n and eyes a-stare, who couldn't seem to get the meaning of it all.

lieutenant looked at the leade

n't you play? What

d his music stand with his baton, next gave the signal,

onquering H

but drowned out by renewed cheering,

Spruce Beach. Ten thousand tongues were set wagging all at once. When there came a l

for-to sneak in while you're wip

ible, and brought a laugh from everyone aboard the submarine, including

had joined Lieutenant Featherstone at the rail, the p

alled Jacob Farnum, a broad

," admitte

elf sunk?" demanded Da

nant Commander Kimball. "I wonder if

ything like it in war ti

sir, you fly the

ght second. It set all within hearing to cheering

Kimball, as soon as he could make himself heard: "We'd

k answered, turning and lifting his hat in simple yet e

onally straying to the engine room signal buttons, as he kept the "

r, sir?" called Capt

bow and at least four hundred feet away, Mr.

t is, sir," answered the young submarine skip

over a boat to be at your disposal this aft

to pay you a visit, if you

visit you. We're anxious to see the wo

longside, rowed by six alert-looking young sa

the visiting party, leaving Eph Somers aboard t

ubmarine folks aboard the gunboat. There wa

g something in the way of trouble bac

and each carrying a few passengers, had p

shouted a young man at t

!" begg

you do,

ar you yet," grinned the carroty-topped

who ar

nnocently. "Oh, I'm only t

" laughed the same young m

what?" in

ine boat, of course

responded E

aper men, and it's bus

this moment. In another moment the young man in the bow w

to hit any fellow with a boathook who trie

ted the newspaper man, though, as Eph carelessly picked up a boat

ed States naval officers. On the other hand, the auburn-haired boy knew how necessary it was for the submarine folks to keep

making a noise like a crank, but have you any idea at all what orders mean

then," proposed another

l see if I can," mut

we'll

d had appeared i

e, the submarine boy hailed the gunboat, asking if it would be possible for him to talk with Jack Benson. Benson soon afterward came forward on the "Waverl

e two boatloads of

t to-morrow, when the captain is here. But the best I ca

e beside the boy, "you can tell us, as well as anyone, abou

young man who came straight up through th

tted tha

er man. "I've heard before about that wonderful trick of leaving a su

oner with wondering pati

I'm sorry I'm deaf in my front

ley!" chuckled one o

ns at the same time, which caused young

down here, including our run under water. But, if there's any question I don't answer for you, you'll understand, I hope, tha

nodded one of the newspa

ahead and spin your

Eph managed none the less to give his hearers an entertaining acco

lemen, ours is the longest trip that

y of naval affairs and records. "And the way this craft came in this aftern

's specialty," replied Eph

his sp

bmarine boat that have

he latest wonder in

you, hasn't he?" inquired one o

," declared Eph, warmly. "Jack Benson is about the best fell

t young Somers about the history and past performances of the young subm

g a submarine boat on the bottom, and coming to the top

iscovery," nodd

principle of

noise. He remained silent, for

a few officers of the Navy. The fewer that know, the bette

United States now own some of your boats, and the money of the people paid for those boats. Now, don't you think

at way Eph looked tremendously

," admitted the carrot

ght of it tha

he

the Secretary of the Navy, who on beh

es

agent of the peop

el

es, "the Secretary of the Navy is the proper official for you to g

of us," interpose

ph, "that I said I had no objection to h

ly at the innocent-looking face of t

ne of the visitors. "He knows when to t

," grinned Eph, "since I was caught stea

arine. Eph, from his very disposition and temperament, made undoubtedly the best press agent the Pollard Company could have had. Hal Hastings, while wishing to be obliging, probably would have said his whole "say" in twent

r men are gathered at a point on business it is generally easy for a stranger, not connected with the press, to push hi

telegraph office. Instead, he hurried to the Hotel Clayton,

e third floor. He stepped briskly down a corridor, stop

a drawling voice,

an was tall, not very stout, with a sallow face adorned by a mustache and goatee. The man's eyes we

fire place, then reached over, selected another cigarette and lig

llenged this strang

," replied the young man. "I went with a party of new

. And you saw the very boy

two were paying a call on boa

how to pump him for the inf

rned, very soon, that Somers is one whom we want

y s

erstand. He can talk longer, and tell less, than any young fellow I've met. He seems

all we need to know," laughed M. Lemaire, gayly. "So it is only a qu

a suggestion-

ans, my de

be easy game. As for the third, Hal Hastings, I hear that he is a silent fellow, who say

ll find it easy to meet him. And now, good-bye, Norto

hind him, M. Lemaire carefully flecked the ash

st the services of Mademoiselle Sara. Ah, yes! Her eyes are fine-perfect. One looks into her eyes, a