hal Hastings came springing out of the conning tower with a megaphone. + +Jack, with a final swing of the wheel, brought the "Pollard" in on a +course parallel with the steam yacht, and not more than two hundred feet +away from the other vessel's port rail. + +At the same moment Benson rang the signal bell for reduced speed, so +that the sterns of the two craft were kept almost on a line with each +other. + +"Ahoy, yacht!" bellowed the commander, through the megaphone. "Any +trouble aboard?" + +"Mutiny!" hoarsely shouted the white-haired man, turning his head only +enough to send the word. + +"It looks like it," agreed Commander Ennerling. "We are United States +Naval officers, aboard a torpedo boat. The mutiny must stop. Shut off +your speed, and send a boat over here. My order is addressed to the +mutinous crew." + +Two of the mutineers were hiding behind a mast, three more behind the +forward end of the after deck house. Just how many more there were, +could not be clearly made out by those on board the "Pollard," for some +had undoubtedly crouched below the deck bulwarks. + +But one man among the mutineers possessed the rough courage to advance +to the rail, shouting in a husky voice: + +"You go on your way, and mind your own business, Mr. Navy!" + +"Stop that mutiny and submit to your officers," insisted Commander +Ennerling, sternly. "Do you want us to come aboard and wipe you out to +the last man?" + +"You can't board us, from a craft of that kind," jeered the fellow +at the yacht's rail. + +"You'll find we can, if we have to." + +"Come along, then!" + +"Do you realize, my man, that we are United States Naval officers?" + +"Not when I can't see your uniform," laughed the mutineer, roughly. + +"I'm not going to argue with you any more. I've given you my orders. +Do you intend to submit, or will you fight?" + +"We'll fight!" roared the mutineer. A hoarse cheer went up from his +comrades. + +"They don't estimate our fighting power very highly," muttered Ennerling, +in a low tone. "If they knew the whole truth they'd be still less +afraid of us." + +From the mutineer at the rail came another hoarse hail: + +"Shove off and get away, or we'll rush the crowd aft and wind up the +women! You start a fight if you think you can. If you know you can't, +then get away. We're not afraid until we're killed." + +Now, eight mutineers, in all, lined across the deck, each man showing a +revolver. + +"Humph! We've got to fight--and can't!" muttered Commander Ennerling, +in great disgust. + +"We can save those women," muttered Jack Benson, "if they've the nerve +to help themselves be saved." + +"How?" + +"Hal Hastings and I can swim over, and can hold the women up if they +have the nerve to leap overboard." + +"Those brutes might fire on you, and the women, but it's worth trying," +decided the Naval officer, instantly. "Over with you, then!" + +Captain Jack waited only long enough to shed coat and cap, then sprang +to the rail. Hal was with him, instantly. + +"Sir," bellowed Commander Ennerling, "Have your women folks jump +overboard. We'll pick them up in the water. Be quick about it!" + +There were a few hurried words in the little group of four aft on the +steam yacht. Then, with the "Pollard" running in closer, so that a +bare fifty feet separated the two craft--Mr. Farnum at the submarine's +wheel--Jack Benson plunged overboard, followed by Hal. The girl aboard +the yacht leaped at once, the older woman following quickly. + +"Get us, too, if you can," shouted the white haired man at the yacht's +stern. "We can swim a little." + +Both craft were still going ahead at about fourteen knots, but, as the +two men jumped Lieutenant Commander Briscoe and Lieutenant McCrea +plunged overboard to get them. + +Now Jacob Farnum rang for the reversing of the engine, and the submarine, +first pausing, began to glide backward, then stopped altogether. + +From the steam yacht went up another hoarse cheer, the mutineers dancing +like demons, discharging their revolvers into the air. All this while +the yacht steamed steadily away from the scene. + +The girl was sinking for the second time as Jack Benson, with a forward +swoop, shot one arm under her. + +"You won't go down now," he called, cheerily. "Keep cool and just +do what I ask you." + +The older woman, buoyed up by a greater spread of skirts, had not sunk +below the surface at all by the time that Hal Hastings reached her. + +"All just as it ought to be," hailed Hal, blithely. "Don't be at all +afraid, madam. Porpoise is my middle name, and you can't sink while +I have you." + +The work of the two Naval officers who had plunged overboard was easier. +Both of the men who had leaped from the yacht's stern rail were able to +swim. Briscoe and McCrea merely reached them and swam alongside. + +David Pollard had ropes over the side of the submarine in a jiffy. It +was easy work for seafaring men to climb these ropes over the sloping, +easy side. It was scarcely more difficult to get the women up in +safety. + +"Let the ladies go below to the port stateroom," called Mr. Farnum. +"They can disrobe, rub down and get in between blankets in the berths. +Their men folks can take care of 'em." + +"I'm the steward, sir, of the 'Selma,' the yacht that's ahead," explained +the man in white duck. "I'll help them below at once, sir." + +"We can have hot coffee in seven minutes," Mr. Farnum continued. +"Captain Benson, if you'll take the wheel again, I'll go below and get +to work in the galley." + +The white-haired man, in the meantime, was hurriedly making himself +known to Commander Ennerling as Egbert Lawton, owner of the "_Selna_," +a hundred-and-forty-foot schooner rigged steam yacht. The ladies were +his wife and his sixteen-year-old daughter, Miss Ethel Johnson was the +steward's name. + +"Get after the yacht again, Captain Benson," requested Commander +Ennerling. "We have the owner and the ladies safe, but we've got to +take that crew to land as mutineers." + +"They'll fight to the last shot," declared Mr. Lawton, shaking his head. + +"Did you and your steward bring