oberly. "And the answer will have to be the same for all of you."

"The same for all of us, dear chap?" demanded Abercrombie. "How can
that be?"

"The answer in every case is the same," retorted Jack. "If our own
government doesn't want us, no other government can have us. We stand
by our own Flag."

"Eh? What is this?" muttered Lieutenant Ulwin, coming unexpectedly upon
the pair. "Foreign government competing for you lads, Benson? This
won't do!"

"Which is what I have just had the honor of telling Mr. Abercrombie,"
smiled Jack, earnestly.

CHAPTER XXIV

THEIR LIVES DEEDED TO THE FLAG

Secretary Sanders, Secretary of the Navy, looked up at the three young
men who stood in line at the right-hand side of his desk.

It was two days later; two days during which Jack, Hal and Eph had had
little to do except roam about Washington and see all the sights of the
National Capital. This they had varied by dropping in at the United
Service Club.

"Gentlemen," remarked the Secretary of the Navy, "you have not yet been
relieved of your detail to the gunboat 'Sudbury.'"

"It's coming now," thought each of the three boys to himself, with a
great wave of dismay. "We are to be no longer of the Navy."

"I will give instructions at once," continued Secretary Sanders, "to
have orders issued relieving you from that duty."

"Yes; it has come," muttered Jack, drearily, to himself. "Our service
with the Navy is over."

"Gentlemen," and now, for a few seconds, the voice of the Secretary
seemed far away indeed, "I am sensible of all you have done for your
country, and above all, of the zeal you have shown. Besides, I have in
mind the fact that you have made yourselves among the most expert of all
handlers of submarine torpedo boats. If it can be arranged, I wish to
keep all three of you actively in the United States Navy."

Jack Benson looked up with a gasp. His comrades were not less astounded.

"I am aware," Mr. Sanders went on, "that we could not expect you to
enlist as mere apprentices. In your own particular field of submarine
work you are amply fitted to hold officers' commissions. Yet, under the
law, you cannot be granted commissions until you are twenty-one years
of age. None of you are quite eighteen.

"Therefore, it has occurred to me that you can be appointed, specially,
with rank, command and pay, until you are twenty-one. The President
agrees with me in what I have to offer. You, Mr. Ben