ed them. Mr. Danbury Barr proved to be a tall, lean
individual with a prominent, thin-bridged nose, and sharp, gray eyes
with all the keenness of a hawk in them. His skin was burned a deep
golden brown by his sojourn on the island while getting his craft in
readiness for the tests. Like most inventors he had not much to say, but
seemed to be agreeable and glad to see the newcomers.

The three sailors, as became them in the presence of an officer, stood
respectfully back without saying anything, only drawing up and saluting.
But this was not the case with a man who has not yet been mentioned.
This was an individual named Luke Barton. He was Mr. Barr's expert
machinist and mechanical superintendent. Rob took an instinctive dislike
to the fellow. Not that there was anything actually repulsive about him.
On the contrary, he was a well-set-up chap of about thirty-five, dark
haired and mustached; but it was something shifty in the fellow's eyes
that made Rob distrust him. This impression was not removed when he
asked of Mr. Barr, in a voice by no means an undertone:

"What's this parcel of kids doing here? Looks like a Sunday school
picnic."

Mr. Barr explained.

"Oh, a bunch of kid tin soldiers," he sneered, and strode off swinging a
big monkey wrench. Right then and there Rob's instinctive dislike of the
man crystallized into a feeling of distrust. He felt sure that the
fellow had some reason to resent the presence of the Boy Scouts.

Mr. Barr made no comment on his assistant's remarks, doubtless not
thinking that they had been overheard. In fact, the rest of the party,
except Rob, had been standing at some little distance when the fellow
uttered his sneering jibes.

CHAPTER XII.

THE SUBMARINE ISLAND.

Under Mr. Barr's guidance the party toured the island. It was about half
a mile across and slightly longer than its width. Coarse grass grew
almost to the water's edge, and in the centre, where it rose in a
cone-shaped formation, some stunted, wind-twisted bushes grew. Also on
the summit was a driven well, which was formed of galvanized piping, and
went down, so the boys were informed, for more than two hundred feet.

But to the lads of the Eagle Patrol the most interesting thing on the
island was, of course, the shed that housed the submarine. This shed was
open at both ends, and under its iron roof lay the submarine craft.
Lying as it did, with only its rounded back showing above the surface of
the water