ernal sloop?"

Cold chills began to chase each other up and down the spine of Eph
Somers. He was not, ordinarily, an imaginative youth, but just now the
gruesome thought that had entered his mind persisted there.

He began to pace the platform deck in deep agitation.

"Anything wrong, sir?" questioned the marine sentry, halting and
throwing his rifle over to port arms.

"That's just what I'd give a million dollars and ten cents to know!"
exploded Eph.

"Gunboat, ahoy!" he shouted, some twenty seconds later.

"'Farnum,' ahoy!"

"I half believe, sir," Eph rattled on, "that my two comrades, Mr. Benson
and Mr. Hastings have been tricked, in some way, and carried out to sea
on that knockabout. They'd have been back from shore by this time, if
nothing had happened."

"What do you want to do, Mr. Somers?"

"Want to do, sir?" retorted Eph. "I know what I'm going to do. I'm
going to slip moorings and chase after that knockabout. What I wish
to know from you, sir, is whether you'll send another marine or two
on board, so that I can back up my demand to find my friends?

"I'll have to ask the lieutenant commander about that, Mr. Somers."

"Can you do it, now, sir?" asked Eph, energetically.

"Instantly. I'll let you know the decision as soon as it's made."

Eph, hanging at the rail in the silence that followed, had no notion
of whether his request had been a correct one. All he knew was that
his suspicions had surged to the surface, and were threatening to boil
over. It was a huge relief to the boy when Mr Mayhew's voice sounded
from the rail of the gunboat. Somers swiftly answered all questions.

"Your craft and crew are in a measure under our protection and orders,"
decided Mr. Mayhew. "I think we may properly extend you some help. I
will send some men to you, and a cadet midshipman who will have my
instructions."

"Will you send them quickly, sir?" begged Eph.

"I'll have men on board of you by the time that your engines are
running," promised the lieutenant commander.

"Engines?" That word came as a fortunate reminder to the Submarine
boy. He darted below, almost yanking Williamson from his berth, nearly
pulling the machinist into his clothes. By the time that Williamson
was really wide awake he found himself standing by the motors forward.

Then young Somers darted onto deck again, just in time to see the boat
coming alongside. It brought two more marines, one of them a corporal.
There were