"When?"

"Now."

"For how long?"

"Until ten o'clock to-night."

"Be back by that hour, then," Jack replied. "If you're not, you'll
find everything shut tight aboard here."

Truax quickly signaled one of the hovering boats, and put off in it. Eph
watched the boat for a few moments before he turned to Captain Jack to
mutter:

"Somehow, I wouldn't feel very badly about it if that fellow got lost on
shore!"

CHAPTER VI

TWO KINDS OF VOODOO

On the second day of the cruise Jack Benson returned to full duty.

For four nights, in all, the submarine squadron tied up at moorings in
harbors along the coast. On the fifth night, as darkness fell, the
squadron continued under way, in Chesapeake Bay, for Annapolis was but
three hours away.

Immediately after supper Captain Jack took his place in the conning
tower. He concerned himself principally with the compass, his only
other task being to keep the course by the "Hudson's" lights, for the
parent boat supplied in its own conduct all the navigation orders
beyond the general course. The "Farnum's" searchlight was not used,
the gunboat picking up all the coast-marks as they neared land.

"Annapolis is the place I've always wanted to see," Jack declared, as
Hal joined him in the conning tower.

"It's the place where I've always wanted to be a cadet," sighed Hal.
"But there's no chance for me, I fear. Jack, I'd rather be an officer
of the Navy than a millionaire."

"Same here," replied Jack, steadily. "It's hard to have to feel that
I'll never be either."

As she entered the mouth of the Severn River the "Hudson" signaled to
the submarines to follow, in file, the "Pollard" leading. A little
later the three craft entered the Basin at the Academy. While the
gunboat anchored off the Amphitheatre, the two submarine boats were
ordered to anchorage just off the Boat House. Then a cutter came
alongside.

"The lieutenant commander's compliments to Mr. Benson. Will Mr. Benson
go aboard the 'Hudson'?" asked the young officer in command of the
cutter. Captain Jack lost no time in presenting himself before the
lieutenant commander.

"Mr. Benson," said Mr. Mayhew, after greeting the submarine boy, "your
craft will be under a marine guard to-night, and at all times while here
at the Naval Academy. If you and your crew would like to spend the
night ashore, in the quaint little old town of Annapolis, there's no
reason why you shouldn't. But you will al