ere all picked men, chosen for their intelligence and
bravery, and were therefore well fitted to appreciate these qualities
when found in others. And Bert's exploit was after their own heart.

He had free run of the ship, and had learned the uses of most of the
ingenious devices that were scattered everywhere about the boat.
Accordingly, as he now stepped into the control room, he saw at a glance
that they were nearing the surface of the water, being at this moment
only twenty feet beneath it.

The gauge indicated less and less depth, and suddenly a burst of sunshine
entering the porthole told Bert that they were at the surface. The
hatchway was thrown open and he ascended to the deck. The pure, sweet
air was very grateful after the somewhat confined atmosphere of the
submarine, and Bert drew in great breaths of it. Pretty soon Lieutenant
Warren joined him on the little platform and shared with him the beauty
of the morning.

"It certainly gets pretty close in here at times," he remarked. "Once we
got stuck on the bottom and had all sorts of a time getting off. Our
reserve supply of air was used up and we all thought we'd suffocate,
sure. But we managed to get loose from the wreck we were mixed up with,
just in time, and I don't believe that I ever enjoyed the sight of the
blue sky as I did then. It was a narrow squeak, and no mistake."

"I should say it was," answered Bert, and then, after a pause, he asked:
"But where are we bound for, now, Lieutenant? What's the next move in
the game?"

"Why, we'll get news of this plot to the Canal authorities and the War
Department, as soon as possible, and then it will be up to them to act as
they see fit. You've done your part and we've done ours, and they in
their wisdom can decide the future policy of the nation."

"But what do you think that will be?" queried Bert. "They'll declare
war, now, won't they?"

"That's a hard question to answer," mused the other, "but it's my private
opinion that the whole matter will be hushed up. You may be sure that
those engaged in this affair have covered their tracks very skillfully,
and it would be practically impossible to prove that they were accredited
agents of the Japanese Government. And in a case of that kind, the
world requires more than mere suspicion, you know."

"Yes, I guess you're right," said Bert, thoughtfully. "Come to think of
it, I'm the only one who overheard the plotters, and my evidence probably
wo