, in spite of his clumsiness. Can you make out
the torpedo, Coates?"

"No; but I see the whaleboat putting off for it. The water there is
evidently too shallow for the steamer to get in."

Sam's glass was at his eye, as he balanced himself lightly on the iron
railing surrounding the signal box.

"Whaleboat number one signals that they have the torpedo, sir," sang
out Sam Hickey.

"Very good. You will fire the starboard torpedo next, will you not?"
asked the captain of the ordnance officer.

"Yes, sir, as soon as the men get that one on board."

The whaleboat made fast a rope to the torpedo, and then the steamer,
taking the smaller boat in tow, headed for the ship, towing the monster
in their wake. Beaching the ship, the torpedo was hauled aboard with a
derrick and placed on the deck, to be taken apart and shipped back to
the torpedo room below.

It had made a splendid flight, and all hands were pleased with the
first shot. It had been fired exactly as it would be in war time,
except that it carried no explosive on the practice flight.

Dan, out on the water, was now improving his opportunity to put his
signal corps through a series of practice messages. He was drilling
the men of the signal corps in quick reading. First he would wig-wag a
message to the fleet of small boats; then they would repeat it back to
him as fast as they were able to operate the flags.

"They're signaling out there, sir," said the executive officer to the
captain.

"Signalman, attention! Attend to your business."

Hickey looked up to the bridge in surprise.

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Don't you see them signaling to you out there?" demanded the captain.

"I see them signaling, yes, sir. I've been watching them for the past
ten minutes, sir."

"What do they want?"

"Nothing, sir."

"Then what are they wig-wagging for?"

"Seaman Davis is drilling the squad, sir."

"Oh!"

The captain turned on his heel, giving the boy a view of his broad back.

"Mebby that one didn't land under the belt!" chuckled the red-headed
Battleship Boy. "I guess I know my business, I do."

The ordnance officer announced that he was ready for another shot.

"Very well; we will get under way," announced the captain, the ship
having laid to while the torpedo was being shipped aboard. "Pull over
pretty close to that shore there before you swing. Chains, there!"

"Aye, aye, sir," answered the men in the chains, the little platform
from which th