your revolvers with you?" asked +Ennerling. + +"No; we tossed them into the sea as we dived," laughed Mr. Lawton. +"Bringing weapons to a Naval craft is like carrying coals to Newcastle." + +"Unfortunately," rejoined the commander, plaintively, "this isn't yet +a Naval vessel, and the most dangerous weapon aboard is the breadknife +in the galley. But how did the mutiny start, Mr. Lawton? And how did +you come to have such a rascally crew aboard?" + +"Two or three bad men got into the crew, started fights, and some of the +old crew quit. Then these bad men passed the word to other tough +characters to apply to my captain. In a short time the crew was all of +one piece of cloth, including the fellows in the engine room." + +"How many mutineers are there aboard?" + +"Thirteen, in all. Even the cook joined them." + +"But your officers?" + +"Captain Peters and Mate Sidney. It was the mate's watch when the +trouble started. You see, as most of my cruises have been short, I +carried but one mate. So, on a long run, the captain had to stand watch +in turn. Captain Peters was below. Mate Sidney went forward, to the +forecastle, for something. He must have been felled and ironed. One +of the crew roused the captain, saying the mate needed him forward. +Then Captain Peters went forward, was seized and ironed. Then, howling +like fiends, in order to frighten us the more, the mutineers rushed aft." + +"Yet you stood them off?" + +"Yes; Steward Johnson and I both happened to be on deck, and were both +armed. The rascals didn't want any of their side killed, so they tried +to parley when they saw our weapons." + +"What started the mutiny?" + +"Mrs Lawton usually carries her jewels, when on board. They are worth +two hundred thousand dollars--a rich prize to desperate thieves." + +"What folly to tempt men so on the broad ocean!" muttered Commander +Ennerling, under his breath. + +"The jewels were kept in a safe in the cabin," continued Mr. Lawton. + +"And there are the scoundrels just smashing in the cabin door," broke in +Jack Benson. + +"There they go, piling below." + +"They're welcome," jeered Egbert Lawton. "As it happened, my wife had +some sort of presentiment, and the jewels are in two canvas pouches +securely fastened under her clothing. She leaped overboard with them." + +As the "Pollard" now ran much closer, those aboard the submarine could +hear the yells of rage that came from the yacht's cabin. + +"The safe was unlocked, and the rascals have found out how badly they've +been sold," laughed Mr. Lawton. "But why are you going so close to the +yacht? In their rage, they'll fight like fiends, and you are unarmed." + +"We shall see what we shall see," dryly commented the commander, +murmuring a few words in Hal Hastings's ear. + +Hal promptly dropped down below. + +"Selma ahoy!" hailed Ennerling, when the submarine was once more up with +the yacht. + +"Get quiet and go to sleep!" shouted back the leader of the mutineers, +derisively. + +"Under the law you mutineers are pirates," shouted back the commander, +firmly. "If you don't surrender we shall be compelled to sink you." + +"Sheer off and forget it!" jeered the mutineer. + +"Look here, my man," bellowed Commander Ennerling, "we'll have no further +nonsense from you. Surrender, without further parley, or you'll find our +nose pointing at your side hull--and then there'll be some fireworks. +You can't be insolent with the United States Navy." + +Then, leaning over the manhole, Commander Ennerling shouted down: + +"Watch below!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" rose Hal's voice, clear and strong. + +"Pass the word to load the torpedo tube." + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +Next, hailing the "Selma," Ennerling called: + +"Last hail before trouble! Do you surrender?" + +"No, you sea-lawyer!" + +Just a word to Jack from the Naval officer, and the "Pollard" shot +ahead of the other craft, then came up and around, going after the +yacht on the quarter, nose on. + +"I hope this line of business works," remarked Ennerling, with a dry +smile. + +"Toot! toot! too-oo-oot!" sounded the yacht's steam whistle, shrilly. + +At the same time her engines reversed. Another of the mutineers rushed +to the rail, waving a white towel. + +"In heaven's name, don't do it!" he bellowed, hoarsely. + +"You surrender, then?" demanded Ennerling, stiffly, though his heart +must have bounded with joy. "Wise men! We're not going to put a prize +crew aboard. You'll have to take the yacht in. Head about for the +coast, taking the course as we signal it. Don't try any tricks, or +any slowing down of speed. The least sign of treachery, and we'll sink +you without further warning--" + +"--if we can do such a trick with compressed air alone," added +Commander Ennerling in a tone heard only by those near him on the +platform deck. "Captain Benson, what is the nearest place on this +coast with a police force capable of taking charge of such a crowd." + +"Clyde City is about a thirty-two mile run from here, sir," Jack +answered. "There's a harbor police boat there." + +"Then make for Clyde City, please. I'll attend to signaling the yacht." + +As the two vessels proceeded on their way the ladies below were made +as comfortable as possible. Mr. Lawton and his steward were provided +with dry clothing, and coffee was served. It was an hour before either +Jack or Hal found time to change their clothing in the motor room. