"The spies are all on the defensive, now, beyond a doubt," added David
Pollard. "They'll be too busy keeping their wrists out of handcuffs to
devote any of their time to trying to get at the secrets of the 'Benson.'"

"I hope you're both right," said Captain Jack, gravely.

"Why, what leads you to think that we may not be?" asked Farnum,
curiously.

"Nothing in the way of facts," Jack admitted. "Yet there may be others
of this infernal spy gang who have not yet shown their hands, of whose
existence the Secret Service knows nothing."

"Well, what can they do, if you don't allow any strangers on board the
boat?" asked Mr. Farnum, point blank.

"Nothing much," muttered Benson, "unless--"

"Well, unless what?"

"See here," asked the submarine boy, "what is usually done to such spies
by the United States Government?"

"Why, the law provides that, in war time, such spies can be shot in
mighty quick order," replied Mr. Farnum. "In peace times the law doesn't
allow anything but sending spies to prison."

"But what does the Government usually do?" pursued Captain Jack. "It
seems to me I've read of suspected spies being caught around American