"I shall be as direct as you can wish, Captain Benson," replied the
Frenchman, regaining his smile. "Let us stroll. Walking often helps
the flow of language."

Out of the corner of his eye Jack noted that, though Mlle. Nadiboff
refrained from joining them, she none the less hovered at no great
distance from them.

"Now, my young friend," began the Frenchman, after a pause of a few
moments, "you command the submarine boat, and you know all her secrets.
You are a draughtsman, to, no doubt?"

"A fair draughtsman," nodded Jack.

"You could draw us a model of the boat you command. You could make
drawings of all the important parts. You could supply us with
explanations."

"Just what sort of explanations?" Jack asked, coolly.

M. Lemaire shot a swift, sidelong glance at the submarine boy.

"How?" demanded the Frenchman. "You do not understand yet?"

"You promised, Monsieur, to be very exact and explicit. What do you
want?"

"Why, then, such drawings and such explanations that any skilled
shipbuilder, from the plans you furnish us, could build another boat