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +JACK PERPETRATES A PRACTICAL SEA JOKE + + +"Searchlight ahead, sir." + +Captain Jack made the report to Commander Ennerling. + +It was in the small hours of the morning, and the submarine, having +taken its prize in to Clyde City's harbor, was now on its way up the +coast to tie up for the night at Dunhaven. + +They were running about six miles off the coast. As the president of +the Naval board had a great desire to test the craft running all but +submerged, only the upper portion of the conning tower was above the +water. + +At Clyde City the "Selma" had been put in charge of the squad of the +harbor police boat, and the yacht's captain and mate, neither of them +badly injured, had been freed. + +Dry clothing had been secured for the ladies, and they were taken ashore. +Eghert Lawton was profuse in his expressions of gratitude, and declared +that he hoped to meet all hands of the submarine party again at an early +date indeed. Our friends learned, later, that the mutineers had been +sent to prison. + +Now only her regular party was aboard the "Pollard." For half an hour +the little vessel had been running along, nearly submerged, and with the +searchlight not showing. + +At Jack's report Commander Ennerling looked up from the compass he had +been studying by the shaded light that showed at only that point in +the tower. + +"She's coming head-on toward us," said Ennerling. "Benson, Navy men are +handling that searchlight." + +"You think so, sir?" + +"No; I know it," was the dry rejoinder. "There's a way, in the Navy, of +swinging a searchlight; a way that no merchantman or yachtsman has ever +yet caught." + +As yet the vessel behind the searchlight was not visible. Indeed, if she +were painted the dark gray color of the Navy craft, it would be some time +yet before her hull could show plainly at night. + +Commander Ennerling used his glasses for some moments. + +"Shall I answer with our searchlight, sir?" inquired the submarine boy. + +"No, no, thank you. I'm more interested in seeing how close we can get +to that vessel, since she belongs to the Navy, before she succeeds in +picking us up with her light. It's of great practical value to know +just how close we can get to that other vessel, undiscovered, in the +night time." + +"How close would you like to get to her?" inquired young Benson, a +smile playing about the corners of his mouth. + +"Humph! I'd like to tie up to the other craft," muttered the Naval +officer. + +"Well," propounded Jack, "what's to prevent us from doing it?" + +"Several things. The watch that's kept aboard a Naval vessel under way, +for one thing." + +"I'll try the trick, sir, if you'll stand for it." + +Ennerling turned to stare at the boy in amazement. + +"Benson, you've done several clever things, but now you're talking +nonsense." + +"I don't say I can do the thing," rejoined Jack, "but would you like to +see me try?" + +"Yes, if you take no risk of ramming the war ship, or doing any other +damage." + +Captain Jack instantly shut off the speed, reversing, next allowing the +"Pollard" to stop and drift as she lay. + +"What's that for?" asked Commander Ennerling. + +"I'm going to try," replied Jack, with a laugh. "Oh, Hal!" + +Hastings came at once up aloft with them. His mouth opened in a broad +grin as he listened to his chum's rapid sentences. + +"And now ask Eph to come up here," finished Jack. + +As Somers reached his young chief Benson demanded: + +"Eph, see that light? Commander Ennerling is sure it belongs to a Naval +vessel. We're going to try to tie up to her while she's going at +cruising speed." + +"Say, that's like you!" burst from Eph Somers, an admiring grin showing +in his face. + +"Eph, have you sufficient nerve to get into your bathing suit like +lightning, and go overboard with a lantern and a rocket or two, with +only a state-room door to float on?" + +"Of course," nodded Eph. "The sea's not rough, and a state-room door is +big enough to ride on. But you're not going to leave me marooned, are +you?" + +"Not likely," laughed Jack. "You're right in the path of the approaching +vessel, Eph, and they'll see your rockets and lantern. They'll pick +you up." + +Eph's face went suddenly solemn. + +"Say," he muttered, "I'll have a real interesting time trying to make +some sort of an explanation, won't I? What shall I tell them if they do +pick me up?" + +"Tell 'em anything you like, except that the 'Pollard' is trying to tie +up," responded Jack. + +"That all?" demanded Eph, with a grin. "If it is, I'm off to get into +my traveling clothes." + +"Hurry," nodded Jack. "Send Hal up to the wheel, while I explain the +whole thing to Mr. Farnum. But, commander, what if that shouldn't be +a Navy vessel?" + +"It is," responded Ennerling, with emphasis. "It's the gunboat +'Massapeqna.' She's in these waters just now. You'll find I'm right." + +Jacob Farnum began to laugh heartily when he caught the whole of Captain +Jack Benson's new idea of a sea joke. + +Eph was quickly in his bathing suit. He and Jack unhinged a stateroom +door, carrying it up through the conning tower. Hal, in the meantime, +under orders, had attended to bringing the "Pollard's" platform deck +briefly above water. + +The movements of the searchlight ahead convinced the submarine boat's +observers that the gunboat's watch officer had not yet detected the +presence of so small and unlighted an object as the "Pollard," miles +away. + +As the door was floated on the water alongside, Eph stepped out onto it, +squatting. He had with him a lantern, three rockets and a box of wind +matches. + +"Don't forget I'm here, if I'm overlooked by the other people," called +Eph, with a wave of his hand, as he floated slowly astern. + +"And don't let 'em know where you came from, or what's up," called back +Jack Benson. + +"Say, do you think I'm as foolish as I look?" blurted Eph, +half-indignantly. Those were the last words exchanged, for the +"Pollard," now moving slowly forward, had left its detached door +astern. + +With only a couple of feet of the conning tower above surface, the +"Pollard" began to make good submerged time forward. Presently the +little craft dropped below the water altogether. Ten minutes later the +tower flashed above the water for just a moment. + +The Naval commander quickly brought the night glass into play. + +"That's the '_Massapequa_,'" he declared, laying down the glass. + +"There, they've picked us up," cried Jack, as the light passed over +the top of the conning tower. + +"They won't be sure after just that brief flash at us," rejoined +Ennerling. "Drop out of sight." + +Jack let the "Pollard" drop at a semi-dive. Just as they had barely gone +under there was a steadier flash of light on the water in front of them. +Jack chuckled. + +"Quick work," nodded Ennerling, approvingly. "The lookout on the +gunboat thought they saw something here on the water, and swung the ray +back to find out what it was. Now, they've doubtless concluded that +they were fooled by a shadow." + +"The next time we come up we'll have passed the 'Massapequa' and be +astern of her," predicted Jack. + +"Good enough, if you can calculate correctly the distance. The gunboat, +of course, has no searchlight aft." + +For some minutes the "Pollard" ran under water. + +"I'm sure we're a little astern, now," said Captain Jack. "I'll take a +lift up into the atmosphere." + +With that the "Pollard," which had been running not more than five feet +below the surface of the water, rose gently. + +"Jove!" murmured Commander Ennerling. + +"Did you work by calculation, Benson, or guesswork?" + +"I calculated the distance as nearly as I could," replied Jack Benson +quietly. + +"Then you're a marvel, lad," cried Commander Ennerling, admiringly. + +It was little wonder that the Naval officer was astounded. For the +"Pollard" had emerged barely a hundred feet to the starboard of the +gunboat's line of course, and barely two hundred feet astern. + +"The rest is going to be easy," laughed Captain Jack, confidently. "The +trick is as good as played on the '_Massapequa_.'" + +He gave the wheel a hard turn to bring the nose of the submarine about. + +"There's your gleeful friend, Eph Somers," announced Commander Ennerling, +pointing ahead as the "Pollard" came about. + +A bare eighth of a mile away, directly in the track of the gunboat, sat +Eph on his door. Those in the tower could not quite make him out in the +night, but they could see the circles described by the lighted lantern +that Eph was swinging. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +EPH ENJOYS BEING RESCUED + + +In going that last eighth of a mile the gunboat's speed was gradually +slowed. + +It was a pretty piece of ship-handling. The "_Massapequa_" lost headway +gradually a hundred feet from where Eph sat solemnly blinking back at +the sailors' faces along the forward starboard rail. + +An officer's uniform showed at the edge of the bridge, as he called: + +"Ahoy, there!" + +"Ahoy, yourself," answered Eph. "And another one for courtesy." + +"Don't get funny, boy!" admonished the officer on the bridge. "What's +the matter with you?" + +"Nothing," Somers replied. "But; say! Can you spare a cushion." + +"How did you come to be there, boy?" + +"Floated," admitted Eph, truthfully. + +"How did you ever get six miles off the coast on that float you're on?" + +"Can't remember," replied Eph, dubiously. + +"How long have you been out here on the water?" + +"Ever since February, 1976," Eph Somers asserted, solemnly. + +"Crazy!" muttered the officer to himself. "We'll have to get him aboard +and turn him over to the officers at the next port. I'll try him on one +more question." + +Raising his voice, he called: + +"What's your business? Do you follow the sea?" + +"Say, you haven't caught me leading it anywhere, have you?" inquired Eph, +wonderingly. + +"If we throw you a rope, will you try to catch it?" + +"Yep, or a beefsteak, either," Somers declared, promptly. + +"Send the boy a rope," directed the officer on the bridge. "Be careful +not to sweep him off the float. The lad doesn't seem over-bright." + +Though this remark was not intended for his ears, Eph caught it +nevertheless. + +"Not bright, am I?" muttered Eph, to himself. "Gracious, what a lot +of company I have in the world, then!" + +Through the air the rope, deftly thrown, came swirling. Eph caught his +end of the line in a manner to make the officer say to himself: + +"That boy has followed the sea. He knows as much about life on salt +water as I do." + +Very deliberately Eph bent over, fastening his end of the line around +the knob on the stateroom door. + +"Haul in, my hearties," he hailed. + +Eph stood up, balancing himself nicely while the sailors hauled the +slack until the door lay bumping against the side hull of the gunboat. + +"Look out," sang out Eph. "Little Willie, the Boy Dewey, is coming +on board." + +With that he began to climb the rope, hand over hand, until he reached +the rail and clambered over, standing dripping on the deck. + +"Say," remarked a petty officer, "you left the line fast to that raft." + +"Certainly," nodded Eph, with cool assurance. "That's so you can haul +the door on board, too. Mother'd make a fuss if I got home without the +door to her ice chest." + +"Shall we haul the door aboard, sir?" called the petty officer to the +bridge. + +"Yes," nodded the young officer up there. + +So that came aboard, too, almost in a jiffy. + +Eph, with a very wide grin on his face, stood regarding the sailors who +had curiously gathered around him. + +"Where are you from?" asked one of the seamen. + +"Just in from the salt water," Eph assured him. + +"Let the boy alone, men," warned the officer on the bridge. "I'll have +the guard take care of him for the night. In the morning I'll report +the case to the captain. But bring the boy up here for a moment." + +Two sailors thereupon escorted Eph to the bridge. The officer in charge +looked him over curiously. + +"Now, young man," began the young officer, "have you anything to tell me +about yourself!" + +"Yes," volunteered Eph. + +"Go ahead." + +"I'm wet." + +"Boy, you're in the wrong place to try to get funny," came the stern +rebuke. "I guess I know what you need." + +Just at that instant the sounds of a decided though indistinct commotion +came from aft. + +"Then shake," begged Eph, offering his hand. "I know, too, what you +need." + +"What is it that you think I need?" demanded the officer, suspiciously, +eyeing the boy closely. + +"You need to get wise," declared Somers, promptly. Then, noting that +the sounds from aft had caught the officer's quick ear, the submarine +boy added, with another grin: + +"By the time you've found out the meaning of the rumpus aft you'll know +a lot