Part 9 (1/2)

”No; I' up to the store to pick out a s on a cruise, and Ito read”

”I wonder if you know more than you've toldI'uessing”

Hal didn't say any more, but accoe for each of them to carry when they came out Then they headed down, toward the shi+pyard

It ell on toward one o'clock by the tiate into the yard

”Mr Farnum is still at his office That's late for hiuessinglist, too,” laughed Benson

The night watchman ca gentlemen,” announced the watchman

So Jack and Hal turned in there As they entered the office a scene of ”solid comfort” ing in easy chairs, s Havanas until the air was thick and white with the s orders, Jack,” announced Farnu at his watch ”I can pull out inside of twelve hed Farnu

Where do you suppose you're going?”

”I don't know, sir”

”Curious, Jack?”

”I don't care where we're going,” Benson smiled back ”When it's a matter of business all parts of the earth look alike to hed heartily

”Benson, lad,” exclaiot the real make-up to serve in the Navy It's a pity we had to lose you”

”Don't be too sure yet, sir, that the Navy has escaped having me,”

sht in the ot back this evening, and he goes with us We take both the 'Benson' and the 'Hastings' Eph will have to command one of the boats, I suppose?”

”Yes, sir; and he'll have to be notified at once, too,” replied the young submarine commander

”He's on one of the craft now,” replied Mr Farnuuest, only, and will not have to help in handling the boats His twoturns We've a four hundred and eighty mile sail before us, down to Groton Bay”

”I know of the place, sir,” nodded Jack, without emotion or enthusiasm

But Jacob Farnum's next words all but lifted the submarine boys from their feet

”Jack, my boy, and you, too, Hal, at Groton Bay you will have to h an official test for the United States Government We shall be in competition with five other types of submarine boats--the Rhinds, the Seawold, the Griffith, and the Blackson and Day We shall have to nized types of submarine boats made in the United States”