g all the Congressmen and
Senators of our state at work. Fred, I have just about all of the
Congressional delegation from our state pestering the Secretary of the
Navy until we get our order. The Congressmen from our own state will
be glad to see me get the business."

"Why?"

"Don't be a simpleton, Radwin! If we have to build a dozen submarines,
we have to hire a lot of workmen, don't we? And I'm always careful to
engage workmen who have votes. Besides, such a volume of business
would turn loose a lot of new capital and wages in our part of the state.
Oh, we can trust our Congressmen, Fred, to get us a big slice of this
submarine business."

"I hope our miss-fire trick, out at sea day before yesterday, won't hurt
our chances any," whispered Fred Radwin, musingly. "Why did you do
that fool thing?" whispered Rhinds, with a dark look at his secretary.

"Why did I fail, you mean?" hissed Radwin. "Oh, don't try to throw any
reproaches at me, now. You were willing enough to help me send that
torpedo over at the 'Hastings.'"

"I can't understand how the torpedo missed," shivered Rhinds.

"Well, you were at the wheel," retorted Radwin in a low undertone. "You
held the nose of the boat true enough, too, I guess, when I let the
torpedo drive. But that infernal Jack Benson was on the watch, and he
saw the thing coming. Of course he stopped his boat and put the
reverse clutch on just in the nick of time. That young Benson always
appears to be in the nick of time!"

"So much so," wavered John Rhinds, "that I'm beginning to feel decidedly
superstitious about that young fellow. He'll land us, yet, in something,
and ruin us."

"No, he won't!" hissed Radwin, sharply. "Benson hasn't landed us yet,
has he? And he's not going to, either! I've one or two rods in pickle
for that forward young scamp, and I'll serve him to a fare-you-well yet!
Rhinds, I may yet find a way that will insure our getting _all_ the
submarine orders!"

"You're ingenious enough, I know, Fred," admitted the older man, in a
worried voice. "I hope you'll win for us. It will be money enough in
your pocket to satisfy even you, Fred. Still, I'm worried by the way
your plans against Benson have already missed fire."

Out in the hallway, at that moment, they heard a voice that made them
both start. The voice was not loud, but it was angry, determined, and
carried well. It was the voice of a man sweeping aside the objections
of a hotel serva