Captain Jack hurried ahead, entered the shore boat and was rowed out
alongside the "Pollard."

"It's all right, fellows," he called, as soon as he boarded. "Everything
ready?"

Receiving assurance that all was ready, Captain Jack turned to wave his
hand to the little group watching from the shore. Two or three minutes
later the "Pollard" slipped slowly away from her moorings, going out
where the little harbor was deeper. Then, the manhole being closed, the
submarine began to sink. Her conning tower was soon out of sight beneath
the surface.

"There's about seventy feet of water, where the boat is going down,"
observed Farnum, to his guests.

"What's the aim of all this mysterious work?" demanded Mr. Melville, with
some irritation.

"You know as much as I do," drawled Farnum, smilingly.

"It seems to me that you allow this young boat tender a good deal of
latitude, and tolerate a good deal of mystery in him," cried the
capitalist, impatiently.

"I have a good deal of confidence in my young _captain_," returned Farnum,
good-humoredly, though with considerable emphasis on the title. "So far
I have never had any need to regret giving Captain Benson rather a free
hand."