Captain Jack Benson had surely chosen a dramatic manner of making his
appearance at Spruce Beach. Ten thousand tongues were set wagging all
at once. When there came a lull, a man's voice on a tug not far from
the gunboat could be heard, asserting loudly:

"Well, that's what submarines are for--to sneak in while you're wiping
a speck of dust from your eye!"

That remark, coming just as the band ceased its strains, was plainly
audible, and brought a laugh from everyone aboard the submarine,
including Eph, who was just climbing, in his bathing suit, up to the
platform deck.

Lieutenant Commander Kimball, hurrying from his cabin, had joined
Lieutenant Featherstone at the rail, the pretty girl slipping away to
join a group of civilians.

"What do you think of us?" called Jacob Farnum, a broad grin of delight
on his face.

"You'll do," admitted Kimball.

"Do you consider yourself sunk?" demanded David Pollard, laughingly.

"Theoretically, yes," assented Lieutenant Commander Kimball. "I wonder
if you could do it as well in war time?"

"Couldn't possibly do anything like it in war time," called back Captain
Jack Benson. "For, sir, you fly the Stars and, Stripes!"