of the lot. By this time the workmen in the small boat had made fast a
towing hawser between the bow of the old scow and the stern towing bitts
of the "Hastings."

"Use my men all you need to, in casting off, or in boat handling
generally," requested Lieutenant Danvers. Jack therefore ordered Ewald
and Biffens forward on the upper hull to cast loose from moorings. Hal
stood the trick in the engine-room, while Jack himself sat at the wheel
in the tower.

In another minute, despite her rather heavy tow, the "Hastings" was
nosing briskly out of the harbor. The gasoline engines this little
craft were of a "heavy service" pattern, which adapted the submarine
to the work of towing at need.

"How far out do you want to go, sir!" asked Captain Jack, as the Navy
lieutenant took a seat beside him in the tower, after Eph and the
sailors had gone below.

"We want to be sure to be well out of the path of coastwise vessels,"
replied Danvers. "That's the main thing, you know. We can't take any
risk of sinking a merchantman while we're having our fun."

"With this tow, then, it will be three o'clock before we get out where
we really ought to be, sir."

"That will give us at least two hours of good daylight," nodded Mr.
Danvers. "Of course you know this coast well enough to pick your way
back after dark?"