any more of these fellows," smiled Hal.

"Now, there's just where I believe you're wrong, messmate," Jack
contended. "These foreign governments hire detectives to watch each
other. When we hear from one, we're likely to hear from the whole lot
at once. Look around you, Eph. Do you see a Jap anywhere?"

"Not a solitary jiu-jitsu fiend," responded Eph, after halting and
staring both ways in turn along the street.

"Well, Japan is about due," laughed Benson. "And now, let's get in
through the gate of the shipyard. If any more of these foreign agents
show up--well, there are two boats in the harbor that are in commission.
We'll find an excuse to put to sea in one of them."

"Just the youngsters I was going out to try to find," hailed Grant
Andrews, foreman of the submarine construction work, as he hurried
across the yard. "Mr. Farnum told me to get out and find you. He'd
have sent some one else, but I guess the business is rather on the
quiet."

"Is he in his office?" queried Jack.

"Yes."

"Thank you; we'll go right in, then."

"Now I wonder what country it is whose agent has gotten hold of Mr.
Farnum?" asked Eph, plaintively.

"Nonsense!" mocked Jack.

"That's what we try to tell 'em all," mocked Eph. "But the Germans are
the hardest."

All three of the submarine boys were laughing so heartily, as they
entered the shipbuilder's private office that Jacob Farnum, a youngish
looking man to be at the head of so large a manufacturing plant, glanced
up quickly.

"What's the joke, boys?" he asked. "I haven't had a laugh since I
pounded my thumbnail with a sledge-hammer."

Captain Jack Benson quickly detailed the meetings with Radberg and
d'Ouray.

"The Frenchman didn't look a bit like a 'shovelee' either," muttered
Eph. "If anything, that looked more in the German's line."

"Well, you'll have a chance to get rid of nonsense, now, for a while,"
went on Mr. Farnum, after having enjoyed a few laughs with the boys.
"I've some serious business in hand for you, and the time has come."

That was like the shipbuilder. Whatever he was planning, at any time,
he kept strictly to himself until the time came to put the plan into
operation.

"There's quite an important little job for you up at Craven's Bay,"
continued Mr. Farnum. "You know, there are important fortifications
there, because the Navy people expect, in wartime, to use Craven's
Bay as a possibly important naval station and shelter for vessels t