The Submarine Boys Lightning Cruise | Page 4

the boat. Some notable cruises were
made, in which the great value of the Pollard type of submarines was
splendidly proved, thanks largely to the cleverness of the boys who
handled her.
The "Pollard" was present during naval manoeuvres of a fleet of United
States warships. Captain Jack conceived and carried out a most
laughable trick against one of the battleships, which attracted public

attention generally to this new craft.
In the second volume of the series, "The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip,"
our readers found the young men engaged in giving further and much
more startling demonstration to naval officers of the full value of the
Pollard type of boat. Incidentally, it was told how a grasping financier
attempted to get control of the Farnum shipyard 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 and his associates were about to go to the wall,
financially, the Navy Department purchased and paid for the "Pollard."
In this volume was also told how Jack and his friends were the first to
discover a simple, yet seemingly mysterious, method of leaving and
entering a submarine boat at will when it lay on the bottom of the
ocean.
Then, in "The Submarine Boys and the Middies," was related how
Captain Jack and his chums secured the prize detail of going to
Annapolis with the company's new boat, the "Farnum," there to teach
the midshipmen 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 hazing by Uncle Sam's naval cadets. Captain Jack
had many startling adventures with the secret agent of a rival submarine
company, who sought to discredit and disgrace the young commander
of the submarine boys.
In the volume preceding this, entitled "The Submarine Boys and the
Spies," the third of the company's boats, the "Benson," named in honor
of the young captain, was discovered in Florida waters. This newest
submarine had been sent to Spruce Beach, in December, to undergo
some tests and to give an exhibition, the U.S. gunboat, "Waverly" being
on hand to act as host. 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 of his career Captain Jack's greatest
dangers came through the wiles of charming women spies, especially
one beautiful young Russian woman, Mlle. Sara Nadiboff, easily the
most clever of all international spies. Yet the cleverness of the
submarine boys carried them successfully, and with highest honor,
through the gravest situations in their eventful, young careers.
Just at this particular time the young men had been going through dull
days. Beyond the fact of the mere presence of the heavily charged
torpedoes at the shipyard there had been nothing like excitement, for
some time. This dullness, however, was destined to turn, suddenly, into
the most intense and exciting activity.
As Jack pushed open the outer door of the office building of the
shipyard, Jacob Farnum, the owner, happened to be bustling through
the corridor.
"Hallo, boys!" came his quick, cheery greeting. "I was just about to
send for you."
"Any word," queried Jack, good-humoredly, "as to when that
cold-molasses naval officer is going to be here!"
From within the office sounded a light laugh.
"You'll see him shortly," grinned Mr. Farnum. "But come in, boys."
As the three submarine boys entered the office, in a group, their glances
fell upon two men, in the uniform of United States sailors, standing at
ease near the door. In a chair near Mr. Farnum's desk sat a third man,
dressed in ordinary citizen attire. He was a man of about twenty-eight,
dark, smooth-faced, slender of figure, yet broad-shouldered.
"Lieutenant Danvers," called Mr. Farnum, smiling broadly, "I want to
present my submarine boys to you. First of all, Jack Benson, our young
captain."

Realizing that his question had been overheard, Jack went forward with
a very red face, holding out his hand. With a quiet smile, Lieutenant
Frank Danvers, U.S. Navy, took the boy's hand. Then Hal and Eph
were presented.
"I see that I was mistaken about the molasses," laughed Jack.
"Nothing as sweet as all that about the Navy, eh?" smiled Mr. Danvers.