Victor G. Durham

“ One of the great indictments found against the submarine torpedo boat is that, when one sinks and cannot be brought to the surface again, the crew must miserably perish. Very humane people shudder at the very idea of ordering men into a craft that may go to the bottom and become the hopeless grave of the crew. Yet the 'Pollard' lies at the bottom of this harbor, and Captain Benson has just come to the surface, laughing and uninjured. ”

“ So the contest was on—the quiet, polite battle that is as old as capital itself. The men who contribute the money expect the control of the business; the men who contribute the ideas and knowledge expect, capital to be satisfied with a good return on its money.
Both sides were silent for awhile. The lawyer, tapping a pencil against his lips, knew that George Melville did not intend to go into the enterprise on any arrangement that did not allow him to gain business control swiftly and surely. ”

“ Farnum won't put that snob in here!" asserted Eph. "Not in charge, anyway. Why, Mr. Farnum couldn't stand the fellow any more than we could."
"Fellows," rejoined Jack, looking at the hot faces of his mates, "we mustn't be too hasty, even in talking among ourselves."
"That fellow's a snob," asserted Eph. "I'll stand by that anywhere."
"I don't know that I'd say that," replied young Benson, who had recovered his calmness. "In the first place, Don Melville has evidently had a golden spoon in his mouth from the day of his birth. He's used to having things his own way. ”

“ Presently a small light, looking as though it might be the glowing end of a cigar, appeared ahead.
"Ah, here is my friend," announced the guide. "Giacomo, here is the young captain."
"Hush! Not too loud," came the soft warning from the man behind the cigar.
As Benson came up this second man held out a hand, which the submarine boy unsuspiciously took, at the same time looking over this second man. He appeared, like the first, to be a laborer at the Melville yard.
"I hear you have some interesting word for me," began Benson. "I—oh, great Scott! How dare you?" ”

“ During these days David Pollard, the inventor who had made this splendid type of submarine boat possible, did not appear. For one thing, he was away in secret, pondering over the invention of further appliances to be tried out on the boat now building. More than that, David Pollard, shy and with no head for affairs, entrusted all new business arrangements to Jacob Farnum, who, he felt sure, could be trusted with a friend's interests.
"It's tough to be poor," grimaced Hal Hastings. ”

“ They recall the dashing, laughable prank that Captain Jack played on one of the big battleships of the Naval maneuvers fleet, and remember the pretty romance, in which the submarine boys aided greatly, through which Mr. Farnum secured beautiful Grace Desmond as his bride. Our readers who have pored over the pages of the preceding volume, in fact, will recall all the many adventures through which Jack, Hal and Eph passed with daring and credit.
All the people in the world move forward—or backward—a bit every day. ”

“ The whole affair—Eph's escape to the surface, the joy of the submarine, party and the blowing of the whistle, were all noted by a spy whom Don Melville had set to the task of watching the Farnum crowd.
Don was equally well aware that David Pollard had been working day and night in his room at Mr. Farnum's house.
"They've discovered something that pleases them mightily," thought Don, sick with rage. "What can it be? I'm going to know, if money has still any power to buy other men's services." ”

“ The "Massapequa" lost headway gradually a hundred feet from where Eph sat solemnly blinking back at the sailors' faces along the forward starboard rail.
An officer's uniform showed at the edge of the bridge, as he called:
"Ahoy, there!"
"Ahoy, yourself," answered Eph. "And another one for courtesy."
"Don't get funny, boy!" admonished the officer on the bridge. "What's the matter with you?"
"Nothing," Somers replied. "But; say! Can you spare a cushion." ”

“ He took out four paper dollars, passing them ruefully between his fingers.
"Why don't you say something, Jack?" demanded Hal. "Dry of words, for once?"
"I'm thinking," responded young Benson, absently.
"Well, it's a sure thing that thinking does less harm than talking," nodded Hal.
"But when a fellow's silent he can't spit out all that's boiling inside of him," snorted Eph Somers. ”

