The Submarine Boys on Duty / Life on a Diving Torpedo Boat

ck o

lessened David Pollard shouted

tdoors would have been barely noticed, was something infernal in volume and s

d had a good chance to see exactly what the

en the craft lay or moved on the surface of the ocean, were to contain only air. Whenever it was desired to sink the torpedo boat, valves operated from the central room of the boat could be opened so that the water tanks would fill, and the

essed air could be forced into the water tanks, expelling all the water in them, or a part

ow the surface the boat was to be propelled by electric power supplied from storage batteries. Below the

had been tested. The gasoline engine was in place, but the fittings had yet to be finished. In the c

nected by the workmen. The final work on the compressed air apparatus was yet to be done by a special crew of workme

n feet in length, could be started on its destructive journey by means of compressed air for

e. Here was a table, while the seats at the side could be arranged also as berths. Out of the cabin, aft, led a narrow passageway. Off this, on either side, were a narrow galley, cupboards, ice-box and toilet room.

ift or hold heavy articles, fetch tools, etc. Still both boys stood this good-humoredly, paying strict attention to orders. David Pollard

of tobacco smoke, ran up the spiral staircase to the manhole, stepping, out upon the platform. As they did so t

here?" questioned the new arriv

. Farnum?"

. We

t us to work he

lied the owner of the yard, amiab

young roustabouts!" sounded Ow

a hit with our forem

to hi

"we can't stand the ringing of hammers all the time, so, for the next job, I think y

rder Jaggers and O'brien to bring forward one of the longer

oon, "this pipe is a small botc

tor, quickly, springing forwar

a half inch too l

er at the machine shop can cut it to fi

reman, pointing. "I'm sorry, sir, but if you want a good job, without any danger of botch,

eight hours, and the launching date is

Pollard, than take any chances of having a bad conn

ay. "Well, come over to the office with me, and w

nventor barely failed to

ed in an as

saying, Benson?" dem

k, quickly. "I'm not foreman here, n

g an opinion about

es,

insisted the inventor. It was strange to ask such a question of a boy helper, but Davi

nson he

ly," persiste

sured both for its own length and the length it ought to be. If there's a good metal saw over at t

arnum. "Send the pipe over, anyway, with the proper

ve anything to do with it, or be responsib

m his pocket. "Benson, you seem to have a clear-headed idea of what you'r

iculty. Jack, with his chum's aid

it," growled Joshua Owen, "you two can

over the side of the hull. When Jack and Hal got the pipe up on their shoulders t

brien. "Boss, leave me go 'an be

e forward end of the pipe, while Benson got back with Hal Hastings at the other end. In about three-quarters of an h

te your own work, Benso

, and call on the men

n the crew, under Jack's direction, had finished fitting the pipe in plac

ts, and in this a red lead cement was used. One

cowling Dan Jaggers, passing a roug

ve?" asked Jack, eyeing

an, "and it's pl

o dry," replied

Owen, angrily, stepping forward. "Mr. Farnum, Mr. Pollard, if

?" asked Mr. Farnu

about the red lead cement,"

nt, Benson?" asked

th red lead cement, and it seemed to me that this stuff is too dry. If I use it, it won't fil

ve no business trying to do a man's work, anyway. Give

, but Mr. Farnum quickly took it from him, then cast a look upward. Asa Partridge, the yard supe

rtridge," hailed the ya

eeper than ever. "Mr.

to make a joint tight w

?" the owner fin

ting, took the chunk of cement, examining it careful

entice ought to know that cement as dry

cement than this around

over plenty. But the use of such stuff as that would leave some jo

turning to the foreman, "you're letting your disli

oshua Owen, in a tempest of rage, as he snatched of

ied to run anything. But any workman is entitled to complain wh

'em again," roared the

e q

ool voice. "When you don't care how you botch a job it's time for you to walk out. Y

t he was really through here, the infuriated man wheeled like a flash, leaping at Jack Benson from behind

l staircase, as Jack Benson leape

e owner. "If you linger, I'll have you helped out of thi

hat fellow gets out of he

en, hoarsely to his nephew,

ed Farnum, mockingly. "You'r

o cool down from their indignation. Then they resumed work, and all w

he encountered Josh Owen and his nephew. The pair had just collected their pay from the super

e neither dodged the pair nor courted a meeting. He would have pa

Ye're going to run into trouble, and quicker than ye think, at that. That old cigar shaped death-trap won't float-not for long, anyway. Al

let go of the boy's arm, and tramped hea