The Submarine Boys and the Spies Dodging the Sharks of the Deep

e sighted

N

n be the

oing to the bottom. Possibly th

young woman. "Try not

or

laughed as h

similar questions. None of the answers were satisfa

n of the winter knows Spruce Beach. It is one of nature's most beautiful spots on the eas

balmy. Health grows rapidly at this favored spot, and so fashion has seized upon it as her own. True,

hey are gratified. From the first of December to the middle of March, life at Spruce Beach makes you think of a great, jolly, unending picnic

er enjoyed before. The Pollard Submarine Boat Company, so named after David Pollard the inventor-the company of which Jacob Farnum, the shipbuilder, was president-had promised tha

submarine craft of war was known to be a boy of sixteen-Ja

nson. Though so young he had, after a stern apprenticeship, actually succeeded i

bmarine boat, were sometimes reminded that the same thing happens at the United States Naval Academy at Annapoli

t, two other sixteen-year-old boys, by name Hal Hastings and Eph Somers. It was also rumored, and nearly as often believed, that t

ach that the "Benson" was due to arrive on this December day and the whole picni

kbound harbor just north of the beach. It was to be the pleasant duty of the naval officer commanding the "Waverl

," in honor of the enterprising young shipbuilder who had financed this big undertaking. And now Spruce Beach was awaiting the arrival

vessel's decks there now promenaded some two score of ladies and their escorts from shore, and on the hurricane deck lounged musicia

e!" cried a woman to one of the naval

d," laughed Lieutenant Featherstone. "I wonder whether t

as clever as some of the newspapers have mad

l Academy," replied Lieutenant Featherstone, "the young men must be ve

beach. Smoke had been sighted off on the eastern hor

received it with broad smiles. The leader of the impromptu band raised his baton, rapping for attentio

ed, nevertheless, "don't imagine that your music is to welcome the '

not indicate the whereabouts of the expected submarine. Half and hour later

n, was the

nd time when he had an appointment to get anywhere. Nor did that

own by her submersion gauge, was running along at six miles

he conning tower, beyond which, at that depth, he could not see a thing. However, a shaded incandescent light dr

g every movement of even as trusted and capable a man as W

anned a chart. His right hand held a pair of nickeled dividers. Near his left

the Farnum shipyard and president of the Pollard Submarine Bo

ine Boys on Duty," was related how all these people came together; how the boys, by sheer force of character "broke into" the submarine boating world. In that volume

marine Boys' Trial Trip." In this book, bristling with adventures, and made lighter, in spots, by accounts of humorous doings, was told how the boys

marine boys served as instructors in submarine work to the young midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Nor was this accomplished without serious, and even sensational, opposition from the

es were now destined to adventures greater and further reaching than any of which they could have dreamed. In advance, this winter trip to Spruce Beach pro

plan that you're trying

m, at

?" asked the young skipper, look

y,

the inventor of these

or at Spruce Beach in this fashion, and carry through our entire plan successful

s only the pesky little 'if' that's bothering me at

re not, sir," Captain Jac

is not the greatest risk that I have in mind. On board this craft are five people without whom it would be rather hopeless for anyone to go on building the Pollard type of boat. Therefore, besides risking a valuable craft and our own rather inconsequential li

oint, sir," cried

Farnum, looking at his young

known as the parent ship. Yet we've come, straight from the shipyard at Dunhaven, many hundreds of miles, without any such escort. We've been running along under our own power, night and day, without accident, stop or bother. Thus we've shown that the Pollard boat can do things that no other submarine craft are ever trusted to try alone. And now, all that remains to show is that, at the end of a long voyage, we can approach a coast, unseen

does," murmured David Pollard, thrusting h

in," laughed Jacob Farnum. "I wonder,

them," nodded Capta

y n

it all, da

both agree

arnum. They saw the beauty a

scheme are plain enough to me. We'll have the people at Spruce Beach agape with curiosity, then wild with enthusiasm. And, really, to be sure, we ha

e?" called the inventor,

," replied the shipbuilder. "We're not

t any detail in our little game, or he couldn't go to sleep at this important time. I know I couldn't get a wink of sl

ulation of their whereabouts. It is one thing to be in the open air, navigating a vessel, but it is quite anothe

e, Eph?" Captain Jack calle

Somers, almost gruffly, for with him, to depart from

table. Obeying the summons, quiet Hal Has

eed, Hal?" the yo

revolution per minute," H

loying the scale rule and dividers, the young s

hree quarters of an hour," Benson rem

oung submarine skipper climbed up

course, eh, lad?"

it," ret

Jack Benson, bending forward. With his righ

Eph, until I come up again,"

ace?" demanded Som

ose," nodd

expelling the water gradually from those same tanks. This was the means by which the submarine boat rose to the surfa

ere, Eph?" he ca

ood daylight filtering down throug

he had still another piece of apparatus to call into p

hed up through the top of the conning tower, through a special, water-proof cylinder

ther mirrors, which pass along any image reflected on the uppermost mirror of all. At the bottom of the per

e he was able to see anything above the surface of the wate

d see the beach, the flag-bedecked hotels, and the moving masses of people on the shore. Yet, all this time, he was out at sea, more than a mi

a peep," de

briefly, th

over yonder, wondering what

anchor to the north of the hote

ave an awakening on that

ip in our calculations,"

to make any slip," asse

I want to do a little calculating be

t below the surface. Nothing but the slender shaft and the sma

alculation made. Then, with

r part. I'll take the wheel, now, and Mr. Pol

below. He had a part assigned to h

down the young skipper

Captai

ws just fourteen feet. That's the greatest depth

ack. Fourteen f

how the exact depth of water at every point in the harbor at low tide. Thus, the chart of the harbor just north of Spruce

e youthful commander could feel quite certain that he would be in no

as the same spirit of expectancy that there

ever, impatient. In fact, he stood at the rail, aft, a pretty girl besi

," drawled the l

ed, though he did

ths shot a Carroty-topped boy, hi

ed the girl. "Where d

hing the lieutenant in his swift look, "wher

ung man?" called down M

, lazily; "I belong aboard the 'Benson,' and I've been

ed the lieutenant, incredulous

ing,

the lieutenant

hing, then blowing a stream of water from his mouth. "The '

k came into his face as a suspicion of the truth flashed into his mi

was a little flurry in the waters, then a part

ort rail of the gunboat the new subma

means of the clever trick worked out by Jack Benson and his

k Benson, natty as a tailor's model, in his newest unif

e got you, won't you, sir?" sho

had happened dawned in the minds of thousands of people at about the same