asked Eph
Somers.

"In the air do you mean, sir?" asked the midshipman. "Certainly."

"Then I wish he'd do it."

Bang! The discharge of the rifle sounded sharply on the night air.

"It ain't stopping 'em any," muttered Eph, after a few seconds had
gone by.

"Nothing would, unless fired into them," volunteered Midshipman Terrell.

It did not take long, however, to run the submarine up alongside of the
sloop, at a distance of about one hundred yards.

"Now, we want you men to stop," called Midshipman Terrell, between his
hands. "We are United States naval forces, from the gunboat, and you
will regard this as an order that you must obey. No!" thundered the
midshipman, suddenly, as the bearded one started to step down into the
cabin. "You will both keep on deck. Otherwise we shall be obliged to
fire into you. We mean business, remember!"

"What do you want to board us for?" demanded Curtis, pausing.

"We will explain when we come aboard."

"How are you coming, aboard? You've no small boat"

"We can land this submarine right up beside you," responded the
midshipman, "if you keep straight to your present course."

"And scrape all the paint off our side," objected Curtis.

"That has no bearing on my instructions, sir. I direct you to keep
straight to your present course. We will come up alongside."

"What if we don't do it?" demanded Curtis, with sudden bluster.

"Then your danger will be divided between being shot where you stand
and having your craft cut in two by the bow of our craft," retorted
Mr. Terrell. "You will realize, I think, that there can be no parleying
with our orders."

The bearded one swore, but the corporal and his two marines stood at
the rail with their rifles ready, waiting only the midshipman's order
to aim and fire.

Eph allowed the "Farnum" to fall back a little way. Then he exerted
himself to show his best in seamanship as he ran the submarine up to
board the sloop by the starboard quarter. The two boats barely touched.
Mr. Terrell, his three marines and two seamen leaped to the standing
room of the yacht. Eph, all aquiver, let the nose of the "Farnum"
fall back slightly. Then he trailed along, under bare headway.

Then a shout came from the sloop, as the two seamen reappeared, bearing
the forms of Jack and Hal.

"We've found them aboard, Mr. Somers," shouted Terrell. "Drugged, I
think, sir. Will you some alongside, sir."

Eph quickly rang the signal, then did