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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/17056.txt b/17056.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..38d2640 --- /dev/null +++ b/17056.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7153 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Submarine Boys and the Middies, 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 and the Middies + The Prize Detail at Annapolis + + +Author: Victor G. Durham + + + +Release Date: November 13, 2005 [eBook #17056] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE +MIDDIES*** + + +E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig + + + +Note: This is book three of eight of the Submarine Boys Series. + + + + +THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE MIDDIES + +The Prize Detail at Annapolis + +by + +VICTOR G. DURHAM + +1909 + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTERS + I. The Prize Detail + II. How Eph Flirted with Science + III. "You May as Well Leave the Bridge" + IV. Mr. Farnum Offers Another Guess + V. Truax Shows the Sulks + VI. Two Kinds of VooDoo + VII. Jack Finds Something "New," All Right + VIII. A Young Captain in Tatters + IX. Truax Gives a Hint + X. A Squint at the Camelroorelephant + XI. But Something Happened! + XII. Jack Benson, Expert Explainer + XIII. Ready for the Sea Cruise + XIV. The "Pollard" Goes Lame + XV. Another Turn at Hard Luck + XVI. Braving Nothing But a Sneak + XVII. The Evil Genius of the Water Front +XVIII. Held Up by Marines + XIX. The Lieutenant Commander's Verdict + XX. Coming Up in a tight Place + XXI. "No More Men Go Overboard!" + XXII. Jack Signals the "Sawbones" +XXIII. What Befell the Man in the Brig + XXIV. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE PRIZE DETAIL + + +"The United States Government doesn't appear very anxious to claim its +property, does it, sir?" asked Captain Jack Benson. + +The speaker was a boy of sixteen, attired in a uniform much after the +pattern commonly worn by yacht captains. The insignia of naval rank +were conspicuously absent. + +"Now, that I've had the good luck to sell the 'Pollard' to the Navy," +responded Jacob Farnum, principal owner of the shipbuilding yard, "I'm +not disposed to grumble if the Government prefers to store its property +here for a while." + +Yet the young shipbuilder--he was a man in his early thirties, who had +inherited this shipbuilding business from his father--allowed his eyes +to twinkle in a way that suggested there was something else behind his +words. + +Jack Benson saw that twinkle, but he did not ask questions. If the +shipbuilder knew more than he was prepared to tell, it was not for his +young captain to ask for information that was not volunteered. + +The second boy present, also in uniform, Hal Hastings by name, had not +spoken in five minutes. That was like Hal. He was the engineer of the +submarine torpedo boat, "Pollard." Jack was captain of the same craft, +and could do all the talking. + +Jacob Farnum sat back, sideways, at his rolltop desk. On top of the +desk lay stacked a voluminous though neat pile of papers, letters, +telegrams and memoranda that some rival builders of submarine torpedo +boats might have been willing to pay much for the privilege of examining. +For, at the present moment, there was fierce competition in the air +between rival American builders of submarine fighting craft designed +for the United States Navy. Even foreign builders and inventors were +clamoring for recognition. Yet just now the reorganized Pollard +Submarine Boat Company stood at the top of the line. It had made the +last sale to the United States Navy Department. + +At this moment, out in the little harbor that was a part of the shipyard, +the "Pollard" rode gently at anchor. She was the first submarine +torpedo boat built at this yard, after the designs of David Pollard, +the inventor, a close personal friend of Jacob Farnum. + +Moreover, the second boat, named the "Farnum," had just been launched +and put in commission, ready at an hour's notice to take the sea in +search of floating enemies of the United States. + +"The United States will take its boat one of these days, Captain," Mr. +Farnum continued, after lighting a cigar. "By the way, did Dave tell +you the name we are thinking of for the third boat, now on the stocks?" + +"Dave" was Mr. Pollard, the inventor of the Pollard Submarine boat. + +"No, sir," Captain Jack replied. + +"We have thought," resumed Mr. Farnum, quietly, after blowing out a +ring of smoke, "of calling the third boat, now building, the 'Benson.'" + +"The--the--what, sir?" stammered Jack, flushing and rising. + +"Now, don't get excited, lad," laughed the Shipbuilder. + +"But--but--naming a boat for the United States Navy after me, sir--" + +Captain Jack's face flushed crimson. + +"Of course, if you object--" smiled Mr. Farnum, then paused. + +"Object? You know I don't, sir. But I am afraid the idea is going to +my head," laughed Jack, his face still flushed. "The very idea of there +being in the United States Navy a fine and capable craft named after +me--" + +"Oh, if the Navy folks object," laughed Farnum, "then they'll change the +name quickly enough. You understand, lad, the names we give to our +boats last only until the craft are sold. The Navy people can change +those names if they please." + +"It will be a handsome compliment to me, Mr. Farnum. More handsome than +deserved, I fear." + +"Deserved, well enough," retorted the shipbuilder. "Dave Pollard and I +are well enough satisfied that, if it hadn't been for you youngsters, +and the superb way in which you handled our first boat, Dave and I +would still be sitting on the anxious bench in the ante-rooms of the +Navy Department at Washington." + +"Well, I don't deserve to have a boat named after me any more than Hal +does, or Eph Somers." + +"Give us time, won't you, Captain?" pleaded Jacob Farnum, his face +straight, but his eyes laughing. "We expect to build at least five +boats. If we didn't, this yard never would have been fitted for the +present work, and you three boys, who've done so handsomely by us, +wouldn't each own, as you now do, ten shares of stock in this company. +Never fear; there'll be a 'Hastings' and a 'Somers' added to our fleet +one of these days--even though some of our boats have to be sold to +foreign governments." + +"If a boat named the 'Hastings' were sold to some foreign government," +laughed Jack Benson, "Hal, here, wouldn't say much about it. But call +a boat named the 'Somers,' after Eph, and then sell it, say, to the +Germans or the Japanese, and all of Eph's American gorge would come to +the surface. I'll wager he'd scheme to sink any submarine torpedo boat, +named after him, that was sold to go under a foreign flag." + +"I hope we'll never have to sell any of our boats to foreign +governments," replied Jacob Farnum, earnestly. "And we won't either, if +the United States Government will give us half a show." + +"That's just the trouble," grumbled Hal Hastings, breaking into the talk, +at last. "Confound it, why don't the people of this country run their +government more than they do? Four-fifths of the inventors who get up +great things that would put the United States on top, and keep us there, +have to go abroad to find a market for their inventions! If I could +invent a cannon to-day that would give all the power on earth to the +nation owning it, would the American Government buy it from me? No, +sir! I'd have to sell the cannon to England, Germany or Japan--or +else starve while Congress was talking of doing something about it in +the next session. Mr. Farnum, you have the finest, and the only real +submarine torpedo boat. Yet, if you want to go on building and +selling these craft, you'll have to dispose of most of them abroad." + +"I hope not," responded the shipbuilder, solemnly. + +Having said his say, Hal subsided. He was likely not to speak again for +an hour. As a class, engineers, having to listen much to noisy +machinery, are themselves silent. + +It was well along in the afternoon, a little past the middle of October. +For our three young friends, Jack, Hal and Eph, things were dull just +at the present moment. They were drawing their salaries from the +Pollard company, yet of late there had been little for them to do. + +Yet the three submarine boys knew that big things were in the air. +David Pollard was away, presumably on important business. Jacob Farnum +was not much given to speaking of plans until he had put them through +to the finish. Some big deal was at present "on" with the Government. +That much the submarine boys knew by intuition. They felt, therefore, +that, at any moment, they were likely to be called into action--to be +called upon for big things. + +As Jack and Hal sat in the office, silent, while Jacob Farnum turned to +his desk to scan one of the papers lying there, the door opened. A boy +burst in, waving a yellow envelope. + +"Operator said to hustle this wire to you," shouted the boy, panting a +bit. "Said it might be big news for Farnum. So I ran all the way." + +Jacob Farnum took the yellow envelope, opening it and glancing hastily +through the contents. + +"It _is_ pretty good news," assented the shipbuilder, a smile wreathing +his face. "This is for you, messenger." + +"This" proved to be a folded dollar bill. The messenger took the money +eagerly, then demanded, more respectfully: + +"Any answer, sir?" + +"Not at this moment, thank you," replied Mr. Farnum. "That is all; you +may go, boy." + +Plainly the boy who had brought the telegram was disappointed over not +getting some inkling of the secret. All Dunhaven, in fact, was wildly +agog over any news that affected the Farnum yard. For, though the +torpedo boat building industry was now known under the Pollard name, +after the inventor of these boats, the yard itself still went under the +Farnum name that young Farnum had inherited from his father. + +While Jacob Farnum is reading the despatch carefully, for a better +understanding, let us speak for a moment of Captain Jack Benson and his +youthful comrades and chums. + +Readers of the first volume in this series, "_The Submarine Boys on +Duty_," remember how Jack Benson and Hal Hastings strayed into the +little seaport town of Dunhaven one hot summer day, and how they learned +that it was here that the then unknown but much-talked about Pollard +submarine was being built. Both Jack and Hal had been well trained in +machine shops; they had spent much time aboard salt water power craft, +and so felt a wild desire to work at the Farnum yard, and to make a study +of submarine craft in general. + +How they succeeded in getting their start in the Farnum yard, every +reader of the preceding volumes knows; how, too, Eph Somers, a native of +Dunhaven, managed to "cheek" his way aboard the craft after she had been +launched, and how he had always since managed to remain there. + +Our same older readers will remember the thrilling experiences of this +boyish trio during the early trials of the new submarine torpedo boat, +both above and below the surface. These readers will remember, also, +for instance, the great prank played by the boys on the watch officer of +one of the stateliest battleships of the Navy. + +Readers of the second volume, "_The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip_," will +recall, among other things, the desperate efforts made by. George +Melville, the capitalist, aided by the latter's disagreeable son, Don, to +acquire stealthy control of the submarine building company, and their +efforts to oust Jack, Hal and Eph from their much-prized employment. +These readers will remember how Jack and his comrades spoiled the +Melville plans, and how Captain Jack and his friends handled the +"Pollard" so splendidly, in the presence of a board of Navy officers, +that the United States Government was induced to buy that first submarine +craft. + +After that sale, each of the three boys received, in addition to his +regular pay, a bank account of a thousand dollars and ten shares of stock +in the new company. Moreover, Messrs. Farnum and Pollard had felt +wholly justified in promising these talented, daring, hustling submarine +boys an assured and successful future. + +Jacob Farnum at last looked up from the final reading of the telegram in +his hands. Captain Jack Benson's gaze was fixed on his employer's face. +Hal Hastings was looking out of a window, with almost a bored look in +his eyes. + +"You young men wanted action," announced Mr. Farnum, quietly. "I think +you'll get it." + +"Soon!" questioned Jack, eagerly. + +"Immediately, or a minute or two later," laughed the shipbuilder. + +"I'm ready," declared Captain Jack, rising. + +"It'll take you a little time to hear about it all and digest it, so you +may as well be seated again," declared Farnum. + +Hal, too, wandered back to his chair. + +"You've been wondering how much longer the Government would leave the +'Pollard' here," went on Mr. Farnum. "I am informed that the gunboat +'Hudson' is on her way here, to take over the 'Pollard.'" + +"What are the Navy folks going to do!" demanded Captain Jack, all but +wrathfully. "Do they propose to _tow_ that splendid little craft away!" + +"Hardly that, I imagine," replied Farnum. "It's the custom of the United +States Navy, you know, to send a gunboat along with every two or three +submarines. They call the larger craft the 'parent boat'. The parent +boat looks out for any submarine craft that may become disabled." + +"The cheek of it," vented Jack, disgustedly. "Why, sir, I'd volunteer to +take the 'Pollard,' unassisted, around the world, if she could carry fuel +enough for such a trip." + +"But the Navy hasn't been accustomed to such capable submarine boats as +ours, you know," replied Mr. Farnum. "Hence the parent boat." + +"Parent boat!" interjected Hal Hastings, with his quiet smile. "You +might call it the 'Dad' boat, so to speak." + +Mr. Farnum laughed, then continued: + +"A naval crew will take possession of the 'Pollard,' and the craft will +proceed, under the care of the Dad boat"--with a side glance of +amusement at Hal--"to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis." + +"Annapolis--where they train the naval cadets, the midshipmen, into +United States Naval officers? Oh, how I'd like to go there!" breathed +Captain Jack Benson, eagerly. + +"As a cadet in the Navy, do you mean!" asked Mr. Farnum. + +"Why, that would have been well enough," assented Jack, "before I had +such a chance in your submarine service. No; I mean I'd like to see +Annapolis. I'd like to watch the midshipmen at their training, and see +the whole naval life there." + +"It's too bad every fellow can't have his wish gratified as easily," +continued Jacob Farnum. + +"Do you mean we're going to Annapolis, too?" asked Jack Benson, his +eyes glowing. Even Hal Hastings sat up straighter in his chair, watching +the shipbuilder's face closely. + +"Yes," nodded Jacob Farnum. "Permission has been granted for me to send +our second boat, the 'Farnum,' along with the 'Pollard'--both under the +care of the--" + +"The Dad boat," laughed Hastings. + +"Yes; that will give us a chance to have the 'Farnum' studied most +closely by some of the most capable officers in the United States Navy. +It ought to mean, presently, the sale of the 'Farnum' to the Government." + +"That's just what it will mean," promised Captain Jack, "if any efforts +of ours can make the Navy men more interested in the boat." + +"You three youngsters are likely to be at Annapolis for some time," went +on Mr. Farnum. "In fact--but don't let your heads become too enlarged +by the news, will you!" + +Hal, quiet young Hal, neatly hid a yawn behind one hand, while Benson +answered for both: + +"We're already wearing the largest-sized caps manufactured, Mr. Farnum. +Don't tempt us too far, please!" + +"Oh, you boys are safe from the ordinary perils of vanity, or your heads +would have burst long ago. Well, then, when you arrive at Annapolis, +you three are to act as civilian instructors to the middies. You three +are to teach the midshipmen of the United States Navy the principles on +which the Pollard type of boat is run. There; I've told you the whole +news. What do you think of it!" + +Mr. Farnum's cigar having burned low, he tossed it away, then leaned back +as he lighted another weed. + +"What do we think, sir?" echoed Captain Jack, eagerly. "Why, we think +we're in sight of the very time of our lives! Annapolis! And to teach +the middies how to run a 'Pollard' submarine." + +"How soon are we likely to have to start, sir!" asked Hal Hastings, after +a silence that lasted a few moments. + +"Whenever the 'Hudson' shows up along this coast, and the officer in +command of her gives the word. That may be any hour, now." + +"Then we'd better find Eph," suggested Captain Jack, "and pass him the +word. Won't Eph Somers dance a jig for delight, though!" + +"Yes; we'd better look both boats over at once," replied Mr Farnum, +picking up his hat "And we'll leave word for Grant Andrews and some of +his machinists to inspect both craft with us. There may be a few things +that will need to be done." + +As they left the office, crossing the yard, Captain Jack Benson and Hal +Hastings felt exactly as though they were walking on air. Even Hal, +quiet as he was, had caught the joy-infection of these orders to proceed +to Annapolis. To be sent to the United States Naval Academy on a tour +of instruction is what officers of the Navy often call "the prize +detail." + +Farnum and his two youthful companions went, first of all, to the long, +shed-like building in which the third submarine craft to be turned out +at this yard was now being built. From inside came the noisy clang of +hammers against metal. The shipbuilder stepped inside alone, but soon +came out, nodding. The three now continued on their way down to the +little harbor. All of a sudden the three stopped short, almost with a +jerk, in the same second, as though pulled by a string. + +At exactly the same instant Jacob Farnum, Captain Jack Benson and +Engineer Hal Hastings put up their hands to rub their eyes. + +Their senses had told them truly, however. While the "Pollard" rode +serenely at her moorings, the "Farnum," the second boat to be launched, +was nowhere to be seen! + +"What on earth has happened to the other submarine?" gasped the +shipbuilder, as soon as he could somewhat control his voice. + +What, indeed? + +There was not a sign of her. At least, she had not sunk at her moorings, +for the buoys floated in their respective places, with no manner of +tackle attached to them. + +"A submarine boat can't slip its own cables and vanish without human +hands!" gasped the staggered Jack Benson. + +"There's something uncanny about this," muttered Hal Hastings. + +Jacob Farnum stood rooted to the spot, opening and closing his hands in +a way that testified plainly to the extent of his bewilderment. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +HOW EPH FLIRTED WITH SCIENCE + + +Jack Benson was the first of the trio to move. + +Without a word he broke into a run, heading for the narrow little shingle +of beach. + +"Got an idea, Captain?" shouted Jacob Farnum, darting after his young +submarine skipper. + +"Yes, sir!" floated back over Jack's shoulder. + +"Then what's at the bottom--" + +"Eph and the boat, both together, or I miss my guess," Captain Jack +shouted back as he halted at the water's edge, where a rowboat lay hauled +up on the shore. + +Jacob Farnum's face showed suddenly pallid as he, also, reached the +beach. Hal, who was in the rear, did not seem so much startled. + +"Do you think Eph has gone off on a cruise all alone?--that he has come +to any harm?" gasped the shipbuilder. + +"I don't know, but I'm not going to worry a mite about Eph Somers until +I have to," retorted Jack Benson, easily. + +"Eph can generally take care of himself," added Hal Hastings. "He +rarely falls into any kind of scrape that he can't climb out of." + +"But this is a bad time for him to take the 'Farnum' and cruise away," +objected the owner of the yard. "The 'Hudson' may be here at any hour, +you know, and we ought to be ready for orders." + +As he spoke, Mr. Farnum scanned the horizon away to the south, out over +the sea. + +"There's a line of smoke, now, and not many miles away," he announced +"It may, as likely as not, be smoke from the 'Hudson's' pipe." + +"Going out with us, sir!" inquired Captain Jack Benson, as Hal took his +place at a pair of oars. + +"Yes," nodded the owner of the yard, dropping into a seat at the stern +of the boat, after which Benson pushed off at the bow. + +Down on the seashore, on this day just past the middle of October, the +air was keen and brisk. There had been frost for several nights past. +Sleighing might be looked for in another month. + +"Cable's gone from this buoy," declared Captain Jack, as Hal rowed close. +"Over to the other one, old fellow." + +Here, too, the cable was missing. Evidently the "Farnum" had made a +clean get-away. If there had been any accident, it must have taken +place after the new submarine boat had slipped away from her moorings. + +"Humph!" grunted Jack, scanning the sea. "No sign of the boat anywhere. +Eph may be anywhere within twenty miles of here." + +"Or within twenty feet, either," grinned Hal, looking down into the +waters that were lead colored under the dull autumn sky. + +"What are we going to do, Captain?" inquired Jacob Farnum. "There are +Grant Andrews and three of his machinists coming down to the water." + +"I reckon, sir, we'd better put them aboard the 'Pollard' first, sir," +Benson suggested. + +Mr. Farnum nodding, the boat was rowed in to the shore and Andrews and +his men were put aboard the "Pollard" at the platform deck. Captain +Jack Benson unlocking the door to the conning tower, was himself the +first to disappear down below. When he came back he carried a line to +which was attached a heavy sounding-lead. + +"It won't take us long to sound the deep spots in this little harbor," +said the young skipper, as he dropped down once more into the bow of the +shore boat. "Row about, Hal, over the places where the submarine could +go below out of sight." + +As Hal rowed, Skipper Jack industriously used the sounding-lead. + +For twenty minutes nothing resulted from this exploration. Then, all of +a sudden, Benson shouted: + +"Back water, Hal! Easy; rest on your oars. Steady!" + +Jack Benson raised the lead two or three feet, then let it down again, +playing it up and down very much as a cod fisherman uses his line and +hook. + +"I'm hitting something, and it is hardly a rock, either," declared young +Benson. "Pull around about three points to starboard, Hal, then steal +barely forward." + +Again Benson played see-saw with his sounding-line over the boat's +gunwale. + +"If my lead isn't hitting the 'Farnum,'" declared the young skipper, +positively, "then it's the 'Farnum's' ghost. Hold steady, now, Hal." + +Immediately afterward, Benson caused the lead fairly to dance a jig on +whatever it touched at bottom. + +"What's the good of that, anyway?" demanded Jacob Farnum. + +"You don't think I'm doing this just for fun, do you, sir?" asked +Captain Jack, with a smile. + +"No; I know you generally have an object when you do anything unusual," +responded the shipbuilder, good-humoredly. + +"You know, of course, sir, that noises sound with a good deal of +exaggeration when you hear them under water?" + +"Yes; of course." + +"You also know that all three of us have been practicing at telegraphy a +good deal during the past few weeks, because every man who follows the +sea ought to know how to send and receive wireless messages at need." + +"Yes; I know that, Benson." + +"Well, sir, I guess that the lead has been hitting the top of the +'Farmun's' hull, and I've been tapping out the signal--" + +"The signal, 'Come up--rush!'" broke in Hal, with an odd smile. + +"Right-o," nodded Jack Benson. + +"How on earth did you know what the signal was, Hastings?" demanded +Mr. Farnum. + +"Why, sir, I've been sitting so that I could see Jack's arm. I've been +reading, from the motions of his right arm, the dots and dashes of the +Morse telegraph alphabet." + +"You youngsters certainly get me, for the things you think of," laughed +the shipyard's owner. + +"And the 'Farnum,' or whatever it is, is coming up," called Captain Jack, +suddenly. "I just felt my lead slide down over the top of her hull. +Hard-a-starboard, Hal, and row hard," shouted young Benson, breathlessly. + +Though Hastings obeyed immediately he was barely an instant too soon. +To his dismay, Mr. Farnum saw something dark, unwieldly, rising through +the water. It appeared to be coming up fairly under the stern of the +shore boat, threatening to overturn the little craft and plunge them all +into the icy water. + +Hal shot just out of the danger zone, though. Then a round little tower +bobbed up out of the water. Immediately afterward the upper third of a +long, cigar-shaped craft came up into view, water rolling from her +dripping sides, which glistened brightly as the sun came out briefly +from behind a fall cloud. + +In the conning tower, through the thick plate glass, the three people in +the shore boat made out the carroty-topped head and freckled, +good-humored, honest, homely face of Eph Somers. The boat lay on the +water, under no headway, drifting slightly with the wind-driven ripples. +Then Eph raised the man-hole cover of the top of the conning tower, +thrusting out his head to hail them. + +"Hey, you landsmen, do you know a buoy from an umbrella!" + +"Do _you_ know the difference between a Sunday-school text and petty +larceny?" retorted Jack Benson, sternly. "What do you mean by taking the +submarine without leave?" + +"I've been experimenting--flirting with science," responded Eph, +loftily. "Say, if you landsmen know a buoy from a banana, get down to +the bow moorings of this steel mermaid, and I'll pass you the bow cable. +It's a heap easier to lead this submarine horse out of the stall, +single-handed, than it is to take him back and tie him." + +Hal rowed easily to the buoy, while Eph, returning to the steering wheel +and the tower controls, ran the "Farnum," with just bare headway, up to +where he could toss the bow cable to those waiting in the boat. A few +moments later the stern cable, also, was made fast, in such a way as to +allow a moderate swing to the bulky steel craft. + +"Now, you can take me ashore, if you feel like it," proposed Eph, +standing on the platform deck. + +"Not quite yet," returned Skipper Jack, though the small boat lay +alongside. "We've got some inspecting to do. But how did you get on +board in the first place?" + +"Why, the night watchman was in the yard for a few minutes, and I got him +to put me on board. I figured I could hail somebody else when I was +ready to go on shore." + +"But what on earth made you do such a thing?" demanded Captain Jack, in +a low tone. "It's really more than you had a right to do, Eph, without +getting Mr. Farnum's permission." + +"Why, I've known you to take the 'Pollard' and try something when Mr. +Farnum wasn't about," retorted Somers, looking surprised. + +"You never knew me to do it when I could ask permission, although, as +captain, I have the right to handle the boat. But that leave doesn't +extend to all the rest, Eph. What were you doing down there, anyway?" + +"Why, I came on board, and left the manhole open for ten minutes," +answered Somers. "Then I found the cabin thermometer standing at 49 +degrees. I wondered how much warmth could be gained by going below the +surface I had been down an hour and five minutes when you began to +signal with that sledgehammer--" + +"Sounding-lead," Jack corrected him. + +"Well, it sounded like a sledge-hammer, anyway," grinned young Somers. +"While I was down below I found that the temperature rose four degrees." + +"Part of that was likely due to the warmth of your body, and the heat of +the breath you gave off," hinted Benson. + +"You could have gotten it up to eighty or ninety degrees by turning +on the electric heater far enough," suggested Hal. + +"I wanted to see whether it would be warmer in the depths; wanted to +find out how low I could go and be able to do without heat in winter," +Somers retorted. + +"I could have told you that, from my reading, without any experiment," +retorted Skipper Jack. "Close your conning tower and go down a little +way, and the temperature would gradually rise a few degrees. That's +because of the absence of wind and draft. But, if you could go down +very, very deep without smashing the boat under the water pressure, +you'd find the temperature falling quite a bit." + +"Where did you read all that?" inquired Eph, looking both astonished and +sheepish. + +"Here," replied Jack, going to a small wall book-case, taking down a +book and turning several pages before he stopped. + +"Just my luck," muttered Eph, disconsolately. "Here I've been dull as +ditch-water for an hour, trying to find out something new, and it's all +stated in a book printed--ten years ago," he finished, after rapidly +consulting the title-page. + +Jacob Farnum had been no listener to this conversation. Taking the +marine glasses from the conning tower, the shipbuilder was now well +forward on the platform deck, scanning what was visible of the steam +craft to the southward. At last the yard's owner turned around to +say: + +"I don't believe you young men can have things ship-shape a second too +soon. The craft heading this way has a military mast forward. She must +be the 'Hudson.' If there's anything to be done, hustle!" + +Jack and Hal sprang below, to scan their respective departments. Five +minutes later Grant Andrews hailed from the "Pollard," and Eph rowed +over in the shore boat to ferry over the machinists. + +Half an hour later Andrews and his men had put in the few needed touches +aboard the newer submarine boat. The sun, meanwhile, had gone down, +showing the hull of a naval vessel some four miles off the harbor. + +Darkness came on quickly, with a clouded sky. As young Benson stepped +on deck Grant Andrews followed him. + +"All finished here, Grant?" queried the yard's owner. + +"Yes, sir. There's mighty little chance to do anything where Hal +Hastings has charge of the machinery." + +"That's our gunboat out there, I think," went on Mr. Farnum, pointing to +where a white masthead light and a red port light were visible, about a +mile away. + +"Dunhaven must be on the map, all right, if a strange navigating officer +knows how to come so straight to the place," laughed Jack Benson. + +"Oh, you trust a United States naval officer to find any place he has +sailing orders for," returned Jacob Farnum. "I wonder if he'll attempt +to come into this harbor!" + +"There's safe anchorage, if he wants to do so," replied Captain Jack. + +While Somers was busy putting the foreman and the machinists ashore, +Mr. Farnum, Jack and Hal remained on the platform deck, watching the +approach of the naval vessel, which was now plainly making for Dunhaven. + +Suddenly, a broad beam of glaring white light shot over the water, +resting across the deck of the "Farnum." + +"I guess that fellow knows what he wants to know, now," muttered Benson, +blinking alter the strong glare had passed. + +"There, he has picked up the 'Pollard,' too," announced Hastings. "Now, +that commander must feel sure he has sighted the right place." + +"There go the signal lights," cried Captain Jack, suddenly. "Hal, +hustle below and turn on the electric current for the signaling +apparatus." + +Then Benson watched as, from the yards high up on the gunboat's signaling +mast, colored electric lights glowed forth, twinkling briefly in turn. +This is the modern method of signaling by sea at night. + +"He wants to know," said Benson, to Mr. Farnum, as he turned, "whether +there is safe anchorage for a twelve-hundred-ton gunboat of one hundred +and ninety-five feet length." + +Reaching the inside of the conning tower at a bound, the young skipper +rapidly manipulated his own electric signaling control. There was a low +mast on the "Farnum's" platform deck, a mast that could be unstepped +almost in an instant when going below surface. So Captain Jack's +counter-query beamed out in colors through the night: + +"What's your draught?" + +"Under present ballast, seventeen-eight," came the answer from the +gunboat's signal mast. + +"Safe anchorage," Captain Jack signaled back. + +"Can you meet us with a pilot?" questioned the on-coming gunboat. + +"Yes," Captain Jack responded. + +"Do so," came the laconic request. + +"That's all, Hal," the young skipper called, through the engine room +speaking tube. "Want to row me out and put me aboard the gunboat?" + +In another jiffy the two young chums had put off in the boat, Hal at the +oars, Jack at the tiller ropes. The gunboat was now lying to, some +seven hundred yards off the mouth of the little harbor. Hastings bent +lustily to the oars, sending the boat over the rocking water until he +was within a hundred yards of the steam craft's bridge. + +"Gun boat ahoy!" roared Hal, between his hands. Then, by a slip of the +tongue, and wholly innocent of any intentional offense, he bellowed: + +"Is that the 'Dad' boat?" + +"What's that?" came a sharp retort from the gunboat's bridge. "Don't +try to be funny, young man!" + +"Beg your pardon, sir. That was a slip of the tongue," Hal replied, +meekly, as he colored. "Are you the gunboat 'Hudson?'" + +"No; I'm her commanding officer, young man! Who in blazes are you!" + +"I'm the goat, it seems," muttered Hastings, under his breath. But, +aloud, he replied: + +"I have the pilot you requested." + +"Then why don't you bring him on board?" came the sharp question. "Did +you think I only wanted to look at a pilot?" + +"All right, sir. Shall I make fast to your starboard side gangway?" +Hal called. + +"In a hurry, young man!" + +"That's the naval style, I guess," murmured Jack to his chum. "No +fooling in the talk. I wonder if that fellow eats pie? Or is his +temper due to coffee?" + +Answering