responded Jacob Farnum, principal owner of the shipbuilding yard, "I'm
not disposed to grumble if the Government prefers to store its property
here for a while."

Yet the young shipbuilder--he was a man in his early thirties, who had
inherited this shipbuilding business from his father--allowed his eyes
to twinkle in a way that suggested there was something else behind his
words.

Jack Benson saw that twinkle, but he did not ask questions. If the
shipbuilder knew more than he was prepared to tell, it was not for his
young captain to ask for information that was not volunteered.

The second boy present, also in uniform, Hal Hastings by name, had not
spoken in five minutes. That was like Hal. He was the engineer of the
submarine torpedo boat, "Pollard." Jack was captain of the same craft,
and could do all the talking.

Jacob Farnum sat back, sideways, at his rolltop desk. On top of the
desk lay stacked a voluminous though neat pile of papers, letters,
telegrams and memoranda that some rival builders of submarine torpedo
boats might have been willing to pay much for the privilege of examining.
For, at the present moment, there was fierce competition in the air
between rival American builders of submarine fighting craft designed
for the United States Navy. Even foreign builders and inventors were
clamoring for recognition. Yet just now the reorganized Pollard
Submarine Boat Company stood at the top of the line. It had made the
last sale to the United States Navy Department.

At this moment, out in the little harbor that was a part of the shipyard,