the lightest touch, sir, that I ever saw in a wheel."

"The builders of the 'Dodger' have been working to make the action
of the steering wheel progressively lighter with each boat that
they have built. Men on a submarine craft must have the steadiest
nerves at all times, and steady nerves do not go hand in hand with
muscle fatigue."

Lieutenant Jack walked to the entrance to the conning tower.
"Mallock!" he called down to one of the crew.

"Aye, aye, sir."

"My compliments to Mr. Hastings, and ask him to crowd the speed
of the boat gradually."

"Aye, aye, sir."

The "Dodger" had been moving down the bay at a ten-knot pace.
Suddenly she gave a jump that caused Midshipman Dave Darrin to
wonder. Then the submarine settled down to a rushing sixteen-knot
gait."

"I didn't know, sir," ventured Farley, "that submarines could
go quite so fast."

"The old types didn't," Lieutenant Jack answered. "However, on
the surface a capable submarine must be able to show a good deal
of speed."

"For getting away, sir?"

"Oh, no. Naturally, when a submarine is pursued she can drop under
the surface and leave no trail. But suppose a single submarine
to be guarding a harbor, unaided by other fighting craft. A twenty-or
twenty-two knot battleship is discovered, trying to make the harbor.
Even if the battleship steams away the submarine should be capable
of following. The engines of the 'Dodger,' in favorable weather,
can drive her at twenty-six knots on the surface."

"She's as fast as a torpedo-boat destroyer, then, sir," hazarded Dan.

"Yes; and the submarine needs to be as fast. With the improvement
of submarine boats the old style of torpedo boat will pass out
altogether. Then, if the destroyer is retained the submarine
must be capable of attacking the destroyer on equal terms. Undoubtedly,
after a few years more the river gunboat and the submarine torpedo
boat will be the only small fighting craft left in the navies of
the leading powers of the world."

Even while this brief conversation was going on the speed of the
"Dodger" had begun to increase again. Ensign Hasting's head showed
through the opening in the conning tower.

"We're going now at a twenty-knot clip, sir," Hal reported. "Do
you wish any more speed?"

"Not in Chesapeake Bay; navigating conditions are not favorable."

"Very good, sir." Hal vanished below. Never very talkative, Hal
was content to stand by his engines in silence when there wa