"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."