ss. I dread the voyage."

"Submarines?" asked Jerry.

"Oh, no, I wasn't thinking of them," answered the professor. "But I am
anxious to get across, not only to begin my study of the effect of war
noises on European insects, but to search for those two young ladies.
I have been reading considerable about war conditions in France and
Germany since Professor Petersen made me his part heir, and I fear
the young ladies may have a hard time."

"Yes, they are very likely to," assented Ned. "But until we get there
we can't do anything to help them. However, we'll do our best for you
and them when we do get there--if we have a chance--after getting a
Hun or two," he added.

"That's right," said Mr. Snodgrass. "The winning of the war is the
first consideration. I wish I were young enough to fight. But I have
contributed to the Red Cross, to the Salvation Army, the Knights of
Columbus and the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A.; and I've mailed
every magazine I finished reading and sent over all the books I could
spare."

The boys winked at one another. They gave full credit to Professor
Snodgrass for his contributions to the five organizations, which, with
the Jewish Welfare League, did so much to help win the war.

"But if the boys in camp over there had to depend for reading on the
dry, scientific magazines and books the professor sent them they'd be
hard put," commented Jerry to his chums, afterward.

"Well, we're moving, anyhow," observed Bob, as he and the others
noticed that tugs were backing the transport out into the river. "Now
that we're under way, don't you think we'd better go and see
about----"

"Grub!" finished Jerry, fairly taking the word out of Chunky's mouth.

The stout lad glared a moment, and then said:

"Well, yes, grub! Why not? We have to eat, don't we?"

"You said it, Bob!" exclaimed Ned. "Go to it!"

But the boys found they need not have worried about the matter of
eating or sleeping. Competent hands had the comfort of the soldiers in
charge and there was nothing lacking that could be obtained. They were
taken in charge by officers, divided into squads, assigned to certain
lifeboats, and told where to report when an alarm for a submarine
attack, real or simulated, was sounded.

Professor Snodgrass told how he had secured permission to come aboard
the transport with his friends, the young soldiers--no easy
matter--and how he had been designated as a "correspondent," though
Jerry Hopkins, on he