only with a quiet grin, Hal rowed alongside the starboard +side gangway. Jack, waiting, sprang quickly to the steps, ascending, +waving his hand to Hal as he went. Young Hastings quickly shoved +off, then bent to his oars. + +"Where's the pilot?" came a stern voice, from the bridge, as Jack +Benson's head showed above the starboard rail. + +"I am the pilot, sir," Jack replied. + +"Why, you're a boy." + +"Guilty," Jack responded. + +"What does this fooling mean? You're not old enough to hold a pilot's +license." + +By this time Benson was on the deck, immediately under the bridge. A +half dozen sailors, forward, were eyeing him curiously. + +"I have no license, sir," Jack admitted. "Neither has anyone else at +Dunhaven. For that matter, the harbor's a private one, belonging to the +shipyard." + +"Hasn't Mr. Farnum a _man_ he can send out!" + +"No one who knows the harbor better than I do, sir." + +"Who are you? What are you?" + +"Jack Benson, sir. Captain of the Pollard submarine boats." + +"Why didn't you tell me that before!" The question came sharply, +almost raspingly. + +"Beg your pardon, sir, but you didn't ask me," Jack replied. + +"Come up here, Benson," ordered the lieutenant commander, in a loud +voice intended to drown out the subdued titter of some of the sailors +forward. + +Jack ascended to the bridge, to find himself facing a six-footer in his +early thirties. There was a younger officer at the far end of the +bridge. + +"Does Mr. Farnum consider you capable of showing us the way into the +harbor!" demanded the commanding officer of the "Hudson." + +"I think so, sir. He trusts me with his own boats." + +"Then you are--" + +"Benson, Mr. Farnum's captain of the submarine boats." + +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew gazed in astonishment for a moment, then +held out his hand as he introduced himself, remarking: + +"I was told that I would find a very young submarine commander here, +but--" + +"You didn't expect to find one quite as young," Jack finished, smiling. + +"No; I didn't. Mr. Trahern, I want you to know Captain Jack Benson, of +the Pollard submarines." + +Ensign Trahern also shook hands with young Benson. + +"And now," went on the commander of the "Hudson," "I think you may as +well show us the way into the harbor." + +"You'll want to go at little more than headway, sir," Jack replied. +"The harbor is small, though there's enough deep water for you. In +parts there are some sand ledges that the tide washes up." + +"I can't allow you to pilot us, exactly, but you'll indicate the course +to me, won't you, Mr. Benson?" + +The "mister" was noticeable, now. Naval officers are chary of their +bestowal of the title "captain" upon one who does not hold it in the +Army or Navy service. + +At Mr. Mayhew's order the "Hudson" was started slowly forward, the +searchlight playing about the entrance to the harbor. + +"For your best anchorage, sir," declared Captain Jack, after he had +brought the gunboat slowly into the harbor, "you will do well to anchor +with that main arc-light dead ahead, that shed over there on your +starboard beam, and the front end of the submarine shed about four +points off your port bow." + +Mr. Mayhew slowly manoeuvred his craft, while men stood on the deck +below, forward, prepared to heave the bow anchors. + +"Go four points over to port, Mr. Trahern," instructed Mr. Mayhew. +"Now, back the engines--steady!" + +Jack Benson opened his mouth wide. Then, as he saw the way the "Hudson" +was backing, he suddenly called: + +"Slow speed ahead, quick, sir!" + +"You said--" began Mr. Mayhew. + +Gr-r-r-r! The stern of the gunboat dug its way into a sand ledge, +lifting the stern considerably. + +"Slow speed ahead!" rasped Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, sharply. + +But the gunboat could not be budged. She was stuck, stern on, fast in +the sand-ledge. + +"Benson!" uttered the lieutenant commander, bitterly, "I congratulate +you. You've succeeded in grounding a United States Naval vessel!" + + + + +CHAPTER III + +"YOU MAY AS WELL LEAVE THE BRIDGE!" + + +There was so much of overwhelming censure in the naval tone that Jack's +spirit was stung to the quick. "It's your mistake, sir," he retorted. +"You didn't follow the course I advised. You swung the ship around to +port, and--" + +"Silence, now, if you please, while men are trying to get this vessel +out of a scrape a boy got her into," commanded Mr. Mayhem, sternly. + +Jack flushed, then bit his tongue. In another moment a pallor had +succeeded the red in his face. + +He was blamed for the disaster, and he was not really at fault. + +Yet, under the rebuke he had just received, he did not feel it his place +to retort further for the present. + +Mr. Mayhew and Mr. Trahern conferred in low tones for a moment or two. + +"You may as well leave the bridge, young man," resumed Mr. Mayhew, +turning upon the submarine boy. "You are not likely to be of any use +here." + +As Jack, burning inwardly with indignation, though managing to keep +outwardly calm, descended to the deck below, he caught sight of Hal +Hastings, hovering near in the rowboat. Hal signaled to learn whether +he should put in alongside to take off his chum, but Benson shook his +head. + +Over on the "Farnum" the yard's owner and Eph Somers watched wonderingly. +They understood, well enough, that the new, trim-looking gunboat was in +trouble, but they did not how that Jack Benson was held at fault. + +Down between decks the engines of the "Hudson" were toiling hard to run +the craft off out of the sand. Then the machinery stopped. An engineer +officer came up from below. He and Mr. Mayhew walked to the stern, +while a seaman, accompanying them, heaved the lead, reading the +soundings. + +"We're stuck good and fast," remarked the engineer officer. "We can't +drive off out of that sand for the reason that the propellers are buried +in the grit. They'll hardly turn at all, and, when they do, they only +churn the sand without driving us off." + +"Confound that ignoramus of a boy!" muttered Mr. Mayhew, walking slowly +forward. It was no pleasant situation for the lieutenant commander. +Having run his vessel ashore, he knew himself likely to be facing a +naval board of inquiry. + +Hal, finding that the shore boat was not wanted for the present, had +rowed over to the "Farnum's" moorings. Now Jacob Farnum came alongside +in the shore boat. + +"May I speak with your watch officer?" he called. + +"I am the commanding officer," Mr. Mayhew called down, in the cold, even, +dulled voice of a man in trouble. + +"I am Mr. Farnum, owner of the yard. May I come on board?" + +"Be glad to have you," Lieutenant Commander Mayhew responded. + +So Mr. Farnum went nimbly up over the side. + +"May I ask what is the trouble here, sir?" asked the yard's owner. + +"The trouble is," replied Mr. Mayhew, "that your enterprising boy pilot +has run us aground--hard, tight and fast!" + +Jacob Farnum glanced swiftly at his young captain. Jack shook his head +briefly in dissent. Jacob Farnum, with full confidence in his young +man, at once understood that there was more yet to be learned. + +"Come up on the bridge, sir, if you will," requested the commander of +the gunboat, who was a man of too good breeding to wish any dispute +before the men of the crew. "You may come, too, Benson." + +Jack followed the others, including the engineer officer of the "Hudson." +Yet Benson was clenching his hands, fighting a desperate battle to get +full command over himself. It was hard--worse than hard--to be +unjustly accused. + +Jacob Farnum wished to keep on the pleasantest terms with these officers +of the Navy. At the same time he was man enough to feel determined that +Jack, whether right or wrong, should have a full chance to defend +himself. + +"I understand, sir," began Mr. Farnum, "that you attach some blame in +this matter to young Benson?" + +"Perhaps he is not to be blamed too much, on account of his extreme +youth," responded Mr. Mayhew. + +"Forget his youth altogether," urged Mr. Farnum. "Let us treat him as +a man. I've always found him one, in judgment, knowledge and loyalty. +Do you mind telling me, sir, in what way he erred in bringing you in +here?" + +"An error in giving his advice," replied Mr. Mayhew. "Or else it was +ignorance of how to handle a craft as large as this gunboat. For my +anchorage he told me--" + +Here the lieutenant commander repeated the first part of Jack's directions +correctly, but wound up with: + +"He advised me to throw my wheel over four points to port." + +"Pardon me, sir," Jack broke in, unable to keep still longer. "What I +said, or intended to say, was to bring your vessel so that the forward +end of the submarine shed over there would be four points off the port +bow." + +"What did you hear Mr. Benson say, Mr. Trahern?" demanded the gunboat's +commander, turning to the ensign who had stood with him on the bridge. + +"Why, sir, I understood the lad to say what he states that he said." + +"You are sure of that, Mr. Trahern?" + +"Unless my ears tricked me badly," replied the ensign, "Mr. Benson said +just what he now states. I wondered, sir, at your calling for slow +speed astern." + +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew gazed for some moments fixedly at the face +of Ensign Trahern. Then, of a sudden, the gunboat's commander, who was +both an officer and a gentleman, broke forth, contritely: + +"As I think it over, I believe, myself, that Benson advised as he now +states he did. It was my own error--I am sure of it now." + +Wheeling about, Mayhew held out his right hand. + +"Mr. Benson," he said, in a deep voice full of regret, "I was the one +in error. I am glad to admit it, even if tardily. Will you pardon my +too hasty censure?" + +"Gladly, sir," Benson replied, gripping the proffered hand. Jacob +Farnum stood back, wagging his head in a satisfied way. It had been +difficult for him to believe that his young captain had been at fault +in so simple a matter, or in a harbor with which he was so intimately +acquainted. + +As for the young man himself, the thing that touched him most deeply was +the quick, complete and manly acknowledgment of this lieutenant +commander. + +"Mr. Farnum," inquired the gunboat's commander, "have you any tow boats +about here that can be used in helping me to get the 'Hudson' off this +sand ledge?" + +"The only one in near waters, sir," replied the yard's owner, "is a +craft, not so very much larger than a launch, that ties up some three +miles down the coast. She's the boat I use when I need any towing here. +Of course, I have the two torpedo boats, though their engines were not +constructed for towing work." + +"May I offer a suggestion?" asked Jack, when the talk lagged. + +"I'll be glad to have you, Mr. Benson," replied Mr. Mayhew, turning +toward the submarine boy. + +"Flood tide will be in in about two hours and a half, sir," Benson +followed up. "That ought to raise this vessel a good deal. Then, with +the tow boat Mr. Farnum has mentioned, and with such help as the engines +of the submarines may give, together with your own engines, Mr. Mayhew, +I think there ought to be a good chance of getting the 'Hudson' afloat +with plenty of water under her whole keel. We can even start some of +the engines on shore, and rig winches to haul on extra cables. +Altogether, we can give you a strong pull, sir." + +"That sounds like the best plan to me," nodded Jacob Farnum. "I'll +have a message sent at once for that towboat." + +A white-coated steward now appeared on deck, moving near the lieutenant +commander. + +"Is dinner ready, Greers?" called Mr. Mayhew. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Lay two more plates, then. Mr. Farnum, I trust you and your young +submarine commander will sit as my guests to-night." + +This invitation the yard's owner accepted, asking only time enough to +arrange for keeping some of his workmen over-time, awaiting the coming +of flood-tide. + +So, presently, Jack and his employer found themselves seated at table in +the gunboat's handsome wardroom. Besides the lieutenant commander there +were Lieutenant Halpin, two ensigns, two engineer officers and a young +medical officer. In the "Hudson's" complement of officers there were +also four midshipmen, but these latter ate in their own mess. + +The time passed most pleasantly, Mr. Mayhew plainly doing all in his +power to atone for his late censure of the submarine boy. + +Before dinner was over the small towboat was in the harbor. At the +coming of flood tide this towing craft had a hawser made fast to the +gunboat. With the help of some of the naval machinists aboard the +"Hudson," both submarine craft were also manned and hawsers made fast. +Two cables were passed ashore to winches to which power was supplied +by the shipyard's engines. When all was ready a mighty pull was, +given, the gunboat's own propellers taking part in the struggle. For +two or three minutes the efforts continued. Then, at last, the +"Hudson," uninjured, ran off into deep water and shortly afterwards +anchored in safety. + +It was a moment of tremendous relief for Mr. Mayhew. + +"Call the tugboat captain aboard, and I'll settle with him at my own +expense," proposed the lieutenant commander. + +"I trust you will think of nothing of the sort," replied Jacob Farnum, +quickly. "In this harbor I wish to consider you and your vessel as my +guests." + +Again Mr. Mayhew expressed his thanks. Presently, glancing ashore +through the night, he asked: + +"What sort of country is it hereabouts?" + +"Mostly flat, as to the surface," Mr. Farnum replied. "If your question +goes further, there are some fine roads and several handsome estates +within a few miles of here. Mr. Mayhew, won't you and a couple of your +officers come on shore with me? I'll telephone for my car and put you +over quite a few miles this evening." + +"Delighted," replied the commander of the gunboat. + +One of the "Hudson's" cutters being now in the water alongside, the +party went ashore in this. Jack, after bidding the naval officers +good-night, found Hal and Eph, who had just come ashore from supper +on board the "Farnum." + +"No sailing orders yet, I suppose?" Hal asked. + +"None," Jack replied. "I reckon we'll start, all right, some time +to-morrow morning." + +"What'll we do to-night?" Eph wondered. + +"I don't know," replied Jack. "We've few friends around here we need to +take the trouble to say good-bye to. We could call on Mrs. Farnum, but +I imagine we'd run into the naval party up at the Farnum house. We want +to keep a bit in the background with these naval officers, except when +they may ask for our company." + +"Let's take a walk about the old town, then," Hal suggested. + +So the three submarine boys strolled across the shipyard. Just as they +were passing through the gate a man of middle height and seemingly about +thirty years of age quickened his pace to reach them. + +"Is this shipyard open nights?" he queried. + +"Only to some employees," Jack answered. + +"I suppose Mr. Farnum isn't about?" + +"No." + +"Captain Benson?" + +"Benson is my name." + +"This letter is addressed to Mr. Farnum," went on the stranger, "but +Mr. Pollard told me I could hand it to you." + +Captain Jack took the letter from the unsealed envelope. + +"My dear Farnum," ran the enclosure, "since you're short a good machinist +for the engine room of the 'Farnum,' the bearer, Samuel Truax, seems to +me to be just the man you want. I've examined him, and he understands +the sort of machinery we use. Better give him a chance." The note was +signed in David Pollard's well-known, scrawly handwriting. + +"I'm sorry you can't see Mr. Farnum tonight," said Benson, pleasantly. +"He'll be here early in the morning, though." + +"When do you sail?" asked Truax, quickly. + +"That you would have to ask Mr. Farnum, too," smiled Jack. + +"But, see here, Mr. Pollard engaged me to work aboard one of your +submarines." + +"It looks that way, doesn't it?" laughed the young skipper. + +"And you're the captain?" + +"Yes; but I can't undertake to handle Mr. Farnum's business for him." + +"You'll let me go aboard the craft to sleep for to-night, anyway?" +coaxed Truax. + +"Why, that's just what I'm not at liberty to do," replied the young +submarine captain. "No; I couldn't think of that, in the absence of +Mr. Farnum's order." + +"But that doesn't seem hardly fair," protested Truax. "See here, I +have spent all my money getting here. I haven't even the price of a +lodging with me, and this isn't a summer night." + +"Why, I'll tell you what I'll do," Benson went on, feeling in one of +his pockets. "Here's a dollar. That'll buy you a bed and a breakfast +at the hotel up the street. If you want to get aboard with us in time, +you'd better show up by eight in the morning." + +"But--" + +"That's really all I can do," Jack Benson hastily assured the fellow. +"I'm not the owner of the boat, and I can't take any liberties. Oh, +wait just a moment. I'll see if there's any chance of Mr. Farnum +coming back to night." + +Jack knew well enough that there wasn't any chance of Mr. Farnum +returning, unless possibly at a very late hour with the naval officers, +but the boy had seen the night watchman peering out through the gateway. + +Retracing his steps, Jack drew the night watchman inside, whispering: + +"Just a pointer for you. You've seen that man on the street with us? +He has a letter from Mr. Pollard to Mr. Farnum, but I wouldn't let him +in the yard to-night, unless Mr. Farnum appears and gives the order." + +"I understand," said the night watchman, nodding. + +"That's all, then, and thank you." + +Jack Benson hastily rejoined the others on the sidewalk + +"I don't believe, Mr. Truax, it will be worth your while to come here +earlier than eight in the morning. Better go to the hotel and tie up +to a good sleep. Good night." + +"Say, why did you take such a dislike to the fellow?" queried Eph, as +the three submarine boys strolled on up the street, Truax following +slowly at some distance in the rear. + +"I didn't take a dislike to him," Jack replied, opening his eyes wide. + +"You choked him of mighty short, then." + +"If it looked that way, then I'm sorry," Benson protested, in a tone +of genuine regret. "All I wanted to make plain was that I couldn't +pass him on to our precious old boat without Mr. Farnum's order." + +Truax plodded slowly along behind the submarine boys, a cunning look in +the man's eyes as he stared after Jack Benson. + +"You're a slick young man, or else a wise one," muttered Truax. "But +I think I'm smart enough to take it out of you!" + +Nor did Sam Truax go to the hotel. He had his own plans for this +evening--plans that boded the submarine boys no good. + +The three boys strolled easily about town, getting a hot soda or two, +and, finally, drifting into a moving picture show that had opened +recently in Dunhaven. This place they did not leave until the show +was over. They were halfway home when Captain Jack remembered that +he had left behind him a book that he had bought earlier in the evening. + +"You fellows keep right on down to the yard. I'll hurry back, get the +book and overtake you," he proposed. + +Jack ran back, but already the little theatre was closed. + +"I'm out that book, then, if we sail in the morning," he muttered, as +he trudged along after his friends. + +On the way toward the water front Benson had to pass a vacant lot +surrounded by a high board fence on a deserted street. He had passed +about half way along the length of the fence, when a head appeared over +the top followed by a pair of arms holding a small bag of sand. Down +dropped the bag, striking Jack Benson on the top of the head, sending +him unconscious to the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +MR. FARNUM OFFERS ANOTHER GUESS + + +Close at hand there was a loose board in the fence. Through this Sam +Truax thrust his head, peering up and down the street. Not another +soul was in sight. + +With a chuckle Truax stepped through the hole in the fence. Swiftly +he gathered up the young submarine captain, bearing him through the +aperture and dropping him on the ground behind the fence. At the +same time he took with him the small bag of sand. + +"Knocked you out, but I don't believe you'll be unconscious long," +mused Truax, standing over his young victim, regarding him critically. +"There wasn't steam enough in the blow to hurt you for long. You're +sturdy, following the sea all the time, as you do." + +With a thoughtful air Sam Truax drew a small bottle from his pocket, +sprinkling some of the contents over Jack's uniform coat. Immediately +the nauseating smell of liquor rose on the air. + +"Now, if someone finds you before you come to, you'll look like a +fellow that has been drinking and fighting," muttered Truax under +his breath. "If you come to and get back to the yard without help, +you'll walk unsteadily and have that smell about your clothes. Usually, +it needs only a breath of suspicion to turn folks against a boy!" + +Pausing only long enough to learn that Jack's pulses were beating, and +that the submarine boy was breathing, Truax stole off into the might, +carrying the bag of sand under his over coat. At one point he paused +long enough to empty the sand from the bag over a fence. The bag +itself he afterwards burned in the open fireplace in the room assigned +to him at Holt's Hotel. + +For twenty minutes Jack Benson lay as he had been left. Then he began +to stir, and groan. Then he opened his eyes; after a while he managed +to sit up. + +"Ugh!" he grunted. "What's the odor? Liquor! How does that happen? +Oh, my head!" + +He got slowly to his feet, using the board fence as a means to help +steady himself. Then, though he found himself weak and tormented by the +pain in his head, Benson managed to feel his way along the fence until +he came to the opening made by the loose board. Holding himself here, +he thrust his head beyond. + +Now, Hal and Eph, having waited for some time at the shore boat, before +going out on board the "Farnum," had at last made up their minds to go +back and look for their missing leader. They came along just at the +moment that the young captain's head appeared through the opening in +the fence. + +"There he is," muttered Hal, stopping short. "Gracious! He acts +queerly. I wonder if anything can have happened to him? Come along, +Eph!" + +The two raced across the street. + +"Jack, old fellow! What on earth's the matter?" demanded Hal Hastings, +anxiously. + +"I wish you could tell me," responded Jack Benson, speaking rather +thickly, for he was still somewhat dazed. "Oh, my head!" + +"There has been some queer work here," muttered Hal in Eph's ear. "Don't +torment him with questions. Just help me to get him down to the yard." + +While the two submarine boys were guiding their weak, dizzy comrade out +to the sidewalk a man came by with a swinging stride. Then he stopped +short, staring in amazement. + +"Hullo, boys! What on earth has happened?" + +It was Grant Andrews, foreman of the submarine work at the yard, and a +warm personal friend of Benson's. + +"I don't believe the old chap feels like telling us just now," muttered +Hal, with a sour face. + +"Whiskey!" muttered Andrews, almost under his breath. "What does it +mean? Benson never touched a drop of that vile stuff, did he?" + +"He'd sooner drown himself," retorted Hal, with spirit. + +"Of course he would," agreed Grant Andrews. "But what is the meaning +of all this?" + +"Oh, there's some queer, hocus-pocus business on foot," muttered Hal, +bitterly. "But I don't believe Jack feels much like telling us anything +about it at present." + +In truth, Jack didn't seem inclined to conversation. He was too sore +and dazed to feel like talking. He couldn't collect his ideas clearly. +The most that he actually knew was that the pain in his head was +tormenting. + +"I'll pick him right up in my arms and carry him," proposed Andrews. +"I'll take him to Mr. Farnum's office. Then I'll get a doctor. We +don't want much noise about this, or folks will be telling all sorts +of yarns against Jack Benson and his drinking habits, when the truth is +he's about the finest, steadiest young fellow alive!" + +Just as Andrews was about to carry his purpose into action, however, an +automobile turned the nearest corner and came swiftly toward them. In +another instant it stopped alongside. It contained Mr. Farnum and his +chauffeur, besides three naval officers. + +"What's wrong, Andrews?" called the yard's owner. "Why, that's Jack +Benson! What has happened to him?" + +Hal and Eph stood supporting their comrade, almost holding him, in fact. +Jacob Farnum leaped from his automobile. Lieutenant Commander Mayhew +followed him. + +"Liquor, eh?" exclaimed the naval officer, the odor reaching his nostrils. + +"No such thing," retorted Farnum, turning upon the officer. "At least, +Jack Benson has been drinking no such stuff." + +"It was only a guess," murmured Mr. Mayhew, apologetically. "You know +your young man better than I do, Mr Farnum." + +"There is liquor on his clothing," continued the shipbuilder. "It looks +as though someone had assaulted the lad, laid him out, and then +sprinkled him. It's a wasted trick, though. I know him too well to +be fooled by any such clumsy bit of nonsense." + +"A stupid trick, indeed," agreed Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, but the +naval officer did not quite share the shipbuilder's confidence in the +submarine boy's innocence. Mr. Mayhew had known of too many cases of +naval apprentices ruined through weak indulgence in liquor. Indeed, he +had even known of rare instances in which cadets had been dismissed from +the Naval Academy for the same offense. The lieutenant commander's +present doubt of Jack Benson was likely to work to that young man's +disadvantage later on. + +Others of the party left the auto. Hal and Mr. Farnum got into the +tonneau, supporting Jack there between them. Thus they carried him to +Mr. Farnum's office at the yard, Grant Andrews then going in the car +after a doctor, while the others stretched Jack on the office sofa. +The naval officers returned to the "Hudson," at anchor in the little +harbor below. + +"The young man acts as though he had been struck on the head," was the +physician's verdict. "No bones of the skull are broken. The odor of +liquor is on his coat, but I can't seem to detect any on the breath." + +"Of course you can't," commented Jacob Farnum, crisply. "Will Benson +be fit to sail in the morning?" + +"I think so," nodded the doctor. "But there ought to be a nurse with +him to-night." + +"Take my car, Andrews, and get a man nurse at once," directed Mr. +Farnum. "Doctor, can the young man be moved to his berth on the +'Farnum'?" + +"Safely enough," nodded the medical man. They waited until the nurse +arrived, when Jack was put to bed on the newer submarine craft. + +Jack slept through the night, moaning once in a while. Mr. Farnum +and the Dunhaven doctor were aboard early to look at him. The surgeon +from the "Hudson" also came over. + +Under the effects of medicine Jack Benson was asleep when, at ten +o'clock that morning, the two submarine torpedo boats slipped their +moorings, following the "parent boat," the "Hudson," out of the harbor. + +Ten minutes later the motion of the sea awoke the young skipper. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +TRUAX SHOWS THE SULKS + + +"Hullo!" muttered the young submarine skipper, staring curiously about +the little stateroom aft. He had it to himself, the nurse having been +put on shore. "Under way, eh? This is the queerest start I ever made +on a voyage." + +Nor was it many moments later when Jack Benson stood on his feet. His +clothes were hung neatly on nails against the wall. One after another +Jack secured the garments, slowly donning them. + +"How my head throbs and buzzes!" he muttered, his voice sounding +unsteady. "Gracious! What could have happened? Let me see. The last +I remember--passing that high fence--" + +But it was all too great a puzzle. Benson finally decided to stop +guessing until some future time. He went on with his dressing. Finally, +with his blouse buttoned as exactly as ever, and his cap placed gingerly +on his aching head, he opened the stateroom door, stepping out into +the cabin. + +Accustomed as he was to sea motion, the slight roll of the "Farnum" did +not bother the young skipper much. He soon reached the bottom of the +short spiral stairway leading up into the conning tower. Up there, in +the helmsman's seat, he espied Hal Hastings with his hands employed at t +he steering apparatus. Hal was looking out over the water, straight +ahead. + +"Sailing these days without word from your captain, eh?" Jack called, +in a voice that carried, though it shook. + +"Gracious--you?" ejaculated Hal, looking down for an instant. Then +Hastings pressed a button connecting with a bell in the engine room. + +"I'm going up there with you," Jack volunteered. + +"Right-o, if you insist," clicked Eph Somers, appearing from the engine +room and darting to the young skipper's side. True, Jack's head swam a +bit dizzily as he climbed the stairs, but Eph's strong support made the +task much easier. There was space to spare on the seat beside Hal, and +into this Jack Benson sank. + +"Say, you ought to sleep until afternoon," was Hastings's next greeting, +but Jack was looking out of the conning tower at the scene around him. + +The three craft were leaving the coast directly behind. About three +hundred yards away, abeam, steamed the "Hudson" at a nine-knot gait. + +"The 'Pollard' is on the other side of the gunboat, isn't she?" asked +Jack. + +"Yes," Hal nodded. + +"Naval crew aboard her?" + +"Yes; Government has taken full possession of the 'Pollard.'" + +"Who's running this boat? Just you and Eph?" + +"No; that new man, Truax, is on board, and at the last moment Mr. Farnum +put Williamson, one of the machinists, aboard, also. You can send +Williamson back from Annapolis whenever you're through with him." + +"Williamson is all right," nodded Jack, slowly. "But how about Truax?" + +"I think he's going to be a useful man," Hal responded. "He seems +familiar with our type of engines. Of course, he knows nothing about +the apparatus for submerging the boat or making it dive. But he doesn't +need to. Now, Jack, old fellow, we're going along all right. Why not +let Eph help you back to your bunk, or one of the seats in the cabin, +and have your sleep out?" + +"I've had it out," Benson declared, with a laugh. "I'm ready, now, to +take my trick at the wheel." + +"Nonsense," retorted Hal Hastings. "I've been here a bare quarter of +an hour, and I'm good for more work than that. Jack, you're nothing but +a fifth wheel. You're not needed; won't be all day, and at night we +anchor in some harbor down the coast. Go and rest, like a good fellow." + +"Can't rest, when I know I'm doing nothing," Benson retorted, stubbornly. +"Besides, this is the first time I've ever found myself moving along +in regular formation with the United States Navy. I feel almost as if I +were a Navy officer myself, and I mean to make the most of the sensation. +Say, Hal, wouldn't it be fine if we really did belong to the Navy?" + +"Gee-whiz!" murmured young Hastings, his cheeks glowing and his eyes +snapping. + +"If we only belonged to the old Flag for life, and knew that we were +practising on a boat like this as a part of the preparation for real +war when it came?" + +"_Don't_!" begged Hal, tensely. "For you know, old fellow, it can't +come true. Why, we haven't even a residence anywhere, from which a +Congressman could appoint one of us to annapolis!" + +"_One_ of us?" muttered Jack, scornfully. "Then it would have to be +you. I wouldn't go, even as a cadet at Annapolis, and leave you +behind in just plain, ordinary life, Hal Hastings!" + +"Well, it's no use thinking about it," sighed Hal, practically. "Neither +one of us is in any danger of getting appointed to Annapolis, so there's +no chance that either one of us ever will become an officer in the Navy. +Let's not talk about it, Jack I've been contented enough, so far, but +now it makes me almost blue, to think that we can only go on testing +and handling submarine craft like these, while others will be their real +officers in the Navy, and command them in any war that may come." + +Though his head throbbed, and though a dizzy spell came over him every +few minutes, Jack Benson stuck it out, up there beside his chum, for +an hour. Then, disdaining aid, he crept down the stairs, stretching +himself out on one of the cabin seats. Eph brought him a pillow and a +blanket. Jack soon slept, tossing uneasily whenever pain throbbed +dully in his head. + +"Guess I'll go out and have a little look at the young captain," proposed +Sam Truax, an hour later. + +"Try another guess," retorted Eph, curtly. "You'll stay here in the +engine room. Jack Benson isn't going to be bothered in any way." + +"I'm not going to bother him, just going to take a look at him," +protested Truax, moving toward the door that separated the engine room +from the cabin. + +But young Somers caught the stranger by the sleeve of the oily jumper +that Sam had donned on beginning his work. + +"Do you know what folks say about me?" demanded Eph, with a significant +glare. + +"What do they say?" + +"Folks have an idea that, at most times, I'm one of the best-natured +fellows on earth," declared Eph, solemnly. "Yet they do say that, when +I'm crossed in anything my mind's made up to, I can be tarnation ugly. +I just told you I don't want the captain disturbed. Do you know, Sam +Truax, I feel a queer notion coming over me? I've an idea that that +feeling is just plain ugliness coming to life!" + +Truax came back from the door, a grin on his face. Yet, when he turned +his head away, there was a queer, almost deadly flash in the fellow's +eyes. + +Jack slept, uneasily, until towards the middle of the afternoon. As +soon as Eph found him awake, that young man brought the captain a plate +of toast and a bowl of broth, both prepared at the little galley stove. + +"Sit