ere he found the stick. It was a handsome piece of polished partridge
wood, surmounted by a handsomely wrought head of gold.

"This will make an interesting souvenir to keep aboard the boat," mused
Benson, swinging the stick as he continued his walk.

At the veranda Jack came face to face with Mlle. Nadiboff, just returning
from an unaccompanied stroll down by the water front. To the submarine
boy's astonishment the handsome Russian greeted him most amiably.

"You have not forgotten old friends, I hope, my Captain?" she added,
smiling and with a pretty little coaxing way.

"There are some old friends," replied Captain Jack, lifting his cap,
"whom it is impossible to forget."

"I hope you will continue to regard me as a friend," responded Mlle.
Nadiboff, more seriously, looking him fully in the eyes.

"Why?" queried Jack.

"I may need a friend," she replied, dropping her glance for a moment.

"You in need of anything--even a friend?" cried Captain Jack,
incredulously.

"I may need a friend who can speak a good word for me; who can forget
things, or explain them." went on Mlle. Nadiboff, resting a hand
pleadingly on his sleeve "My Captain, if need be, I shall send for you.
Do not fail me! You won't?"

It looked as though the tears lay just behind her eyes. The submarine
boy felt that the situation was becoming too interesting, so he lifted
his cap once more as he turned on his heel.

"Mlle. Nadiboff," he sent back to her, "I trust you will never want for
the most reliable friends."

He turned down the veranda to go toward the office door, when he
encountered another surprise.

Leaning against one of the posts stood Kamanako, as natty and trim as
though he had come from the tailor's.

Looking up with a most friendly smile, the little Japanese saluted.

"Why, how do you do?" Jack greeted him, halting. "I had an idea you
had left Spruce Beach."

"I should have done so, but I started too late," replied Kamanako,
still smiling. Nothing ever daunts that Japanese smile. One of these
little men, being led away to have his head chopped off, goes with
a smile on his little brown face.

"Started too late?" asked Jack. "How was that?"

"Now, you laugh at me," replied the Japanese.

"Laughing at you? Not a bit!"

"You have told some one that I am a spy," replied Kamanako, without
a trace of grudge in his voice. "So now, I cannot leave Spruce Beach.
Ticket agent, he will not sell me. If I try to go o