more." + +Over in one corner of the bridge a cadet midshipman had stood silent +during this talk. Turning to him, the watch officer said hurriedly: + +"I leave you in charge here. Look after this boy." + +Then the watch officer ran quickly down from the bridge, making his way +aft. + +No wonder there was excitement on the after part of the gunboat. + +Captain Jack Benson, after heading the "Pollard" about, had run as close +as he, or rather, Hal, dared. Hastings was at the wheel, much of the +upper hull of the boat being now out of water. Jack was forward, on +the upper hull, with a line, one end of which was made fast to the +platform deck. At the other end of the line was an iron bolt for weight. + +Close in under the stern of the gunboat, slightly to starboard, stole +the "Pollard." Jack, balancing himself, made a cast of the line. The +iron bolt shot up, past the stern flagstaff, then down into the water +astern again. + +With the gunboat lying to, the submarine could move only with the barest +headway. The instant he saw that the line had passed around the base of +the flagstaff, watchful Hal Hastings set the reverse deck control in +order to keep from bumping the "_Massapequa_." Next, the submarine +stole quietly over towards port, Jack, with a boathook, gathering in the +line that he had thrown around the flagstaff. This end he made fast in +a trice. + +"The marine guard, if there is one, didn't see the line flying," +whispered Jack, gliding back over the "Pollard's" hull to the platform +deck. "I don't think I'll be caught now until I'm on that other boat's +deck." + +"Good work! Fine!" whispered Commander Ennerling, his eyes gleaming with +satisfaction. "Here's the note." + +Captain Jack slipped the folded paper in his pocket, then hastened back +to the line. Hal ran the submarine far enough back to leave the double +line all but taut. Seizing the rope with both hands, Jack made his way +swiftly up to the gunboat's stern rail. + +In another twinkling he was over. It was not until his feet touched the +deck that the slight noise caught the marine sentry's ear, causing him +to wheel about. + +"Halt!" hailed the marine, throwing his gun to port. "What are you +doing there?" + +"I've a message for your commanding officer," Jack answered, halting +with a click of his heels as he brought them together. + +"Where did you come from?" demanded the marine, wonderingly. + +"Are you the commanding officer?" questioned Jack. "If not, take +me to him." + +"Corporal of the guard!" bawled the marine. + +Almost in a jiffy the corporal was there. + +"Corporal," said Jack, crisply, "I've a message, in writing, and an +official message, too, for your commanding officer." + +"I'll take it to him, then," said the corporal. "Or shall I conduct +you to his quarters?" + +"You may take it to him," agreed Jack, holding out the folded paper. + +"Sentry, keep your eyes on this stranger," ordered the corporal of the +marine guard, as he received the paper. + +A moment or two later, the commanding officer of the "_Massapequa_" +was reading this brief but astounding communication: + +_Commanding Officer, U.S.S. "Massapequa": You are towing the submarine +torpedo boat "Pollard" astern. Technically and theoretically, haven't +you lost your ship? (signed) Ennerling, Commander, U.S.N._ + +With an explosive remark the gunboat's commander snatched up his cap, +darting aft. The corporal, whose curiosity was aroused, judged that he +was expected to follow, and did so. + +"What's this nonsense about towing a submarine torpedo boat?" demanded +the gunboat's commander, reaching deck aft. + +"Wh-what, sir!" stammered the marine sentry, presenting arms. + +"Where did this boy come from?" demanded the Naval officer. + +"I--I don't--" began the sentry, but his superior, leaving him, +rushed to the flagstaff. + +"Sentry, what were you doing? What was everyone else doing?" cried the +gunboat's commander. "Did you think it a part of our cruise to serve as +mooring for stray torpedo boats? You--come here, you blockhead!" + +The corporal got there ahead of the private, looking down in utter +bewilderment at the sight of the "Pollard" riding the waves so saucily +just astern of the gunboat's hull. + +"Did you come aboard from the submarine?" questioned the gunboat's +commander, wheeling upon Jack Benson. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Ahoy, '_Massapequa_,'" floated up in Ennerling's tones. "Is that +you, Braylesford?" + +"Aye, Ennerling, and a shabby old trick you've played on us!" + +Commander Ennerling's hearty laughter came up from below. + +"Captain John Benson, the young man who came over your stern rail, is +the genius who planned the joke," called up Ennerling. + +"But with your approval, eh?" + +"Of course, Braylesford." + +"Then, Ennerling, I'm sorry I can't have the pleasure of putting you in +irons," nodded Lieutenant Commander Braylesford, dryly. + +"Let down a rope ladder, and I'll come aboard for a moment, Braylesford." + +The watch lieutenant, who had hurried aft at this juncture, stood +waiting respectfully for a word with his superior. + +"What have you to report, Lieutenant?" demanded Braylesford. + +"We stopped, sir, to rescue a boy afloat on a door. He's in bathing +suit, and gives none but the most idiotic replies to my questions." + +"He must be part of this outfit," retorted the lieutenant commander, +pointing below at the submarine, at which the watch lieutenant was now +staring with wide-open eyes. + +"Yes; that's Eph Somers, one of our crew," smiled Captain Jack. "He was +turned loose on the door to take up your attention, while we did the +tie-behind trick." + +A rope ladder having been lowered, Commander Ennerling, by nimble use of +the tow-line, had succeeded in reaching it, and he now came over the +rail, chuckling. + +"It's on the '_Massapequa_,' I admit," grinned Braylesford. + +"On me, I'm afraid," pronounced the watch lieutenant, with a half-groan. + +"Don't feel badly about it, gentlemen," laughed Commander Ennerling. +"Jack Benson is the same lad who stole up under the battleship '_Luzon_,' +and painted the name, 'Pollard,' in sixfoot letters on the hull of the +battleship as a reminder of his call. The lad is a sea-joker of the +first order." + +"He ought to be in the Navy," retorted Braylesford, then turned, with a +smile, to offer his hand to the submarine boy. + +"Oh, he will be, surely enough, if war-times ever come upon us again," +replied the commander. + +Word was now sent to conduct Eph aft. + +"Get aboard your own craft and dress; then come on board and join us in +the ward-room," invited Braylesford. + +"I'm afraid the lad can't," said Commander Ennerling. "He and one +other, Hastings, are the only members of the crew that will be left on +the submarine if you keep Benson here to talk with him." + +Within two minutes the two craft were on their way south. The members +of the Naval board, Messrs. Farnum and Pollard and Captain Jack were +entertained in the ward-room of the gun-boat, while Hal and Eph ran the +submarine along some two hundred yards to the westward. It was a jolly +time, indeed, in the "_Massapequa's_" ward-room, for Naval officers are +keen to enjoy a good joke, and Jack's exploit was voted a prime one. + +At the end of an hour, however, the "Pollard" was signaled to lie to, +the gunboat doing the same. It was time to break up the ward-room party. +The visitors went down the side gangway to a small boat, and were +transferred to the submarine. + +"The Navy has something to talk about, now, wherever officers meet for +dinner, or social talk in the ward-room," declared Commander Ennerling. +"At the same time, Benson, your ingenuity and skill have shown us how +easy it is for such a boat as this to destroy any warship afloat. And +now, for Dunhaven and a long sleep--if we don't run into further big +adventures on this eventful night." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +JACK STUMBLES UPON A BIG SURPRISE + + +"Busy, Farnum?" + +"At this moment, not especially." + +"I'm glad of that." + +George Melville's attire was particularly fashionable this morning, +three days after the first trial trip run, when he dropped in at the +boatbuilder's office, finding the latter there alone. + +Mr. Melville's eyes were twinkling, his face beaming. He had the whole +appearance of a man who is satisfied with himself and anxious to please +others. + +"I've come to hold out the olive branch, Farnum, if anything of the sort +is needed," continued the capitalist. + +"It isn't. Nothing is needed here but a good decision from the United +States Government," replied Jacob Farnum, briefly. + +"Ahem! Now, see here, Farnum, of course I understand that you had +abundant reasons for feeling offended the other day. But this state of +affairs ought not to last between us. You have a splendid type of boat, +but you need more money in order to push your yard properly. You need +a lot more of building plant here." + +"Yes," assented Mr. Farnum. + +"Now, on the terms that I was inclined to refuse before, I am ready to +supply a sum even greater than was at first spoken of," and the man +beamed on Mr. Farnum. + +"I no longer care to talk business with you, Mr. Melville." + +"Why not?" + +"We need not go into that. I bid you good day, Mr. Melville." + +"You don't seem to know what you're doing, Farnum. I control millions. +I also have some influence--in Washington," and the man strode from the +room, leaving Jacob Farnum a bit shaken but not repenting his decision +not to deal with George Melville. + +"One other road is open to Melville if he but knows it," thought the +boatbuilder. "One hundred and ten thousand dollars' worth of bills for +materials are now a few days overdue. My creditors have faith in me, +but Melville, with his money, could buy up these bills by offering a +bonus and could then press me for immediate payment. If only Washington +did not move, so slowly!" and the man groaned. + +That same evening about ten o'clock the submarine boys were on their +way from the village to the "Pollard" when they heard the fire alarm. +They were in front of the volunteer fire house, and were at once pressed +into service to take the place of some of the young firemen who were not +at hand. + +"Look!" shouted Eph Somers. "The fire is in the Melville boatyard!" + +The volunteer firemen beat down the big gate of the yard with lusty +blows and rolled the hand engine inside and, coupling the hose, threw +a stream of water on a fiercely burning shed. Jack Benson, relieved of +his task of pulling the engine, went toward the big shed where the +submarine was under construction--at least, there was no other place on +the premises that such work could be carried on. + +Just as Jack reached the big shed some firemen battered down the door +in order to turn a stream of water on the fire there. The flames +lighted up the place with an intensive light, leaving no corner +unilluminated. Jack, on the _qui vive_ with interest and curiosity, +looked within. + +"Empty, oh-ho! What do you know about that!" + +Hal Hastings came up just then and Jack said: + +"See that, Hal? The Melvilles have been putting up a show of building +a submarine to beat ours. This fire betrays the fact that no boat is +being built here. Nothing here but iron plates and the hammers with +which the workmen have been beating every day!" + +"Of all idiotic things!" exclaimed Hal. + +The three submarine boys came upon Mr. Farnum standing in the watching +crowd and gleefully told him of the empty shed. + +"That might have helped a week ago," said the boatbuilder. "I fear +we're beyond help now, boys." He had already told them in confidence +of the financier's threat. + +Just then Melville came along. Mr. Farnum and the boys would have +ignored him, but he stepped up to the group and snapped: + +"You're a fine bunch! Some of my workmen tell me that you young rascals +were sneaking about my yards and set fire to the sheds." + +"That will do, Mr. Melville. We'll listen to no such talk," and before +the boys could speak or Melville reply Mr. Farnum pushed the boys before +him out of the crowd. + +"All those fellows heard him say that, and some of them will believe +it!" cried Hal. + +"That's bluff on his part, and silly bluff, at that," said Jack. "These +firemen can say where we were when the alarm came in." + +"But not where we were when the fire started," grumbled Eph. + +"The fire's practically out; we'd all better go home now," said Mr. +Farnum. