The Submarine Boys Trial Trip | Page 8

of a crew of a
boat that can't be made to rise. Gentlemen, there's still another side to it.
Under actual war conditions, with a submarine boat guarding a coast or
harbor entrance, if the commander of the boat brought the conning
tower above the surface, the presence of the boat would be detected on
a clear day. But the head of a swimmer rising from the boat could not
be observed at any very great distance. Yet the swimmer could make
out the hull or masts of a hostile vessel some miles away. This new
trick is likely to make submarine boats much more valuable to the
countries owning them. Now, I want to try something else, and see
whether I can do it."
The shore boat put in when called. In the bow was a hundred-pound
anchor, with plenty of cable to pay out after it. Captain Jack entered the
boat, looked over the anchor tackle, then returned to shore.
"Come to me where I stop," he directed the men in the boat. With that,
after getting his bearings fully, he swam out, counting his strokes as he
went.
"It's about here that I came up," he called, pausing and treading water
easily. "Bring the boat here."
Clambering aboard, he directed the casting of the anchor overboard.
Then, poising himself at the bow, he made a strong dive, vanishing
under the water.
"What's he going to do now?" asked Mr. Melville, curiously.
"I'd rather wait than guess," smiled Mr. Farnum.

For just an instant Don Melville looked, as he felt, green with envy.
Some moments passed. Then, not far from the spot where the "Pollard"
had gone down, her conning tower appeared once more. That was
followed by the emergence of the platform deck and upper hull above
the water. In another moment the tower manhole was opened, and Jack
Benson, with a wave of the hand, stepped out, his bathing suit changed
for his uniform. He lifted his cap in a joyous salute to those on shore.
"By Jove, Jack, but you're a wonder!" shouted Mr. Farnum across the
water. "I'll have Dave Pollard excited when I write him about this thing.
But you have me guessing how the trick was done."
Once more Benson signaled the small boat in close, after the anchor
had been lifted. Now, the young submarine captain came in to shore.
"You come on board with me, Mr. Farnum?" invited Jack.
"Are you going to show him how you worked the trick?" demanded Mr.
Melville, quickly.
"Yes, sir."
"Then I believe we'll all come on board."
"I--I am sorry, sir." Jack hesitated. "If anyone but Mr. Farnum comes
aboard I shall show nothing. Later on, when Mr. Farnum and I have
talked this matter over--"
"Are you going to stand for this boy's nonsense, Farnum?" broke in the
capitalist, angrily.
"I guess I shall have to," responded the builder, with the pronounced
drawl which, with him, was a sign that he was close to inward anger.
"Mr. Melville, I must beg you to remember that the secret, whatever it
is, belongs, so far, to Captain Benson. You may not approve, but I think
he is wholly right in this instance."
The capitalist bowed stiffly. He and his son remained on the shore as

Farnum embarked with his young employe. They were soon on board
the "Pollard," which was not long in sinking. Then, after a few minutes,
Jack's head once more shot above the water. The shore boat was
waiting, and again dropped the anchor close to where the boy had come
up. Jack stood in the boat for a few minutes, taking in deep breaths and
sunning his wet skin. Then, for the second time, he dived below the
surface.
Five minutes afterward the "Pollard" was at the surface and moving
back to her moorings. Mr. Farnum and Captain Jack returned to the
shore. The boatbuilder's face was glowing with delight.
"You saw our young captain come up while I was with the 'Pollard'
down on the bottom, didn't you?" inquired the yard's owner.
"Yes," admitted Mr. Melville, grudgingly, while Don half scowled,
then turned his head away. "But how is the thing done?"
"That," replied Jacob Farnum, courteously, "at the request of Captain
John Benson, must remain a secret for the present."
"Oh!" said the capitalist, but his tone was ominous.
CHAPTER III
MR. MELVILLE HURLS THE CRASH
It was really a wonderful, even if a very simple, revolution in the
handling of submarine boats that Jack Benson had thought out.
Up to that time many scores of lives had been lost, in different parts of
the world, when the crews of submarine boats had found, for one
reason or another, that they could not raise their craft from the bottom
of