riding at her moorings
out yonder."

"I wonder what the crowd would do, if it did know?" asked Pollard,
gazing out curiously over the throngs of pleasure-seekers. "That shows
what a dreamer you are, Dave, and how little you know of your own fellow
citizens. What would the crowd do? Why, it would change itself into
a mob. Mlle. Nadiboff would be hustled off out of town, Lemaire would
be lynched, or mighty close to it, and it would be strange if the mob
didn't march on the jail itself."

"Then it would never do to let the crowd know all that's happening,
would it?" asked Pollard.

Jack, from thinking over the problems that had come up in connection
with the spies, had at last let his attention wander to the crowds.
Down at the beach hundreds were taking an afternoon dip. Other hundreds
were strolling up and down the sands. Children were building sand
castles or houses. A good many small boats were out with pleasure
parties. Yet many, both grown-ups and children, looked positively
bored. They needed excitement.

"How near this crowd came to having something to talk about," muttered
young Benson to himself, with a smile. "If that mine had gone off
last night, no one at Spruce Beach would have felt dull to-day."

Finding that the afternoon air was making him dull and inclined to gape,
Captain Jack turned back from the beach. He sauntered along the road,
and was about to cross it, when he heard a sharp snap. It was like a
subdued shot.

In the same instant a hissing sound went _pseu_! in front of his face.
A distinct breeze, small though it was, fanned his eyes. Then chug!
Something landed in the trunk of the tree he was passing.

"That was a shot!" guessed the submarine boy, like a flash, and in the
next breath he muttered: "Aimed at me, too!"

Jack pitched forward, falling upon his face. If one shot had been
fired, another might be as soon as the unknown marksman realized that
he had missed.

Several people, near by, fancied they had heard a shot, and turned,
curiously. Then, as soon as Benson was espied lying on the ground a
rush was made in his direction.

At that moment Hal Hastings happened to be looking over toward the beach.
Like a flash he was up and away, his magazine falling from his lap to
the ground.

"Now, what on earth has taken Hastings off like that?" demanded Mr.
Farnum, looking around in surprise. "There are other people running,
too. Come along, Dave!"

Hal shot his way th