The Submarine Boys for the Flag | Page 4

the German, whose brow cleared as he
went on, heavily:
"No, no, my young friend; not officers. But you shall all three have
very honorable positions, and handsome sums of money to pay you for
entering our service. We in Germany know the rank which you young
men have won as submarine experts, and we shall not be niggardly, for
we have determined to have you in our service."
"I hope you'll pardon me," proposed young Benson. "There is just one
point that has been overlooked. You tell me that you are authorized to
come to Dunhaven and kidnap my friends and myself. But, really, how
do I know that you have such authority from your own side of the
water?"
Radberg looked a bit puzzled, for a moment. Then, as he seemed to
begin to comprehend, he replied, heavily:
"Herr Benson, I have already told you that I am Herr Professor--"

"Now, don't hang out the striped pole again, please," urged Jack, his
face as sober as that of a judge. "Come right down to the points of the
compass. How am I to know that you really do represent the German
government?"
"Ach! I comprehend," nodded the German. "Of course you will
understand that, on an errand of this kind, I do not travel with too many
papers. But I shall take you and your two companions on to
Washington to-morrow, I think--"
"To-morrow ought to do as well as any time," replied Jack, ironically.
"Yes; I think it will be to-morrow," continued the German. "I shall take
you to our German Embassy, and one of our officials there will prove
to you that I have been acting with authority."
"That'll be right fine of him," agreed Jack, placidly.
"Ach! It is settled, then," replied the German, all but dismissing the
matter with a wave of his hand. "Yet you must bring your two
comrades here. They must understand just what is wanted of them. And
now, Herr Benson, do you wish to understand what is to be paid to you
to transfer your services to our German flag?"
"Why, yes; that will be mighty important--if we go under the German
flag."
"If you go?" repeated the Professor. "Why, that is all settled!"
"Then I must have missed something, by not watching you closely
enough," murmured Jack. "I shall have to sit up straighter and keep my
eyes wider open. When was it all settled, sir?"
"Why, did you not tell me--"
"Haven't had a blessed chance to tell you anything," replied Jack,
looking astonished. "You've been doing all the telling."
"But you'll go with me, of course, to Washington?" uttered Radberg,

looking much taken aback.
"I doubt it," muttered young Benson, shaking his head. "In fact, sir, I
may as well tell you that it's waste of our time to carry this line of talk
any further."
"Ach! You are cunning," smiled Professor Radberg, no longer
nonplussed. "That is as it should be, too, for you are a clever young
man, Herr Benson."
"A thousand thanks," murmured Captain Jack.
"But, instead of talk," pursued the German, "you wish to see some
money. Quite right! I should, were I in your place, Herr Benson. Well,
then--ach! Look at this."
Thrusting a fat hand down deep in a trousers pocket, Herr Professor
Radberg brought up into view a big roll of money. He held this up so
that the submarine boy could feast his eyes on it. Jack looked,
composedly.
"Did you ever see anything like this--you, who are such a young boy?"
smiled the German, teasingly.
"I--I don't know, really," responded Jack, thoughtfully, thrusting a hand
down into his own trousers pocket. Young Benson brought up into the
light a very comfortable looking handful of banknotes, rolled and
surrounded by a broad elastic band. "Let's measure the two, Professor,
and see how they compare."
"Ach!" muttered the German, regarding Jack's money with some
displeasure. "Where did you get all that?"
"Oh, now, Professor!" cried the young submarine captain, reproachfully.
"I didn't ask you where you got yours!"
"Ach! This is all so much foolishness!" cried the German Professor,
returning his money to his pocket.

"That's what I think, too," agreed Jack, following suit. "It's what our
English cousins call 'bad form,' to go to comparing piles of money."
"Now, sit down, Herr Benson, and I will tell you what a very handsome
sum of money, and what excellent wages, the German government will
pay you to enter our imperial naval service."
"How much money is there in Germany?" interrupted the submarine
boy, thoughtfully.
"How much, in all Germany?" demanded the Professor. "Nein! How
should I know?"
"You expect me, of course, to turn my back on this country for good, to
tell you Germans whatever I may know about submarine secrets,