announced:

“This, Mr. Benson, completes the instruction desired in the Basin and in
the river. To-morrow and Sunday you will have for rest. On Monday, at 10
A.M., a section will report aboard for the first trip out to sea. Then you
will show our young men how the boat dives, and how she is run under
water. As none of our cadet midshipmen have ever been below in a submarine
before, you will be sure of having eager students.”

“And perhaps some nervous ones,” smiled Skipper Jack.

“Possibly,” assented Mr. Mayhew. “I doubt it, though. Nervousness is not a
marked trait of any young man who has been long enrolled at the Naval
Academy.”

“Can we have a slight favor done us, Mr. Mayhew?” Jack asked.

“Any reasonable favor, of course.”

“Then, sir, we’d like to spend a little time ashore, as we’ve been
confined so long aboard. If I lock up everything tight on the boat until
Sunday night, may we know that the ’Farnum’ will be under the protection
of the marine guard?”

“I feel that there will not be the slightest difficulty in promising you
that,” replied Mr. Mayhew. “I will telephone the proper authorities about
it as soon as I go on shore.”

All hands on board were pleased over the prospect of going ashore, with
the exception of Sam Truax.