The Brighton Boys with the Submarine Fleet | Page 3

over, the entire party repaired to the recruiting station. It did not
take long to get through the formalities there and, needless to say, each
lad passed with flying colors.
"All I want to make sure of," ventured Jack, "is that we get into the
submarine service. I'm strong for that, and so is chum."
There was a twinkle in the eye of Chief Boatswain's Mate Dunn, in
charge of the recruiting station.

"I reckon Uncle Sam might be able to fix it for you," chuckled the
bronzed veteran. "He's fitting out a great submarine fleet to get right in
after the Prussians, and, since you fellows seem so dead set on getting
there, I guess maybe it'll be arranged."
Jack and Ted were in high spirits, and eager to be off for the naval base
at once. Officer Dunn had informed them they might be forwarded to
the nearest navy yard that night with a batch of recruits signed up
during the week. He told them to report back to the recruiting station at
seven o'clock "ready to go."
The boys were anxious, too, to get back to Brighton and break the news.
It was arranged they should spend the dinner hour at the school bidding
farewell and later meet their mothers and fathers at the recruiting
station.
There was a great buzz of excitement in the mess hall at dinner when
the news spread that Jack Hammond and Ted Wainwright had enlisted
in the navy and were soon to leave. As the bell sounded dismissing the
student body from dinner, Cheer Leader Jimmy Deakyne jumped up on
a chair and proposed three cheers for the new recruits. And the cheers
were given amid a wild demonstration.
Out on the campus the boys had to mount the dormitory steps and make
impromptu speeches, and then submit to a general handshaking and
leave-taking all around. "Fair Brighton" was sung, and the familiar old
Brighton yell chorused over and over, with three long 'rahs for Jack
Hammond and three for Ted Wainwright.
"Makes a fellow feel kinda chokey, don't it, chum?" stammered Ted as
he and Jack finally grabbed their bags and edged out through the
campus gate.
They turned for another look at old Brighton. The boys were still
assembled on the dormitory steps singing "Fair Brighton." Up in the
dormitory windows lights were twinkling and the hour hand on the
chapel clock was nearing seven.

"Come on, chum, let's hurry," suggested Jack. They walked in silence
for a moment.
"Pretty nice send-off, Jack," sniffed Ted, finally. "We'll not forget old
Brighton in a hurry."
"And you bet we'll do our best for Uncle Sam and make old Brighton
proud of us," added Jack.
At the recruiting station all was lively. The boys were told they must be
at the depot ready to leave on the seven-thirty express. A score or more
lads were waiting for the word to move, some of them taking leave of
their loved ones, others writing postcards home. Ted's folks were
waiting; Jack's came along in a few minutes.
A special car awaited the recruits at the railway terminal. The girls of
the Winchester Home Guard had decked it in flags and bunting and
stored it with sandwiches and fruit. In another ten minutes the express
came hustling in from the west. A shifting engine tugged the special car
over onto the main line, where it was coupled to the express. All was
ready for the train-master's signal to go.
"Good-by, mother; good-by, dad," the boys shouted in unison as the
wheels began to turn and the train drew out of the train shed. A throng
filled the station, and everyone in the crowd seemed to be waving
farewell to some one on the train. The Winchester Harmonic Band had
turned out for the send-off to the town's boys and it was bravely tooting
"Stars and Stripes Forever."
Soon the train was creeping out into the darkness, threading its way
over the maze of switches and leaping out into the cool country air. All
the boys were in high spirits, mingling boisterously in jolly
companionship, the car ringing with their songs and chatter.
Jack and Ted lounged together in their seat, chatting for a while; and
finally, when the tumult had abated and the boys were getting tired,
dozing away into slumber to dream about the new world into which
they were being carried.

Behind them, Winchester and Brighton! Before them, the stirring life of
"jackies" aboard one of Uncle Sam's warships---bound for the war
zone!

CHAPTER II
DOWN IN A SUBMARINE
Daylight found them rolling through the suburbs of a great city. The
long night ride was nearing an end.
All around them as their train wended its way through the railway yard
were evidences of