up and get away with these," urged Eph, placing the tray on the +cabin table. "Wait a minute. I'll prop you up and put a pillow at +your back." + +"This boat isn't a bad place for a fellow when he's knocked out," +smiled Jack. + +"Any place ought to be good, where your friends are," came, curtly, +from young Somers. + +As Captain Jack ate the warm food he felt his strength coming back +to him. + +"Poor old Hal has been up there in the conning tower all these hours," +muttered Captain Jack, uneasily. "He must have that cramped feeling +in his hands." + +"Humph!" retorted Eph. "Not so you could notice it much, I guess. It's +a simpleton's job up in the conning tower to-day. All he has to do is +to shift the wheel a little to port, or to starboard, just so as to keep +the proper interval from the 'Dad' boat. Besides, I've been up there +on relief, for an hour while you slept, and Hal came down and sat with +the engines. Cheer up, Jack. No one misses you from the conning tower." + +Benson laughed, though he said, warningly: + +"I reckon we'll do as well to drop calling the gunboat the 'Dad boat' +instead of the 'parent vessel.'" + +"Well, you needn't bother at all about the conning tower to-day," wound +up Eph, glancing at his watch. "It's after half-past three at this +moment and I understand we're to drop anchor about five o'clock." + +So skipper Jack settled back with a comfortable sigh. Truth to tell, +it was pleasant not to have any immediate duty, for his head throbbed, +every now and then, and he felt dizzy when he tried to walk. + +"Who could have hit me in that fashion, last night, and for what earthly +purpose?" wondered the boy. "I've had some enemies, in the past, but I +don't know a single person about Dunhaven, now who has any reason for +wishing me harm." + +Never a thought crossed his mind of suspecting Sam Truax. That worthy +had come with a note from David Pollard, the inventor of the boats. +Sam, therefore, must be all right, the boy reasoned. + +Jack lay back on the upholstered seat. He sat with his eyes closed +most of the time, though he did not doze. At last, however, he heard +the engine room bell sound for reduced speed. Getting up, the young +captain made his way to the foot of the conning tower stairs. + +"Making port, Hal?" he called. + +"Yep," came the reply. "We'll be at anchor in five minutes more." + +Jack made his way slowly to the door of the engine room. + +"Eph," he called, "as soon as you've shut off speed, take Truax above +and you two attend to the mooring." + +"Take this other man up with you," urged Sam Truax. "I don't know +anything about tying a boat up to moorings." + +"Time you learned, then," returned Eph Somers, "if you're to stay +aboard a submarine craft." + +"Take this other man up with you," again urged Truax. + +Eph Somers turned around to face him with a good deal of a glare. + +"What ails you, Truax? You heard the captain's order. You'll go with +me." + +"Don't be too sure of that," uttered Sam Truax, defiantly. + +"If you don't go above with me, and if you don't follow every order +you get aboard this boat, I know where you _will_ go," muttered +decisively. + +"Where?" jeered Sam. + +"Ashore--in the first boat that can take you." + +"You seem to forget that I'm on board by David Pollard's order," sneered +Truax. + +"All I am sure of," retorted Eph, "is that Jack Benson is captain on +board this craft. That means that he's sole judge of everything here +when this boat is cruising. If you were here by the orders of both +owners, Jack Benson would fire you ashore for good, just the same, +after you've balked at the first order." + +"Humph! I--" + +Clang! Jangle! The signal bell was sounding. + +"Shut up," ordered Eph Somers, briskly. "I've got the engine to run +on signal from the watch officer." + +There followed a series of signals, first of all for stopping speed, +then for a brief reversing of engines. A moment later headway speed +ahead was ordered. So on Eph went through the series of orders until +the "Farnum" had been manoeuvred to her exact position. Then, from +above, Captain Jack's voice was heard, roaring in almost his usual +tones: + +"Turn out below, there, to help make fast!" + +"Take the lever, Williamson," directed Eph. "Come along lively, Truax." + +"Humph! Let Williamson go," grumbled Truax. + +"You come along with me, my man!" roared Eph, his face blazing angrily. +"Hustle, too, er I'll report you to the captain for disobedience of +orders. Then you'll go ashore at express speed. Coming?" + +Sam Truax appeared to wage a very brief battle within himself. Then, +nodding sulkily, he followed. + +"Hustle up, there!" Jack shouted down. "We don't want to drift." + +Jack Benson stood out on the platform deck, holding to the conning tower +at the port side. A naval launch had just placed a buoy over an anchor +that had been lowered. + +"Get forward, you two," Jack called briskly, "and make the bow cable +fast to that buoy." + +Hal still sat at the wheel in the tower. As Eph and Truax crept forward +over the arched upper hull of the "Farnum," Hal sounded the engine room +signals and steered until the boat had gotten close enough to make the +bow cable fast. Then the stern cable was made fast, with more line, +to another buoy. + +"A neat hitch, Mr. Benson," came a voice from the bridge of the "Hudson," +which lay a short distance away. Jack, looking up, saw Lieutenant +Commander Mayhew leaning over the bridge rail. + +"Thank you, sir," Jack acknowledged, saluting the naval officer. + +The parent vessel and her two submarine charges now lay at anchor in +the harbor at Port Clovis, one of the towns down the coast from +Dunhaven. This mooring overnight was to be repeated each day until +Annapolis should be reached. + +Within fifteen minutes the craft were surrounded by small boats from +shore. Some of these contained merchandise that it was hoped sailors +would buy. Other boats "ran" for hotels, restaurants, drinking places, +amusement halls, and all the varied places on shore that hope to fatten +on Jack Tar's money. + +"I'd like to go ashore, sir," announced Sam Truax, approaching Captain +Jack. + +"When?" + +"Now." + +"For how long?" + +"Until ten o'clock to-night." + +"Be back by that hour, then," Jack replied. "If you're not, you'll +find everything shut tight aboard here." + +Truax quickly signaled one of the hovering boats, and put off in it. Eph +watched the boat for a few moments before he turned to Captain Jack to +mutter: + +"Somehow, I wouldn't feel very badly about it if that fellow got lost on +shore!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +TWO KINDS OF VOODOO + + +On the second day of the cruise Jack Benson returned to full duty. + +For four nights, in all, the submarine squadron tied up at moorings in +harbors along the coast. On the fifth night, as darkness fell, the +squadron continued under way, in Chesapeake Bay, for Annapolis was but +three hours away. + +Immediately after supper Captain Jack took his place in the conning +tower. He concerned himself principally with the compass, his only +other task being to keep the course by the "Hudson's" lights, for the +parent boat supplied in its own conduct all the navigation orders +beyond the general course. The "Farnum's" searchlight was not used, +the gunboat picking up all the coast-marks as they neared land. + +"Annapolis is the place I've always wanted to see," Jack declared, as +Hal joined him in the conning tower. + +"It's the place where I've always wanted to be a cadet," sighed Hal. +"But there's no chance for me, I fear. Jack, I'd rather be an officer +of the Navy than a millionaire." + +"Same here," replied Jack, steadily. "It's hard to have to feel that +I'll never be either." + +As she entered the mouth of the Severn River the "Hudson" signaled to +the submarines to follow, in file, the "Pollard" leading. A little +later the three craft entered the Basin at the Academy. While the +gunboat anchored off the Amphitheatre, the two submarine boats were +ordered to anchorage just off the Boat House. Then a cutter came +alongside. + +"The lieutenant commander's compliments to Mr. Benson. Will Mr. Benson +go aboard the 'Hudson'?" asked the young officer in command of the +cutter. Captain Jack lost no time in presenting himself before the +lieutenant commander. + +"Mr. Benson," said Mr. Mayhew, after greeting the submarine boy, "your +craft will be under a marine guard to-night, and at all times while here +at the Naval Academy. If you and your crew would like to spend the +night ashore, in the quaint little old town of Annapolis, there's no +reason why you shouldn't. But you will all need to report back aboard, +ready for duty, by eight in the morning." + +Jack thanked the naval commander, then hastened back to the "Farnum" to +communicate the news. + +"Me for the shore trip," declared Eph, promptly. All the others agreed +with him. + +"I'll come back by ten o'clock to-night, though," volunteered Sam Truax. +"One of the crew ought to be aboard." + +"We'll stay ashore," decided Jack, "and return in the morning." + +"I'm coming back to-night," retorted Truax. + +"Keep still, and follow orders," muttered Eph, digging his elbow into +Truax's ribs. "The captain gives the orders here." + +Jack, however, had turned away. Within five minutes a boat put off +from shore, bringing two soldiers of the marine guard alongside with +them, in the shore boat, was a corporal of the guard. + +"Any of your crew coming back to-night, asked the corporal. + +"None," Benson answered. "Will you instruct the sentries to see that +none of the crew are allowed aboard during the night?" + +"Very good, sir." + +The shore boat waited to convey them to the landing. Before going, +young Captain Benson closed and locked the manhole entrance to the +conning tower. A sullen silence had fallen over Truax. The +instructions to the corporal of the guard, and the prompt acceptance +of those instructions, told Sam, beyond any doubt, that he was not +coming back on board that night. Truax followed the others as they +passed through the Academy grounds. Beyond the large, handsome +buildings, there was not much to be seen at night. Lights shone behind +all the windows in Cadet Barracks. Nearly all of the cadets of the +United States Navy were in their quarters, hard at study. Here and +there a marine sentry paced. A few naval officers, in uniform, passed +along the walks. That was all, and the submarine party had crossed the +grounds to the gate through which they were to pass into the town of +Annapolis. + +"Coming with us, Truax?" asked Williamson, as the party passed out into +a dimly lighted street. + +"No," replied the fellow, sullenly. "I'll travel by myself." + +"You're welcome to," muttered Eph, under his breath. + +The others climbed the steps to the State Capitol grounds, continuing +until they reached one of the principal streets of the little town. + +"Say, but this place must have gone to sleep before we got ashore," +grumbled Eph. "Hanged if I don't think Dunhaven is a livelier little +place!" + +"There isn't much to do, except to wander about a bit, then go to the +Maryland House for a good sleep on shore," Jack admitted. + +For more than an hour the submarine boys wandered about. The principal +streets contained some stores that had a bright, up-to-date look, and +in these principal streets the evening crowds much resembled those to +be found in any small town. There were other streets, however, on +which there was little traffic. In some of these quieter streets were +quaint, old-fashioned houses built in the Colonial days. + +"Annapolis is more of a place to see by day light, I reckon," suggested +Hal. "How about that sleep, Jack?" + +"The greatest fun, by night, I guess, consists in finding a drug-store +and spending some of our loose change on ice cream sodas," laughed +the young submarine skipper. + +This done, they found their way to the Maryland House. Jack and Hal +engaged a room together, Eph and Williamson taking the adjoining one. + +"As for me, in an exciting place like this," grimaced Eph, "I'm off +for bed." + +Williamson followed him upstairs. For some minutes Hal sat with his +chum in the hotel office. + +Then Jack went over and talked with the night clerk for a few moments. + +"There's a place near here, Hal, where a fellow can get an oyster fry," +Benson explained, returning to his chum. "With that information came +the discovery that I have an appetite." + +"Come and join me?" + +"No," gaped Hal. "I reckon I'll go up and turn in." + +"I'll be along in half an hour, then." + +Jack found the oyster house readily. As he entered the little, not +over-clean place, he found himself the only customer. He gave his order, +then picked up the local daily paper. As he ate, Jack found himself +yawning. The drowsiness of Annapolis by night was coming upon him. +Little did he dream how soon he was to discover that Annapolis, in some +of its parts, can be lively enough. + +As he paid his bill and stepped to the street, a young mulatto hurried +up to him. + +"Am Ah correct, sah, in supposin' yo' Cap'n Jack Benson?" + +"That's my name," Jack admitted. + +"Den Ah's jes' been 'roun' to de hotel, lookin' fo' yo', sah. One ob +yo' men, Mistah Sam Truax, am done took sick, an' he done sent me +fo'yo'." + +"Truax ill? Why, I saw him a couple of hours ago, and he looked as +healthy as a man could look," Jack replied, in astonishment. + +"I reckon, sah, he's mighty po'ly now, sah," replied the mulatto. +"He done gib me money fo' to hiah a cab an' take yo' to him. Will +yo' please to come, sah?" + +"Yes," agreed Jack. "Lead the way." + +"T'ank yo', sah; t'ank yo', sah. Follow me, sah." + +Jack's mulatto guide led him down the street a little way, then around +a corner. Here a rickety old cab with a single horse attached, waited. +A gray old darkey sat on the driver's seat. + +"Step right inside, sah. We'll be dere direckly. Marse Truax'll be +powahful glad see yo', sah." + +"See here," demanded Jack, after they had driven several blocks at a +good speed, "Truax hasn't been getting into any drinking scrapes, has +he? Hasn't been getting himself arrested, has he?" + +For young Benson had learned, from the night clerk at the hotel, that, +quiet and "dead" as Annapolis appears to the stranger, there are "tough" +places into which a seafaring stranger may find his way. + +"No, sah; no, sah," protested the mulatto. "Marse Truax done got sick +right and proper." + +"Why, confound it, we're leaving the town behind," cried Jack, a few +moments later, after peering out through the cab window. + +"Dat's all right, sah. Dere am' nuffin' to be 'fraid oh, sah." + +"Afraid?" uttered Jack, scornfully, with a side glance at the mulatto. +The submarine boy felt confident that, in a stretch of trouble, he +could thrash this guide of his in very short order. + +"Ah might jess well tell yo' wheah we am gwine, sah," volunteered the +mulatto, presently. + +"Yes," Benson retorted, drily. "I think you may." + +"Marse Truax, sah, he done hab er powah ob trouble, sah, las' wintah, +wid rheumatiz, sah! He 'fraid he gwine cotch it again dis wintah, sah. +Now, sah, dere am some good voodoo doctahs 'roun' Annapolis, so Marse +Truax, he done gwine to see, sah, what er voodoo can promise him fo' +his rheumatiz. I'se a runnah, sah, for de smahtest ole voodoo doctah, +sah, in de whole state ob Maryland." + +"Then you took Truax to a voodoo doctor tonight?" demanded Jack, almost +contemptuously. + +"Yes, sah; yes, sah." + +"I thought Truax had more sense than to go in for such tomfoolery," Jack +Benson retorted, bluntly. + +The mulatto launched into a prompt, energetic defense of the voodoo +doctors. Young Benson had heard a good deal about these clever old +colored frauds. In spite of his contempt, the submarine boy found +himself interested. He had heard about the charms, spells, incantations +and other humbugs practised on colored dupes and on some credulous +whites by these greatest of all quacks. The voodoo methods of "healing" +are brought out of the deepest jungles of darkest Africa, yet there +are many ignorant people, even among the whites, who believe steadfastly +in the "cures" wrought by the voodoo. + +While the mulatto guide was talking, or swearing Jack's half-amused +questions, the cab left Annapolis further and further behind. + +"Yo' see, sah," the guide went on, "Marse Truax wa'n't in no fit +condition, sah, to try de strongest voodoo medicine dat he called fo'. +So, w'ile de voodoo was sayin' his strongest chahms, Marse Truax done +fall down, frothin' at de mouth. He am some bettah, now, sah, but he +kain't be move' from de voodoo's house 'cept by a frien'." + +"I'll get a chance to see one of these old voodoo frauds, anyway," Jack +told himself. "This new experience will be worth the time it keeps me +out of my bed. What a pity Hal missed a queer old treat like this!" + +When the cab at last stopped, Benson looked out to find that the place +was well down a lonely country road, well lined with trees on either +side. The house, utterly dark from the outside, was a ramshackle, +roomy old affair. + +"Shall Ah wait fo' yo'?" asked the old colored driver. + +"Yes, wait for me," directed Jack, briefly. + +"Yeah; wait fo' de gemmun. He's all right," volunteered the mulatto. + +"Mebbe yo' kin see some voodoo wo 'k, too, ef yo's int'rested," hinted +the guide, in a whisper, as he fitted a key to a lock, and swung a door +open. In a hallway stood a lighted lantern, which the guide picked up. + +"Now, go quiet-lak, on tip-toe. Sh!" cautioned the guide, himself +moving stealthily into the nearest room. Jack Benson began to feel +secretly awestruck and "creepy," though he was too full of grit to +betray the fact. + +At the further end of the room the guide, holding the lantern behind +his body as though by accident, threw open another door. + +"Pass right on through dis room, ahead ob me, sah," begged the guide, +respectfully. + +But Jack drew back, instinctively, out of the darkness. + +"Don' yo', a w'ite man, be 'fraid ob ole voodoo house," advised the +mulatto, still speaking respectfully. + +Afraid? Of course not. Relying on his muscle and his agility, Jack +stepped ahead. By a sudden jerk of his arm the mulatto guide shook +out the flame in the lantern. + +"Here, you! What are you about?" growled Jack Benson, wheeling like a +flash upon his escort. + +"Go 'long, yo' w'ite trash" jeered the mulatto. He gave the boy a +sudden, forceful shove. + +Jack Benson, under the impetus of that push, staggered ahead, seeking +to recover his balance. Without a doubt he would have done so, but, +just then, the floor under his feet ended. With a yell of dismay, the +submarine boy tottered, then plunged down, alighting on a bed of soft +dirt many feet below. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +JACK FINDS SOMETHING "NEW," ALL RIGHT + + +Jack Benson was on his feet in an instant. An angrier boy it would have +been hard to find. + +From overhead came the sound of a loud guffaw. + +"Oh, you infernal scoundrel!" raged the submarine boy, shaking his fist +in the dark. + +"W'at am de matter wid yo', w'ite trash?" came the jeering query. + +"Let me get my hands on you, and I'll show you!" quivered Benson. + +"Yah! Listen to yo'! Yo' wait er minute, an' Ah'll show yo' a light." + +Gr-r-r-r! Gr-r-r-r t That sound from overhead was not pleasant. Jack, +in the few seconds that were left to him, could only guess as to the +cause of the sounds. Then, some fifteen feet over his head, a tiny +flame sputtered. This match-end was carried to the wick of the lantern +that the yellowish guide had been carrying, and now the light illumined +the place into which Jack Benson had fallen. + +That place was a square-shaped pit, with boarded sides. Up above, on +a shelf of flooring, knelt the late guide, grinning down with a look +of infernal glee. On either side of the mulatto stood a heavy-jowled +bull-dog. Both brutes peered down, showing their teeth in a way to +make a timid man's blood run cold. + +"Put those dogs back and come down here," challenged Jack, shaking +his fist. "Come down, and I'll teach you a few things, you rascal!" + +"Don' yo' shake yo' fist at me, or dem dawgs will sure jump down and +tackle yo'," grinned the guide, gripping at the collars of the brutes, +which, truly, showed signs of intending to spring below. + +Jack fell back, his hands dropping to his sides. Had there been but +one dog, the submarine boy, with all his grit forced to the surface, +might have chosen to face the brute, hoping to despatch it with a +well-aimed kick. But with two dogs, both intent on "getting" him, +young Benson knew that he would stand the fabled chance of a snow-flake +on a red-hot stove. + +"Dat's right, gemmun, yo' keep cool," observed the mulatto, mockingly. + +"You've decoyed me--trapped me here with a mess of lies," flung back +Captain Jack, angrily. "What's your game?" + +"Dis am a free lodgin' house--ho, ho, ho!" chuckled the late guide. +"Ah's gwine gib yo' er place to sleep fo' de night. To' sho'ly must +feel 'bleeged to me--ho, ho, ho!" + +"You lied to me about Sam Truax!" + +"Yeah! Ah done foun' dat was de name ob a gemmun in yo' pahty dat +wasn't wid yo'. Truax do as well as any odder name--yah! Now, Ah's +gwine leab yo' heah t' git a sleep. Ah'll toss down some blankets. +'Pose yo'se'f and gwine ter sleep, honey. Don't try to clim' up +outer dat, or dem dawgs'll sho'ly jump down at yo'. Keep quiet, an' +go ter sleep, an' de dawgs done lay heah an' jest watch. But don' +try nuffin' funny, or de dawgs'll sho'ly bring trubble to yo'. Dem +is trained dawgs--train' fo' dis business ob mine. Ho, ho, ho!" + +Mulatto and light vanished, but enraged, baffled, helpless Captain +Jack could hear the two dogs moving about ere they settled down on +the shelf of flooring overhead. + +"No matter how much of a liar that rascal is, he didn't lie to me +about the dogs," reflected Jack, his temper cooling, but his bitterness +increasing. "They're fighting dogs, and one wrong move would bring +them bounding down here on me--the two together. Ugh-gh!" + +After a few moments the mulatto reappeared with a light and tossed +down three heavy blankets. + +"Now, Ah's gwine leave yo' fo' do night," clacked the late guide. "Ef +yo' done feel lonesome, yo' jes' whistle de dawgs down to yo'. +Dey'll come!" + +While the light was still there Benson, in ragging silence, gathered +the blankets and arranged them. + +"Roll up one fo' a pillow, under yo' haid," grinned the mulatto. "Dat's +all right, sah. Wow, good night, Marse Benson. Ef yo' feel lonesome, +Marse Benson, jes' whistle fo' de dawgs. _Dey'll come_!" + +The light vanished while the mulatto's sinister words were ringing in +the boy's ears. Would the dogs jump down? Jack knew they would, at +the first false move or sound on his part. He huddled softly, +stealthily, on the blankets, there in the darkness. + +As he lay there, thinking, Benson's sense of admiration gradually got +to the surface. + +"Well, of all the slick man-traps!" he gasped. "I never heard of +anything more clever. Nor was there ever a bigger idiot than I, to +walk stupidly into this same trap! What's the game, I wonder? Robbery, +it must be. And I have a watch, some other little valuables and nearly +a hundred and fifty dollars in money on me. Oh, I'm the sleek, fat +goose for plucking!" + +Lying there, in enforced stillness, Jack Benson, after an hour or so, +actually fell asleep. A good, healthy sleeper at all times, he +slumbered on through the night. Once he awoke, just a trifle chilled. +He heard one of the dogs snoring overhead. Crawling under one of +the blankets, Benson went to sleep again. + +"Hey, yo', Marse Benson. It am mawnin'. Time yo' was wakin' up an' +movin' erlong!" + +It was the voice of the same mulatto, calling down into the pit. Again +the rays of the lantern illumined the darkness. Both bull-dogs displayed +their ferocious muzzles over the edge of the pit. Jack sat up +cautiously, not caring to attract unfriendly interest from the dogs. + +"Ah want yo' to take off all yo' clothes 'cept yo' undahclothes, an' +den Ah'll let down a string fo' yo' to tie 'em to," declared the mulatto, +grinning. "Yo' needn't try ter slip yo' wallet, nor nuffin' outer +mah sight, cause Ah'll be watchin'. Now, git a hurry on, Marse Benson, +or Ah'll done push dem dawgs ober de aidge oh dis flooring." + +Jack hesitated only a moment. Then, with a grunt of rage, he began +removing his outer garments. Down came a twine, to the lower end of +which the boy made fast his garments, one after another. His money +and valuables went up in the pockets, for the sharp eyes of the mulatto +could not have been eluded by any amateur slight-of-hand. + +"Now, yo' cap an' yo' shoes," directed the grinning monster above. + +These, too, Benson passed up at the end of the cord. The mulatto +disappeared, leaving the two dogs still on guard. At last, back came +the light and the yellowish man with it. + +"Yo' 'sho' is good picking, Marse Benson," grinned the guide of the +night before. "Yo' has good pin feathers. Ah hope Ah'll suttinly +meet yo' again." + +"I hope we do meet at another time!" Jack Benson flared back, wrathily. +The cool insolence of the fellow cut him to the marrow, yet where was +the use of disobeying a rascal flanked by two such willing and +capable dogs? + +"Now, yo' jes' put dese t'ings on, Marse Benson, ef yo' please, sah," +mocked the mulatto, tossing down some woefully tattered, nondescript +garments, and, after them, a battered, rimless Derby hat and a pair +of brogans out at the toes. + +"I'll be hanged if I'll put on such duds!" quivered Jack. + +"Jes' as yo' please, ob co'se, Marse Benson," came the answer, from +above. "But, ef yo' don' put dem t'ings on, yo'll sho'ly hab ter +gwine back ter 'Napolis in yo' undahelo's. An' yo's gwine back right +away, too, so, ef yo' wants tr gwine back weahin' ernuff clo'es--" + +"Oh, well, then--!" ground out the submarine boy, savagely enough. + +He attired himself in these tattered ends of raiment. Had he not been +so angry he must have roared at sight of his comical self when the +dressing was completed. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A YOUNG CAPTAIN IN TATTERS + + +"Now yo'll do, Ah reckons." + +With that, the mulatto guide of the night before threw down one end of +an inch rope. + +"Ah reckon yo's sailor ernuff to dim' dat. Come right erlong, 'less +yo' wants de dawgs ter jump down dar." + +"But they'll tackle me if I come up," objected Jack Benson. + +"No, dey won't. Dem dawgs is train' to dis wo'k. Ah done tole yo' +dat. Come right erlong. Ah'll keep my two eyes on dem dawgs." + +It looked like a highly risky bit of business, but Jack told himself +that, now he had been deprived of his valuables, this yellow worthy +must be genuinely anxious to be rid of the victim. So he took hold +of the rope and began to climb. The mulatto and the dogs disappeared +from the upper edge of the pit. + +As his head came up above the level of the flooring Benson saw the +mulatto and the dogs in the next room, the connecting door of which +had been taken from its hinges. + +"Come right in, Marse Benson. Dere am' nuffin' gwineter hu't yo'," +came the rascal's voice reassuringly. Jack obeyed by stepping into +the next room, though he kept watch over the dogs out of the corners +of his eyes. + +"Now, yo' lie right down on de flo', Marse Benson," commanded the +master of the situation. "Ah's gotter tie yo' up, befo' Ah can staht +yo' back ter 'Napolis, but dere ain' no hahm gwine come ter yo'." + +Making a virtue of necessity, Captain Jack lay down as directed, passing +his hands behind his back. These were deftly secured, after which +his ankles were treated in the same fashion. Immediately the mulatto, +who was strong and wiry, lifted the boy and the lantern together. +The dogs remaining behind, Jack was carried out into the yard, where +he discovered that daylight was coming on in the East. He was dumped +on the ground long enough to permit his captor to lock the door securely. +Then the submarine boy was lifted once more, carried around the corner +of the house and dumped in the bottom of a shabby old delivery wagon. +A canvas was pulled over him, concealing him from any chance passer. +Then the mulatto ran around to the seat, picking up the reins and +starting the horse. + +It seemed like a long drive to the boy, though Benson was certainly +in no position to judge time accurately. At last the team was halted, +along a stretch of road in a deep woods. The mulatto lifted the +submarine boy out to the ground. + +"Now, w'en yo's got yo' se'f free, yo' can take de road in dat +direckshun," declared the fellow, pointing. "Bimeby yo' come in sight +ob de town. Now, Marse Benson, w'at happen to yo' las' night am all +in de co'se ob a lifetime, an' Ah hope you ain't got no bad feelin's. +Yo' suttinly done learn somet'ing new in de way ob tricks. Good-bye, +sab, an' mah compliments to yo', Marse Benson." + +With that the guide of the night before swiftly cut the cords at Jack's +wrists, then as swiftly leaped to the seat of the wagon, whipping up +the horse and disappearing in a cloud of dust. + +Jack, having now no knife, and the bonds about his ankles being tied +with many hard knots, spent some precious minutes in freeing his feet. +At last he stood up, fire in his eyes. + +"Oh, pshaw! There's no sense in trying to run after that rascal and +his wagon," decided the young submarine skipper. "I haven't the +slightest idea what direction he took after he got out of sight, +and--oh, gracious! I'm under orders to be aboard the 'Farnum' at eight +this morning. And on Mr. Farnum's business, at that!" + +Clenching his hands vengefully, Jack started along in the direction +pointed out by his late captor. Brisk walking wore some of the edge off +his great wrath. Catching a comprehensive glimpse of himself, Jack +could not keep back a grim laugh. + +"Well, I certainly am a dandy to spring myself on the trim and slick +Naval Academy!" he gritted. "What a treat I'll be to the cadets! That +is, if the sentry ever lets me through the gate into the Academy +grounds." + +As he hurried along, Jack Benson decided that he simply could not go to +the Naval Academy presenting any such grotesque picture as he did now. +Yet he had no money about him with which to purchase more presentable +clothes in town. So he formed another plan. + +Within a few minutes he came in sight of Annapolis. Hurrying on faster, +he at last entered the town. The further he went the more painfully +conscious the boy became of the ludicrous appearance that he made. He +saw men and women turn their heads to look after him, and his cheeks +burned to a deep scarlet that glowed over the sea-bronze of his skin. + +"The single consolation I have is that not a solitary person in town +knows me, anyway," he muttered. Then he caught sight of a clock on a +church steeple--twenty-five minutes of eight. + +"That means a fearful hustle," he muttered, and went ahead under such +steam that he all but panted. At last he came to the Maryland House, +opposite the State Capitol grounds. Into the office of the hotel he +darted, going straight up to the desk. + +A clerk who had been on duty for hours, and who was growing more drowsy +every moment, stared at the boy in amazement. + +"See here, you ragamuffin, what--" + +"My name is Benson," began the boy, breathlessly. "I'm a guest of the +house--arrived last night. I--" + +"You, a guest of _this_ house?" demanded the clerk of the most select +hotel in the town. + +"You--" + +That was as far as the disgust of the clerk would permit him to go in +words. A score of well-dressed gentlemen were staring in astonishment +at the scene. The clerk nodded to two stout porters who had suspended +their work nearby. + +It had been Jack Benson's purpose to go to his room and keep out of +sight, while despatching one of the colored bell-boys of the hotel with +a note to Hal Hastings, asking that chum to send him up a uniform and +other articles of attire. However, before the young submarine captain +fully realized what was happening, the two porters had seized him. +Firmly, even though gently, they bustled him out through the entrance +onto the street. + +"Scat!" advised one of the pair. + +Jack started to protest, then realized the hopelessness of such a +course. In truth, he did not blame the hotel folks in the least. + +"Oh, well," he sighed, paling as soon as the new flush of mortification +had died out, "there's nothing for it but to hurry to the Academy. +I hope the sentries won't shoot when they see me," he added, bitterly. + +Across the State Capitol grounds he hurried, then down through a side +street until he arrived at the gate of the Academy grounds. + +"Halt!" challenged a sentry, as soon as Jack showed his face through +the gateway. + +Young Benson stopped, bringing his heels together with a click. + +"What do you want? Where are you going?" demanded the marine. + +"I know I look pretty tough," Jack admitted, shamefacedly. "But I +belong aboard the 'Farnum,' one of the submarines that arrived last +night. And I'm due there at this minute. Please don't delay me." + +"All right," replied the sentry, after surveying the boy from head to +foot once more. Then he added, in a lower tone, with just the +suspicion of a grin showing at the corners of his mouth: + +"Say, friend, for a stranger, you must have had a high old frolic in +the town last night." + +Jack frowned. The sentry's grin broadened a bit. As he did not offer +to detain the boy longer, Benson hurried on along one of the walks. +He took as short a course as he could making straight for the Basin, +where he made out the "Hudson" and the two submarines. + +"Hey! There's the captain!" shouted Eph, wonderingly, for Somers's +eyes were sharp at all times. + +Out of the conning tower sprang Hal Hastings, looking eagerly in the +direction in which Eph Somers pointed: + +"Eh?" muttered another person, lounging near the rail of the gunboat. +Then Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, after a keen, wholly disapproving +look at the hard-looking figure of a young man at the landing, started, +as he muttered: + +"Benson, by all that's horrible! How did he come to be in that fearful +shape? He must have been in one of the worst resorts within miles +of Annapolis!" + +"This isn't the first time the young man has come back the worse for +wear," the lieutenant commander continued, under his breath. "His +friends were loyal enough to him, that time. I wonder if they can be, +to-day?" + +One of the shore boats, waiting about in the Basin, put young Benson +aboard the "Farnum" as soon as he explained who he was. Hal and Eph +stood awaiting the coming of their young commander, their faces full of +concern and anxiety. Both gripped Jack's hand as soon as he gained +the platform deck of the submarine. + +"Come below," whispered Hal. "We'll talk there. You need a bath and +to get into a uniform as quickly as you can." + +This need Jack Benson proceeded to realize without an instant's delay. +While he washed himself off, in one of the staterooms aft, he talked +through the door, which had been left ajar. He continued his story +while he dressed. + +"We were fearfully anxious this morning," Hal confessed. "I went to +sleep last night, and didn't know of your absence until this morning. +Then Eph and I decided to come on down to the boat to see if you were +here. We were just planning to send quiet word to the Annapolis police +when Eph spotted you coming." + +"And Truax?" inquired Captain Jack. + +"He and Williamson are forward in the engine-room, now, at breakfast." + +"Oh, well, Truax wouldn't know anything about the scrape, anyway," +returned Jack. "His name was learned and used--that's all." + +"Are you going to try to find that place, catch the mulatto and force +the return of your money?" demanded Eph Somers. + +"I've got to think that over," muttered Jack, as he drew on a +spick-and-span uniform blouse. "I don't know whether there'll be any +use in trying to find that mulatto. I haven't the least idea where +his place is. Even if I found it, it's ten to one I wouldn't find +the fellow there." + +"'Farnum,' ahoy!" roared a voice alongside, the voice coming down +through the open conning tower. + +Eph ran to answer. When he returned, he announced: + +"Compliments of Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, and will Mr. Benson wait +on the lieutenant commander on board the parent boat?" + +"I will," assented Jack, with a wry face, "and here's where I have to +do some tall but truthful explaining to a man who isn't in the least +likely to believe a word I say. I can guess what Mr. Mayhew is +thinking, and is going to keep on thinking!