"I don't know," smiled Jack, unsuspectingly. "See that launch over to
port? Hanged if she doesn't seem to be putting toward us."

"She does," admitted Eph, solemnly. "Oh, well, with a few more turns of
the screw we can easily get away from that launch."

For some moments Captain Jack paid no especial heed to the launch
bearing down upon them on the port side. He noted only, at the distance,
that the launch contained two men. Presently, however, as the launch
came nearer, Captain Benson made a discovery.

"Eph," he gasped, "look over there! Are my eyes going back on me, or is
that a Japanese in the bow of the launch?"

"Japanese?" gasped Eph Somers, in turn. "Nothing but!"

Eph made a swift dive for the box that contained the signal flags used
in the international marine signaling code. Moving swiftly, young
Somers selected the two flags representing "N" and "D." These he strung
to the halliard of the short signal mast forward. Nor was he ahead of
time, for by this time the launch had described part of a circle, and
was coming up alongside.

In the bow of the launch stood the Japanese, smiling, and holding a
megaphone in his hand.

"Submarine, a-ho-o-o-oy!" came the hail. "Will you slow down? I have
something to say to you."