."

"Dunhaven? Then you must be Mr. Farnum," cried the older man, eagerly.
"This must be the torpedo boat you were building. And these young
men belong to the Navy? Midshipmen, no doubt?"

"There are no Navy men on board," replied the builder. "These young
men are my employes. But we are losing time drifting about on the
high seas. We will put back to Dunhaven, and you can tell us your
story, if you choose, on the way."

"But my father does not care to go ashore," interposed the son. "It
is vitally important to him that he find the schooner and join his
friends aboard. In fact, I may add that a very considerable sum in
the way of a profitable business deal depends upon his going aboard the
schooner."

"But as that craft isn't here, how can we put your father aboard?"
Mr. Farnum asked.

"We are right in the path that is to be taken by our friends' yacht,"
replied the son. "Since this is not a naval vessel, and you are not
under Government orders, I take it you can as well wait here for two or
three hours, if need be. My father will pay suitably for your time,
and the service, if you will consent to wait until the yacht appears."

"I do not need any pay for extending the ordinary courtesies of the
sea to those who have suffered wreck," replied Mr. Farnum, a bit stiffly.

"Whether you take pay or not, sir, will you wait and put my father
aboard the yacht?" demanded the son eagerly. "A vast interest, believe
me, sir, is at stake."

"Oh, there is a very great stake in this," cried the older man,
tremulously. "I appeal to you, Mr. Farnum, since that is your name, to
help me out in this. And, if you will accept handsome compensation, I
shall be very glad to offer it."

David Pollard, who had heard some of this talk through the open manhole
as he lounged by the wheel, now called down to report: "There's some
kind of a craft on the northern horizon throwing up searchlight signals."

"That's our friends' yacht--it must be!" proclaimed the young man,
darting forward and resting one hand on the rail of the spiral stairway.
"Now, you see, if you will be good to us, we shall not very long
trespass on your patience."

"A schooner--a sailing craft--equipped with a searchlight?" asked
Jack, wonderingly.

The son flashed upon the submarine boy a look in which there was something
of a scowl, but he explained quickly:

"The boat has auxiliary power, and a complete electric light plant. Mr.
Farnum, you'll stea