Flare! A sudden glow of light illumined the dark hallway. Then more
light.

"Jerusby!" howled one of the sailor pair, leaping to his feet.

Instantly there was consternation among all the assailants.

In the excitement, young Benson was forgotten. Freed from assault, he
leaped to his feet.

The flare of light had come from two bull's-eye police lanterns, held in
the open doorway below.

"There are the scoundrels, men! Grab them!" shouted a voice of
authority.

The speaker and two other men were in police uniforms. Four other men
there were in ordinary civilian garb.

In the excitement Jack Benson let his fist fly, knocking one of the
sailors headlong down the stairs. But the submarine boy did not pause
there. His other fist, landed on the second sailor, sending him after
the first.

"Club their heads off, if any of 'em put up a fight," commanded the
police officer in charge.

Two other men, not in sailors' uniform cowered on the stairs, close to
the young submarine captain. There was no fight, beyond the blows that
young Benson struck. Cowed by the unexpected appearance of the law's