ad my smoke yet!"

"That's all right," called Hal, quietly, as the machinist's somewhat
shaking voice died out. "You're always safe, man, in following any lead
that Captain Jack Benson gives you. Go back on the 'Hastings' and have
your smoke out."

"But those two torpedoes, loaded up to the muzzles with artillery-felt,
or some other exploding kind of dry-goods!" protested the machinist.

"Those two torpedoes are dummies," laughed Hal Hastings. "They're
aboard just for dummy torpedo practice. There isn't a kick in a dozen
of 'em. Go back and get your smoke, man!"

Hal must have looked at the machinist with unusual sharpness, for
Williamson went promptly out through the door, closing it after him.

"I'm ready to go aboard, Mr. Benson," proposed Lieutenant Danvers, "and
make a start whenever you're so inclined."

"We'd better put it off for half an hour," proposed Skipper Jack, with
a laugh. "That'll give Williamson a chance to have that smoke of his
over with."

"That'll suit me," agreed the naval officer, cheerfully. "In fact,
Mr. Benson, if you won't think me too much like cold molasses"--Jack
winced--"I would propose that we start at a little after one o'clock
this afternoon. Even at that, we'll be out long enough between that
time and dark."

"Any arrangement that suits you, Lieutenant, suits me," nodded Jack
Benson. "You're going with us to-day, aren't you, Mr. Farnum?"

"Don't you believe, for a moment," retorted the shipbuilder, "that I'd
let anything keep me from the first torpedo practice on one of our
boats. And I'm almost ashamed of Dave Pollard. That fellow, instead
of being here, is away somewhere in hiding, dreaming about a new style
of clutch for the after end of the torpedo tube. Oh, yes, I'll be with
you!"

"Hallo!" muttered Eph, stepping to a window that looked out on the yard
near the street gate. "What's this coming? A hundred people, at least,
and they look like a mob!"

There was, in truth, a goodly inpouring of people, and fully a dozen of
these new-corners seemed to be trying to talk at the same time.

CHAPTER II

TORPEDO PRACTICE AT LAST

"Perhaps they're coming to make a row about having so much gun-cotton
stored close to the village," hinted Lieutenant Danvers.

The same thought was in Captain Jack Benson's mind. However, they
were not long to be kept in doubt, for Jacob Farnum had moved hastily
to the outer door.

"Good day, friends!" called the shipb