“ Under a hundred fathoms of good salt water!"
"We may like him better when we know him," ventured Jack.
"I'm betting though," put in Hal, thoughtfully, "that we're much more likely to like him less."
"He's a duffer!" snorted Eph.
"We may have to change our minds about that," smiled Jack, dully.
"Ain't he a rich man's son?" demanded Eph, blazing.
"That doesn't make him out a fool or a dullard," retorted the young captain. "Rich men's sons aren't as often fools as they're suspected of being. Some of them are mighty clever. ”

“ The boatbuilder felt carefully over the outside of the clothing of his captive, until his hands encountered the feel of paper.
"I guess this is what I'm looking for," muttered the "Pollard's" builder, thrusting his hand into a pocket and pulling out an envelope. "This looks like the envelope Don Melville handed you, back there up the road. Let us see how much you got for your rascality to-night."
Striking a match, Mr. Farnum drew some banknotes from the envelope, counting them.
"Twenty dollars, for all that dirty work," sneered the boatbuilder. "Young man, you sell yourself too cheaply. ”

“ Farnum's voice!" throbbed the real Jack, all agog with wonder.
Immediately there dashed between the trees a panting boy in a uniform identically like Benson's.
"That you, Hal?" shouted the real Jack.
"Yes," came a hoarse answer.
"What's wrong?"
"Run to Farnum—quick!"
"You're a liar, whoever you are!" retorted Jack, putting himself in motion after the fugitive. "You're not Hal Hastings—nor yet Eph Somers!"
The race was a spirited one. The fugitive ran splendidly, gamely, but Jack Benson's wind had had a long rest, and now he was in the pink of condition for sprinting. ”

“ If you know you can't, then get away. We're not afraid until we're killed."
Now, eight mutineers, in all, lined across the deck, each man showing a revolver.
"Humph! We've got to fight—and can't!" muttered Commander Ennerling, in great disgust.
"We can save those women," muttered Jack Benson, "if they've the nerve to help themselves be saved."
"How?"
"Hal Hastings and I can swim over, and can hold the women up if they have the nerve to leap overboard."
"Those brutes might fire on you, and the women, but it's worth trying," decided the Naval officer, instantly. ”

“ Jack Benson turned, fixing his gaze upon Don's face Jack's look was full of contempt, though he spoke no word.
"Don't try any impudent airs on me," warned Don, flushing, then paling, as his fists doubled.
"Mr. Melville," broke in Jacob Farnum, returning, while David Pollard remained where he was, looking out of the window, "I think we can cut this scene very short. In the first place, in joining us, you demand that we treat with utter injustice bright young employees who have been extraordinarily faithful and devoted." ”

“ Good morning, sir."
"Say, did you ever see that beat?" demanded Eph, all aglow with enthusiasm, as the boys stepped across the yard. "My, but didn't Mr. Farnum call the trick with those fellows?"
"We've been doing a heap of useless worrying over what Don Melville let drop the other day, haven't we?" asked Hal, quietly.
"Fellows," stated Captain Jack, earnestly, "as long as we work for this pair of men I'm never going to be uneasy again over anything but displeasing them. They're bricks! They can count on us, every time!" ”

“ Jacob Farnum exchanged a few words in an undertone with David Pollard.
Now, the boat builder faced about.
"Mr. Melville," he began, "Mr. Pollard and I feel under a debt of deep obligation to Captain Benson and his mates. Boys though they are, they have done much to make the 'Pollard' as famous as it already is. Between an intelligent employer and a capable, honest employe there can be no question about gratitude. I speak for both Mr. Pollard and myself, therefore, when I say that it is our feeling that Captain Benson and his mates must continue in their present positions." ”

“ But the newspapers have produced a big effect on the Navy Department. The makers of other types of submarine boats are green with jealousy of us, just now. Your escaping trick, Jack, has made so much public clamor that Farnum stock is going up all over the country. We'll have some big chances, mighty soon, I'm thinking. If we get the chances, I'm certain enough that you boys will help push us on to victory!"
Happy dreams were these that builder, inventor and crew dreamed! The fever of conquest was in their veins. ”

