The Submarine Boys for the Flag

The Submarine Boys for the Flag,
by Victor G.

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Victor G. Durham
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Title: The Submarine Boys for the Flag Deeding Their Lives to Uncle
Sam
Author: Victor G. Durham

Release Date: November 15, 2005 [eBook #17059]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
SUBMARINE BOYS FOR THE FLAG***
E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig

Note: This is book six of eight of the Submarine Boys Series.

THE SUBMARINE BOYS FOR THE FLAG
Deeding Their Lives to Uncle Sam
by
VICTOR G. DURHAM
1910

CONTENTS
CHAPTERS
I. "Do You Speak German?" II. "French Spoken Here" III. The Man
Who Marked Charts IV. Jack's Queer Lot of Loot V. Sighting the
Enemy VI. Flank Movement and Rear Attack VII. A Lesson in
Security and Information VIII. Eph Feels Like Thirty Tacks IX. Jack
Plays with a Volcano X. "Mr. Grey" Makes New Trouble XI. Facing
the Secretary of the Navy XII. Navy Officers for an Hour or a Day XIII.
Commander of a U.S. Gunboat! XIV. The Bow Gun Booms and Eph
Puts Off XV. "The Right Boat and the Right Crew!" XVI. The Duel
Through the Door XVII. The Last Hour of Command XVIII. Eph Bets
an Anchor Against a Fish-Hook XIX. Jack's Caller at the United
Service Club XX. The Girl in the Car XXI. Daisy Huston Decides for
the Flag XXII. The Part of Abercrombie R.N. XXIII. "Foreign Trade"
Becomes Brisk XXIV. Their Lives Deeded to the Flag
CHAPTER I
"DO YOU SPEAK GERMAN?"
"Hey, there, Mister!" called out Jabez Holt, from one of the two office

windows in the little hotel at Dunhaven.
As there was only one other man in the office, that other man guessed
that he might be the one addressed.
With a slight German accent the stranger, who was well-dressed, and
looked like a prosperous as well as an educated man, turned and
demanded:
"You are calling me?"
"I reckon," nodded Jabez.
"Then my name is Herr Professor--"
"Hair professor?" repeated Jabez Holt, a bit of astonishment showing in
his wrinkled old face. "Hair professor? Barber, eh? Why, I thought you
was a traveler. But hurry up over here--do you hear me?"
"My good man," began the German, stiffly, drawing himself up to his
full six-foot-one, "it is not often I am affronted by being addressed
so--"
"There! He'll be outer sight in another minute, while you are arguin'
about your dignity!" muttered Holt. "And that's the feller you said you
wanted to see--Jack Benson."
"Benson?" cried the German, forgetting his outraged dignity and
springing forward. "Benson?"
"That's him--almost up to the corner," nodded Landlord Jabez Holt.
"Run out and bring him back with you," directed Herr Professor
Radberg. "Be quick!"
"Waal, I guess you're spryer'n I be," returned old Jabez, with a shrewd
look at his guest. "Besides, it's you that wants the boy."
Running back and snatching up his hat, Professor Radberg made for the

street without further argument.
Moving along hastily, the German soon came in sight of young Captain
Jack Benson, of the Pollard Submarine Torpedo Boat Company.
"Ach, there! Herr Benson!" shouted the Professor.
Hearing the hail, Jack Benson turned, then halted.
"You are Herr Benson, are you not?" demanded Professor Radberg, as
soon as he got close enough.
"Benson is my name," nodded Jack, pleasantly.
"Then come back to the hotel with me."
"You are a foreigner, aren't you?" asked Jack, surveying the stranger
coolly.
"I am German," replied Radberg, in a tone of surprise.
"I thought so," nodded the boy. "That is, I didn't know from what
country you came. But, in this country, when we ask a favor of a
stranger, we usually say 'please.'"
"I am Herr Professor--"
"Oh, barbers are just as polite as other folks," Jack assured him, his
laughing eyes resting on the somewhat bewildered-looking face of the
German.
"Then please, Herr Benson, come back to the hotel with me."
"Yes; if it's really necessary. But why do you want to go to the hotel?"
"Because, Herr Benson, when we are there, I shall have much of
importance to say to you."
"Important to me, or to you?" asked Jack, thoughtfully.

He had no intention of answering a much older man disrespectfully.
But there was about Herr Radberg the air of a man who expects his
greatness to be recognized at a glance, and who demands obedience
from common people as a right. This sort of thing didn't fit well