"Now I wonder what country it is whose agent has gotten hold of Mr.
Farnum?" asked Eph, plaintively.

"Nonsense!" mocked Jack.

"That's what we try to tell 'em all," mocked Eph. "But the Germans are
the hardest."

All three of the submarine boys were laughing so heartily, as they
entered the shipbuilder's private office that Jacob Farnum, a youngish
looking man to be at the head of so large a manufacturing plant, glanced
up quickly.

"What's the joke, boys?" he asked. "I haven't had a laugh since I
pounded my thumbnail with a sledge-hammer."

Captain Jack Benson quickly detailed the meetings with Radberg and
d'Ouray.

"The Frenchman didn't look a bit like a 'shovelee' either," muttered
Eph. "If anything, that looked more in the German's line."

"Well, you'll have a chance to get rid of nonsense, now, for a while,"
went on Mr. Farnum, after having enjoyed a few laughs with the boys.
"I've some serious business in hand for you, and the time has come."

That was like the shipbuilder. Whatever he was planning, at any time,
he kept strictly to himself until the time came to put the plan into
operation.