ne.

"I don't think that is necessary, Mr. Dene," was the reply. "We will
hear what you have to say first. Ha, Heyworth!" as the Admiral
entered, "this is Mr. John Dene of Toronto, who has come to tell us
something about a discovery of his."

Admiral Heyworth, a little bald-headed man with beetling brows and a
humorous mouth, took the hand held out to him.

"Pleased to meet you," said John Dene, then without a pause he
continued: "I want your promise that this is all between us three, that
you won't go and breeze it about." He looked from Sir Lyster to
Admiral Heyworth. Sir Lyster bowed, Admiral Heyworth said, "Certainly."

"Now," said John Dene, turning to the Admiral, "what's the greatest
difficulty you're up against in submarine warfare?"

"Well," began Admiral Heyworth, "there are several. For instance----"

"There's only one that matters," broke in John Dene; "your boats are
blind when submerged beyond the depth of their periscopes. That so?"

The Admiral nodded.

"Well," continued John Dene, "I want you to understand I'm not asking a
red cent from anybody, and I won't accept one. What I'm going to tell
you about has already cost me well over a million dollars, and if you
look at me you'll see I'm not the man to put a million dollars into
patent fly-catchers, or boots guaranteed to button themselves."

Sir Lyster and the Admiral exchanged puzzled glances, but said nothing.

"Suppose the Germans were able to sink a ship without even showing
their periscopes?" John Dene looked directly at the Admiral.

"It would place us in a very precarious position," was the grave reply.

"Oh, shucks!" cried John Dene in disgust. "It would queer the whole
outfit. You soldiers and sailors can never see beyond your own
particular backyards. It would mighty soon finish the war." He almost
shouted the words in the emphasis he gave them. "It would mean that
troops couldn't be brought from America; it would mean that supplies
couldn't be brought over here. It would mean good-bye to the whole
sunflower-patch. Do you get me?" He looked from Sir Lyster to the
Admiral.

"I think," said Sir Lyster, "that perhaps you exaggerate a lit----"

"I don't," said John Dene. "I know what I'm talking about. Now, why
is the submarine blind? Because," he answered his own question, "no
one has ever overcome the difficulty of the density of water. I have."

Admiral Heyworth started visibly, and Sir Lyster bent forward eag