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +CONCLUSION + + +The next afternoon Commander Ennerling of the United States Navy reported +to Messrs. Farnum and Pollard that the naval board had witnessed the +tests of the submarine and were ready to report to the authorities. They +did not conceal the fact that the boat had made a favorable impression, +then they continued: + +"You have a crew of experts, though they are very young. John Benson +especially is a genius." + +"We are well aware of that, gentlemen," replied Mr. Farnum beamingly. + +Soon after the naval men had taken their train for Washington, David +Pollard came into Mr. Farnum's office, carrying a valise and a brief case +and announced that he was going away for a time where he could not be +reached to rest and study and think. + +It was the third day after this that Jack, wishing to see Mr. Farnum in +regard to some supplies for the "Pollard," went to his office. + +"He's not been here since three o'clock yesterday," said his stenographer. + +"Out of town?" asked Jack. + +"I wish I knew." + +Jack called up Mr. Farnum's house and got his wife on the telephone. To +his question she replied: + +"I got a note last night not to worry if he was late getting home. But +he has not come in yet," and her voice had a catch in it. + +Jack and his chums were greatly worried. Had Melville played some trick +on the boatbuilder? + +"I'm going ashore," said Eph the next morning, as soon as he had eaten +his breakfast in the submarine cabin. + +"For anything especial?" asked Jack. + +"First, I want to know if anything's yet known of Mr. Farnum. Then, you +know that Don Melville's in town. Why? His father's left and all the +pounding workmen at his fake yard are gone, too. Something needs +explaining." + +"He's trying to find out whom he can bribe into saying we set fire to +the yard," said Hal bitterly. + +"Oh, on second thought Melville would conclude that would be too risky +to do," observed Jack. + +"Maybe--maybe not. I'm going over to look about and listen." + +In less than an hour Eph Somers, agog with excitement, was back on the +"Pollard." + +"Say, fellows, that Potter fellow that got into Mr. Pollard's room and +stole the papers broke jail last night. Now we know what Don Melville +was here for! He had a hand in that!" + +So far, the young fellow had refused to talk. + +"Bribed by the Melvilles," Hal had declared. "But they'll find that +expensive, for he'll continue to bleed them, now he knows how." + +Jack, who usually reserved judgment until he knew some facts on which to +build, was inclined this time to agree with Eph, and Hal was certain +that Somers was right. + +"It would be to their advantage to have Potter disappear before they +begin their dirty work against Mr. Farnum," Hal insisted. + +"I telephoned to Mrs. Farnum and she reports 'nothing new,'" continued +Eph. "It's queer." + +Just then the boys heard a hail and saw David Pollard, bag and brief case +in hand, on the shore signaling to them. + +"Where's Farnum?" he asked as soon as he was on the submarine. + +"We'd, any of us, give six months' salary to know that, Mr. Pollard," +said Jack, and went on to tell what had been taking place. + +"That spells ruin for us," groaned the inventor, who knew how things +stood financially. + +"Do you think, Mr. Pollard, that we'd better suggest to Mrs. Farnum to +put a detective on her husband's trail?" asked Eph. + +"That trail would probably lead straight through the Melvilles," said +Hal bitterly. + +"No, don't do that--yet," replied Pollard. + +"Mr. Farnum may be away on legitimate business," added Jack slowly. + +Hal and Jack rowed Mr. Pollard ashore. After bidding the inventor +good-bye, the two youths decided to go to the shipyard. As they were +about to enter the office they were accosted by a man who was coming +out. He asked them if they were in Mr. Farnum's employ. + +"Yes, sir," Jack answered. + +"Can you tell me where he is? The office force could give me no +information." + +"Mr. Farnum is away at present," said Jack. + +"I know that! Where is he?" + +"Why should I tell a stranger about my employer's business?" asked Jack +sharply. + +"Here's my card." The man was a Mr. Stevenson, the head of a firm of +ship's steel jobbers. "Here's a bill for twenty-five thousand dollars, +and Farnum seems to have disappeared. I can sell this at face value, +but I don't want to." + +"Give Mr. Farnum a chance, Mr. Stevenson," pleaded Jack. "We can guess +who is willing to buy that bill from you--for a bonus. The man will +be as eager to buy next week as this." + +The man looked shrewdly into the eyes of the two boys for a moment, then, +with a shrug of his shoulders, turned away, saying: + +"I guess this can wait awhile." + +The boys, after a brief call in the office, went on to town. Mr. +Melville was fond of horses, and still drove a handsome pair. + +"There comes Don Melville in his father's carriage. I don't wonder they +hang on to it. Those horses are beauties," remarked Hal. + +The carriage stopped and Don jumped out. + +"Say, you muckers, things are happening and you won't be needed now on +the 'Pollard.'" + +"Really?" drawled Jack indifferently. + +Hal could not summon indifference, or the appearance of it. He said +contemptuously: + +"Having helped a deserving young man to escape from jail, you'll probably +put him on the 'Pollard.'" + +Don flushed angrily and turned to the coachman, a brutal looking fellow. + +"Johnson, chastise the young puppy!" + +Johnson jumped down and raised his whip. + +"Give it to them both!" yelled Don. + +Just then Grant Andrews, the foreman in the submarine shed, having come +up in time to hear and see what was taking place, sprang between the +boys and