It was well along in the afternoon, a little past the middle of October.
For our three young friends, Jack, Hal and Eph, things were dull just
at the present moment. They were drawing their salaries from the
Pollard company, yet of late there had been little for them to do.

Yet the three submarine boys knew that big things were in the air.
David Pollard was away, presumably on important business. Jacob Farnum
was not much given to speaking of plans until he had put them through
to the finish. Some big deal was at present "on" with the Government.
That much the submarine boys knew by intuition. They felt, therefore,
that, at any moment, they were likely to be called into action--to be
called upon for big things.

As Jack and Hal sat in the office, silent, while Jacob Farnum turned to
his desk to scan one of the papers lying there, the door opened. A boy
burst in, waving a yellow envelope.

"Operator said to hustle this wire to you," shouted the boy, panting a
bit. "Said it might be big news for Farnum. So I ran all the way."

Jacob Farnum took the yellow envelope, opening it and glancing hastily
through the contents.

"It _is_ pretty good news," assented the shipbuilder, a smile wreathing
his face. "This is for you, messenger."

"This" proved to be a folded dollar bill. The messenger took the money
eagerly, then demanded, more respectfully:

"Any answer, sir?"