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +TRUAX GIVES A HINT + + +It was a tailor-made, clean, crisp and new looking young submarine +commander who stepped into the naval cutter alongside. + +Jack Benson looked as natty as a young man could look, and his uniform +was that of a naval officer, save for the absence of the insignia of +rank. + +Up the side gangway of the gunboat Jack mounted, carrying himself in +the best naval style. On deck stood a sentry, an orderly waiting +beside him. + +"Lieutenant Commander Mayhew will see you in his cabin, sir," announced +the orderly. "I will show you the way, sir." + +Mr. Mayhew was seated before a desk in his cabin when the orderly +piloted the submarine boy in. The naval officer did not rise, nor +did he ask the boy to take a seat. Jack Benson was very well aware +that he stood in Mr. Mayhew's presence in the light of a culprit. + +"Mr. Benson," began Mr. Mayhew, eyeing him closely, "you are not in the +naval service, and are not therefore amenable to its discipline. At +the same time, however, your employers have furnished you to act, in +some respects, as a civilian instructor in submarine boating before +the cadets. While you are here on that duty it is to be expected, +therefore, that you will conform generally to the rules of conduct +as laid down at the Naval Academy." + +"Yes, sir," replied Jack. + +"As I am at present in charge of the submarine purchased by the United +States from your company, and at least in nominal charge of the 'Farnum,' +as well, I am, in a measure, to be looked upon, for the present, as +your commanding officer." + +"Yes, sir," assented the boy. + +"You came aboard your craft, this morning, in a very questionable +looking condition." + +"Yes, sir." + +Jack Benson's composure was perfect. His sense of discipline was also +exact. He did not propose to offer any explanations until such were +asked of him. + +"Have you anything to say, Mr. Benson, as to that condition, and how +you came to be in it?" + +"Shall I explain it to you, sir?" + +"I shall be glad to hear your explanation." + +Thereupon, the submarine boy plunged into a concise description of +what had happened to him the night before. The lieutenant commander +did not once interrupt him, but, when Jack had finished, Mr. Mayhew +observed: + +"That is a very remarkable story, Mr. Benson. Most remarkable." + +"Yes, sir, it is. May I ask if you doubt my story?" + +Jack looked straight into the officer's eyes as he put the question +bluntly. An officer of the Army or of the Navy must not answer a +question untruthfully. Neither, as a rule, may he make an evasive +answer. So the lieutenant commander thought a moment, before he replied: + +"I don't feel that I know you well enough, Mr. Benson, to express an +opinion that might be wholly fair to you. The most I can say, now, is +that I very sincerely hope such a thing will not happen again during +your stay at the Naval Academy." + +"It won't, sir," promised Jack Benson, "if I have hereafter the amount +of good judgment that I ought to be expected to possess." + +"I hope not, Mr. Benson, for it would destroy your usefulness here. A +civilian instructor here, as much as a naval instructor, must possess +the whole confidence and respect of the cadet battalion. I hope none +of the cadets who may have seen you this morning recognized you." + +Then, taking on a different tone, Mr. Mayhew informed his young listener +that a section of cadets would board the "Farnum" at eleven that morning, +another section at three in the afternoon, and a third at four o'clock. + +"Of course you will have everything aboard your craft wholly shipshape, +Mr. Benson, and I trust I hardly need add that, in the Navy, we are +punctual to the minute." + +"You will find me punctual to the minute before, sir." + +"Very good, Mr. Benson. That is all. You may go." + +Jack saluted, then turned away, finding his way to the deck. The +cutter was still alongside, and conveyed him back to the "Farnum. + +"Mr. Mayhew demanded your story, of course?" propounded Hal Hastings. +"What did he think?" + +"He didn't say so," replied Jack Benson, with a wry smile, "but he let +me see that he thought I was out of my element on a submarine boat." + +"How so?" + +"Why, it is very plain that Mr. Mayhew thinks I ought to employ my +time writing improbable fiction." + +"Oh, Mayhew be bothered!" exploded Eph. + +"Hardly," retorted Jack. "Mr. Mayhew is an officer and a gentleman. I +admit that my yarn does sound fishy to a stranger. Besides, fellows, +Mr. Mayhew represents the naval officers through whose good opinion +our employers hope to sell a big fleet of submarine torpedo boats to +the United States Government. + +"Then what are you going to do about it?" asked Hal, as the three boys +reached the cabin below. + +"First of all, I'm going to rummage about and get myself some breakfast." + +"If you do, there'll be a fight," growled Eph Somers. "I'll hash up a +breakfast for you." + +"And, afterwards?" persisted Hal. + +"I'm going to try to win Mr. Mayhew's good opinion, and that of every +other naval officer or cadet I may happen to meet." + +"Why the cadets, particularly?" asked Eph Somers. + +"Because, for one business reason, the cadets are going to be the naval +officers of to-morrow, and the Pollard Submarine Boat Company hopes to +be building craft for the Navy for a good many years to come." + +"Good enough!" nodded Hal, while Eph dodged away to get that breakfast +ready. + +Sam Truax lounged back in the engine room, smoking a short pipe. With +him stuck Williamson, for Eph had privately instructed the machinist +from the Farnum yard not to leave the stranger alone in the engine room. + +"Why don't you go up on deck and get a few whiffs of fresh air?" asked +Truax. + +"Oh, I'm comfortable down here," grunted the machinist, who was +stretched out on one of the leather-cushioned seats that ran along the +Bide of the engine room. + +"I should think you'd want to get out of here once in a while, though," +returned Truax. + +"Why?" asked the machinist. "Anything you want to be left alone here +for?" + +"Oh, of course not," drawled Truax, blowing out a cloud of tobacco smoke. + +"Then I guess I'll stay where I am," nodded Williamson. + +"Sorry, but you'll have to stop all smoking in here now," announced Eph, +thrusting his head in at the doorway. "There'll be a lot of cadets +aboard at eleven o'clock, and we want the air clear and sweet. You'd +better go all over the machinery and see that everything is in apple +pie order and appearance. Mr. Hastings will be in here soon to +inspect it." + +"Just what rank does that _young_ turkey-cock hold on board?" sneered +Truax, when the door had closed. + +"Don't know, I'm sure," replied Williamson. "All I know is that the +three youngsters are aboard here to run the boat and show it off to the +best advantage. My pay is running right along, and I've no kick at +taking orders from any one of them." + +"This is where I go on smoking, anyway," declared Truax, insolently, +striking a match and lighting his pipe again. Williamson reached over, +snatching the pipe from between the other man's teeth and dumping out +the coals, after which the machinist coolly dropped the pipe into +one of his own pockets. + +"If you go on this way," warned Williamson, "Captain Benson will get it +into his head to put you on shore in a jiffy, and for good." + +"I'd like to see him try it," sneered Sam Truax. + +"You'll get your wish, if you go on the way you've been going!" + +"Humph! I don't believe the Benson boy carries the size or the weight +to put me ashore." + +"He doesn't need any size or weight," retorted Williamson, crisply. "If +Captain Benson wants you off this boat, it's only the matter of a moment +for him to get a squad of marines on board--and you'll march off to the +'Rogues' march'." + +"So that's the way he'd work it, eh?" demanded Sam Truax, turning green +and ugly around the lips. + +"You bet it is," retorted the machinist. "We're practically a part of +the United States Navy for these few days, and naval rules will govern +any game we may get into." + +On that hint things went along better in the engine room. When Hal +Hastings came in to inspect he found nothing to criticise. + +At the minute of eleven o'clock a squad of some twenty cadets came +marching down to the landing in front of the boat house. There +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew and one of his engineer officers met them. +Two cutters manned by sailors brought the party out alongside, where +Jack and Hal stood ready to receive them. + +A very natty looking squad of future admirals came aboard, grouping +themselves about on the platform deck. It was rather a tight squeeze +for so many human beings in that space. + +After greeting the submarine boys, Mr. Mayhew turned to the cadets, +calling their attention to the lines and outer construction of the +"Farnum." Then he turned to the three submarine boys, signing to them +to crowd forward. + +"These young gentlemen," announced the lieutenant commander, "are Mr. +Benson, Mr. Hastings and Mr. Somers. All three are thoroughly +familiar with the Pollard type of boat. As the Navy has purchased +one Pollard boat, and may acquire others, it is well that you cadets +should understand all the working details of the Pollard Submarine +Company's crafts. A few of you at a time will now step into the conning +tower, and Mr. Benson will explain to you the steering and control +gear used there." + +Half a dozen of the cadets managed to squeeze into the conning tower. +Jack experienced an odd feeling, half of embarrassment, as he explained +before so many attentive pairs of eyes. Then another squad of cadets +took the place of the first on-lookers. After a while all had been +instructed in the use of the conning tower appliances. + +"Mr. Benson," continued the lieutenant commander, "will now lead the +way for all hands to the cabin. There he will explain the uses of the +diving controls, the compressed air apparatus, and other details +usually worked from the cabin." + +Down below came the cadets, in orderly fashion, without either haste +or lagging. Having warmed up to his subject, Jack Benson lectured +earnestly, even if not with fine skill. At last he paused. + +"Any of the cadets may now ask questions," announced Lieutenant Commander +Mayhew. + +There was a pause, then one of the older cadets turned to Jack to ask: + +"What volume of compressed air do you carry at your full capacity?" + +"Mr. Benson's present status," rapped Mr. Mayhew, quickly, "is that of +a civilian instructor. Any cadet who addresses Mr. Benson will +therefore say 'sir,' in all cases, just as in addressing an officer +of the Navy." + +The cadet so corrected, who was at least twenty-one years old, flushed +as he glanced swiftly at sixteen-year-old Jack. To say "sir" to such +a youngster seemed almost like a humiliation. Yet the cadet repeated +his question, adding the "sir." Jack quickly answered the question. +Then two or three other questions were asked by other cadets. It was +plain, however, that to all of the cadets the use of "sir" to so young +a boy appealed, at least, to their sense of humor. + +Through the engine room door Sam Truax and Williamson stood taking it +all in. Sam saw a flash in the eye of one big cadet when the question +of "sir" came up. + +Presently the squad filed into the engine room. Here Hal Hastings had +the floor for instruction. He did his work coolly, admirably, though +he asked Jack Benson to explain a few of the points. + +Then the questions began, directed at Hal. This time none of the cadets, +under the watchful eyes of Mr. Mayhew, forgot to say "sir" when speaking +to Hastings. + +Sam Truax edged up behind the big cadet whose eyes he had seen flash a +few moments before. + +"Go after Benson, good and hard," whispered Truax. + +The cadet looked keenly at Truax. + +"You can have a lot of fun with Benson," whispered Truax, "if you fire +a lot of questions at him, hard and fast. Benson is a conceited fellow, +who knows a few things about the boat, but you can get him rattled and +red-faced in no time." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A SQUINT AT THE CAMELROORELEPHANT + + +The big cadet wheeled upon Jack. + +"Mr. Benson, how long have you been engaged on submarine boats, sir?" + +"Since July," Jack replied. + +"July of this year?" + +"Yes." + +"And it is now October. Do you consider that enough time, sir, in +which to learn much about submarine boats?" + +"That depends," Skipper Jack replied, "upon a man's ability in such +a subject." + +"Is it long enough time, sir, for a boy?" That was rather a hard dig. +Instantly the other cadets became all attention. + +"It depends upon the boy, as it would upon the man," Jack answered. + +"Do you consider, Mr. Benson, that you know all about submarine boats, +sir?" + +"Oh, no." + +"Who does, sir?" + +"No one that I ever heard of," Jack answered, "few men interested in +submarine boats know much beyond the peculiarities of their own boats." + +"And that applies equally to boys, sir?" + +"Yes," Jack smiled. + +"Do you consider yourself, sir, fully competent to handle this craft?" + +"I'd rather someone else would say it," Jack replied. "My employers, +though, seem to consider me competent." + +"What is this material, sir?" continued the cadet, resting a hand on +a piston rod. + +"Brass," Benson replied, promptly. + +"Do you know the specific gravity and the tensile strength of this +brass?" + +Before Jack could answer Mr. Mayhew broke in, crisply: + +"That will do, Mr. Merriam. Your questions appear to go beyond the +limits of ordinary instruction, and to partake more of the nature of a +cross-examination. Such questions take up the time of the instruction +tour unnecessarily." + +Cadet Merriam flushed slightly, as he saluted the naval officer. Then +the cadet's jaws settled squarely. He remained silent. + +A few more questions and the hour was up. + +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew gave the order for the cadets to pass above +and embark on the cutters. He remained behind long enough to say to +the three submarine boys: + +"You have done splendidly, gentlemen--far better than I expected you +to do. If you manage the sea instruction as well, in the days to come, +our cadets will have a first-class idea of the handling of the Pollard +boats." + +"I wish, sir," Jack replied, after thanking the officer, "that the +cadets were not required to say 'sir' to us. It sounds odd, and I am +quite certain that none of the young men like it." + +"It is necessary, though," replied Mr. Mayhew. "They are required to +do it with all civilian instructors, and it would never do to draw +distinctions on account of age. Yes; it is necessary." + +When the second squad of cadets arrived, in the afternoon, the three +submarine boys found themselves ready for their task without misgivings. +Eph took more part in the explanations than he had done in the forenoon. +Then came a third squad of cadets, to be taken over the same ground. +The young men of both these squads used the "sir" at once, having been +previously warned by one of the naval officers. + +"That will be all for to-day, Mr. Benson, and thank you and your friends +for some excellent work," said Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, when the +third squad had filed away. + +"Say, for hard work I'd like this job right along," yawned Eph Somers, +when the three were alone in the cabin. "Just talking three times a +day--what an easy way of living!" + +"It's all right for a while," agreed Jack. "But it would grow tiresome +after a few weeks, anyway. Lying here in the basin, and talking like a +salesman once in a while, isn't like a life of adventure." + +"Oh, you can sigh for adventure, if you wish," yawned Eph. "As for me, +I've had enough hard work to appreciate a rest once in a while. Going +into the town to-night, Jack?" + +"Into town?" laughed the young skipper. "I went last night--and some +of the folks didn't do a thing to me, did they?" + +"Aren't you going to report the robbery to the police?" demanded Hal, +opening his eyes in surprise. + +"Not in a rush," Jack answered. "If I do, the police may start at once, +and that mulatto and his friends, being on the watch, will take the +alarm and get away. If I wait two or three days, then the mulatto's +crowd will think I've dropped the whole thing. I reckon the waiting +game will fool them more than any other." + +"Yes, and all the money they got away from you will be spent," muttered +Eph. + +Jack, none the less, decided to wait and think the matter over. + +Supper over, the submarine boys, for want of anything else to do, sat +and read until about nine o'clock. Then Jack looked up. + +"This is getting mighty tedious," he complained. "What do you fellows +say to getting on shore and stretching our legs in a good walk?" + +"In town?" grinned Eph, slyly. + +Jack flushed, then grinned. + +"No!" he answered quietly; "about the Academy grounds." + +"I wonder if it would be against the regulations for a lot of rank +outsiders like us to go through the grounds at this hour?" + +"Rank outsiders?" mimicked Jack Benson, laughing. "You forget, Hal, +old fellow, that we're instruct--hem! civilian instructors--here." + +"I wonder, though, if it would be in good taste for us to go prowling +through the grounds at this hour?" persisted Hal. + +"There's one sure way to find out," proposed Benson. "We can try it, +and, if no marine sentry chases us, we can conclude that we're moving +about within our rights. Come along, fellows." + +Putting on their caps, the three went up on the platform deck. The +engine room door was locked and Williamson and Truax had already turned +in. There was a shore boat at the landing. Jack sent a low-voiced +hail that brought the boat out alongside. + +"Will it be proper for us to go through the Academy grounds at this +hour?" Jack inquired of the petty officer in the stern. + +"Yes, sir; there's no regulation against it. And, anyway, sir, you're +all stationed here, just now." + +"Thank you. Then please take us ashore." + +At this hour the walks through the grounds were nearly deserted. A few +officers, and some of their ladies living at the naval station, were out. +The cadets were all in their quarters in barracks, hard at study, or +supposed to be. + +For some time the submarine boys strolled about, enjoying the air and +the views they obtained of buildings and grounds. Back at Dunhaven +the air had been frosty. Here, at this more southern port, the October +night was balmy, wholly pleasant. + +"I wonder if these cadets here ever have any real fun?" questioned Eph +Somers. + +"I've heard--or read--that they do," laughed Hal. + +"What sort of fun?" + +"Well, for one thing, the cadets of the upper classes haze the plebe +cadets a good deal." + +"Humph! That's fun for all but the plebes. Who are the plebes, anyway?" + +"The new cadets; the youngest class at the Academy," Hal replied. + +"What do they do to the plebe?" Eph wanted to know. + +"I guess the only way you could find that out, Eph, would be to join +the plebe class." + +"Reckon, when I come to Annapolis, I'll enter the class above the plebe," +retorted Somers. + +The three submarine boys had again approached the cadet barracks +building. + +"Here comes a cadet now, Eph," whispered Jack. "If he has the time, I +don't doubt he'd be glad to answer any questions you may have for him." + +Young Benson offered this suggestion in a spirit of mischief, hoping the +approaching cadet, when questioned, would resent it stiffly. Then Eph +would be almost certain to flare up. + +The cadet, however, suddenly turned, coming straight toward them, +smiling. + +"Good evening, gentlemen," was the cadet's greeting. + +"Good evening," was Jack's hearty reply. + +"You've never been here before, have you, sir?" + +"Never," Jack confessed. + +"Then I take it you have never, sir, seen the camelroorelephant?" + +"The cam--" began Eph Somers. + +Then he stopped, clapping both hands to his right jaw. + +"Won't you please hand that to us in pieces?" begged Eph, speaking as +though with difficulty. + +The cadet laughed heartily, then added: + +"Don't try to pronounce it, gentlemen, until you've seen the +camelroorelephant. It's a cadet joke, but it's well worth seeing. Shall +I take you to it?" + +"Why, yes, if you'll be good enough," Jack assented, heartily. + +The cadet glanced quickly about him, then said in a low voice: + +"This way, please, gentlemen." + +He led the strangers quickly around the end of barracks to an open space +in the rear. Here he halted. + +"Gentlemen, I must ask you to close your eyes, and keep them closed, on +honor, until I ask you to open them again. You won't have to keep your +eyes closed more than sixty seconds before the camelroorelephant will +be ready for inspection. Now, eyes closed, please." + +Lingering only long enough to make sure that his request had been met, +the cadet stole noiselessly away. + +Nor was it many seconds later when all three of the submarine boys began +to feel suddenly suspicious. + +"I'm going to open my eyes," whispered Eph. + +"You're on honor not to," warned Jack Benson, also in a whisper. + +"I didn't give my word," retorted Eph, "and I'm going to--oh, great +shades of Santiago!" + +The very genuine note of concern in Eph's voice caused Jack and Hal to +open their own eyes instantly. + +Nor could any of the three repress a quick start. + +From all quarters naval cadets were advancing stealthily upon them. +Something in the very attitude and poise of the young men told the +submarine boys that these naval cadets were out for mischief. + +"We're in for it!" breathed Jack, in an undertone. "We're in for +something real and startling, I reckon. Fellows, brace up and take +your medicine, whatever it is, like men!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED! + + +Nor was Jack's guess in the least wrong. Even had the submarine boys +attempted to bolt they would have found it impossible. They were +surrounded. + +The cadets closed quickly in upon them. There were more than thirty of +these budding young naval officers. + +It was Cadet Merriam who stepped straight up to Jack, giving him a +grotesque and exaggerated salute, as he rumbled out: + +"Good evening, SIR!" + +Like a flash Jack Benson comprehended. These cadets intended fully to +even up matters for having been obliged to say "sir" to these very +youthful "civilian instructors." + +"Good evening," Jack smiled. + +"You have come to see the camelroorelephant, SIR?" + +"We've been told that we might have that pleasure," Jack responded, +still smiling. + +"Perhaps you may," retorted Cadet Merriam, "though, first of all, it +will be necessary to prove yourselves worthy of the privilege, SIR." + +"Anything within our power," promised Jack. + +"Then, SIR, let me see you all three stand 'at attention.'" + +"At attention" is the rigid attitude taken by a United States soldier +or sailor when in the presence of his officers. Jack had already seen +men in that attitude, and did his best to imitate it in smart military +manner. Eph and Hal did likewise. + +"No, no, no, you dense blockheads!" uttered Cadet Midshipman Merriam. +"'At attention' upside down--on your hands!" + +The other cadet midshipmen now hemmed in closely about the three. Jack +thought he caught the idea. He bent over, throwing his feet up in the +air and resting on his hands. Unable to keep his balance, he walked +two or three steps. + +"I didn't tell you to walk your post, blockhead!" scowled Mr. Merriam. +"Stand still when at attention." + +Jack tried, but of course made a ludicrous failure of standing still +on his hands. So did Hal and Eph. The latter, truth to tell, didn't +try very hard, for his freckled temper was coming a bit to the surface. + +"You're the rawest recruits, the worst landlubbers I've ever seen," +declared Cadet Midshipman Merriam, with severe dignity. "Rest, before +you try it any further." + +The smile had all but left Jack Benson's lips, though he tried to keep +it there. Hal Hastings made the most successful attempt at looking +wholly unconcerned. Eph's face was growing redder every minute. It is +a regrettable fact that Eph was really beginning to want to fight. + +"See here," ordered Mr. Merriam, suddenly, taking Jack by the arm, +"you're a horse, a full blooded Arab steed--understand?" + +He gave young Benson a push that sent that youngster down to the ground +on all fours. + +"You're General Washington, out to take a ride on your horse," announced +Mr. Merriam, turning to Hal. "It's a ride for your health. Do you +understand? It will be wholly for your health to take that ride!" + +Hal Hastings couldn't help comprehending. With a sheepish grin he sat +astride of Jack Benson's back as the latter stood on all fours. + +"Go ahead with your ride, General," called Mr. Merriam. + +Jack pranced as best he could, on all fours, Hal making the load of his +own weight as light as he could. Over the ground the pair moved in this +nonsensical ride, the cadets following and grinning their appreciation of +the nonsense. + +Two of the young men followed, holding Eph by the arms between them. +Mr. Merriam now turned upon the unhappy freckled boy. + +"Down on all fours," ordered Mr. Merriam. "You're the measly dog that +barked at General Washington on that famous ride. Bark, you wretched +yellow cur--bark, bark, _bark_!" + +Though Eph Somers was madder than ever, he had just enough judgment +remaining to feel that the wisest thing would be to obey instructions. +So, on all fours, Eph raced after Jack, barking at him. + +"See how frightened the horse is," muttered one of the midshipmen. + +Taking the hint, Jack shied as well as he could. + +"That's all," said Mr. Merriam, at last. "All of that, at least." + +As the three submarine boys rose, each found himself gently held by a +pair of cadet midshipmen. It was a more or less polite hint that the +ordeal was not yet over. Mr. Merriam turned to whisper to one of the +cadets, who darted inside the barracks building. He was back, promptly, +carrying a folded blanket on his arm. + +A grin spread over the faces of the assembled cadet midshipmen. The +bearer of the blanket at once unfolded it. As many of the cadets +as could got hold of the edges, bending, holding the blanket spread +out over the ground. + +Jack Benson's two captors suddenly hurled him across the length of the +blanket with no gentle force. Instantly the cadets holding the +blankets straightened up, jerking it taut. Up into the air a couple +of feet bounded Jack. As his body came down the cadets holding the +blanket gave it a still harder jerk. This time Jack shot up into the +air at least four feet. It was the same old blanket-tossing, long +popular both in the Army and Navy. Every time Jack landed the blanket +was given a harder jerk by those holding it. Benson began to go +higher and higher. + +And now the cadets broke into a low, monotonous chant, in time to +their movements. It ran: + +_Sir, sir, surcingle!_ + +_Sir, sir, circle!_ + +_Sir, sir, with a shingle--_ + +_Sir, sir, sir!_ + +As regular as drumbeats the cadets ripped out the syllables of the +refrain. At each word Jack Benson's body shot higher and higher. +These young men were experts in the gentle art of blanket-tossing. Ere +long the submarine boy was going up into the air some eight or nine feet +at every tautening of the blanket. + +As for escape, that was out of the question. No sooner did the submarine +boy touch the blanket than he shot skyward again. Had he desired to he +could not have called out. The motion and the sudden jolts shook all +the breath out of him. + +"Ugh! Hm! Pleasant, isn't it?" uttered Hal Hastings, grimly, under +his breath. + +"If they try to do that to me," whispered Eph, hotly, under his breath, +"I'll fight." + +"More simpleton you, then!" Hal shot back at him in warning. "What +chance do you think you stand against a crowd like this?" + +Just as suddenly as it had begun the blanket tossing stopped. Yet, +hardly had Jack been allowed to step out than Hal Hastings was +unceremoniously dropped athwart the blanket. The tossing began again, +to the chant of: + +_Sir, sir, surcingle!_ + +_Sir, sir, circle!_ + +Right plentifully were these cadet midshipmen avenging themselves for +having had to say "sir" to these young submarine boys that day. + +"Woof!" breathed Jack, as soon as breath entered his body again. Eph +clenched his fists tightly, as Hal continued to go higher and higher. +But at last Hastings's ordeal was over. + +"I suppose they'll try that on me!" gritted Eph Somers to himself. "If +they do--" + +That was far as he got, for Eph was suddenly flung upon the blanket. + +_Sir, sir, surcingle!_ + +Then how Eph _did_ go up and down! It was as though these cadet +midshipmen knew that it would make Eph mad, madder, maddest! These +budding young naval officers fairly bent to their work, tautening and +loosening on the blanket until their muscles fairly ached. + +It was lofty aerial work that Eph Somers was doing. Up and up--higher +and higher! Without the need of any effort on his own part young +Somers was now traveling upward at the rate of ten or eleven feet at +every punctuated bound. + +Then, suddenly, there came a sound that chilled the blood of every young +cadet midshipman hazer present. + +"_Halt!_ Where you are!" + +Under the shadow of the barracks building a naval officer had appeared. +He now came forward, a frown on his face, eyeing the culprits. + +It is no merry jest for cadet midshipmen to be caught at hazing! And +here were some thirty of them--red-handed! + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +JACK, BENSON, EXPERT EXPLAINER + + +At the first word of command from the officer several of the cadet +midshipmen who were near enough to an open doorway vanished through it. + +As the officer strode through the group of startled young men a few +more, left behind his back, made a silent disappearance. + +There were left, however, as the officer looked about him, sixteen of +the young men, all too plainly headed and led by Cadet Midshipman +Merriam. + +"Young gentlemen," said the officer, severely, "I regret to find so many +of you engaged in hazing. It is doubly bad when your victims are men +outside the corps. And, if I mistake not, these young gentlemen are +here as temporary civilian instructors in submarine work." + +Mr. Merriam and his comrades made no reply in words. Nor did their +faces express much. They stood at attention, looking stolidly ahead +of them, though their faces were turned toward the officer. It was +not the place of any of them to speak unless the officer asked questions. + +Severe as the hazing had been, however, Jack and Hal, at least, had +taken it all in good part. Nor was Jack bound by any of the rules of +etiquette that prevented the cadets from speaking. + +"May I offer a word, sir?" asked Jack, wheeling upon the officer. + +"You were one of the victims of a hazing, were you not?" demanded +the officer, regarding Jack, keenly. + +"Why, could you call it that, sir?" asked Jack, a look of innocent +surprise settling on his face. "We called it a demonstration--an +explanation." + +"Demonstration? Explanation?" repeated the officer, astonished in his +turn. "What do you mean, Mr.