the coachman. He crashed his fist into the man's face, and +thus disposed of him, then grabbed the whip and brought it down on Don +Melville's shoulders. + +"Oh, you'll pay for this!" yelled Don. + +"Then I may as well get the most out of it," retorted Andrews, and again +brought down the whip, this time coiling it around Don's legs. + +Don, seeing a grinning crowd about them and stinging with physical pain +and humiliation, turned and sprang into the carriage. Johnson was +already there, and they hurried away. + +"Grant Andrews! Who would have thought it of you!" exclaimed Hal. + +"Sorry I did it, boys?" and the flush on Andrews' face subsided and a +grin came to his lips. He was usually an easy-going man, but when +aroused he could act. + +"We-ll, no," admitted Jack, while Hal laughed. "But come on; let's get +out of this crowd." + +It was several days after this affair that Mr. Pollard, who was on the +submarine, got a message from Mr. Partridge, the superintendent of the +yard. The message read: + +"Mr. Partridge begs Mr Pollard to come to the office at once." + +"I'll go, Jack. But I'm weary and may need support. Come with me, will +you?" + +On entering the outer office the two found the bookkeeper and the +stenographer. + +"Mr. Partridge is in the inner office with two men, Mr. Pollard," said +the stenographer. "If you need me, I shall be right here." + +Mr. Partridge was sitting at Mr. Farnum's unopened desk when the man +and the boy entered. Mr. Melville and a man Jack soon learned was a +lawyer were sitting facing him. Mr. Partridge rose and gave his chair +to Mr. Pollard. + +"Mr. Melville insisted on seeing me, Mr. Pollard, and I thought best to +send for you," said the superintendent. + +Without greeting the financier snapped out: + +"Where is Farnum, Pollard?" + +"Why do you wish to know?" + +"I have a claim against him on an overdue bill." + +"I didn't know that Mr. Farnum had any dealings with you," was the +quiet reply. + +"I bought this bill of Riley and Grannan for electrical supplies only +recently. It is for a trifle over ten thousand dollars." + +"Surely you believe Mr. Farnum is good for that amount?" queried the +inventor softly. + +"I'm sorry to say that I do not." + +"Then why on earth did you buy the bill?" + +The capitalist flushed, but said frankly: + +"I expect before the day is over to be the owner of other claims against +this business." + +"In order to wreck us and take the business?" + +"Wreck you? Yes. That is good business. But, Mr. Pollard, we will +make it well worth your while to stay with the new owners." He was well +aware that the inventor might be on the verge of new inventions that +would outdate the "Pollard," and he wanted to keep anything new for +himself. + +"Nothing would induce me to stay on if Mr. Farnum were forced out, Mr. +Melville." + +"What's that? Forced out?" + +The voice came from the doorway, the door having been noiselessly opened, +and Jacob Farnum stood at the entrance. + +Melville and the lawyer turned in their seats and the others sprang to +their feet. + +"Oh, it's you, is it, Melville? What can I do for you?" asked the +boatbuilder. + +"You can settle for this claim, Farnum," and the capitalist held out +the paper. + +"Very well. I will write you a check at once. The banks are closed for +the day now, but I will deposit the money the first thing in the morning. +Until I do that, I have not enough in bank to cover this," and he looked +at the paper. "By the way," and he turned to his employees and to the +inventor, ignoring the two outsiders, "the Navy Department has accepted +the 'Pollard.' I've sold her for one hundred and sixty-five thousand +dollars. Have you any more assigned claims against me, Mr. Melville?" +he drawled, again facing the capitalist. + +"No," snapped the man. He had paid a thousand dollar bonus to get the +one he had; and was feeling sick over the outcome. + +Just then the door opened and the stenographer showed Broughton Emerson +into the room. + +"I see you answered my telegram in person, Mr. Emerson," said Farnum, +rising from the chair he had taken and shaking hands. + +"Yes, I came in person, and quite prepared to furnish the capital you +need after the preliminaries are arranged." + +George Melville rose and after a brief nod of farewell made for the door, +followed by his lawyer. Jack opened the door quietly, then shut it +just as softly. + +Broughton Emerson invested heavily in Mr. Farnum's yard and the business +was incorporated, Mr. Farnum and Mr. Pollard retaining control. The +owners praised highly the three boys for the way they had handled the +"Pollard" on its trial trip, saying that this was a factor in the Navy's +acceptance of the submarine. They also gave the three boys one +thousand dollars each and ten shares apiece in the new corporation. + +George Melville had spent more than thirty thousand dollars in trying to +get hold of Mr. Farnum's business. This, of course, was a total loss. +Soon after this, in trying to get control of a railroad by his +underhand methods, he lost all of his fortune and had to accept a small +clerkship in order to make a living. Don, at the same time, became +steward on the yacht of one of his father's old-time acquaintances. + +Jacob Farnum had been in Washington, a fact his wife had known after the +first day of his absence. He had been secretive about the matter, as he +wished if possible to keep George Melville in ignorance of his +whereabouts until his business was settled. + +Not even with the transfer of the "Pollard" to the Government did the +life of the submarine boys aboard their pet boat cease. Some further +adventures of these boys are told of in a volume entitled: "_The +Submarine Boys and the Middies; or, The Prize Detail at Annapolis_." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SUBMARINE BOYS' TRIAL TRIP*** + + +******* This file should be named 17055.txt or 17055.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/0/5/17055 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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