Part 7 (1/2)
”It looks that way, doesn't it?” laughed the young skipper.
”And you're the captain?”
”Yes; but I can't undertake to handle Mr. Farnum's business for him.”
”You'll let me go aboard the craft to sleep for to-night, anyway?” coaxed Truax.
”Why, that's just what I'm not at liberty to do,” replied the young submarine captain. ”No; I couldn't think of that, in the absence of Mr.
Farnum's order.”
”But that doesn't seem hardly fair,” protested Truax. ”See here, I have spent all my money getting here. I haven't even the price of a lodging with me, and this isn't a summer night.”
”Why, I'll tell you what I'll do,” Benson went on, feeling in one of his pockets. ”Here's a dollar. That'll buy you a bed and a breakfast at the hotel up the street. If you want to get aboard with us in time, you'd better show up by eight in the morning.”
”But-”
”That's really all I can do,” Jack Benson hastily a.s.sured the fellow. ”I'm not the owner of the boat, and I can't take any liberties. Oh, wait just a moment. I'll see if there's any chance of Mr. Farnum coming back to-night.”
Jack knew well enough that there wasn't any chance of Mr. Farnum returning, unless possibly at a very late hour with the naval officers, but the boy had seen the night watchman peering out through the gateway.
Retracing his steps, Jack drew the night watchman inside, whispering:
”Just a pointer for you. You've seen that man on the street with us? He has a letter from Mr. Pollard to Mr. Farnum, but I wouldn't let him in the yard to-night, unless Mr. Farnum appears and gives the order.”
”I understand,” said the night watchman, nodding.
”That's all, then, and thank you.”
Jack Benson hastily rejoined the others on the sidewalk.
”I don't believe, Mr. Truax, it will be worth your while to come here earlier than eight in the morning. Better go to the hotel and tie up to a good sleep. Good night.”
”Say, why did you take such a dislike to the fellow?” queried Eph, as the three submarine boys strolled on up the street, Truax following slowly at some distance in the rear.
”I didn't take a dislike to him,” Jack replied, opening his eyes wide.
”You choked him off mighty short, then.”
”If it looked that way, then I'm sorry,” Benson protested, in a tone of genuine regret. ”All I wanted to make plain was that I couldn't pa.s.s him on to our precious old boat without Mr. Farnum's order.”
Truax plodded slowly along behind the submarine boys, a cunning look in the man's eyes as he stared after Jack Benson.
”You're a slick young man, or else a wise one,” muttered Truax. ”But I think I'm smart enough to take it out of you!”
Nor did Sam Truax go to the hotel. He had his own plans for this evening-plans that boded the submarine boys no good.