--er--" + +"Benson," Jack supplied, quietly. + +"I think you would better tell me a little more, Mr. Benson," pursued +the unknown naval officer. + +"Why, it was like this, sir," Jack continued. "My two friends--Hastings +and Somers--and myself were talking about the West Point and Annapolis +hazings, of which we had heard and read. We were talking about the +subject when a cadet came along. I suggested to Somers that we ask the +cadet about hazing. Well, sir, to make a long story short, some of the +cadets undertook to show us just how hazing is--or used to be--done +at Annapolis." + +"Oh! Then it was all thoroughly goodnatured, all in the way of a joke, +to show you something you wanted to know?" asked the naval officer, +slowly. + +"That's the way I took it," replied Jack. "So did Hastings and Somers. +We've enjoyed ourselves more than anyone else here has." + +This was truth surely enough, for, in the last two minutes, not one of +the cadet midshipmen present could have been accused of _enjoying_ +himself. + +"Then what took place here, Mr. Benson, really took place at your +request?" insisted the naval officer. + +"It all answered the questions that we had been asking," Jack replied, +promptly, though, it must be admitted, rather evasively. + +"This is your understanding, too, Mr. Hastings?" demanded the officer. + +"Surely," murmured Hal. + +"You, Mr. Somers?" + +"I--I haven't had so much fun since the gasoline engine blew up," +protested Eph. + +"We entered most heartily into the spirit of the thing," Jack hastened +on to say, "and feel that we owe the deepest thanks to these young +gentlemen of the Navy. Yet, if our desire to know more about the +life--that is, the former life--of the Academy is to result in getting +our entertainers into any trouble, we shall never cease regretting our +unfortunate curiosity." + +For some moments the naval officer regarded the three submarine boys, +solemnly, in turn. From them he turned to look over the cadet +midshipmen. The latter looked as stolid, and stood as rigidly at +attention, as ever. + +"Under this presentation of the matter," said the officer, after a +long pause, "I am not prepared to say that there has been any violation +of discipline. At least, no grave infraction. However, some of these +young gentlemen are, I believe, absent from their quarters without leave. +Mr. Merriam?" + +"I have permission to be absent from my quarters between nine and ten, +sir." + +"Mr. Caldwell?" + +"Absent from quarters without permission, sir." + +So on down through the list the officer ran. Nine of the young men +proved to have leave to be away from their quarters. The other seven +did not have such permission. The names of these seven, therefore, were +written down to be reported. The seven, too, were ordered at once back +to their quarters. + +Having issued his instructions, the naval officer turned and walked +away. Jack and his comrades, too, left the scene. + +Yet they had not gone far when they heard a low hail behind. Turning, +they saw Cadet Midshipmen Merriam hastening toward them. + +"Gentlemen," he said, earnestly, as he reached them, "it may not be +best for me to be seen lingering here to talk with you. But my comrades +wanted me to come after you and to say that we think you bricks. You +carried that off finely, Mr. Benson. None of us will ever forget it." + +"It wasn't much to do," smiled Jack, pleasantly. + +"It was quick-witted of you, and generous too, sir," rejoined Mr. +Merriam, finding it now very easy to employ the "sir." "Probably +you agree with us that no great crime was committed, anyway. But, +just the same, hazing is under a heavy ban these days. If you hadn't +saved the day as you did, sir, all of our cadet party might have been +dismissed the Service. Those absent from quarters without leave will +get only a few demerits apiece. We have that much to thank you for, +sir, and we do. All our thanks, remember. Good night, sir." + +"My courage was down in my boots for a while," confessed Hal Hastings, +as the three chums continued their walk back to the Basin. + +"When?" demanded Eph, grimly. "When your boots--and the rest of +you--were so high up in the air over the blanket?" + +"No; when the cadets were caught at it," replied Hal. + +"Say, Jack," demanded Eph, "do you ever give much thought to the future +life?" + +"Meaning the life in the next world?" questioned Benson. + +"Yes." + +"I sometimes give a good deal of thought to it," Jack confessed. + +"Then where do you expect to go, when the time comes?" + +"Why?" + +"After the whoppers you told that officer?" + +"I didn't tell him even a single tiny fib," protested Jack, indignantly. + +"Oh, you George Washington!" choked Eph Somers. + +"Well, I didn't," insisted Jack. "Now, just stop and think. Weren't +we all three discussing hazing?" + +"Yes." + +"Then that part of what I told the officer was straight. Now, Eph, when +we saw that first cadet come along, didn't I suggest to you to ask him +about hazing?" + +"Ye-es," admitted Somers, thoughtfully. + +"Then, didn't the cadet midshipmen offer to show us all about hazing +pranks, and didn't they do it?" + +"Well, rather," muttered Eph. + +"Now, young man, that's all I told the officer, except that we enjoyed +our entertainment greatly." + +"_Did_ we enjoy it, though?" demanded Eph Somers, bridling up. + +"I did," replied Jack, "and I spoke for myself. I enjoyed it as I +would enjoy almost any new experience." + +"So did I," added Hal, warmly. "It was rough--mighty rough--but now +I know what an Annapolis hazing is like, and I'm glad I do." + +"Well, I want to tell you I didn't enjoy it," blazed Eph. "It was a +mighty cheeky--" + +"Then why did you let the officer imagine you enjoyed it?" taunted Jack. + +While Hal put in, slyly: + +"Eph, you're too quick to talk about others fibbing. From the evidence +just put in, it's evident that you're the only one of the three who +fibbed any. Won't you please walk on the ether side of the road? I +never did like to travel with liars." + +"Oh, you go to Jericho!" flared Eph. But, as he walked along, he +blinked a good deal, and did some hard thinking. + +"I'll tell you," broke out Jack, suddenly, "who thanks us even more than +the cadets them selves do." + +"Who?" queried Hal. + +"That officer who caught the crowd at it." + +"Do you think he cared?" + +"Of course he did," said Jack, positively. + +"He'd rather have gone hungry for a couple of days than have to report +that bunch for hazing." + +"Then why was he so infernally stiff with the young men?" + +"He had to be; that's the answer. That officer, like every other +officer of the Navy detailed here, is sworn to do his full duty. So he +has to enforce the regulations. But don't you suppose, fellows, that +officer was hazed, and did some hazing on his own account, when he was +a cadet midshipman here years ago? Of course! And that's why the +officer didn't question us any more closely than he did. He was afraid +he might stumble on something that would oblige him to report the whole +crowd for hazing. _He_ didn't want to do it. That officer, I'm certain, +knew that, if he questioned us too closely, he'd find a lot more beneath +the surface that he simply didn't want to dig up." + +"Would you have told the truth, if he had questioned you searchingly, +and pinned you right down?" demanded Eph Somers. + +"Of course I would," Jack replied, soberly. "I'm no liar. But I feel +deeply grateful to that officer for not being keener." + +Before nine o'clock the next morning news of the night's doings back of +barracks had spread through the entire corps of cadet midshipmen. + +With these young men of the Navy there was but one opinion of the +submarine boys--that they were trumps, wholly of the right sort. + +As a result, Jack, Hal and Eph had hundreds of new friends among those +who will officer the Navy of the morrow. + +Not so bad, even just as a stroke of business! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +READY FOR THE SEA CRUISE + + +For the next ten days things moved along without much excitement for the +submarine boys. + +During that time they had an average of four sections a day of cadet +midshipmen to instruct in the workings of the Pollard type of submarine +torpedo boat. + +During the last few days short cruises were taken on the Severn River, +in order that the middies might practise at running the motors and +handling the craft. At such times one squad of midshipmen would be on +duty in the engine room, another in the conning tower and on the +platform deck. + +Of course, when the midshipmen handled the "Farnum," under command of a +Navy officer, the submarine boys had but little more to do than to be +on board. Certainly they were not overworked. Yet all three were +doing fine work for their employers in making the Navy officers of the +future like the Pollard type of craft. + +After waiting a few days Jack Benson reported to the Annapolis police +his experience with the mulatto "guide." The police thought they +recognized the fellow, from the description, and did their best to +find him. The mulatto, however, seemed to have disappeared from that +part of the country. + +There came a Friday afternoon when, as the last detachment of middies +filed over the side into the waiting cutter, Lieutenant Commander +Mayhew announced: + +"This, Mr. Benson, completes the instruction desired in the Basin and +in the river. To-morrow and Sunday you will have for rest. On Monday, +at 10 A.M., a section will report aboard for the first trip out to sea. +Then you will show our young men how the boat dives, and how she is +run under water. As none of our cadet midshipmen have ever been below +in a submarine before, you will be sure of having eager students." + +"And perhaps some nervous ones," smiled Skipper Jack. + +"Possibly," assented Mr. Mayhew. "I doubt it, though. Nervousness is +not a marked trait of any young man who has been long enrolled at the +Naval Academy." + +"Can we have a slight favor done us, Mr. Mayhew?" Jack asked. + +"Any reasonable favor, of course." + +"Then, sir, we'd like to spend a little time ashore, as we've been +confined so long aboard. If I lock up everything tight on the boat +until Sunday night, may we know that the 'Farnum' will be under the +protection of the marine guard?" + +"I feel that there will not be the slightest difficulty in promising +you that," replied Mr. Mayhew. "I will telephone the proper authorities +about it as soon as I go on shore." + +All hands on board were pleased over the prospect of going ashore, with +the exception of Sam Truax. + +"You don't need any guard on the boat," he protested. "I don't want to +go ashore. Leave me here and I'll be all the guard necessary." + +"We're all going ashore," Jack replied. + +"But I haven't any money to spend ashore," objected Truax. + +"I'll let you have ten dollars on account, then," replied Jack, who was +well supplied with money, thanks to a draft received from Jacob Farnum. + +"I don't want to go ashore, anyway." + +"I'm sorry, Truax, but it doesn't really make any difference. The boat +will be closed up tight, and there wouldn't be any place for you to +stay, except on the platform deck." + +"You're not treating me fairly," protested Sam Truax, indignantly. + +"I'm sorry you think so. Still, if you're not satisfied, all I can do +is to pay you off to date. Then you can go where you please." + +"I'm here by David Pollard's order. Do you forget that?" + +"He sent you along to us, true," admitted Jack, "but I have instructions +from Mr. Farnum to dismiss anyone whose work on board I don't like. Now, +Truax, you're a competent enough man in the engine room, and there's no +sense in having to let you go. You're well paid, and can afford the +time on shore. I wouldn't make any more fuss about this, but do as the +rest of us are going to do." + +"Oh, I'll have to, then, since you're boss here," grumbled Truax, +sulkily. + +"I don't want to make it felt too much that I am boss here," Jack +retorted, mildly. "At the same time, though, I'm held responsible, +and so I suppose I'll have to have things done the way that seems +best to me." + +Sam Truax turned to get his satchel. The instant his back was turned +on the young commander Sam's face was a study in ugliness. + +"Oh, I'll take this all out of you," muttered the fellow to himself. +"I don't believe, Jack Benson, you'll go on the cruising next week. If +you do, you won't be much good, anyway!" + +Ten minutes later a shore boat landed the entire party from the submarine +craft. + +"Going with the rest of us, Truax?" inquired Jack, pleasantly. + +"No; I'm going to find a boarding-house. That will be cheaper than +the hotel." + +So the other four kept straight on to the Maryland House, giving very +little more thought to the sulky one. + +It was not until after supper that Eph turned the talk back to Sam +Truax. + +"I don't like the fellow, at all," declared young Somers. "He always +wants to be left alone in the engine room, for one thing." + +"And I've made it my business, regular," added Williamson; the machinist, +"to see that he doesn't have his wish." + +"He's always sulky, and kicking about everything," added Eph. "I may +be wrong, but can't get it out of my head that the fellow came aboard +on purpose to be a trouble-maker." + +"Why, what object could he have in that?" asked Captain Jack. + +"Blessed if I know," replied Eph. "But that's the way I size the +fellow up. Now, take that time you were knocked senseless, back in +Dunhaven. Who could have done that? The more I think about Sam Truax, +the more I suspect him as the fellow who stretched you out." + +"Again, what object could he have?" inquired Benson. + +"Blessed if I know. What object could anyone have in such a trick +against you? It was a state prison job, if the fellow had been caught +at the time." + +"Well, there's one thing Truax was innocent of, anyway," laughed Captain +Jack. "He didn't have any hand in the way I was tricked and robbed by +the mulatto." + +"Blamed if I'm so sure he didn't have a hand in that, too," contended +Eph Somers, stubbornly. + +"Yet Mr. Pollard recommended him," urged Jack. + +"Yes, and a fine fellow Dave Pollard is--true as steel," put in Hal +Hastings, quietly. "Yet you know what a dreamer he is. Always has +his head in the air and his thoughts among the stars. He'd as like +as not take a fellow like Truax on the fellow's own say-so, and never +think of looking him up." + +"Oh, we've no reason to think Truax isn't honest enough," contended +Jack Benson. "He's certainly a fine workman. As to his being sulky, +you know well enough that's a common fault among men who spend their +lives listening to the noise of great engines. A man who can't make +himself heard over the noise of a big engine hasn't much encouragement +to talk. Now, a man who can't find much chance to talk becomes sulky +a good many times out of ten." + +"We'll have trouble with that fellow, Truax, yet," muttered Eph. + +"Oh, I hope not," Jack answered, then added, significantly: + +"If he _does_ start any trouble he may find that he has been trifling +with the wrong crowd!" + +Very little more thought was given to the sulky one. The submarine +boys and their companion, Williamson, enjoyed Saturday and Sunday +ashore. + +All of them might have felt disturbed, however, had they known of one +thing that happened. + +The naval machinists aboard the first submarine boat, the "Pollard," +now owned by the United States Government, found something slightly +out of order with the "Pollard's" engine that they did not know exactly +how to remedy. + +Sam Truax, hanging around the Basin that Sunday forenoon, was called +upon. He gladly responded to the call for help. For four hours he +toiled along in the "Pollard's" engine room. Much of that time he +spent there alone. + +The job done, at last, Truax quietly received the thanks of the naval +machinists and went ashore again. + +Yet, as he turned and walked toward the main gate of the grounds, there +was a smile on Sam Truax's face that was little short of diabolical. + +"Now, if I can only get the same chance at the 'Farnum's' engines!" he +muttered, to himself. "If I can, I think Mr. Jack Benson will find +himself out of favor with his company, for his company will be out of +favor with the Navy Department at Washington!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE "POLLARD" GOES LAME + + +"The submarine boats when out in the Bay will keep abreast of the +'Hudson,' two hundred yards off on either beam. The speed will be +fourteen knots when the signal is given for full speed. The general +course, after leaving the mouth of the Bay will be East." + +Such were the instructions called from the rail of the gunboat, through +a megaphone, Monday forenoon. + +On each of the submarine craft were sixteen cadet midshipmen, out for +actual practice in handling a submarine in diving, and in running +under water. On board the gunboat were eighty more cadets. Thus +a large class of the young men were to receive instruction during +the cruise, for the detachments aboard the submarines could be changed +at the pleasure of Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, who was in charge +of the cruise. + +Captain Jack, his own hands on the conning tower wheel, ran the "Farnum" +out into the river, first of all. Then the "Pollard," under command +of a naval officer, followed. Both backed water, then waited for the +"Hudson" to come out, for the gunboat was to lead the way until the +Bay was reached. Then the formation ordered would be followed. + +Though it was nearing the first of November, the day, near land, was +ideally soft and balmy. As many of the midshipmen as could sought +the platform deck of the "Farnum." Those, however, who belonged to +the engineer division were obliged to spend the greater part of their +time below. + +By the time that the three craft were in the ordered formation, abreast, +and well started down Chesapeake Bay, the parent vessel signaled that +the designated cadets were to take charge of the handling of the +submarine boats. + +Jack Benson cheerfully relinquished the wheel to Cadet Midshipman +Merriam, and stepped out on to the platform deck. At need, as in case +of accident or misunderstanding of signals or orders, Benson was still +in command. While all ran smoothly, however, Mr. Merriam enjoyed +command. + +Hal, being likewise relieved in the engine room, came also out on deck. + +"Where's Eph?" inquired the young commander of the "Farnum." + +"In the engine room," smiled Hal. "He said I could leave, if I wanted, +but that he'd be hanged if he'd let Truax out of his sight while I +was away." + +"Eph seems to have Truax on the brain," laughed Jack. + +"Well, Truax is a queer and surly one," Hal admitted. "This morning +he gives one the impression of peeking over his shoulder all the time +to see whether he's being watched." + +"So Eph means to humor him by watching him, eh?" asked Jack. + +Hal laughed quietly. + +Some of the cadets who were familiar with the landmarks of Chesapeake +Bay pointed out many of the localities and sights to the two submarine +boys. + +At last, however, Eph was obliged to call for Hal. + +"You know, Hal, old fellow, I've got to look out for the feeding of a +lot of boarders to-day," complained Eph, whimsically. + +This task of Eph's took time, though it was not a hard one. The food +for the cadets had been sent aboard. Eph had to make coffee and heat +soup. For the rest, cold food had to do. The young men, on this trip, +were required to wait on themselves. + +Hal found Sam Truax sitting moodily in a corner of the engine room, +though there was something about the fellow's appearance that suggested +the watchfulness of a cat. + +"Why don't you go on deck a while, Truax?" asked Hal, kindly. + +"Don't want to," snapped the fellow, irritably. So Hal turned his +back on the man. + +"Doesn't that part need loosening up a bit, sir?" asked the cadet in +charge of the engineer division. + +"Yes," replied Hastings, after watching a moment; "it does." + +"I'll do it, then," proposed Truax, roughly. He attempted to crowd +his way past Hal, but the latter refused to be crowded, and stood +his ground until the midshipman passed him a wrench. Then Hastings +loosened up the part. + +"You might let me do a little something," growled Sam Truax, in a tone +intentionally offensive. + +"Don't forget, Truax, that I'm in command in this department," retorted +Hal, in a quieter tone than usual, though with a direct, steady look +that made Sam Truax turn white with repressed wrath. + +"You won't let me forget it, will you?" snarled the fellow. + +"No; for I don't want you to forget it, and least of all on this cruise," +responded Hal Hastings. + +"You don't give me any chance to--" + +"Silence!" ordered Hal, taking a step toward him. + +Sam Truax opened his mouth to make some retort, then wisely changed his +mind, dropping back into his former seat. + +The noon meal was served to all hands. By the time it was well over +the mouth of the Bay was in sight, the broad Atlantic rolling in beyond. + +The sea, when reached, proved to be almost smooth. It was ideal weather +for such a cruise. + +Then straight East, for an hour they went, getting well out of the path +of coasting vessels. + +"Hullo! What in blazes does that mean?" suddenly demanded Hal, pointing +astern at starboard. + +The "Pollard" lay tossing gently on the water, making no headway. Hardly +ten seconds later the "Hudson" signaled a halt. + +Then followed some rapid signaling between the gunboat and the submarine +that had stopped. There was some break in the "Pollard's" machinery, +but the cause had not yet been determined. + +"Blazes!" muttered Jack, uneasily. "It couldn't have happened at a +worse time. This looks bad for our firm, Hal!" + +The "Farnum" now lay to, as did the "Hudson," for the officer in command +of the "Pollard" signaled that his machinists were making a rapid but +thorough investigation of the unfortunate submarine's engines. + +Finally, a cutter put off from the "Hudson," with a cadet midshipman +in charge. The small boat came over alongside, and the midshipman +called up: + +"The lieutenant commander's compliments, and will Mr. Benson detail Mr. +Hastings to go over to the 'Pollard' and assist?" + +"My compliments to the lieutenant commander," Jack replied. "And +be good enough to report to him, please, that Mr. Hastings and I will +both go." + +"My orders, sir, are to convey you to the 'Pollard' before reporting +back to the parent vessel," replied the midshipman. + +The cutter came alongside, taking off the two submarine boys, while +Eph Somers devoted himself to watching Sam Truax as a bloodhound might +have hung to a trail. + +Arrived on board the good, old, familiar "Pollard," Jack and Hal hurried +below. + +"The machinery is too hot to handle, now, sir," reported one of the +naval machinists, "but it looks as though something was wrong right +in there"--pointing. + +"Put one of the electric fans at work there, at once," directed Hal. +"Then things ought to be cool enough in half an hour, to make an +examination possible." + +After seeing this done, the two submarine boys left for the platform +deck, for the engine room was both hot and crowded. + +"How long is it going to take you, Mr. Hastings?" asked the naval +officer in command of the "Pollard." + +"Half an hour to get the parts cool enough to examine, but I can't say, +sir, how long the examination and repairs will take." + +So the officer in command signaled what proved to be vague and +unsatisfactory information to Lieutenant Commander Mayhew. + +"This is a bad time to have this sort of thing happen," observed the +naval officer in charge. + +"A mighty bad time, sir," Jack murmured. + +"And the engines of the 'Pollard' were supposed to be in first-class +condition." + +"They _were_ in A-1 condition, when the boat was turned over to the Navy," +Jack responded. + +"Do you imagine, then, Mr. Benson, that some of the naval machinists +have been careless or incompetent?" + +"Why, that would be a wild guess to make, sir, when one, remembers what +high rank your naval machinists take in their work," Jack Benson replied. + +"And this boat was sold to the Navy with the strongest guarantee for the +engines," pursued the officer in charge. + +Jack and Hal were both worried. The sudden break had a bad look for the +Pollard boats, in the success of which these submarine boys were most +vitally interested. + +At last, from below, the suspected parts of the engine were reported +to be cool enough for examination. The naval officer in charge followed +Jack and Hal below. + +Taking off his uniform blouse and rolling up his sleeves, Hal sailed in +vigorously to locate the fault. Machinists and cadets stood about, +passing him the tools he needed, and helping him when required. + +At last, after disconnecting some parts, Hal drew out a long, slender +brass piston. + +As he held it up young Hastings's face went as white as chalk. + +"Do you see this?" he demanded, hoarsely. + +"Filed, crazily, and it also looks as though the inner end had been +heated and tampered with," gasped Jack Benson. + +"This, sir," complained Hal, turning around to face the naval officer +in charge, "looks like a direct attempt to tamper with and damage the +engine. Someone has done this deliberately, sir. It only remains to +find the culprit." + +"Then we'll find out," retorted the naval officer, "if it takes a court +of inquiry and a court martial to do it. But are you sure of your +charge, Mr. Hastings?" + +"Am I sure?" repeated Hal, all the soul of the young engineer swelling +to the surface. "Take this piston, sir, and examine it. Could such +a job have been done, unless by sheer design and intent?" + +"Will the lieutenant permit me to speak?" asked the senior machinist, +taking a step forward and saluting. + +"Yes; go ahead." + +"Yesterday morning, sir," continued the senior machinist, "we thought +the engines needed some overhauling by someone more accustomed to them +than we were. We saw one of the machinists of the 'Farnum,' sir, +hanging about on shore. So we invited him aboard and asked him to look +the engines over." + +"Describe the man," begged Jack. + +The senior machinist gave a description that instantly denoted Sam Truax +as the man in question. + +"Did you leave him alone in here, at any time?" demanded Hal. + +"Let me see. Why, yes, sir. The man must have been alone in here some +three-quarters of an hour." + +Jack and Hal exchanged swift glances. + +There seemed, now, very little need of carrying the investigation +further. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ANOTHER TURN AT HARD LUCK + + +When he could trust himself to speak Hal Hastings addressed the naval +officer. + +"I think Mr. Benson and myself understand, sir, how it happened that +this damage was done. There are extra parts in the repair kit. In +twenty minutes, sir, I think we can have the engines running smoothly +once more." + +The naval officer was wise enough not to press the questioning further +just then. Instead, he went on deck. + +Working like beavers, and with the assistance of others standing about, +Jack and Hal had the piston replaced and all the other parts in place +within fifteen minutes. Then, once more, Hal turned on the gasoline, +set the ignition, and watched. + +The engine ran as smoothly as ever. + +"There won't be any more trouble, unless someone is turned loose here +with files and a blast lamp," pronounced Hal. Then he and his chum +sought the deck, to report to the officer in charge. + +"You think we're in running order, now?" asked that officer. + +"If you give the speed-ahead signal, sir, I think you'll feel as though +you had a live engine under your deck," Hal assured him. + +The signal was given, the "Pollard" immediately responding. She cut +a wide circle, at good speed, returning to her former position, where +the propellers were stopped. + +"You suspect your own machinist, who was aboard?" asked the naval +officer, in a low tone, of the submarine boys. + +"If you'll pardon our not answering directly, sir," Captain Jack replied, +"we want to have more than suspicions before we make a very energetic +report on this strange accident. But we shall not be asleep, sir, in +the matter of finding out. Then we shall make a full report to Mr. +Mayhew." + +"Success to you--and vigilance!" muttered the naval officer. + +The gunboat's cutter came alongside, transferring Jack and Hal back to +the "Farnum." + +Hal went directly below to the engine room. + +"You fixed the trouble with the 'Pollard'?" demanded Eph Somers, eagerly. + +"Yes," Hal admitted. + +"What was wrong?" + +"Why, I don't know as I'd want to commit myself in too offhand a way," +replied Hal, slowly, as though thinking. + +"What appeared to be at the bottom of the trouble?" + +"Why, it may have been that one of the naval machinists, not +understanding our engines any too well, allowed one of the pistons to +get overheated, and then resorted to filing," Hal replied. + +"What? Overheat a piston, and then try to correct it with a file!" +cried young Somers, disgustedly. "The crazy blacksmith! He ought to +be set to shoeing snails--that's all he's fit for." + +"It looks that way," Hal assented, smiling. + +Artful, clever Hal! He had carried it all off so coolly and naturally +that Sam Truax, who had been closely studying Hastings's face from the +background, was wholly deceived. + +"This fellow, Hastings, isn't as smart as I had thought him," muttered +Truax, to himself. + +The interrupted cruise now proceeded, the parent vessel signaling for +a temporary speed of sixteen knots in order to make up for lost time. + +Twenty minutes later came the signal from the "Hudson:" + +"At the command, the submarines will dash ahead at full speed, each +making its best time. During this trial, which will end at the firing +of a gun from the parent vessel, all cadets will be on deck." + +Word was immediately passed below, and all the cadets of the engineer +division came tumbling up. + +To these, who had been in the engine room constantly for hours, the +cool wind blowing across the deck was highly agreeable. + +For the speed dash Captain Jack Benson had again taken command. He +passed word below to Eph Somers to take the wheel in the conning tower. + +Eph, therefore, came up with the last of the cadets from below. In +the excitement of the pending race it had not been noticed by any of +the submarine boys that Williamson was already on deck, aft. That +left Sam Truax below in sole possession of the boat's engine quarters. + +The gunboat now fell a little behind, leaving the two submarines some +four hundred yards apart, but as nearly as possible on a line. + +"Look at the crowd over on the 'Pollard's' decks," muttered Hal. +"They're all Navy folks over there." + +"And they mean to beat such plain 'dubs' as they must consider us," +laughed Captain Jack, in an undertone. + +"Will they beat us, though?" grinned Hal Hastings "You and I, Jack, +happen to know that the 'Farnum' is a bit the faster boat by rights." + +Suddenly the signal broke out from the gunboat. + +"Race her, Eph!" shouted Captain Jack. + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +Eph Somers's right hand caught at the speed signals beside the wheel. +He called for all speed, the bell jangling merrily in the engine room. + +A little cheer of excitement went up from the cadets aboard the "Farnum" +as that craft shot ahead over the waters. The cadets were catching the +thrill of what was virtually a race. At the same time, though, these +midshipmen could not help feeling a good deal of interest in the success +of the "Pollard," which was manned wholly by representatives of the Navy. + +In the first three minutes the "Farnum" stole gradually, though slowly, +ahead of the "Pollard." Then, to the disgust of all three of the +submarine boys, the other craft was seen to be gaining. Before long +the "Pollard" had the lead, and looked likely to increase it. Already +gleeful cheers were rising from the all-navy crowd on the deck of the +other submarine. + +Behind the racers sped the "Hudson," keeping just far enough behind to +be able to observe everything without interfering with either torpedo +craft. + +From looking at the "Pollard" Captain Jack glanced down at the water. +His own boat's bows seemed to be cutting the water at a fast gait. The +young skipper, knowing what he knew about both boats, could not +understand this losing to the other craft. + +"The Navy men must know a few tricks with engines that we haven't +guessed," he observed, anxiously, to young Hastings. + +"I don't know what it can be, then," murmured Hal, uneasily. "There +aren't so confusingly many parts to a six-cylinder gasoline motor. +They aren't hard engines to run. More depends on the engine itself +than on the engineer." + +"But look over there," returned Captain Jack Benson. "You see the +'Pollard' taking the wind out of our teeth, don't you?" + +"Yes," Hal admitted, looking more puzzled. "Do you think our engines +are doing the topnotch of their best?" asked Benson. + +"Yes; for Williamson is a crackerjack machinist. He knows our engines +as well as any man alive could do." + +"Do you think it would do any good for you to go below, Hal?" + +"I will, if you say so," offered Hastings. "Yet there's another side +to it." + +"What?" + +"Williamson might get it into his head that I went below because I +thought he was making a muddle of the speed. As a matter of fact, he +knows every blessed thing I do about our motors, and Williamson is +loyal to the core." + +"I know," nodded Captain Jack. "I'd hate to hurt a fine fellow's +feelings. Yet--confound it, I do want to win this burst of speed. +It means, perhaps, the quick sale of this boat to the Navy. If we're +beaten it means, to the Secretary of the Navy, that he already has our +best boat, and he might not see the need of buying the 'Farnum' at all." + +"Give Williamson two or three minutes more," begged Hal. "You might +tell Eph, though, to repeat, and repeat, the signal for top speed. +That'll show Williamson we're losing." + +Jack Benson walked to the conning tower, instructing Eph Somers in a +low tone. + +"I've signaled twice, since the first time," Eph replied. "But here +goes some more." + +"I wonder what's going wrong with our engines, then," muttered Captain +Jack, uneasily. + +"It ain't in careless steering, anyway," grumbled Eph. "I'm going +as straight as a chalk line." + +"I noticed that," Captain Jack admitted. + +He continued to look worried, for, by this time, the "Pollard" was at +least a good two hundred and fifty yards to the good in the lead. + +"I'm afraid," muttered Hal, rejoining Benson, "that I'll simply have +to go below." + +"I'm afraid so," nodded Jack. "We simply can't afford to lose this +or any other race to the 'Pollard.'" + +"Williamson knows that fully as well as we do, though," Hal Hastings +went on. "And Williamson--" + +Of a sudden Hal stopped short. He half staggered, clutching at a rail, +while his eyes stared and his lips twitched. + +"Why--why--there's Williamson--aft on the deck!" muttered Hastings. + +"What!" + +Jack, too, wheeled like a flash. Back there in a crowd of cadets stood +the machinist upon whom the submarine boys were depending for the best +showing that the "Farnum" could make. + +"Williamson up here!" gasped Hal. "And--" + +"That fellow, Truax, all alone with the motors!" hissed Captain Jack. +Then, after a second or two of startled silence: + +"Come on, Hal!" + +The naval cadets were too much absorbed in watching the race to have +overheard anything. Williamson, too, standing at the rail, looking out +over the water, had not yet discovered that Hal Hastings was up from +the engine room. + +Jack Benson stole below on tip-toe, though with the machinery running +so much stealth was not necessary. Right behind him followed Hal. + +As the two gained the doorway of the engine room Sam Truax had his back +turned to them, and so did not note the sudden watchers. + +There was a smile of malicious triumph on Truax's face as he turned a +lever a little way over, thus decreasing the ignition power of the +motors. + +Both Jack and Hal could see that the gasoline flow had been turned on +nearly to the full capacity. It was the poor ignition work that was +making the motors respond so badly. A little less, and a little less, +of the electric spark that burned the gasoline, and air mixture--that +was the secret of the gradually decreasing speed, while all the time +it looked as though the "Farnum" was doing her level best to win the +race. + +Whistling, as he bent over, Sam Truax caught up a long, slender steel +bar. With this he stepped forward, intent upon his next wicked step. + +"Gracious! The scoundrel is going to run that bar in between the +moving parts of the engine and bring about a break-down!" quivered Hal. + +Sam Truax stood watching for his chance to thrust the steel bar in just +where it would inflict the most damage. Then raising the bar quickly, +he poised for the blow. + +"Stop that, you infernal sneak!" roared Jack Benson, bounding into the +engine room. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +BRAVING NOTHING BUT A SNEAK + + +"You--here?" hissed Truax, wheeling about. + +He had not had time to make the thrust with the steel bar. + +Instead, as he wheeled, he raised it above his head, drawing back in +an attitude of guard. + +As he did so, a vile oath escaped Truax's lips. + +"Put that bar down!" commanded Jack Benson, standing unflinchingly +before the angry rascal. + +"I'll put it down on your head, if you don't get out of here!" snarled +the wretch. + +"Put it down, and consider yourself off duty here, for good and all," +insisted Jack. + +"Are you going to get out of here, or shall I brain you?" screamed +Truax, his face working in the height of his passion. + +"Neither," retorted Captain Jack, coolly. "I command here, and you know. +Put that bar down, and leave the engine room." + +"Come and take the bar from me--if you dare!" taunted the fellow, a +more wicked gleam flashing in his eyes. + +"Hal!" called Jack, sharply. + +"Aye!" + +"Call two or three of the cadets down here. Don't make any noise about +it." + +This order was called without Benson's turning his head. He still stood +facing the sneak while Hal sped away. + +"Now, I've got you alone!" gloated Truax. "I'll finish you!" + +A scornful smile curled Jack's lips as he gazed steadily back at his foe. + +"Truax, you're a coward, as well as a sneak." + +"I am--eh?" + +With another nasty oath Truax stepped quickly forward, the steel bar +upraised. + +He took but one step, however, for Captain Jack Benson had not retreated +an inch. + +Nor did Jack have his hands up in an attitude of guard. + +"Are you going to put that bar down, Truax?" the young skipper demanded, +in a voice that betrayed not a tremor. + +"No." + +"Then you'll have to make good in a moment, for we're going to attack +you." + +"Bah! I can stave in two or three heads before any number of you could +stop me," sneered the fellow, in an ugly voice. + +"You could, but you won't dare." + +"I won't?" + +"Not you!" + +At that instant rapid steps were heard. Hal Hastings returned with +three of the midshipmen, behind them Williamson trying to crowd his way +into the scene. + +"Just tell us what you want, Mr. Benson," proposed Cadet Merriam, +amiably. + +"This fellow has been 'doping' our engines," announced Captain Jack. +"And now he's threatening to stand us off. We'll close in on him from +both sides. If he tries to use that steel bar on any of us--" + +"If he does, he'll curse his unlucky star," declared Midshipman Merriam. +"Come on, gentlemen. We'll show him some of the Navy football tactics!" + +The three midshipmen approached Truax steadily from the right. Jack, +Hal and Williamson stepped in on the left. + +With a yell like that of a maniac Sam Truax swung the bar. + +Having to watch both sides at once, however, he made a fizzle of it. The +bar came down, but struck the floor. + +Then, with a yell, the midshipmen leaped in on one side, Jack leading +the submarine forces on the other. Mr. Merriam's trip and Jack's +smashing blow with the fist brought Truax down to the floor in a heap. + +"Now, cart this human rubbish out of here!" ordered Jack Benson, sternly. +"Don't hit him--he isn't man enough to be worthy of a blow!" + +Swooping down upon the prostrate one, Hal and the midshipmen seized Sam +Truax by his arms and legs, carrying him bodily out of the engine room. + +"Williamson," commanded Captain Jack, "stop the speed." + +"In the race, sir. We--" + +"Stop the speed," repeated Benson. + +"You're the captain," admitted Williamson. Grasping the twin levers of +the two motors he swung them backward. + +"Disregard any signal to go ahead until we've had a chance to inspect +the motors," added Captain Jack. + +Then the submarine skipper darted out into the cabin. + +Sam Truax lay sprawling on the floor. Midshipman Merriam, a most +cheerful smile on his face, sat across the fellow, while Hal and the +other two midshipmen stood by, looking on. + +"Hold him please, until I can have the wretch taken care of," requested +Captain Jack, making for the spiral stairway to the conning tower. + +Just as the young skipper stepped out on deck he heard the "Hudson's" +bow-gun break out sharply in the halting signal. + +Taking a megaphone, Benson stood at the rail until the gunboat ranged +up alongside. + +"Have you broken down?" came the hail from the gunboat's bridge. + +"I thought it best to stop speed, sir. We'll have to look over our +engines before it will be safe to attempt any more speed work," Captain +Jack answered. "I've caught a fellow tampering with our machinery. We +hold him a prisoner, now. Can you take him off our hands, sir?" + +"One of _your own_ men?" came back the question. + +"Of course, sir." + +"We'll send a marine guard to take him, on your complaint, Mr. Benson." + +"Thank you, sir." + +The gunboat's engines slowed down. Ere long her port side gangway was +lowered. Jack saw not only two marines and a corporal come down over +the side, but Lieutenant Commander Mayhew appeared in person. That +officer came over in the cutter. + +"You've had treachery aboard, have you?" asked the lieutenant commander, +as he climbed up over the side. + +"Rather. A new machinist, taken aboard just before we sailed from +Dunhaven. The same fellow who must have played the trick on the +'Pollard's' engines yesterday," Benson replied. + +"I'll be glad to have a fellow like that in irons in the brig aboard +the 'Hudson,' then," muttered Mr. Mayhew. "I couldn't understand, Mr. +Benson, how you were doing so badly in the full speed ahead dash." + +"The prisoner below is the answer, sir," Captain Jack replied. He then +led the corporal and two marines below. The corporal produced a pair +of handcuffs, which he promptly snapped over Truax's wrists. + +"You'll be sorry for this, one of these days," threatened Truax, with a +snarl that showed his teeth. + +"Some day, then, if you please, when I have more leisure than I have +now," Jack retorted, dryly. "This man is all yours, corporal." + +Truax was foolish enough to try to hang back on his conductors. A +slight jab through the clothing from one of the marines' bayonets +caused the prisoner to stop that trick. He was taken on deck and over +the side. + +"Coxswain, return for me after you've taken the prisoner to the 'Hudson,'" +directed Mr Mayhew. "Now, Mr. Benson, I would like to see what has been +done to your engines." + +"That's just what I want to know, too," responded Jack. + +They found Hal and Williamson hard at work, inspecting the motors. + +"The ignition power was lowered, and that may have been the most that +the fellow did," said Hal. "Yet, at the same time, before putting these +engines to any severe test, I believe they ought to be cooled and +looked over." + +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew frowned. + +"These delays eat up our practice cruise time a whole lot," he grumbled. + +"I'll put the engines through their paces, and chance mischief having +been done to them, if you wish, sir." + +"No; that won't do either, Mr. Hastings," replied the naval officer. +"This craft is private property, and I have no right to give orders that +may damage private property. I'll hold the fleet until you've had time +to inspect your engines properly. By that time, however, we'll have +to put back to the coast for the night, for our practice time will +be gone." + +"In the days to follow, sir," put in Benson, earnestly, "I think we +can more than make up for this delay. We won't have the traitor aboard +after this." + +"What earthly object can the fellow have had for wanting to damage your +motors?" demanded the naval officer, looking hopelessly puzzled. + +"I can't even make a sane guess, sir," Jack Benson admitted. + +An hour and a half later the "Hudson" and the two submarines headed back +for a safe little bay on the coast. Here the three craft anchored for +the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE EVIL GENIUS OF THE WATER FRONT + + +It was nearly eight in the evening when the three craft were snug at +anchor. + +The bay was a small one, hardly worthy of the name. The only inhabited +part of the shore thereabouts consisted of the fishing village known as +Blair's Cove, a settlement containing some forty houses. + +Hardly had all been made snug aboard the "Farnum" when Jack, standing on +the platform deck after the cadets had been transferred to the "Hudson" +for the night, saw a small boat heading out from shore. + +"Is that one of the new submarine crafts?" hailed a voice from the bow +of the boat. + +"Yes, sir," Jack answered, courteously. + +No more was said until the boat had come up alongside. + +"I thought maybe you'd be willing to let me have a look over a craft +of this sort," said the man in the bow. He appeared to be about forty +years of age, dark-haired and with a full, black beard. The man was +plainly though not roughly dressed; evidently he was a man of some +education. + +"Why, I'm mighty sorry, sir," Captain Jack Benson replied. "But I'm +afraid it will be impossible to allow any strangers on board during +this cruise." + +"Oh, I won't steal anything from your craft,", answered the stranger, +laughingly. "I won't be inquisitive, either, or go poking into forbidden +corners. Who's your captain?" + +"I am, sir." + +"Then you'll let me come aboard, just for a look, won't you?" pleaded +the stranger. + +Such curiosity was natural. The man seemed like a decent fellow. +But Jack shook his head. + +"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm positive our owners wouldn't approve of our +allowing any strangers to come on board." + +"Had any trouble, so far, with strangers?" asked the man. + +"I didn't say that," Jack replied, evasively. "But the construction of +a submarine torpedo boat is a secret. It is a general rule with our +owners that strangers shan't be allowed on board, unless they're very +especially vouched for. Now, I hate to appear disobliging; yet, if +you've ever been employed by anyone else, you will appreciate the need +of obeying an owner's orders." + +"You're under the orders of the boss of that gunboat?" asked the stranger, +pointing to the "Hudson." + +"On this cruise, yes, sir," Jack nodded. + +"Maybe, if I saw the fellow in command of the gunboat, then he'd give me +an order allowing me to come on board." + +"I'm very certain the lieutenant commander wouldn't do anything of the +sort," Benson responded. + +The stranger gave a comical sigh. + +"Then I'm afraid I don't see a submarine boat to-night--that is, any +more than I can see of it now." + +"That's about the way it looks to me, also," Jack answered, smiling. +"Yet, believe me, I hate awfully to seem discourteous about it." + +"Oh, all right," muttered the stranger, nodding to the two boatmen, +who had rowed him out alongside. + +"Good!" grunted Eph. "I'm glad you didn't let him on board, Captain. +On this cruise our luck doesn't seem to run with strangers." + +"It doesn't, for a fact," laughed Jack Benson. + +"Hi, ho--ah, hum!" yawned young Somers, stretching. "It will be mine +for early bunk to-night, I reckon." + +At this moment a boat was observed rounding the stern of the "Hudson." +It came up alongside, landing a marine sentry. + +"Anybody on the 'Farnum' want to go ashore to-night?" hailed a voice +from the gunboat's rail. "The shore boat will be ready in five minutes." + +"I believe I would like to take just a run through the village," declared +Jack, turning to his chum. "Do you feel like a land-cruise with me, +Hal?" + +"I think I'd better go," laughed Hastings. "You seem to get into +trouble when you go alone." + +"All right, then. And, Eph since you're so sleepy, you can turn in as +soon as you want. The boat will be under sufficient protection," +Jack added, nodding toward the marine slowly pacing the platform deck. + +Williamson was called too, but declared that he felt like turning in +early. So, when the shore boat came, it had but two passengers to take +from the submarine. There were a few shore leave men, however, from, +the gunboat. + +"This boat will return to the fleet, gentlemen, every hour up to +midnight," stated the petty officer in charge, as Jack and Hal stepped +ashore at a rickety little wharf. + +"Judging from what we can see of the town from here, we'll be ready to +go back long before midnight," Jack Benson laughingly told his +companion. + +"All I want is to shake some of the sea-roll out of my gait," nodded +Hastings. "It surely doesn't seem to be much of a town." + +By way of public buildings there turned out to be a church, locked and +dark, a general store and also a drug-store that contained the local +post-office. But the drug-store carried no ice cream or soda, so the +submarine boys turned away. + +There was one other "public" place that the boys failed to discover at +once. That was a low groggery at the further end of the town. Here +two of the sailors who had come on shore leave turned in for a drink +or two. They found a suave, black-bearded man quite ready to buy +liquor for Uncle Sam's tars. + +Three-quarters of an hour later Jack and Hal felt they had seen about +as much of the town as they cared for, when a hailing voice stopped +them. + +"Finding it pretty dull, gentlemen?" + +"Oh, good evening," replied Captain Jack, recognizing the bearded man +whom he had refused admittance to the "Farnum." + +"Pretty stupid town, isn't it, Captain!" asked the stranger, holding +out his hand, which Jack Benson took. + +"As lively as we thought it would be," Hal rejoined. "We just came +ashore to stretch ourselves a bit. Thought we might lay a course to +an ice-cream soda, too, but failed." + +"These fishermen don't have such things," smiled the stranger. "They +are content with the bare necessities of life, with a little grog and +tobacco added. Speaking of grog, would you care to try the best this +town has, gentlemen?" + +"Thank you," Jack answered, politely. "We've never either of us tasted +the stuff, and we don't care to begin." + +"Drop into the drug-store and have a cigar, then?" + +"We don't smoke, either, thank you," came from Hal. + +"You young men are rather hard to entertain in a place like this," +sighed the stranger, but his eyes twinkled. + +"We are just as grateful for the intention," Jack assured him. + +"Tell you what I can do, gentlemen," proposed the stranger, suddenly. +"I might invite you down to my shack for a little while, and show you +my books and some models of yachts and ships that I've been collecting. +I'm quite proud of my collection in that line. Won't you come?" + +Anything in the line of yacht or ship-models interested both of these +sea-loving boys from the shipyard at Dunhaven. Jack graciously accepted +the invitation for them both. + +"And, though I have no soda fountain," continued the bearded one, "I +can offer you some soft drinks. I always keep some about the place." + +"How do you come to be living in a place like this, if I'm not too +inquisitive?" queried Benson, as the three strolled down the street. + +"Doctor's orders," replied the bearded one. "So I've rented the best +old shack I could get here, down by the water. I spend a good deal +of my time sailing a sloop that I have. Curtis is my name." + +Jack and Hal introduced themselves in turn. + +Curtis's shack proved to be well away from the village proper, and +down near the waterfront. A light shone from a window near the front +door as the three approached the small dwelling. + +"I think I can interest you for an hour, gentlemen," declared the +bearded one, as he slipped a key in the lock of the door. + +He admitted them to a little room off the hallway, a room that contained +not much beyond a table and four, chairs, a side-table and some of the +accessories of the smoker. + +"Just take a seat here," proposed Curtis, "while I get some sarsaparilla +for you. I'll be right back in a moment." + +It was four or five minutes before Curtis came, back, bearing a tray on +which were three tall glasses, each containing a brownish liquid. + +"The stuff isn't iced, yet it's fairly cold," the bearded one explained. +"Well, gentlemen, here's to a pleasant evening!" + +Hal, who was thirsty, took a long swallow of the sarsaparilla, finding +the flavor excellent. Jack drank more slowly, though he enjoyed the +beverage. + +"If you don't mind," suggested Curtis, "I will light a cigar. And say, +by the way, gentlemen, what if we take a little walk down to my beach? +Before showing you the models I spoke of, I'd like to have your opinion +of the lines of my sloop." + +"We'll go down and take a look with great pleasure," Jack Benson agreed, +rising. "And I'm glad, sir, that you're able to show us more courtesy +than we were able to offer you to-night." + +"Oh, that was all right," declared their host, smiling good-humoredly. +"Rules are rules, and you have your owners to please. No hard feelings +on that score, I assure you." + +Curtis led the way through a dark yard down to a pier. Moored there +lay a handsome white sloop, some forty-two feet in length--a boat +of a good and seaworthy knockabout type. + +"This is a sloop, all right," Jack agreed, cordially. "Rather different +from the lumbering fishing craft hereabouts." + +"Oh, hah, yum!" yawned Hal, at which Curtis shot a quick glance at him. + +"Come on board," invited Curtis, stepping down to the deck of the craft. +"Let me show you what a comfortable cruising cabin I have." + +"Hi, oh, yowl" yawned Hal, again. "Jack, I think I shall enjoy my rest +to-night." + +"Same case here," agreed Benson, stifling a yawn that came as though in +answer to Hal's. + +"I won't keep you long, gentlemen, if I am boring you," agreed their +host, amiably. "Now, I'll go below first and light up. So! Now, come +down and take a look. Do you find many yacht cabins more comfortable +than this one?" + +It was, indeed, a cozy place. Up forward stood a miniature sideboard, +complete in every respect with glass and silver. In the center of the +cabin was a folding table. There were locker seats and inviting +looking cushions. The trim was largely of mahogany. On either side +was a broad, comfortable-looking berth. + +"Just get into that berth and try it, Mr. Hastings," urged the bearded +one. + +"I--I'm afraid to," confessed Hal, stifling another yawn. + +"Afraid?" + +"Very sure thing!" + +"Why?" + +"I'm--hah-ho-hum!" yawned Hal Hastings. "I'm afraid I'd--yow!--abuse +your hospitality by going to sleep." + +Jack Benson leaned against the edge of the opposite berth, feeling +unaccountably drowsy. + +"Oh, nonsense," laughed Curtis. "Just pile into that berth for a moment, +Hastings, and see what a soft, restful place it is. I'll agree to pull +you out, if necessary." + +Not realizing much, in his approaching stupor, Hal Hastings allowed +himself to be coaxed to stretch himself at full length in the downy +berth. + +Almost immediately he closed his eyes, drifting off into stupor. + +"Why, your friend _is_ drowsy, isn't he?" laughed the bearded one, +turning to the submarine skipper. + +Jack Benson's own eyelids were suspiciously close together. + +"Why--what--ails you?" + +Curtis spoke in a low, droning, far-away voice that caused Jack Benson's +upper eyelids to sink. Curtis stood watching him, in malicious glee, +for some moments. Then, at last, he took hold of the young skipper. + +"Come, old fellow," coaxed the bearded one, "you'll do best to join your +friend in a good nap. Get up in the berth." + +"Lemme alone," protested the boy, thickly, feeling that he was being +lifted. Jack struggled, partly rousing himself. + +"Come, get up into the berth. You'll be more comfortable there." + +"Lemme alone. What are you trying to do?" demanded Jack, swinging +an arm. + +Curtis dodged the light blow, then gripped Jack Benson resolutely. +"Now, see here, young man," hissed the bearded one, "I'm not going +to have any more nonsense out of you. Up into the berth you go! +Do you want me to hit you?" + +Another man thrust his head down the cabin hatchway, showing an evil, +grinning face. + +"Got 'em right?" demanded the one from the hatchway. + +"Yes," snapped the bearded one, then turned to give his attention to +Jack Benson, who was putting up an ineffectual fight while Hal slumbered +on. "Now, see here, Benson, quit all your fooling!" + +"You lemme up," insisted the submarine boy, in a low, chill voice, +though he swung both his arms in an effort to assert himself. "M not +goin' t' stay here. Lemme up, I say! 'M goin' back to--own boat." + +"The submarine?" jeered the bearded man. + +"Yep." + +"Guess again, son," laughed Curtis, jeeringly. "You're not going back +aboard the submarine to-night." + +"Am so," declared Benson, obstinately, though his tone was growing more +drowsy every instant, and his busy hands moved almost as weakly as an +infant's. + +"Listen, if you've got enough of your senses left," growled the bearded +men. "You're not going back to the 'Farnum'--neither to-night, nor at +any other time during the next few months. You're bound on a long +cruise, but not on a submarine boat. I am the captain here, and I'll +name the cruise!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HELD UP BY MARINES + + +It was barely a minute afterward that Jack Benson lapsed into a very +distinct snore. + +"No more trouble from this pair," laughed the bearded one to his +companion at the hatchway. "Now, I'll douse the cabin light, and then +we'll cast off. This thing has moved along very slickly." + +Eph, after having made up his mind to turn in early, had found his +sleepy fit passing. He read for a while in the cabin, then pulled on +a reefer and went up on deck. Williamson was already in a berth, +sound asleep. + +"It would be a fine night if there was a moon," Eph remarked to the +marine sentry on deck. + +"Yes, sir." + +The marine--"soldier, and sailor, too"--not being there for +conversational purposes, continued his slow pacing, his rifle resting +over his right shoulder. + +As Eph strolled about in the limited space of the platform deck he heard +a distant creaking. It was a sound that he well knew--the hoisting +of sail. + +"I wonder if the local fishermen start out at this time of the night?" +Eph Somers remarked, musingly, to the sentry. + +"It may be so, sir; I don't know," replied the marine. + +Presently Eph made out the lines and the spread of canvas of a handsome +knockabout sloop standing on out of the harbor. + +The course being narrow, the sloop was obliged to sail rather close to +the fleet. + +"That's no fisherman!" muttered Somers, watching, his hands thrust deep +in his pockets. + +Presently the sloop's hull was lost to Eph's sight beyond the gunboat. +Then the boy heard a voice from the "Hudson's" deck roar out: + +"Look alive, you lubber! Do you want to foul our anchor chain?" + +"No, sir," came from the sloop's deck. "We'll clear you all right." + +"See that you do, then!" + +Then the sloop's hull came into view again, as the craft headed out +toward the open water beyond. + +"That's the kind of a craft Jack would give a heap to be on," thought +Eph. "Queer that he should spend all his time on gasoline peanut +roasters when he's so fond of whistling for a breeze behind canvas." + +As the sloop neared the mouth of the little bay, and her lines became +rather indistinct in the darkness, Eph Somers turned to resume his +pacing of the deck. + +"Hullo," muttered the submarine boy, two or three minutes later. "Here's +the shore boat coming on its regular trip. I wonder if Jack and Hal +are in it? It's about time for them to be coming on board." + +But the shore boat, instead of coming out to the submarine, lay in at +the side gangway of the gunboat opposite, and Eph discovered that his +two comrades were not in the boat. + +"I say," hailed Eph, "have you seen Mr. Benson and Mr. Hastings on +shore!" + +"No, sir," replied the petty officer in charge. Then one of the sailors +in the boat spoke in an undertone. + +"This man says, sir," continued the petty officer, "that he saw your +friends, sir, going aboard a white knockabout sloop." + +"He did, eh?" demanded the astonished Eph. "How long ago was that?" + +"Only a few minutes ago, sir," replied the sailor. + +"You're sure you saw Mr. Benson and Mr. Hastings?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"That's queer," reflected Eph. "It wouldn't be like them to go sailing +at this time of the night, and without notifying me, either. But, then, +I didn't see anything of 'em aboard that sloop, either." + +Eph was silent for a few moments, thinking. Then, suddenly, he leaped +up in the air, coming down flat-footed. + +"Crackey!" ejaculated Eph Somers. + +For a moment or two his face was a study in bewilderment. + +"Mighty strange things have been happening all through this cruise," +Eph muttered, half aloud. "Especially happening to Jack! Now, the +two of them go aboard that sloop, and immediately after the boat puts +out to sea in the dead of night. What if Jack and Hal have been +shanghaied on that infernal sloop?" + +Cold chills began to chase each other up and down the spine of Eph +Somers. He was not, ordinarily, an imaginative youth, but just now the +gruesome thought that had entered his mind persisted there. + +He began to pace the platform deck in deep agitation. + +"Anything wrong, sir?" questioned the marine sentry, halting and +throwing his rifle over to port arms. + +"That's just what I'd give a million dollars and ten cents to know!" +exploded Eph. + +"Gunboat, ahoy!" he shouted, some twenty seconds later. + +"'Farnum,' ahoy!" + +"I half believe, sir," Eph rattled on, "that my two comrades, Mr. Benson +and Mr. Hastings have been tricked, in some way, and carried out to sea +on that knockabout. They'd have been back from shore by this time, if +nothing had happened." + +"What do you want to do, Mr. Somers?" + +"Want to do, sir?" retorted Eph. "I know what I'm going to do. I'm +going to slip moorings and chase after that knockabout. What I wish +to know from you, sir, is whether you'll send another marine or two +on board, so that I can back up my demand to find my friends? + +"I'll have to ask the lieutenant commander about that, Mr. Somers." + +"Can you do it, now, sir?" asked Eph, energetically. + +"Instantly. I'll let you know the decision as soon as it's made." + +Eph, hanging at the rail in the silence that followed, had no notion +of whether his request had been a correct one. All he knew was that +his suspicions had surged to the surface, and were threatening to boil +over. It was a huge relief to the boy when Mr Mayhew's voice sounded +from the rail of the gunboat. Somers swiftly answered all questions. + +"Your craft and crew are in a measure under our protection and orders," +decided Mr. Mayhew. "I think we may properly extend you some help. I +will send some men to you, and a cadet midshipman who will have my +instructions." + +"Will you send them quickly, sir?" begged Eph. + +"I'll have men on board of you by the time that your engines are +running," promised the lieutenant commander. + +"Engines?" That word came as a fortunate reminder to the Submarine +boy. He darted below, almost yanking Williamson from his berth, nearly +pulling the machinist into his clothes. By the time that Williamson +was really wide awake he found himself standing by the motors forward. + +Then young Somers darted onto deck again, just in time to see the boat +coming alongside. It brought two more marines, one of them a corporal. +There were also two sailors. A cadet midshipman commanded them. + +"Mr. Somers," reported the cadet midshipman, "I am not intended to +displace you from the command of this boat. I am here only with definite +instructions in case you succeed in overhauling that white sloop." + +"What--" began Eph. Then he paused, with a half-grin. "Really," +he added, "I ought to know better than to quiz you about your instructions +from your superior officer." + +"Yes, sir," assented the midshipman, simply. + +Eph turned on the current to the search-light, swinging the ray about +the bay. Then, too impatient to sit in the conning tower, the submarine +boy took his place by the deck wheel. + +"Will your seamen cast loose from the moorings?" Somers asked. + +"Yes, sir," replied the midshipman. + +"If there's anything wrong, good luck to you," sounded the cool voice of +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, from the gunboat's rail. + +"Thank you, sir." + +No sooner had the moorings been cast loose from than Eph sounded the slow +speed ahead bell. Within sixty seconds the propellers of the "Farnum" +were doing a ten-knot stunt, which was soon increased to fourteen. + +One of the seamen now stood, by to swing the searchlight under Eph's +orders. + +By the time that the submarine reached the mouth of the bay the light +faintly picked up a spread of white sail, off to the East. + +"That's the knockabout," cried Eph, excitedly. "Now, see here, keep +that ray right across the boat as soon as we get half a mile nearer." + +"It'll show the boat that you're chasing 'em, sir," advised the +midshipman. + +"I know it," admitted Eph. "But it will also keep the rascals from +dumping my friends overboard without our catching 'em at it." + +"What do you think the men in charge of that boat are, sir--pirates?" + +"They're mighty close to it, if they've shanghaied Mr. Benson and Mr. +Hastings and put to sea with 'em," rejoined Eph. Then he rang for +more speed. Down below, Williamson almost instantly responded. The +"Farnum" now fairly leaped through the water. + +"Turn the light on the knockabout, now, and keep it there," directed +the submarine boy. + +There was a seven-knot breeze blowing. At the speed at which the +submarine boat was traveling the distance was soon covered. + +And now the searchlight revealed two men in the standing-room of the +sloop, one of whom, a bearded man, was looking backward over his wake +much of the time. + +"Can one of the marines fire a shot to stop those fellows?" asked Eph +Somers. + +"In the air do you mean, sir?" asked the midshipman. "Certainly." + +"Then I wish he'd do it." + +Bang! The discharge of the rifle sounded sharply on the night air. + +"It ain't stopping 'em any," muttered Eph, after a few seconds had +gone by. + +"Nothing would, unless fired into them," volunteered Midshipman Terrell. + +It did not take long, however, to run the submarine up alongside of the +sloop, at a distance of about one hundred yards. + +"Now, we want you men to stop," called Midshipman Terrell, between his +hands. "We are United States naval forces, from the gunboat, and you +will regard this as an order that you must obey. No!" thundered the +midshipman, suddenly, as the bearded one started to step down into the +cabin. "You will both keep on deck. Otherwise we shall be obliged to +fire into you. We mean business, remember!" + +"What do you want to board us for?" demanded Curtis, pausing. + +"We will explain when we come aboard." + +"How are you coming, aboard? You've no small boat" + +"We can land this submarine right up beside you," responded the +midshipman, "if you keep straight to your present course." + +"And scrape all the paint off our side," objected Curtis. + +"That has no bearing on my instructions, sir. I direct you to keep +straight to your present course. We will come up alongside." + +"What if we don't do it?" demanded Curtis, with sudden bluster. + +"Then your danger will be divided between being shot where you stand +and having your craft cut in two by the bow of our craft," retorted +Mr. Terrell. "You will realize, I think, that there can be no parleying +with our orders." + +The bearded one swore, but the corporal and his two marines stood at +the rail with their rifles ready, waiting only the midshipman's order +to aim and fire. + +Eph allowed the "Farnum" to fall back a little way. Then he exerted +himself to show his best in seamanship as he ran the submarine up to +board the sloop by the starboard quarter. The two boats barely touched. +Mr. Terrell, his three marines and two seamen leaped to the standing +room of the yacht. Eph, all aquiver, let the nose of the "Farnum" +fall back slightly. Then he trailed along, under bare headway. + +Then a shout came from the sloop, as the two seamen reappeared, bearing +the forms of Jack and Hal. + +"We've found them aboard, Mr. Somers," shouted Terrell. "Drugged, I +think, sir. Will you some alongside, sir." + +Eph quickly rang the signal, then did some careful manoeuvering. As he +touched, one of the marines leaped back to the platform deck, then +passed a line to Mr. Terrell. The two craft were held together until +Jack and Hal had been passed, still unconscious, over the side. The +naval party quickly followed, then cast loose from the sloop. + +"This whole proceeding is high-handed," growled Curtis, as soon as he +saw that he was not to be molested. + +"Oh, you shut up, and keep your tongue padlocked," retorted Midshipman +Terrell, in high disgust. "You're lucky as it is. Now, Mr. Somers, +are you going back to the bay, sir?" + +"Aren't you going to take those two--body snatchers?" demanded Eph, +glaring venomously at the pair on the sloop. + +"My instructions don't cover that, sir," replied the cadet midshipman. + +"Then hang your orders!" muttered young Somers, but he kept the words +behind his teeth. Eph veered off, next headed about, while the two +seamen bore Jack and Hal below to their berths. + +"Will you take the wheel, Mr. Terrell?" asked Eph, edging away, with +one hand on the spokes. + +"Yes, sir." + +Eph hurried below to the port stateroom. Jack lay in the lower berth, +Hal in the upper. The two seamen, after feeling for pulse, stood by +looking at the unconscious submarine boys. + +"What's been done to them?" demanded Eph. + +"The same old knockout drops, sir, that sailors in all parts of the +world know so well, sir, I think," answered one of the men, with a +quiet grin. + +"Humph!" gritted Eph, bending over Jack's face. "Smell his breath." + +"Yes, sir," said the sailor, obeying. + +"There's no smell of liquor, there, is there?" + +"No, sir," admitted the sailor, looking up, rather puzzled. + +"There is some infernally mean trick in all this," growled Eph. "I am +mighty sorry we didn't bring those rascals back with us." + +When he went on deck again the submarine boy relieved Mr. Terrell at +the wheel, completing the run in to moorings. + +"Did you find your comrades aboard the sloop, Mr. Somers?" hailed the +lieutenant commander, from the gunboat. