"Captain Benson has just invited me to witness something new in the
submarine line."

"What is it?" questioned Mr. Melville.

"I don't know," admitted Jacob Farnum.

"What is it, boy?" demanded Mr. Melville, turning upon Jack. The very
tone in which the word "boy" was uttered was meant to reduce the
youthful captain to confusion, but it had the opposite effect. Though
it brought a quick flush to Jack's cheeks, he answered, courteously:

"It is intended, principally, as a surprise to Mr. Farnum. If I were
to tell, now, it would rob him of much of the pleasure of being
astonished."

To this George Melville did not deign to reply, though he compressed his
lips grimly enough. Don flashed a sneering look at Jack, then observed:

"You're pretty independent for a boy."

"Let Captain Jack alone," drawled Farnum, expelling some cigar smoke
between his lips. "He generally knows what he's doing."

Though there was nothing in the builder's tone at which offense could be
taken, this reply quieted both Melvilles for the time being.

"Come on. We'll all go down to the shore and see what it is," added the
yard's owner.