“ Lawton. "But why are you going so close to the yacht? In their rage, they'll fight like fiends, and you are unarmed."
"We shall see what we shall see," dryly commented the commander, murmuring a few words in Hal Hastings's ear.
Hal promptly dropped down below.
"Selma ahoy!" hailed Ennerling, when the submarine was once more up with the yacht.
"Get quiet and go to sleep!" shouted back the leader of the mutineers, derisively.
"Under the law you mutineers are pirates," shouted back the commander, firmly. "If you don't surrender we shall be compelled to sink you." ”

“ The volunteer firemen beat down the big gate of the yard with lusty blows and rolled the hand engine inside and, coupling the hose, threw a stream of water on a fiercely burning shed. Jack Benson, relieved of his task of pulling the engine, went toward the big shed where the submarine was under construction—at least, there was no other place on the premises that such work could be carried on. ”

“ It ought to be worth more than twenty dollars, just to have to be found with the Melvilles."
Hearing that, Don gnashed his teeth. Like many another rascal, Don wanted people to think well of him.
"Jack," called out the boatbuilder, "see if young Melville has a long, white envelope anywhere about him. In the inside coat pocket, if I remember rightly."
"Don't you dare!" challenged young Melville. But Jack glanced down at him with contempt, retorting:
"I follow only Mr. Farnum's orders. People who follow your orders take too big a risk of having to go to jail." ”

“ Eph was not far behind them.
"Oh, my crew," nodded Mr. Farnum, looking up. "You remember our experiment, the other day, of having a man leave the boat while under water? Some other problems have come up in that connection. So I sent word to the young men, asking them to step over to the office as soon as convenient. I guess they did not quite understand, and were busy at the time, so that they have come over a little too late. I will step to the door, and so inform them."
Here was the diversion for which Mr. Melville had just been wishing.
"Don't dismiss them, please," urged the capitalist. ”

“ Then, by a mighty effort, just as the deafening cheering started, he led the race around the harbor.
"Here, you—Jack Benson!" gasped the yard's owner. "You come in here mighty quick! Give an account of yourself. What was wrong below?"
"Wrong?" hailed back Benson, standing in the bow of the shore boat as it made for shore.
"What were you doing down below, all this time?" demanded Mr. Farnum.
"Doing? Oh, Eph was taking a nap—"
"Taking a nap?"
"Hal was tinkering with the gasoline motor, and I was reading."
"Reading?" fumed Mr. Farnum. "What were you trying to do? Torment the life out of us?" ”

“ Shutting himself up in a room at Farnum's home, depriving himself of much of his needed sleep, often refusing food, David Pollard attacked the problem of perfecting the device that Captain Jack and his mates had originally planned.
Two days later Broughton Emerson arrived. He was a pleasant, portly man of more than fifty years. His manners were quiet and easy. He was affable with everyone, but he had a keen way of looking into things. No one could guess quite what he thought of the chances of success in the enterprise of building submarine boats. ”

“ Melville, would be to encourage, needlessly, competition with your own submarine building."
"Oh, we can merge the two yards, Mr. Farnum," responded the capitalist, with a wave of his hand.
"Some little time ago, Mr. Melville, I would have been very greatly pleased with your offer. Now, Mr. Emerson stands ready with hundreds of thousands of dollars. He knows that a trial trip is being arranged for the Government, and he stands ready to act by the result. If we can sell our first boat to the Government he stands ready to turn over all the money we can possibly use." ”

“ It is always a question of great importance just how far below the surface a submarine torpedo boat may go with safety. The greater the depth the more enormous the pressure of the water. At sufficient depth the water pressure is terrific enough to crush in the hull of the stoutest submarine. At even less depth the pressure may easily start the plates so that the inrush of water will destroy all on board.
Yet Jack Benson's proposition was to send the "Pollard" further and further below the surface, until owner or inventor should order him to stop. ”