rumored, and nearly as often believed, that these three sea-bred young
Americans knew as much as anyone in the United States on the special
subject of submarine boat handling.

Be that all as it might, it was known to every man, woman and child at
Spruce Beach that the "Benson" was due to arrive on this December day
and the whole picnicking population was out to watch the incoming from
the sea of the strange craft.

More than that, the United States gunboat, "Waverly," had been for two
days at anchor in the little, somewhat rockbound harbor just north of
the beach. It was to be the pleasant duty of the naval officer
commanding the "Waverly" to extend official welcome to the "Benson" as
soon as that craft pointed its cigar-shaped nose into the harbor.

The first boat built by the submarine company had been named, after the
inventor, the "Pollard." The second had been named the "Farnum," in
honor of the enterprising young shipbuilder who had financed this big
undertaking. And now Spruce Beach was awaiting the arrival of the
company's third boat, the "Benson," so-called in recognition of the hard
and brilliant work done by the young skipper himself.

That this was to be something of a social and gala occasion, even on
board the gunboat, was evident from the fact that on the naval vessel's
decks there now promenaded some two score of ladies and their escorts
from shore, and on the hurricane deck lounged musicians from hotel
orchestras on shore, these men of music having been combined to form a
band, in order to make the occasion more joyous.

"Look at that shore, black with people!" cried a woman to one of the