outside in the
hallway, "Dan, the Eagles are prepared to receive the Navy."

At the word, a stalwart young man of about Lieutenant Duvall's age,
stepped into the room. He was deeply sun-burned, and had an alert,
upright carriage that stamped him as belonging to Uncle Sam's service.

"Scouts of the Eagle Patrol," said Lieutenant Duvall, with becoming
formality, "allow me to present to you Ensign Daniel Hargreaves, of the
United States Navy, just now detailed on special service."

Once more came the Scout salute, and then, given with a will, the long
drawn "Kr-e-e-ee" of the Eagles.

The naval officer's eyes twinkled.

"These are Eagles that can scream with a vengeance," he exclaimed to his
companion.

"Yes; and they can show their talons on occasion, I can assure you,"
declared Lieutenant Duvall. "But 'heave ahead,' as you say in the Navy,
Dan, and put your proposition before them."

The boys greeted this announcement with wide-open eyes. Somehow or other
they felt impressed immediately that they were on the verge of another
series of important adventures; that the unexpected visit of the
officers had something to do with their immediate future. And in this
they were not the least bit out of the way, as will be seen.

CHAPTER II.

THE FACE AT THE TRANSOM.

"Of course what I am going to say will be held strictly confidential?"
began Ensign Hargreaves, looking about him at the bright, eager faces of
the young Eagles.

"We are Boy Scouts, sir," responded Rob proudly.

"I beg your pardon; but what I am going to say is so important to the
nation that one word of it breathed abroad might cause endless
complications and the ruin of certain plans. I have come to see you
because my friend, Lieutenant Duvall, told me that he did not know
anywhere in the country of a band of boys of similar resourcefulness,
courage and high training."

"That's going some," whispered Tubby, behind a plump hand, to Merritt
Crawford.

"I said no more than they deserved, Dan," observed Lieutenant Duvall.

"So I should imagine from what you told me about the part they played in
the matter of the biplane and the tunnelled house," responded the young
officer. "I came to you for another reason, also," he went on reverting
to the subject in hand; "I have heard that as well as being land scouts
you are thoroughly at home on the water."

"Well," said Rob, "we've all of us been brought up here on the south
shore. I guess we are all