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Are they all right?" + +"Drugged, sir." + +"Hm! Mr. Terrell and his detachment will return to this vessel." + +The boat took them away. It was five minutes later when the boat +returned, bringing the lieutenant commander, Doctor McCrea, the surgeon, +and a sailor belonging to the hospital detachment aboard the "Hudson." +Eph conducted them below. + +"Drugged," announced the medical officer, after a brief examination. + +"Humph!" uttered Mr. Mayhew. "That sort of trick isn't played on folks +in any decent resort on shore. I don't understand Mr. Benson's conduct. +I remember his mishap at Dunhaven. I remember the plight he got into +at Annapolis; and now he and Mr. Hastings are found in this questionable +shape. I am very much afraid these young men do not conduct themselves, +on shore, in the careful manner that must be expected of civilian +instructors to cadets." + +Eph somers felt something boiling up inside of him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER'S VERDICT + + +"Let me try to get at your meaning, sir, if you please," begged Somers, +after standing for a few seconds with clenched fists. "Do you mean that +my friends have been going into tough resorts on shore?" + +"Where else do sailors usually get drugged?" inquired Mr. Mayhew. "What +kind of people usually feed sea-faring men with what are generally known +as knock-out drops?" + +"How should I know?" demanded Eph, solemnly. + +"You see your friends, and you see their condition." + +"Smell their breaths, sir. There isn't a trace of the odor of liquor." + +The surgeon did so, confirming Eph's claim. "But I remember that Mr. +Benson came aboard, at Dunhaven, with a very strong odor of liquor," +continued the lieutenant commander. + +"That had been sprinkled on his clothes, sir," argued Somers. + +"Perhaps. But then there was the Annapolis affair." + +"Mr. Benson explained that to you, sir." + +"It's very strange," returned the lieutenant commander, "that such +things seem to happen generally to Mr. Benson when he gets on shore. +I know I have been ashore, in all parts of the world, without having +such things happen to me." + +"There is something behind this, sir, that doesn't spell bad conduct on +the part of either of my friends," cried Eph, hotly. "There's some +plot, some trick in the whole thing that we don't understand. And we +might understand much more about it, sir, if your midshipman had +arrested that pair of blackguards on the sloop, and brought them back +with us." + +"Had Mr. Benson and Mr. Hastings been members of the naval forces we +could have done that," replied Mr. Mayhew. "Probably you don't +understand, Mr. Somers, how very careful the Navy has to be about +making arrests in times of peace, when the civil authorities are all +supreme. We carried our right as far as it could possibly be stretched +when we boarded and searched that sloop for you." + +"I don't care so much about that," contended Eph, warmly. "But it does +jar on me, sir, to have you take such a view of my friends. You don't +know them; you don't understand them as Mr. Farnum and Mr. Pollard do." + +"Perhaps you wouldn't blame me as much for my opinions," replied Mr. +Mayhew, "if you could look at the matter from my viewpoint, Mr. Somers. +I am in charge of this cruise, which is one of instruction to naval +cadets, and I am in a very large measure responsible for the conduct +and good behavior of young men who have been selected as instructors +to the cadets. If you were in my place, Mr. Somers, would you be +patient over young men who, when they get ashore, get into one unseemly +scrape after another? Or would you wonder, as I do, whether it will +not be best for me to end this practice cruise and sail back to Annapolis, +there to make my report in the matter?" + +"For heaven's sake don't do that," begged Eph Somers, hoarsely. "At +least, not until you have talked with Mr. Benson and Mr. Hastings. +You'll wait until morning, sir?" + +"I'm afraid I shall have to, if I want to talk with your friends," +replied the lieutenant commander, smiling coldly. "And now, Mr. Somers, +you and I had better leave here. The doctor and his nurse will want the +room cleared in order to look after their patients. I hope your friends +will be all right in the morning," added the naval officer, as the +pair gained the deck. + +"Now, see here, sir," began Eph, earnestly, all over again. "I hope +you'll soon begin to understand that, whatever has happened, there are +no two straighter boys alive than Jack Benson and Hal Hastings." + +"I trust you're right," replied Mr. Mayhew, less coldly. "Yet, what +can you expect me to think, now that Benson has been in such scrapes +three different times? And, in this last instance, he drags even the +quiet Mr. Hastings into the affair with him." + +"I see that I'll have to wait, sir," sighed Eph, resignedly. + +"Yes; it will be better in every way to wait," agreed the lieutenant +commander. "It is plain justice, at the least, to wait and give the +young men a chance to offer any defense that they can." + +"Now, of course, from his way of looking at it, I can't blame him so +very much," admitted Eph Somers, as he leaned over the rail, watching +Mr. Mayhew going back through the darkness. "But Jack--great old +Jack!--having any liking at all for mixing up in saloons and such +places on shore! Ha, ha! Ho, ho!" + +Williamson, now able to leave his motors, came on deck, asking an +account of what had happened. The machinist listened in amazement, +though, like Eph, he needed no proof that the boys, whatever trouble +they had encountered, had met honestly and innocently. + +"Of course that naval officer is right, too, from his own limited +point of view," urged Williamson. + +"Oh, yes, I suppose so," nodded Somers, gloomily. "I've been trying +to tell myself that. But it would be fearful, wouldn't it, if the +'Farnum' were ordered away from the fleet, and Jack disgraced, just +because of things he really didn't do." + +"It's a queer old world," mused the machinist, thoughtfully. "We hear +a lot about the consequences of wrong things we do. But how often +people seem to have to pay up for things they never did!" + +"Oh, well," muttered Eph, philosophically, "let's wait until morning. +A night's sleep straightens out a lot of things." + +Williamson, however, having had some sleep earlier in the night, was +not drowsy, now. He lighted a pipe, lingering on the platform deck. +Eph, not being a user of tobacco, went below to find that Doctor +McCrea, from the gunboat, was sitting in the cabin, reading a book he +had chosen from the book-case. + +"I've brought the young men around somewhat," reported the physician. +"I've made them throw off the drug, and now I've left some stuff with +the nurse to help brace them up. They'll have sour stomachs and +aching heads in the morning, though." + +"But you noticed one thing, Doctor?" pressed Somers. + +"What was that?" + +"That there were no signs of liquor about them? Those boys never tasted +a drop of the vile stuff in their lives!" + +"I'm inclined to believe you," nodded the surgeon. "They have splendid, +clear skins, eyes bright as diamonds, sound, sturdy heartbeats, and +they're full of vitality. I've met boys from the slums, once in a +while--beer-drinkers and cigarette-smokers. But such boys never show +the splendid physical condition that your friends possess." + +"You know, then, as well as I do, Doctor, that neither of my chums +are rowdies, and that, whatever happened to them to-night, they didn't +get to it through any bad habits or conduct?" + +"I'm much inclined to agree with you, Mr. Somers." + +"I hope, then, you'll succeed in impressing all that on Lieutenant +Commander Mayhew in the morning." + +With that the submarine boy passed on to the starboard stateroom. He +would have given much to have stepped into the room opposite, but felt, +from the doctor's manner, that the latter did not wish his patients +disturbed. + +Eph slept little that night. Though Jack and Hal fared better in that +single respect, Somers looked far the best of the three in the morning. + +Jack and Hal came out with bandages about their heads, which buzzed +and ached. + +The two, however, told their story to Somers and Williamson as soon +as possible. + +"Just as I supposed," nodded Eph, vigorously. + +"Why, how did you guess it all?" asked Benson, in astonishment. + +"I mean, I knew you hadn't been in any low sailor resorts." + +"Who said we had?" demanded Jack, flaring in spite of his dizziness. + +"Some of the Navy folks didn't know but you had," replied Eph, then bit +his tongue for having let that much out of the bag. + +Doctor McCrea came aboard early. He looked the boys over. + +"Eat a little toast, if you want, and drink some weak tea," he suggested. +"After that, eat nothing more until to-night." + +"But the day's work--?" hinted Jack. + +"I don't know," replied the doctor, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not +a line officer, and therefore know nothing about the fleet's manoeuvres." + +That reply, however, was quite enough to send Jack Benson's suspicions +aloft. + +"Eph," he cried, wheeling upon his friend the moment Doctor McCrea was +gone, "there's something you haven't told us." + +"Such as--what?" asked Somers, doing his best to look mighty innocent. + +"Doctor McCrea as good as admitted that we--won't have anything to do +to-day. What's wrong?" Then, after a brief pause: "Good heavens, +does Mr. Mayhew believe we've been acting disgracefully? Are we barred +out of the instruction work?" + +Hal had been raising a glass of cold water to his lips. The glass fell, +with a crash. He wheeled about, then clutched at the edge of the cabin +table, most unsteadily. + +"We-e-ll," admitted Somers, reluctantly, "Mr. Mayhew said he would want +to question you some, perhaps, this morning." + +"What did he say? Out with it all, Eph!" + +A moment before Jack Benson had been pallid enough. Now, two bright, +furious spots burned in either cheek. + +The red-haired boy, however, was spared the pain of going any further, +for, at that moment, a heavy tread was heard on the spiral staircase. +Then Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, holding himself very erect, one hand +resting against the scabbard of the sword that he wore at his side, +came into view below. + +Many were the questions that the naval officer put to the two victims +of the last night's mishap. All the time his eyes studied their faces +keenly. Apparently, it needed a lot of assurance to half convince Mr. +Mayhew that the two submarine boys were telling him the truth. + +"Well, gentlemen," he said, at last, rising and speaking with great +deliberation, "I believe you to be gentlemen, which means that you are +young men of honor, if it means anything at all. Your story is so +strange that--pardon me--it is difficult to credit. Yet I have no +evidence that it is not true. I am sorry we have not in custody the +two men who sailed that sloop last night--" + +"Pardon me, sir," broke in Eph, "but I have an idea to spring." + +"Well, Mr. Somers?" + +"It is a mighty likely thing that, if you question that fellow, Truax, +that you have on board, you may be able to learn something from him. +For I tell you, sir, there's some plot on hand to discredit the Pollard +submarine boats with the United States Government. There's a scheme, +too, to ruin Jack Benson--but that's only a part of the bigger plot +to discredit our company's boats with the Navy, sir." + +An expression of wonder crept into Mr. Mayhew's face. Then he looked +thoughtful. + +"I'll see if I can hit upon a tactful way of questioning Truax," replied +the naval officer, after a while. "And now, Mr. Benson, since you +and Mr. Hastings are not in the least fit to instruct any of the cadets +to-day, I'll send out sections on board the 'Pollard' only, under +command of my executive officer, Lieutenant Halpin. To-morrow you +should be in shape to resume your duties. Yet, if I permit this, I +must make one condition." + +"It will be hardly necessary, sir, to make any conditions with us," +Jack replied, with spirit. "Your instructions will be sufficient. +We are wholly at your orders, sir. What are your commands?" + +"As long as you remain on this present tour of duty, Mr. Benson, and +you, also, Mr. Hastings, you are requested not to leave the 'Farnum,' +except with my knowledge and consent. Will that be satisfactory to +you?" + +"It will, sir," Captain Jack Benson replied, saluting. + +"Very good, then. And now, young gentlemen, I will wish you good +morning. Remain at anchor, to-day, and on board." + +As soon as Mr. Mayhew and his clanking sword had gone up the stairway, +and then over the side into a cutter, Eph Somers struck an attitude. + +"O wise judge! O just judge!" exclaimed the red-haired one, +dramatically. + +"Now, what's getting possession of your cranium?" smiled Hal Hastings, +weakly. + +"You heard Mr. Mayhew's verdict in your case," mocked Eph, a glare in +his eyes. "A great verdict! 'Not guilty--but don't do it again'." + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +COMING UP IN A TIGHT PLACE + + +"Sulks are no part of real manhood. Your sullen fellow is seldom, or +never, one you can tie to in trouble." + +Though at first they felt some spirited resentment against the very +plain suspicions of Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, it was not long before +both the victims of the queer work of the night before began to see +that there was an abundance of reason and good sense in the naval +officer's belief and attitude. + +"There's only one thing we can do, Hal," proposed Jack. "That is, to +show Mr. Mayhew, by long-continued good action, that we're just the +sort of fellows our friends believe us to be." + +"Mr. Mayhew doesn't know us," Hal assented. "To a stranger our yarn +does have a fishy sound." + +"If it weren't for the restriction against our going ashore," hinted +Jack, "we'd certainly hustle to land and find out all we could about +that fellow Curtis since he has been living in Blair's Cove." + +"I'm under no promise, or orders, either," bristled Eph, ready to do +battle for his friends. "I can go on shore." + +"No, you can't, Eph!" negatived Jack, with decision. "_You_ might be the +very next one to get into a big scrape. Then how would things look for +the whole of us?" + +"Humph! I'd have my eyes open," grunted Somers. + +"We thought we had ours open," smiled Hal Hastings. + +"No one of our crowd will go ashore, unless ordered there by Mr. Mayhew," +declared Benson, with emphasis. "We're not taking another solitary +chance." + +"We've got all we can do to take our present medicine," muttered Hal, +making a wry face. + +But they _did_ take it, and, as is always the case, with benefit to +their general sense of discipline. In fact, when ordered aboard the +gunboat, before eight o'clock the next morning, Jack Benson and Hal +Hastings, in their best uniforms, and looking as natty as could be, +appeared quite the ideal of young submarine officers. + +Passing scores of cadet midshipmen, they were ushered into Lieutenant +Commander Mayhew's cabin. Doctor McCrea, the gunboat's surgeon, sat +with the commanding officer. + +"I was anxious to see how you looked this morning," smiled Mr. Mayhew, +as the two naval officers rose. "How do you feel? Thoroughly +clear-headed and steady?" + +"We feel fine, sir," Jack answered. + +"They look in the pink of condition," agreed Doctor McCrea. + +"If you don't feel wholly up to the mark," urged Mr. Mayhew, "say so. +For, if you put out to-day, it is my intention to take the cadets +through drills below the surface." + +Jack's eyes sparkled at the thought. This meant that he and Hal were +to be taken back fully into the confidence of the Navy! + +"We're ready, sir--ready at the word of command." + +"Very good, then," replied the gunboat's commander. "You will receive +sixteen of our young men on board within an hour. Ensign Trahern will +come with them." + +Jack started, flushing. + +"Oh, you will be in command of your boat, Mr. Benson," continued Mr. +Mayhew, noting the start and interpreting it correctly. "Mr. Trahem +may make some suggestions, if he thinks them necessary, but you will +command, sir, and you will instruct the midshipmen." + +"Thank you, sir." + +"That is all, Mr. Benson." + +Jack and Hal saluted, turned and left the cabin. + +"That's not as bad as it might be, is it?" queried Hastings, as soon as +they were back on board the "Farnum." + +"We're on probation," smiled Jack. "It's all we can expect, I suppose." + +In due time the section of naval cadets came on board. Mr. Mayhew was +also thoughtful enough to send a naval machinist to take the place of +Sam Truax in the engine room. Thus Hal had two men to look after the +motors and other machinery under his direction, leaving Eph at Jack's +more personal orders. + +"The lieutenant commander sends you word, with his compliments," reported +Ensign Trahern, "that, after leaving the bay, the formation will be as +usual. The signal to halt and be ready for the tour of instruction +will be given when we are about ten miles off the coast, due East." + +"Mr. Trahern, will it not be a good idea to have the midshipmen manage +the deck wheel and engine room signals, each in turn, on the way out +and back?" inquired the young submarine skipper. + +"Excellent, I should say," nodded the ensign. "But that is as you +direct, Mr. Benson. I am not here to interfere with your acting in full +charge of the instruction tour." + +Six of the cadets, of the engineer division, being below in the engine +room, there were but ten on the platform deck. Jack selected one of +the latter, ordering him to the deck wheel. + +"You will take charge, Mr. Surles," instructed Jack. "Assume all the +responsibilities of the officer of the deck." + +When the starting order came from the gunboat, just before the "Hudson" +glided ahead in the lead, Mr. Surles gave the order to cast loose +from moorings. The engine room bell jangled; Surles, for the first +time in his life, was watch officer of a submarine torpedo boat. + +As they left the bay behind, the young man gave up his temporary post +to a comrade. In all, five of the midshipmen commanded, briefly, +before the laying-to signal was given out at sea. + +Hal Hastings now appeared on deck, gravely saluting. + +"Captain Benson," he stated, "I have inspected all the submerging +machinery, the tanks, the compressed air apparatus, and all, and find +everything in good order. We can go below the surface at any moment." + +Two or three of the naval cadets smiled broadly at hearing the title +bestowed on a boy younger than many of themselves. + +"No levity, gentlemen," broke in Ensign Trahern, rather sternly. "Mr. +Benson is captain to his own chief engineer." + +Jack waited until he saw the signal flags break out at the foretop of +the "Hudson." It was an inquiry as to whether he was prepared for +diving. + +"Yes," signaled back the "Farnum's" flags. + +"Dive at will, but keep to a due east or west course. Be careful to +avoid collision with the sister craft," came the next order from the +parent boat. + +"All below!" ordered Benson, crisply. + +Ensign Trahern waited until the last of the cadets had filed below, then +followed them. Last of all came Jack Benson, after having lowered the +short signal mast and made other preparations. Now he stepped inside +the conning tower, swiftly making all fast. Then he called Midshipman +Surles up the stairway to the tower wheel. + +"Do you think you can head due east, and keep to that course under water, +Mr. Surles?" asked the young submarine instructor. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Take the wheel, then. I will send two more men up here to observe +with you." + +Stepping down to the cabin floor, Jack chose two more midshipmen, +ordering them up into the tower. + +"The rest of you will crowd about me, as I handle the submerging +machinery," called Jack, raising his voice somewhat. "Ask any +questions you wish, at appropriate times." + +"I thought, sir," spoke up one of the middies, "that you controlled +the diving apparatus from the conning tower." + +"It can be done there, when the officer in charge of the boat is up +there," Jack answered. "The diving, and the rising, may be controlled +at this point in the cabin. Mr. Hastings, give us eight miles ahead +from the electric motors." + +"Yes, sir," came the word from Hal. + +"Pass the word to Mr. Surles to keep to the course," added Benson. + +Under the impetus from the electric motors, which were used when going +under water, the propeller shafts began to throb. + +"We're going down, now, gentlemen," called Jack. "Observe the shifting +record on the depth gauge, as we go lower and lower. Also, look out +for your footing, for we dive on an inclined plane. Now--here we go!" + +The next instant they shot below, going down at so deep an angle that +it made many of the middies reach for new footing. + +"The gauge registers sixty feet below," announced Jack Benson, in a +tone to be heard above the murmurs of some of the young men. "Now--!" + +In another moment, by the quick flooding of some of the compartments +astern, the young skipper brought the boat on an even keel. + +"Someone ask the men up in the tower how far they can see through the +water," proposed Jack. + +"Can't see a blessed thing," came down the answer. "Except for the +binnacle light over the compass we might think ourselves at the bottom +of a sea of ink." + +"That's one of the peculiarities of submarine boating," explained Jack +Benson. "A good many land-lubbers imagine we use powerful searchlights +to find our way under water, but a light powerful enough to show us +twenty feet ahead of our own bow hasn't yet been made by man. So, when +you dive beneath the surface, you simply have to go it blind. As a +result, you take your bearings and guess your distance before you dive. +That guess is all you have to go upon in judging where to come up to +strike at an enemy's hull. But that guess can be made with splendid +accuracy when you understand your work well enough." + +After having finished the prescribed distance under water, Captain Jack +turned on the compressed air to expel the water gradually from the +compartments. So easily was this done that there was no real +sensation of rising. Suddenly the conning tower appeared above water. +There was a quick rush upward for the platform deck. None of these +middies ever having been below before, in a submarine boat, several of +them had been on tenterhooks of anxiety. Not one of them, however, +by word or gesture had betrayed the fact. + +Two minutes later the "Pollard" emerged from the water, several hundred +yards away. Those on the deck of the "Farnum" had a splendid view of +the other boat's emerging performance. + +Now, other sections of cadets were transferred from the gunboat to +the two submarines, and the trips below surface proceeded. + +The last section of all to go aboard the "Farnum" had just finished +their first experience under water, when the gunboat signaled: + +"'Farnum,' take a half-hour's run below the surface, then come back +above surface." + +"That will be a longer experience than I have yet had for one time," +remarked Mr. Trahern, with a smile, as he interpreted the signal to +Captain Jack. + +"We have run for hours below, with safety, sir," Benson answered. + +Two minutes later the section of middies that had just come up from a +brief trip under water were below again. + +"I think you'll find, gentlemen, that it will seem like the longest half +hour you can remember," announced young Captain Benson. "My friends +and I have spent many long hours under the surface, though we have +never yet gotten over the terrible monotony of such a trip. +Twenty-four hours under, I think, would make a lunatic of the bravest +or the most stolid man." + +As they ran along, in the silence and the darkness, the young midshipmen +began to look curiously at one another. + +"Did you misunderstand the time, Mr. Benson?" asked one of the +midshipmen, at last. "It's surely more than a half hour since we made +the last dive." + +"Almost twelve minutes," Jack corrected, quietly. + +"Whew-ew-ew!" whistled several of the naval cadets. Not one of them +was a coward, yet, in their experience, the thought that they had put +in barely more than a third of the ordered time under water made some +of them fidget. + +"Say, this gives us some idea how long a whole hour would be," remarked +one of the midshipmen. + +"Stop that man from talking," jibed another severely. + +Jack had most of the time clear for instruction, after that, as few of +the young men cared to talk. But at last another ventured to inquire: + +"How much of the time is gone?" + +"Nineteen minutes," Benson answered, after a look at his watch. + +"O-o-o-oh!" The response came in a chorus that sounded like a protest. + +Then passed what seemed like an eternity of seconds. All the time the +electric motors ran, almost noiselessly. The slight tremor imparted +to the craft by the propeller shafts seemed like an ominous rumbling. +Jack's voice had ceased. No one felt like talking. From time to time +Skipper Jack glanced at his watch; his face, expressionless, gave no +clue to the eagerly watching naval cadets. But at last young +Benson's hand reached toward the compressed air apparatus. + +"A-a-a-ah!" It was meant for a cheer, but it sounded more like a groan. + +Up above, in the tower, the midshipman bending over the compass, +suddenly realized that daylight was filtering down through the water. +In another instant the midshipman glanced up to find the tower above +the surface. + +Yet Cadet Midshipman Osgoodby gasped as though he had intended to +scream instead. For, right ahead, her great bows looming up in the +path of the little submarine, was a big liner, coming straight toward +them! + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +"NO MORE MEN GO OVERBOARD!" + + +In a time like this a man's coolness and nerve receive the utmost test. + +Had Jack Benson been there at the wheel he would have swung both hands +to the diving controls and shot below the surface. + +But Cadet Osgoodby, now at the wheel, did not sufficiently understand +the use of the diving controls. + +Whatever was to be done had to be accomplished in the fewest seconds, +or the little submarine craft was bound to be ground to scrap iron +under the great bows of the steamship. + +Both of the other midshipmen saw the danger in the same instant as did +Midshipman Osgoodby. + +Yet neither of these young men knew better what to do than did the +third. All they could do was to stiffen and to stand loyally beside +their comrade in charge. + +Perhaps for not half a second did Osgoodby hesitate. + +Then he took the only chance that he saw; he threw the wheel over to +port, jamming it there. + +In strained, awful silence, the three waited. Never had seconds seemed +so long before--not even under water. + +On came the great liner, and now her bow was right atop of the bow at +the forward end of the submarine's platform deck. There was just an +instant to spare, but the "Farnum" shot past the oncoming, +hostile-looking bows. In another moment the little craft, now more +than awash, was out of harm's way. + +None the less, the alarm had been passed on to those aboard the liner. +That great craft, bound up from South Africa, carried diamonds and gold +coin, in the purser's vaults in the hold, amounting in value to more +than four million dollars. + +All the way from Cape Town the passengers had been chaffing each other +about the chance of meeting modern, up-to-date pirates. + +"The only up-to-date pirate would be one that came in a submarine +boat," Captain Coster had laughingly told his passengers. "A submarine +boat could get away again, without leaving a trail. In these days no +other kind of pirate craft could long escape." + +So the passengers had joked each other about the submarine boat that +would meet them, and rob the liner of its precious cargo. Bets had +laughingly been offered that the submarine pirate would be encountered +off the coast of the United States. + +Now, when the little craft shot up in the path of the big one, the bow +watch of the "Greytown," and a dozen passengers standing up in the +bow, saw the little boat at the same time. + +"There's the pirate!" shouted one nervous woman, leaping up and down, and +pointing. "Oh, Captain! Captain! Save us from all being murdered!" + +Two or three young children, who also saw the floating, queerly-shaped +little craft dancing on the waves just off the steamship's starboard +bow, began to scream in terror. + +Even several of the men, who should have known better, experienced a +shock of fright for a moment. + +The "submarine pirate" that had been joked about for so many days, now +seemed a thing of reality. + +Down amidships, on the main deck, a pretty girl had sat, balanced on +the rail, her stalwart brother standing by to hold her securely. + +Yet, in the excitement that followed, the girl uttered a shriek and +tottered. Her brother's hold was loosened for the instant, in his +own bewilderment. Before he could recover, the girl had plunged down +toward the water. With a frantic yell, the brother leaned too far +out to seize her. He, too, plunged over the rail. + +How either escaped being drawn in toward the great hull was marvelous. + +But now both appeared in the foam astern, bobbing on the water, yet +far apart. + +The "Farnum" was near by. Midshipman Osgoodby threw the helm over +once more, then started in to get closer to them. + +At the same time he passed the word below. Captain Jack Benson was +the first to reach the tower. + +In an instant the young submarine skipper threw the power off. + +"We can't go closer without the danger of running 'em down," quivered +the submarine boy. + +The instant he had the power off Captain Jack threw the manhole cover +of the tower open. As he bounded out on the platform deck several of +the midshipmen followed, with Ensign Trahern and others. + +No sooner had his feet touched the platform deck than Jack threw down +his cap. His blouse followed, almost in the same instant. Racing to +the rail, the submarine boy calculated his distance, then sprang +overboard, striking out desperately. + +Word had been carried to the "Greytown's" bridge, and the big craft +was slowing up as rapidly as her headway permitted, while an officer +and several men rushed to lower and man a boat. Yet the boat, when +it struck the water, was something more than a quarter of a mile away +from the spot where the young woman and her brother had fallen overboard. + +"Why don't some of the champion swimmers of the class go overboard to +Mr. Benson's assistance?" rang Ensign Trahern's voice, sternly. + +Apparently that was all the middies were waiting for. + +Instantly uniform caps littered the platform deck. Uniform blouses +followed. A group of white-shirted middies raced for the rail. + +Splash! splash! splash! The water shot up in tiny columns of spray +with so many young midshipmen diving overboard. + +Even Ensign Trahern was startled by the promptness with which his +question had been met. + +"No more men go overboard!" bellowed Mr. Trahern. + +Splash! splash! The order had come too late to stop these last divers. +A solitary midshipman, hatless and with his blouse half off, stood +beside the ensign, both of them knee-deep in discarded parts of uniform, +while Eph peered out from the conning tower. + +"That was kind of a mean trick, sir, to play on me! I'm the only one +that didn't get-over," grinned the last midshipman, sheepishly. + +It was a gross violation of discipline, so to address an officer. But +Ensign Trahern merely smiled, for this once, as he replied: + +"Never mind, Mr. Satterlee. You'll be needed to stand by with me and +help some of these venturesome ones aboard again." + +Jack's start had been a good one, and he was a lusty swimmer. + +He headed straight for the young woman, whose cries reached him across +the water. + +She could not swim, but her skirts, spreading, were buoying her up +briefly. When these skirts became thoroughly soaked they would fall, +enclosing her in an envelope of considerable weight. + +The brother, on the other hand, could swim a little. He had begun to +do so, instinctively, striking out for his sister. + +Yet, before he could reach her, his buoyancy gave out, his limbs cramping. + +With a despairing cry he sank. + +"Tread water! Tread! Keep up until I reach you!" called Jack, clearly, +as he fought on to reach the young woman. + +Her skirts were beginning to fill and drop. She might have trod water, +but she did not understand how it was done. + +"Help me! I'm sinking!" she screamed, as she threw up her hands. Then +some of the water washed into her mouth. + +"No; you're not sinking, either!" shouted Jack, encouragingly, as he +redoubled his efforts at water sprinting. + +He darted in, catching at her with one hand just as the girl's head sank +under a wave. + +In a jiffy Jack Benson had a secure hand-hold. + +"Save me--oh, save me!" choked the girl, in terror, as her head came +once more above. + +"Keep cool; do just as I tell you, and--No! Don't grab me like that, +or you may drown us both!" remonstrated the submarine boy. + +But the girl acted as though possessed solely by the demon of terror. +She succeeded in wrapping both arms in a frenzy about the submarine +boy. + +"You _must_ leave my arms free," urged Jack, desperately, "or we shall +go down together." + +He struggled, but her strength, in her despair, was something past +belief. Jack trod water while trying to make her understand. + +It was of no use. She clung the tighter. There was but one course +that would save time--to strike her a blow on the forehead that would +render her senseless. But Jack could not bring himself to strike a +woman. + +As she felt herself going down the girl only wrapped her arms the more +tightly about her would-be rescuer. + +Then the water closed over them. Jack felt himself slipping down and +down into the watery grave that awaited them. + +No strength can combat the power of frenzy. Though Jack Benson +struggled, he realized that it was a losing battle. The girl's arms +seemed locked in a deathless grip around his own. + +By the time that the first of the midshipmen reached the spot there was +no trace either of Jack Benson or of the girl whom he had sought to +save. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +JACK SIGNALS THE "SAWBONES" + + +Though he realized the deadly peril of the situation, Jack Benson, when +he found himself in that frantic embrace, slipping below the waters, +did not lose his head. + +"She'll weaken before I do," was his first thought. + +He had taken in no water. A strong, expert swimmer, the submarine boy +could hold in his breath for some time to come. + +"If I could only free one hand, now!" thought the submarine boy. + +He tried, but some instinct in the girl made her resist his efforts. + +Even had he wanted to, the chivalrous youngster could not now have +struck the blow that, depriving the young woman of her senses, would +give him a chance to control her. His arms were pinned tightly. + +Yet were they held so securely that he could not free one? + +Jack Benson knew that he must, indeed, think fast, now, if he was to +save their lives. + +He tried one of the tricks of wrestlers for freeing his right arm. + +A shudder passed through the frame of the girl; she clung more +convulsively still. + +Then Jack tried another little dodge. This time he nearly freed his +left arm. Summoning all his strength, he gave another tug. + +His left arm was free! + +Working mightily with it, now, Jack Benson fought his way to the surface. + +There was no need to give much heed to his unknown companion. She was +holding to him in a way that insured her rising to the surface with +him. + +"Ugh! Whew!" What a mighty breath it was that the young submarine +captain took into his lungs as his head shot into air. + +"Oh, you--Benson!" shot from a middy's mouth. + +The cry led half a dozen of the young men toward the all but exhausted +rescuer. They came with long, lusty strokes that brought them to Benson, +quickly, while he trod water and tried to raise the face of the girl +above the surface. + +The girl's eyes were closed, now, her cheeks pallid and waxen. Twice +her face dropped beneath the surface, but Jack fought to bring her lips +up into the air. + +Then strong hands seized them both. + +"Untwine the young lady's arms, if you can," begged the submarine boy. + +Two of the cadets succeeded in doing this. More midshipmen were about +them, now, yet not one among them could have boasted of being a better +swimmer than was Jack Benson himself. + +But now the young skipper of the "Farnum" was plainly exhausted. + +Freed of the need of more immediate work, Jack, as soon as he was free, +rolled over on his back, floating. + +In the meantime, four other midshipmen swam close to where the girl's +athletic brother had been seen to go down. He came up, at last, more +than half gone, but the middies pounced upon him--and then he was safe. + +Hal was at the wheel, now, with Williamson and the naval machinist below +in the engine room. That gave Eph Somers a chance to spring out on +the platform deck with Ensign Trahern and the sole remaining midshipman. + +"I'd better run along, now, to pick 'em up, sir, hadn't I?" called Eph +Somers to the naval officer. + +"By all means, Mr. Somers." + +The steamship's boat, too, pulled by a strong, well-trained crew, was +now getting close to the scene. So it came about that the liner's +lifeboat picked up Jack, the girl and her brother. The middies, +disdaining any such outside interference, calmly turned and made for +the "Farnum." + +The girl proved to be unconscious, the brother more than half-dazed. + +"Bring them aboard," directed Mr. Trahern, briefly. + +"Now, gentlemen, you've a chance to apply what you may know about first +aid to the drowning," suggested Ensign Trahern, tersely. + +Under that vigorous treatment Walter Carruthers, as the young man +afterwards declared himself to be, was quickly brought around. The +middies had much harder work in reviving the girl. Her brother sat +by watching the work. + +"Elsie isn't--isn't dead, is she?" asked the brother, anxiously. + +"Oh, no," replied one of the midshipmen, suspending his rescue work for +an instant. "In fact, if there were women here to do the +work--loosening her corsets, and all that sort of thing, you +know--Miss Carruthers would be sitting up in short time." + +At last, the girl was made to open her eyes. She swallowed a little +coffee, too. + +The "Greytown," in the meantime, had manoeuvered as close as was safe +for such a big craft to come. The ship's doctor put off in a lifeboat, +and soon declared his patient fit to be removed to the liner. + +While all this was going on, Jack had slipped quietly below. He took +a brisk rub-down, donned dry clothing, and speedily appeared on deck, +looking as though nothing had happened. + +"Drink some of this," ordered Eph, holding a pint cup of coffee toward +the young skipper. Jack finished it all in a few gulps. Then, as his +blood warmed, he began to smile over his late adventure. + +Supported on the arm of the ship's doctor, Elsie Carruthers turned +to ask: + +"Where is the midshipman who first reached me--the--the one I so +nearly drowned. I--I want to thank him, oh, so heartily, and to +apologize." + +"Here he is," cried Ensign Trahern, shoving Benson forward. + +"But I'm not a midshipman, nor anything else in the Navy--no such +luck," laughed Jack. + +"If you're not in the Navy, you ought to be, you splendid fellow." cried +the girl, weakly, holding out her hand in sheer gratitude. "And, oh, I +was such a coward, and so unreasoning!" + +"I guess anyone would be unreasoning if drowning and unable to swim," +chuckled Jack Benson. "I know I would be." + +"That's good of you," cried the girl, gratefully. "Awfully good, but +I'm not deceived. I realize, now, what a criminal ninny I was to, act +in a way that came so near to drowning both of us." + +Then the young woman gracefully thanked all who had had any share in +her rescue, and that of her brother. It took a lot of thanking, which +everyone of the late heroes tried to dodge. + +Then the visitors were taken off, and the midshipmen bundled below until +dry clothing could be had for them. + +The commanding officer of the "Hudson," having learned that something +had happened was now heading the gunboat toward the "Farnum." In +another half hour the naval fleet was together again, while the +"Greytown" was rapidly vanishing along the northern horizon. + +On receiving a report by megaphone, Lieutenant Commander Mayhew's +first act was to order all of the drenched, and now chilled, midshipmen +aboard the parent vessel. Here they were treated with rub-downs, +dry clothing and hot black coffee. Even Jack Benson had been ordered +on board, and he had to pass before Doctor McCrea at that. + +"Oh, I'm all right," asserted Benson, who was the first to go before +the doctor, while the middies were receiving their rub-downs. "You +can't kill a salt-water dog with a dash of brine." + +"Yes, you're in good enough shape," agreed the Navy medical officer. + +Lieutenant Commander Mayhew now began to ask questions about the late +occurrence. + +When he had finished, Jack broke in with: + +"By the way, sir, you were going to question your prisoner, Sam Truax, +to see what you could learn about his reasons for acting the way he +did on the 'Farnum.'" + +"I didn't forget, either," replied the gunboat's commander. "I had him +before me last night, and again this morning." + +"And he said--" began Jack, eagerly. + +"Said he hadn't the least notion what I was driving at," returned Mr. +Mayhew, compressing his jaws. "And that was about every blessed word +I could get out of him." + +Jack looked, thoughtfully, in the direction of Doctor McCrea for a few +moments, before he broke forth: + +"Doctor, if I had anything like your chance, I'll wager I'd have Sam +Truax talking in short order." + +"How?" inquired Doctor McCrea, looking up with interest. + +"Why, I'd--" Jack hesitated, glancing in the direction of the +gunboat's commanding officer. + +"I--I guess I had better go and see how the midshipmen are coming on," +muttered Mr. Mayhew, rising. + +Yet there was a twinkle in his eye as he turned away. + +For some minutes Jack Benson talked with Doctor McCrea. That naval +medical officer listened at least with interest. Finally, he began to +grin. Then he roared, slapping his knees. + +"Mr. Benson, there's one thing about you. You certainly are ingenious!" + +"Will you do what I have suggested?" pressed the young submarine skipper. + +"Why, I--er--er--" + +Doctor McCrea hesitated, then again laughed, as he replied: + +"Mr. Benson, all I can say is that I--I--well, I'll have to think it +over. I'm afraid that I--but I'll think it over." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +WHAT BEFELL THE MAN IN THE BRIG + + +The "brig" is a place aboard a warship, as aboard some merchant vessels, +that is set apart for prison purposes. + +Here drunken or mutinous members of the crew are confined. Here, too, +on board a vessel of war, any enlisted man is likely to be stowed away +when under severe discipline for any reason. + +It is a room fitted up like a prison cell, and having a barred door of +iron. + +On a war vessel a marine sentry, with bayonet fixed to his gun, is +usually stationed before the door, both to watch the prisoners and to +prevent men of the crew from talking with those under arrest. + +It was in the brig, between decks on the "Hudson," that Sam Truax was +spending his time, the only prisoner then in confinement. + +Truax, since his arrest in the submarine's engine room, had had plenty +of time to think matters over. + +He had been doing a good deal of thinking, too, yet thought had by no +means improved the fellow's temper. + +On a stool in the corner sat Truax, his scowling, sullen face turned +towards the barred door when the marine outside, taking a turn, peered +in. + +"Good heavens, man! What ails you?" demanded the marine. + +"I'm all right," growled the prisoner. + +"I'll be hanged if you look it!" was the marine's emphatic answer. + +"What are you talking about?" demanded the prisoner, angrily. + +"Man alive, I wish you could see your face!" + +"I could if this place were fitted with a mirror," sneered Sam Truax. + +The marine, after looking at the prisoner, and shaking his head, +continued his pacing to and fro past the door. + +Two or three minutes later a sailor, halting at the door, looked at +Sam, then wheeled about to the marine. + +"Say, what ails that man? What's the matter with his face?" demanded +the seaman in a low tone, yet one loud enough to be overheard by the +prisoner within. + +"I don't know," said the marine. "Looks fearful, doesn't he?" + +"He ought to have the doctor--that's what," muttered the seaman, then +passed on. + +"Now, what are those idiots jabbering about?" Sam gruffly asked himself. +He shifted uneasily, feeling his face flush. + +Five minutes later a sailor wearing on one sleeve the Red Cross of the +hospital squad, passed by. + +"Say," said the marine, "I wish you'd look at the feller in the brig." + +"What ails him?" demanded the man of the hospital squad. + +"Blessed if I know. But just look at his face--his eyes!" + +The hospital man showed his face at the grating, looking at Sam Truax +keenly for a moment. + +"Wow!" he ejaculated. + +"Looks fearful bad, don't he?" demanded the marine, also peering in. +"What do you think it is?" + +"I ain't quite sure," answered the hospital man. "But one thing I do +know. The sawbones officer has got to have a look at this chap." + +Sam Truax sprang to his feet, pacing up and down within the confines +of the brig. + +"What are they all talking about?" he asked himself, in a buzz of +excitement. "Five minutes ago I felt well enough. Now--well, I +certainly do feel queerish." + +Barely three minutes more passed when Doctor McCrea hurried below, +bustling along to the door of the brig. He, in turn, shot a keen look +at Truax through the bars, then commanded: + +"Sentry, unlock the door! Let me in there!" + +In another moment Doctor McCrea was feeling the prisoner's pulse. + +"How long have you been feeling out of sorts?" asked the medical man, +briefly. + +"N-n-not long," answered Truax, quite truthfully. + +"Take this thermometer under your tongue!" + +Sam Truax meekly submitted, then sat, perfectly still, while Doctor +McCrea paced the brig for two full minutes. Then the "sawbones" took +the thermometer from between Truax's lips and inspected it keenly. + +"Hospital man!" rapped out Doctor McCrea, sharply. + +"Aye, aye, sir!" reported the man with the Red Cross on his sleeve, +reappearing before the door. + +"Have the stretcher brought here at once!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +Still holding the clinical thermometer in one hand, Doctor McCrea stood +keenly regarding the prisoner. + +"What on earth is the matter with me?" demanded Truax, speaking somewhat +nervously. + +"Oh, you'll be all right--soon," replied Doctor McCrea, in what was too +plainly a voice of false hope. + +The stretcher was brought. + +"Get on to this, Truax. Don't think of attempting to walk," ordered +the surgeon. "Sentry, I am taking your prisoner to the sick bay. I'll +make proper report of my action to the lieutenant commander." + +The "sick bay" is the hospital part of a warship. It is a place provided +with wide, comfortable berths and all the appliances for taking good care +of ill men. Sam Truax was carefully placed in one of the berths. He was +the only patient there at the time. + +Doctor McCrea frequently felt the fellow's pulse, then ran a hand lightly +over Sam's face, forehead and temples. + +"You might tell me what's the matter with me, Doc," protested Truax. + +"Oh, you'll be all right," replied the doctor, evasively. + +"When?" + +"Oh, in a few days, anyway." + +"What have I got? A fever?" + +"Now, don't ask questions, my man. Just lie quietly, and let us get you +on your feet as soon as possible." + +Just then the hospital man returned with a glass of something for which +Doctor McCrea had sent him. + +"Drink this," ordered the surgeon. + +Truax obeyed. + +"Now, in a few minutes, you ought to feel better," urged the surgeon, +after the man in the berth had swallowed a sweetish drink. + +Did he? Feel better? Truax soon began to turn decidedly white about +the gills. + +"I--I feel--awful," he groaned. + +Doctor McCrea, in silence, again felt the fellow's pulse. + +But, in a minute, something happened. A man may feel as well as ever, +at one moment. Twenty minutes later, however, if he vomits, it is +impossible to convince himself that he feels anything like well. + +More of the same draught was brought, and the sick man made to swallow +it. Even a third and a fourth dose were administered. Sam Truax +became so much worse, in fact, that he did not even hear when the bow +cable chains of the gunboat grated as the anchors were let go opposite +Blair's Cove just before dark. + +Certainly no man of medicine could have been more attentive than was +Doctor McCrea. Even when one of the ward-room stewards appeared and +announced that dinner was served, the naval surgeon replied: + +"I don't know that I shall have any time for dinner to-night." + +Then Doctor McCrea turned and again thrust his thermometer between +Truax's lips. The reading of that thermometer, two minutes later, +seemed to give him a good deal of concern. + +"I wish there were a capable physician on shore that I could call in +consultation," he remarked in a low tone, but Truax heard and stirred +nervously under his blankets. + +"I--I wish you could perspire some," said Doctor McCrea, anxiously, +as he leaned over the sufferer. + +"I--I'm icy c-c-c-cold," chattered Truax. + +"Too bad, too bad," declared the naval surgeon, shaking his head. + +There was a short interval, during which Truax tossed restlessly. + +"Doc," he begged, at last, "I wish you'd tell me what ails me." + +"What's the use?" demanded the surgeon, shaking his head. + +"Am I--am I--oh, good heavens! There comes that fearful nausea +again!" + +"No, no! Fight it off! Don't let it get the better of you," urged +the surgeon, anxiously. + +But the nausea was not to be denied. Presently Truax settled back on +his pillows. + +"Is there anything on your mind, my man?" asked Doctor McCrea, bending +over the sufferer. "Is there anything you'd like to set right, +before--before--" + +Doctor Mccrea's speech ended in an odd little click in his throat. + +"Doctor, am I--am I--" + +"Is there any little confession you would like to make? And wrong you +may have done that you'd like to set straight, my man? If so, we can +take down a statement, you know." + +Truax groaned, but there was a look of great fright in his eyes. + +"Doc, I--I wonder--if--" + +"Well, Truax?" + +"Are we at anchor--now?" + +"Yes; in the little bay for the night." + +"Is--is the 'Farnum' here, too?" + +"Yes." + +"I--I wonder if Jack Benson would come to see me for a little while?" + +"Why, I'll see, of course," volunteered Doctor McCrea, rising and +leaving the sick boy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +CONCLUSION + + +Ten minutes later the naval surgeon returned with Benson. With the +latter was Hal Hastings. Mr. Mayhew and Ensign Trahern hovered in the +rear of the group. + +"Here's Mr. Benson, Truax," announced Doctor McCrea. "Now, my man, if +there is anything of which you want to unburden your mind, go ahead and +do it. The rest of us can bear witness, and help matters straight if, +in your better health, you have done anything that needs righting." + +Sam Truax feebly stretched out a hand that certainly was hot enough by +this time. + +"Benson," he begged, weakly, "will you give me your hand?" + +"Certainly," nodded Jack, as he did so. + +"I--I wonder if you can ever forgive me?" moaned the ill man. + +"Why, have you done anything that I don't already know?" asked Jack. + +"A lot! Benson, I've been an all-around scoundrel." + +"That's certainly surprising news," commented the submarine boy, dryly. +"What have you been doing?" + +"That assault back in Dunhaven--?" + +"Was it you who knocked me out there, and sprinkled my clothes with +whiskey?" demanded young Benson. + +"Yes." In a somewhat shaking voice Truax confessed to the details of +that outrageous affair. From that he passed on to Jack's +never-to-be-forgotten trip into the suburbs of Annapolis. + +"I found that mulatto in a low den," confessed the sick man. "I told +him you carried a lot of money, and that he'd be welcome to it all if +he'd decoy you somewhere, keep you all night, and then send you back, +looking like a tramp, to the Naval Academy at the last moment." + +Truax also added the name by which the mulatto was known in Annapolis. + +"But why have you done all this?" demanded Jack. "What have you had +against me?" + +"I--I didn't do it on my own account," confessed Truax. "Did you ever +hear of Tip Gaynor?" + +"No--never," admitted Jack, after a moment's thought. + +"He's--he's a salesman, or something like that, for Sidenham." + +"The Sidenham Submarine Company?" breathed Jack Benson, intensely +interested. + +"Yes." + +"The Sidenham people are our nearest competitors in the submarine +business," muttered young Benson. + +"Yes; and of course they wanted to get the business away from the +Pollard crowd," confessed Sam Truax. "They told Tip Gaynor it would +be worth ten thousand dollars to him for each Sidenham boat he could +sell to the United States Government. Tip wanted that money, and your +Pollard people were the hardest ones he had to beat. So Tip hired +me--" + +"One moment," interrupted Jack, quietly. "Did the Sidenham people know +that Gaynor intended to use any such methods?" + +"I don't believe they did," replied Truax. "In fact, Gaynor as good +as told me the Sidenhams didn't know anything about his proposed tricks. +He told me I must be very careful to keep the Sidenham name out of it +all." + +"So Tip Gaynor hired you to do all you could to disgrace me in the eyes +of the Navy people?" demanded Jack. + +"Yes--to hurt any of you, for that matter." + +"And to play tricks in the engine room of either submarine?" + +"Yes; Tip Gaynor told me it was highly important to cause the boats to +break down while under the eyes of all Annapolis." + +"I understand," muttered Jack. "That was clever, in a way. It was +intended to make the whole Navy think the Pollard boat one that couldn't +be depended upon?" + +"That was the idea," assented Sam Truax, weakly. + +"What sort of a looking fellow is Tip Gaynor?" asked Jack. + +"You've met him!" + +"I?" demanded Jack, in astonishment. + +"Yes. From what I hear. He was the blackbearded man who drugged you +and shanghaied you in the white knockabout. Only Tip doesn't usually +wear a beard. He has grown it in the last three or four weeks, in order +to hide himself from people who know him well. Then he came down here +to Blair's Cove and rented a house so he could watch things. He had a +tip that the instruction cruise would center around this little bay." + +"So, acting for Tip Gaynor, you undertook to ruin us all, and the good +name of our boats?" asked Jack. "And you even met Dave Pollard, and got +him to take you on as a machinist for our boats?" + +"Yes; Tip knew a man who was willing to introduce me to Pollard." + +"It was just like simple, unsuspicious, bighearted Dave Pollard to be +taken in by a rascal like that," muttered Jack, to himself. "But, oh, +will Pollard ever forgive himself when he hears all this?" + +Sam Truax added a few more details to his confession, but they were +unimportant. + +"I couldn't die without telling you all this, Benson," he added. "I +hope you forgive me." + +Ere Jack could reply Lieutenant Commander Mayhew stepped forward. + +"Truax, I wish to ask you if every word you have uttered is the solemn +truth?" + +"It is; yes," admitted the sick man. + +"Why have you made this confession?" + +"Because I feel that I am going to die, and I don't want all this evil +charged up against me." + +"And you thought it would not be hard to get the better of a boy like +Jack Benson?" + +"I thought it would be easy enough," admitted Truax. "So did Tip +Gaynor." + +"Then it shows you, Truax," broke in Doctor McCrea, now laughing, "how +far below the mark you shot in guessing at Jack Benson's ingenuity and +brains. For it was he showed me how to induce you to make this +confession, voluntarily, after having refused to answer any of the +lieutenant commander's questions." + +"What do you mean?" demanded Sam Truax, quickly, a queer look creeping +into his face. + +"Why, my man, I mean," grinned the naval surgeon, "that, when I was first +called in to you, you were no more sick than I was. You were scared, +first of all, by the remarks of others. Then, after we got you to bed +in here, we dosed you with ippecac a few times. That started your +stomach to moving up and down until you were convinced that you were a +very sick man." + +"What!" now roared Sam Truax, sitting up in the berth and staring +angrily. + +"Oh, the ippecac was my own choice," nodded the doctor, "but the general +idea was Mr. Benson's. My man, with a lad like him you haven't a +one-in-ten chance." + +"So, to work a confession out of me, you've poisoned me?" gasped Sam +Truax. + +"Oh, you're not very badly poisoned," laughed Doctor McCrea. "About the +most that you need, now, is to get into your clothes and take a few +turns up and down the deck with a marine. The fresh air will brace you +up all right. I shan't be surprised if the ippecac leaves you with +an appetite after a while." + +"You infernal cheat, you!" roared Truax, starting to get out of the +berth. But the hospital man thrust him back. + +"In view of what you've just been telling us, my man, you had better be +just a bit modest about sprinkling bad names around." said the naval +surgeon, turning on his heel. + +He was followed by Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, Jack Benson and Hal +Hastings. On the faces of all three were rather pronounced grins. +The fellow had been caught easily enough. + +"Mr. Benson," cried Doctor McCrea, grasping Jack's hand when the party +had returned to the cabin, "I hope you are my friend?" + +"I certainly am, sir," cried Jack, warmly. + +"Thank you," replied the surgeon, making a comical face. "With your +head for doing things, Mr. Benson, I can't help feeling a lot safer with +your friendship than I would if I had your enmity." + +"How easily the fellow threw everything to the winds!" muttered Mr. +Mayhew, in some disgust. + +While they were still chatting in the cabin of the gunboat a shot +sounded on the deck. It was quickly followed by another. Then a +corporal of marines rushed in, saluting. + +"The prisoner, Truax, sir, escaped while taking a walk on deck under +guard of a marine. He took to the water headlong, sir. The marine +fired after him through the darkness, sir, and a second shot was fired. +The officer of the deck sends his compliments, sir, and wants to know +if Truax is to be pursued by men in a small boat?" + +"At once, and with all diligence," nodded the lieutenant commander. + +Though a very thorough search was made, Sam Truax was not found. It +was thought, at the time, that the fellow must have been drowned. +Months, afterward, however, it was learned that he was skulking in +Europe with Tip Gaynor, who had received word in time to make his +escape also. + +It may be said, in passing, that neither Mr. Farnum nor Mr. Pollard +felt it necessary to go to the trouble of trying to have the scoundrels +arrested and extradited to this country, and in this Jack Benson agreed. +Both rascals were rather certain, thereafter, to give the United +States a wide berth. + +For some time David Pollard had been holding aloof and keeping very +quiet--a habit of his, often displayed for long periods. About this +time, however, Mr. Pollard returned, with a triumphant twinkle in his +eyes. He had been hard at work upon, and had perfected, an improved +device for the discharge of torpedoes through the bow tube of the +Pollard submarine boat. + +It is to be mentioned, also, that the Sidenham Submarine Company, while +admitting that Gaynor had been entrusted with the sale of their boats +to the Government, disclaimed all knowledge of the methods that +salesman had been employing. Everyone believed the disclaimer of the +Sidenham concern, yet up to date none of its boats have been sold to +the United States Government. + +For two days more the submarine boat instruction continued at sea. Then, +the tour of instruction over, the little flotilla returned to the +Naval Academy at Annapolis. From here Captain Jack Benson wired Mr. +Farnum for further orders. Without delay back came the despatch: + +"Navy Department requests that, for present, 'Farnum' be left at +Annapolis. You and your crew will return by rail when ready." + +Soon afterward Jack was informed that the Annapolis police had succeeded +in running down the mulatto who had decoyed the young submarine skipper +on that memorable night. Also, Jack's money, watch and other valuables +were recovered and returned to him. The mulatto is now serving a long +term in jail. It afterwards turned out that nearly two-score seafaring +men had been robbed by the mulatto by the same game that had been played +on Jack Benson. + +One forenoon when Jack, and his mates were about to go ashore, for good, +from the "Farnum," Lieutenant Commander Mayhew came on board, followed +by Ensign Trahern and three of the midshipmen who had been under +submarine instruction. + +"Now, Mr. Benson, and gentlemen," smiled Mr. Mayhew, "I'm not going to +frighten you by making any set speech. What I have to say is that the +cadet midshipmen who have been under your very capable and much-prized +instruction of late, wish each of you to take away a very slight memento +of your stay here. There is one for each of you." + +Not even Machinist Williamson had been omitted. Each of the four +received from the lieutenant commander a small box. Each box, on being +opened, proved to contain a small gold shield. In the center was the +coat-of-arms of the United States Naval Academy. At the top of each +pin was the name of the one to whom it was given. Across the bottom of +each pin were inscribed the words: + +_"From The Battalion of Naval Cadets In Keen Appreciation of Admirable +Instruction."_ + +"I do not believe," smiled Mr. Mayhew, "that anyone of you will hesitate +about wearing this pin on vest or coat lapel. The gift is a simple one, +but it practically makes you honorary members of the United States Navy +of the future, and I'm glad of it." + +Jack, in a voice that was somewhat husky and shaky, expressed thanks, +as best he could, for himself and mates. + +Then Lieutenant Commander Mayhew held out his hand. + +"Mr. Benson, as you're leaving us, I want to express to you again my +regret at having, for a while, believed you to be very different from +the real Benson that I am now glad to know." + +"Why, sir, I surely can't blame you for what you thought," smiled Jack. +"In fact, I feel that I owe a tremendous lot to you for your patience +when things looked as black against me as they did." + +Jack and his friends, however, did not succeed in getting away from +Annapolis until the entire battalion had a few minutes' leisure +immediately following the noon meal. + +Then the late crew of the "Farnum" had to shake hands rapidly all around. +Just before they were summoned back to their duties, the assembled +members of the battalion had time to give three rousing cheers just as +the carriage bearing our young friends to the railway station rolled +away. + +It was not long after that the "Farnum" was sold to the United States +Government. Even before the sale took place, Jacob Farnum received by +express a box of handsome mementos sent to Jack Benson by Elsie +Carruthers and her brother. + +The time has come, now, to leave the submarine boys, though only briefly. +We shall hear of their further doings in the next volume of this series, +under the title: "_The Submarine Boys and the Spies; Or, Dodging the +Sharks of the Deep._" This stirring tale of the ocean will deal with +the efforts of the boys to protect the secrets of the Pollard submarine +system from the foreign spies who beset them with treachery, violence, +threats and bribes. It is a narrative full of intense interest. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SUBMARINE BOYS AND THE MIDDIES*** + + +******* This file should be named 17056.txt or 17056.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/0/5/17056 + + + +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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