!" fumed Mlle. Nadiboff, to herself. "He
would drive me wild, if I saw much of him. I think even my slow little
captain will prove more romantic."

Though neither of the submarine boys could yet suspect it, they were soon
to stumble into much more than relics of the past.

They were destined to find themselves exposed to one of the greatest
surprises of their already eventful lives.

"Here we are," cried Mlle. Nadiboff, as the auto stopped near the north
end of the castle. "May you discover something to interest you!"

The submarine boys certainly did!

CHAPTER VII

A POINTER "JOLTS" THE SUBMARINE CAPTAIN

There was not much left of the old castle, save the walls, and some badly
crumbled ruins of inner buildings.

"The Florida climate doesn't seem to agree with castles," suggested Jack.
"I have, an idea that, in Europe, a castle only three hundred years old
would last much longer and keep much better."

"In Europe?" repeated Mlle. Nadiboff. "Oh, yes; much better. But then,
perhaps in Europe there would be a feeling of veneration for the old
that would lead the people to take much better care of their castles.
It would be so in my country, I know."

"May I ask what is your country, Mademoiselle?" asked Jack, looking up
and into her face.

"Guess, Mr. Yankee!"

"Why, I would guess that you are a Russian."

"You are worthy of the name of Yankee, then. Yes; I am a Russian."

Another party of sight-seers passed them at that moment, and one man was
heard to remark:

"At the south end of the castle is a stairway leading down to an
underground dungeon. Legend tells us that some forty Spanish pirates
were once confined there, for a month, before permission was received
from the governor to hang the Spaniards."

"Did you hear that?" murmured Jack, interestedly. "A real, old dungeon,
with an interesting history."

"Such a history merely afflicts me with a shudder," replied Mlle.
Nadiboff, shrugging her shoulders.

"By Jove, I believe I'd like to have just a glimpse of that old dungeon,
Mademoiselle, if I am not tiring you or wasting your time."

"You will have to go alone, then," replied the young woman. "I will
wait, my Captain."

"I will remain with Mlle. Nadiboff," volunteered Hal.

So Jack Benson, after raising his cap, stepped off rapidly toward the
southern end of the old ruin.

With much difficulty he found the entrance to the stairway leading below.
At the head of the stairs tw