ficers
who volunteer for the submarine services of the world are chosen young,
and they are merry boys.

"You may well laugh, messieurs,"--she threw them all a lively
challenging glance--"when I tell you that to-day, for the first time in
my life, I acknowledge masculine supremacy! I think that you will admit
that we women are not afraid of pain, but the discomfort, the--the
stuffiness? Ah, no--I could not have borne much longer the horrible
discomfort and stuffiness of that dreadful little _Neptune_ of yours!"

Protesting voices rose on every side. The _Neptune_ was not
uncomfortable! The _Neptune_ was not stuffy!

"And I understand"--again she made a little grimace--"that it is quite
an exceptional thing for the crew to be consoled, as I was to-day, by
an ice-pail!"

"A most exceptional thing," said the youngest lieutenant, with a sigh.
His name was Paritot, and he also had been out with the _Neptune_ that
morning. "In fact, it only happens in that week which sees four
Thursdays--or when we have a lady on board, madame!"

"What a pity it is," said another, "that the old woman who left a legacy
to the inventor who devises a submarine life-saving apparatus didn't
leave us instead a cream-ice allowance! It would have been a far more
practical thing to do."

Madame Baudoin turned quickly to Commander Dupre, who now stood silent,
smileless, at her sister's side.

"Surely you're going to try for this extraordinary prize?" she cried.
"I'm sure that you could easily devise something which would gain the
old lady's legacy."

"I, madame?" he answered with a start, almost as if he were wrenching
himself free from some deep abstraction. "I should not think of trying
to do such a thing! It would be a mere waste of time. Besides, there is
no real risk--no risk that we are not prepared to run." He looked
proudly round at the eager, laughing faces of the youngsters who were,
till to-morrow night, still under his orders.

"The old lady meant very well," he went on, and for the first time since
he had stepped out of the conning tower Commander Dupre smiled. "And I
hope with all my heart that some poor devil will get her money! But I
think I may promise you that it will not be an officer in the submarine
service. We are too busy, we have too many really important things to
do, to worry ourselves about life-saving appliances. Why, the first
thing we should do if pressed for room would be to throw our
life-helmets overboard!"