ou are willing I'll let you
do it, for, under the circumstances, we are forced to resort to some
heroic measures. God bless you, lad! And now let react quickly."

In short order the entire party repaired to the torpedo room forward
where Jack was to attempt his hazardous experiment. Taking off his
coat and shoes, which he fastened around his neck, Jack stood ready
for the ordeal. Mike Mowrey had opened the upper port chamber and
with the aid of his crew run out the torpedo that had been placed
therein ready for firing. All was in readiness for the youth to crawl
through the breech cap and stretch himself out like a human torpedo.

Lieutenant Mcclure was sure that the prow of the _Dewey_ lay free
of the sand bar on which the vessel was poised, and that there was
no obstruction in front of the bowcap. But to make doubly sure he
ordered the discharge of a torpedo from the lower starboard chamber.
It left the bowcap free and with full power, giving assurance that
no obstacle intervened beyond the mouth of the torpedo tubes.

Jack saluted his lieutenant, signifying his readiness to go.

"So longs Ted!" was his jaunty sally as he turned for an instant to
his old Brighton chum. For a few seconds the two boys gazed full
into each other's eyes, their hands clasped in a farewell.

"Good luck to you, old man!" said Ted, with a gulp in his throat.

"All ready now!" smiled Jack, as he turned first to his commander and
then inserted his head in the mouth of the torpedo tube, motioning
with his hands for his comrades to thrust him into the chamber.

CHAPTER XVI

IN THE WIRELESS STATION

In less time than it takes to tell, Jack was bundled into the long
steel case, his arms stretched over his head well forward toward the
bowcap. So tightly was he wedged in the aperture that his shoulders
rubbed against both sides of the tube. Before climbing into the
chamber he had hastily crammed a handful of waste inside his hat to
act as a cushion for the water pressure against his skull that would
be inevitable once his body was thrust out into the sea.

"Are you all ready, Mr. Hammond?" called his commander as he bent over
the mouth of the breech cap and reached forward to give the boy a
friendly tug at one foot.

"All ready, sir," answered Jack.

The breech cap was swung shut and Jack could hear the click of the
mechanism as he was locked in by his comrades and they prepared to
shoot their human torpedo out of the s