s to have first call on the craft."

"And you are going to test it at this lonely island in South Carolina?"
cried Rob, guessing the truth.

"Perfectly right, my boy," was the response. "Off that little-frequented
coast, beset with islands and shoals, we hope to carry out our tests
unobserved. At Bridgeport this would have been an impossibility, and for
that reason the story of the sale to Russia was concocted. Russia, I
may add, was about the only country not represented by spy service at
Bridgeport."

"And you say that nobody but the officials directly connected with the
craft has any knowledge of its whereabouts?" asked Rob with deep
interest.

"As far as it is humanly possible to be certain, such is our positive
belief."

"But where do we fit into all this?" sputtered Tubby, acutely coming to
the main point.

"I am coming to that," was the response. "From what I have told you, you
will have gathered that no ordinary class of watchmen could be trusted
to keep quiet about what is to go forward on the island. Yet it is
necessary to have sentries of some sort to keep constant watch that no
one approaches unexpectedly. For that purpose we have adopted various
mechanical precautions, such as submarine detector bells, etc. But our
main reliance must be on human intelligence."

"I see," said Rob, nodding. The object of the officer's visit was
beginning to dawn on him.

"To come straight to the point," went on the officer, "how would you
boys like to take a camping trip to the South Carolina coast on Uncle
Sam's service?"

"You mean to act as guards to the submarine?" almost shouted Rob.

"Just that," responded the officer. "I have----"

But a roar of cheers drowned any further remarks he might have had to
make.

"I knew it would happen," cried Merritt when the riot had, in a measure,
subsided.

"What?" demanded Tubby.

"Action!" responded Merritt briefly.

The hubbub grew tumultuous. All the Eagles were trying to talk at once.
The wonderful prospect opened up before them of fresh adventures fairly
set them wild.

At last, above the turmoil, Ensign Hargreaves managed to make his voice
heard.

"Boys! Boys!" he exclaimed, "one minute till I outline the plans."

A respectful silence at once ensued in which each Scout was prompt to
join.

"Of course, it will be necessary for you to obtain written consent of
your parents," spoke the naval officer.

At this some of the faces in the room fell several de