e of loyalty and patriotism, should be
even---- No, of course, he had not been actually _suspected_ of anything,
and he knew that the government had to be very watchful and careful,
but---- Well, he felt ashamed and humiliated, that's all.

He made up his mind that if he should see that officer again, and he did
not look too forbidding, he would mention how his mother had taught him
to sing _America_, how his father had played the _Star-Spangled Banner_
on his old accordion and how Uncle Job had died in the Soldiers' Home.
Those were about the only good things he could remember about his father
and Uncle Job, but weren't they enough?

And since the government was so very particular, Tom got up and hung his
coat across the porthole, though no clink of light could possibly have
escaped, for his little stateroom was as dark as pitch and even when he
opened his door there was only the dim light from the inner passage.

CHAPTER VIII

HE HEARS SOME NEWS AND IS CONFIDENTIAL WITH FRENCHY

The next morning there was a rumor. Somebody told somebody who told
somebody else who told a deck steward who told Tom that a couple of men
had gone very stealthily along the dimly lighted passageway outside the
forward staterooms below, looking for a lighted stateroom.

"There was never so much as a glint," the deck steward volunteered.

Instantly Tom thought of his experience of the previous night and there
arose in his mind also certain passages from one of the letters he had
turned over to Mr. Conne.

Acting on his benefactor's very sensible advice, he had not allowed his
mind to dwell upon those mysterious things which were altogether outside
his humble sphere. But now he could not help recalling that this ship
had been the _Christopher Colon_ on which somebody or other had thought
he might be able to sail. Well, in any event, the ship's people had
those things in hand, and after his disturbing experience of the night
before, he would not dare speak to one of his superiors about what was
in his mind. But he was greatly interested in this whispered news.

"The electric lights are turned off in the staterooms, anyway," he said.

"Yes, but that bunch is always smoking--them engineers," said the deck
steward, "and a chap would naturally stick his head out of the port so
as not to get the room full of smoke. All he'd have to do is drop his
smoke in the ocean if anyone happened along. It's been done more'n
once."

"Then you