The Submarine Boys for the Flag / Deeding Their Lives to Uncle Sam

chor in Craven's Bay, after having been piloted to anchorage b

ht is keen enough," yawned Eph

and were now to take the night watch tricks, the machinist's dec

. After a while the odor of coffee and steak was in the air. Then, snatching up a bugle, So

t and dress. They came out into the cabin to find Eph trot

chuckled Williamson, as he

maced Eph. "Wait until after breakfast, wh

t of it," laughed the ma

ing in my stom

I?" grumbled Eph, resignedly, then buried his tro

hed Captain Jack, laying down his coffee cup. "If you don't

" demanded Eph, loo

ill stand for

artily in the la

hich every breakfaster had a royal, salt-water appeti

ble. "Tell you what, fellows, we've got to begin to have something like Navy disc

sun-kissed hair had time to pull on his visored cap and button his blouse. No matter what the

a major of engineers, a y

"We're going to try to come in close enough to put

ted the Army officer, and Eph

ruff and Lieutenant Kline were on t

declared the major, as Eph cast off the bow line,

d, as the Army shares with the Na

to do, Kline," said Maj

officer turned

orders, Kline is going to remain on board, today, during the tests. He will give M

e orders to me,

e on shore, out on the neck, to make certain observations regarding

s the narrow strip of land that separat

ight, Mr

, in the military service, Army and Navy titles are not recognized unless conferred by government appointment or commission. Hence,

This morning our tug will be engaged in planting certain submarine mines. Mr. Somers will watch our work of planting. Of course the mines will contain no explosives. You

t, Major,"

are planted. We shall plant four of them, this morning, and Mr. Somers, after seeing each mine planted, will mark down its position on a chart of the bay. He will then

uired, "how are you going to be able to tell whether

, you will cause, a bell to be rung in the camera obscura room over at the fort

d with white oil-cloth, or other white substance. On this white surface is drawn a plan of the harbor to be defended. The position of each mine sunk under the water's surface is indicated on this map against the white background. Each mine is numbered. Overhead is a rev

ure picture of the hostile battleship. Henceforth the officer in command sees to it that the shutter is so operated as to keep the image of the battleship alway

ly approaching the position indicated in the harbor as mine number nineteen; as the officer watches the moving

n-commissioned officer who stands before a board on the wal

replies th

f the battleship passing fairly over the do

eant," calls the Arm

s instant the current traverses the whole length of the wire. The spark has reached the gun-cotton! There is a dull, booming sound; a great column of water shoots up from the surface. In the midst of the commotion the enemy's battleship is rent, and all on board, perhaps killed. The cool, dr

s, and effectively cut the firing wire. If this could be done, then, in war-time, it might be that the sergeant at the wall-board would press the button in vain. No explosion

desired to see whether Eph could come in, knowing the exact locations of each of the four dummy mines, and quickly cut the firing electric w

began to revolve plans rapidly whereby he

nt you so close to the surface of the water that a ripple would show on the camera obscura table. You ca

he periscope a narrow metallic tube is thrust above the water and the shutter turned

beat you, Maj

ant to see today. We shall watch closely, too, and see whether any pla

n order to watch the work and to give Eph any instructions tha

gested Major Woodruff, "I will put you ashore on the ne

k followed the major over the gang

laughingly. "Give a fine account of you

laring red, but wisely

s the "neck" Major Woodruff managed to make

finished the major of engineers, as the tug came to a stop. A small boat wa

tired of waiting, for it was some two hours ere the

into a position sheltered from the ocean winds. So Jack, in the

bly in his eyes, the submarine boy p

very few minutes, the i

fted off i

pt. Yanking out his watch and noting the time, the submarine boy conc

hours," Benson reproached himself. "Then

. Showing just the top of his head above a ridge of sand, Captain

hing else, too, in

of naturally good carriage, was skulking along in front of

aughtsman's board and a book. A strap o

dered Captain Jack Benson, staring hard. "For I hav

rangely haunted the submarine b

ed Benson. "Is he spying on the mine-planting? I wonder? Yes!

hen he threw himself down on the sand, choosing a position in which he

anger brought it to his eyes, close

who had followed, keeping behin

orbed in watching this long stranger that the boy

arine mine hung poised in the air. Then, with a rattle of chains not audib

n his own work, made some observations and some hurried calculations

got a good look, for the first tim

on, savagely, between his teeth. "The fellow i

d and wondered. The thought struck him that this long-legged one might be

were here on honest business, he wouldn't have sneaked out here to get in position. Beside

. Again the slim stranger was all attention. When the crane began to lo

ching intently off over the bay. At his right hand

itement!" grimaced Jack Ben

oard, book and glasses, then, with a panting

ed the slim one, hoar

uit. As he quickened in the chase this stran