The Submarine Boys' Lightning Cruise / The Young Kings of the Deep

nge

in the ice; or it might have been near rapi

oor of the shed, meant danger in the most terrible form. It was the so

yard in which the Pollard submarine boats were built, and this shed contained some two dozen Whitehead su

of seventeen, each in natty blue uniforms and caps resembling those worn by naval officers, crossed the y

son, stopping before the door and fumbli

on in this old shed," smiled Hal Hastings. "Th

in life look like a really dangerous one," muttered Ja

sufficient danger, just in going out on the ocean in a

d Captain Jack. "Really, riding around in a submarine craft seems as

nds of gun-cotton on board," smiled Hal, "I don't suppo

ing it open. Then both young

ng person, to make certain that neither boy was like

boats. They had operated such craft, when awake, and had dreamed of doing it when asleep. Being youths of inten

o, fired below the water, and traveling under the surface, to make the torpedo bo

the actual torpedo. An officer of the United States Navy, especially detailed for the work, was expected hourly at Dunhaven. The three submarine boys were eager for their first ta

with which the first work was to be done. As Jack stepped about the shed, looking to

ember of the crew, however, named Williamson. He was a grown man, a machinist who had been long in Fa

country. He had taken a midwinter vacation, and had gone to visit his mother. N

"Williamson ought to be here not later than to-morrow

on the light crust of snow outside. The

f angels!"

ad to see you back," haile

s they shook hands all around. Then, as they fell to chatting, the machinist seated himself

g about. "We're just waiting for that Navy man, and then we're goin

ong. The older one was named the "Benson," after Captain Jack. But the latest one to be launched, which had had its full tr

cern, drew a pipe out of one of his pockets, filled it, and stuck the stem between his lips. Next, he stru

inquired the machinist, still sittin

enson caught, in his nostrils

out his mouth. All that part of the face showed white and pallid. Just a second or two later Hal

ded low, yet hard and metallic. One would hav

ed, "just step outside

em between his teeth, rose and walked out into the open. With an almost inarticulate yell Captain Ja

oor way; then paused, grasping the edge

at?" demanded the machinist, angrily, leaping to his feet an

r," ordered Hal Hastings, poi

oor was open and swung back when I came along, so I couldn't see any

pen keg that you were sitting on?" de

ed the machin

any sparks from your pipe had dropped down and set the baggin

amson, beginning to

roof. But the smaller explosion would have touched off the two tons and a half of gun-cotton in those Whitehead torpedoes. That would

the machinist, his face now

fter a

uble stored in that shed,

ened to be swung open, so that you couldn't see it. Yet I guess you'r

idea!" demanded Williamson, beginning

expect to have very muc

re the explosive, and it

t. You're not afraid to

are

at the young skip

per cent. good on nerve? Though I'll admit that my appetite for smoking won't be good when I'm near this she

e scene, and drills us in using torpedoes," Captain Benson answered. "

into the harbor," grinned the machini

ipper Jack. "It won't do any harm to have the machiner

e silk stored on board the new craft?" inqui

ous than gasoline,"

particular about not going to work near any stuff that has such a big idea of itself t

skiff and pulling himself out to the newer of the pair of very capable sub

ad quietly swung the sh

, "Danger," was once

o do now!" asked youn

time wondering where t

ain

then. Mr. Farnum may have

ombination of first officer, steward and general utility man on board t

llard," after David Pollard, the inventor of the craft and of its successors. By the time that the "Pollard" was ready for launching Jack and Hal had made themselves so valuable to their employer that the boys were allowed to take to the water with the boat when it left the stocks. Eph Somers, freckle-faced and sunny aired, was a Dunhaven boy who had fairly won his way aboard the same craft by his many sided ab

ships. Captain Jack conceived and carried out a most laughable trick against one

and its submarine business, with a series of startling plots that the submarine boys were instrumental in balking. The submarine boat itself passed some of the severest trials that could be invented, yet the trials through which the builders and the submarine boys passed were far greater. Yet, in the end, just as Mr. Farnum an

of the Naval Academy how to operate boats of this class. That narrative was unusually full of adventures, including the laughable recital of how Eph innocently brought down upon the trio a first-class sample of

. In this volume it was related how Captain Jack's very life was at stake, from the foreign spies gathered at Spruce Beach to pry into the secrets of the mysterious submarine. Here the United States Secret Service officers were called in to aid, yet it was Captain Jack and his friends who contributed to the full success of the government sleuths. At this period o

resence of the heavily charged torpedoes at the shipyard there had been nothing like excitement, for some

building of the shipyard, Jacob Farnum, the own

ck, cheery greeting. "I was

edly, "as to when that cold-molasses

office sounded

y," grinned Mr. Farnum

d States sailors, standing at ease near the door. In a chair near Mr. Farnum's desk sat a third man, dressed in ordi

broadly, "I want to present my submarine boys to

very red face, holding out his hand. With a quiet smile, Lieutenant Frank

staken about the mol

. "However, my delay in getting here was due entirely to delay in off

ith a bang. Hal looked out into the corri

t to the 'Hastings,' telling me that it will be all right there. So I light my pipe on the platform deck and go below. Great Jehosh! The first thing I run on to is a couple of

voice died out. "You're always safe, man, in following any lead that Captai

zles with artillery-felt, or some other explod

hey're aboard just for dummy torpedo practice. There isn't

at the machinist with

ly out through the doo

proposed Lieutenant Danvers, "and make

d Skipper Jack, with a laugh. "That'll give Willia

nk me too much like cold molasses"-Jack winced-"I would propose that we start at a little after

suits you, Lieutenant,

g with us to-day, ar

actice on one of our boats. And I'm almost ashamed of Dave Pollard. That fellow, instead of being here, is away somew

out on the yard near the street gate. "What's this comin

ople, and fully a dozen of these new-corners