Part 3 (1/2)

”Yes, that certainly will stir up some feeling,” replied Mr. Pollard.

”In fact, it will make it very difficult for you to get along with Owen, for he thinks a lot of that disagreeable, bullying nephew of his.

Yet, Benson, I like you a whole lot better for your honesty.”

The inventor was silent for some moments, puffing slowly at a pipe, and then he removed the stem from between his teeth and continued:

”You've made a good impression upon me, both of you, and particularly with what you say about giving young fellows and young boats a chance to prove themselves. You talk like youngsters with some experience and some ideas in the matter of machinery. I admire your honesty. I also like what you say about the need Farnum and I will have, in the future, of young men who will understand our boats thoroughly. I don't know what you can do until we try you out.”

He took a few more thoughtful pulls at his pipe and resumed: ”See here, you come to the yard at eight o'clock in the morning, ready to do anything that's wanted of you. I won't wire, but I'll write, to-night, to the references you've given. If we find you're not of much use we'll drop you. If your references don't turn out to be unusually good, out you go! But, if you make good, you'll have your chance. It's just your fighting chance, you understand. I'll fix the matter with Mr.

Farnum.”

”And the foreman?” smiled Jack, wistfully.

Mr. Pollard looked grave as he answered:

”Look out not to invite any trouble with Joshua Owen, and avoid trouble with Jaggers, who works in the boat-fitting crew. I think we can get over the effects of your little trouble this afternoon. And now, boys, give me the addresses of your references, and I'll write at once.”

A few moments later the chums bade the inventor good night, then hurried to their own room, though not to retire at once.

”Well!” demanded Jack Benson, his face radiant, as he thought of their ”fighting chance.”

”It was the way you put the whole matter to Pollard,” replied Hal Hastings. ”Jack, you're a wonder with your tongue. I believe you could talk a hole through a thick board fence.”

”We've got our chance, anyway. And, oh, Hal! I believe it's going to be our real chance in life!”

”You'll soon be as wild about the 'Pollard' as the inventor himself,”

laughed Hastings, good-naturedly.

”It isn't going to be just the one boat, Hal,” urged his chum, seriously.

”It's the whole big problem of submarine warfare. It's going to be _the_ warfare of the future, old chum! And, starting this early, we may become Pollard's real experts--his leading men when he's famous, successful and rich! We may even become his partners, through getting up improvements on his ideas. Hal, boy, we may even put through our own design of submarine boat one of these days.”

”It'll be huge fun, anyway, if we can get a chance to cruise on a submarine boat-under water and all!” glowed young Hastings. ”Say, there must be a wonderful thrill to going down deep in the ocean.”

Thus they talked for another hour. It was very late when the two turned in, nor did they go to sleep at once. Yet, when the half-past six call came in the morning, both boys turned out in a jiffy. Excitement took the place of rest with them. They breakfasted with appet.i.te.

Shortly after half-past seven, though the yard was so near, Jack and Hal set out for their first day's work at boat building.

The gate was open, though the yard, as they stepped inside, had a deserted look. The partly finished hulls of two schooners lay on the ways down by the water front. There were half a dozen sloops in various stages of completion. There were two houses, close to the water's edge in which, as the boys afterwards learned, motor boats were built. But it was a rough shed, more than twenty feet high, and at least one hundred and twenty feet long, running down to the sh.o.r.e, that instantly caught Jack Benson's glance.

”There's where they must be putting the 'Pollard' in shape,” he cried, eagerly, as he pointed. Both youngsters hurried toward that shed. As they reached it the inventor came into sight around the end. He was hollow-eyed, though alert; he looked even more worried than he had looked the night before.

”Ah, good morning, boys,” was his greeting. ”Early on hand, I see.”

”When a fellow's whole heart is set on a thing, he isn't likely to lie abed until the last moment, is he, Mr. Pollard?” inquired Benson.

That speech impressed the inventor most favorably. _He_ could appreciate enthusiasm.

”Come inside, and I'll show you something,” he said, producing a key and leading the way to a door in the side of the shed.

Through the long, high windows of the shed an abundance of light fell.