ing."

"Not all of the best American sea-fighters have come out of Annapolis,
sir," replied Fullerton, soberly. "If a boy gets through Annapolis
there's nothing wonderful in his making a fairly good officer. But
my cap, sir, is off to boys who can come through the ordinary machine
shop and qualify themselves to command submarine boats or anything else
afloat!"

Then, dropping back to his ordinary manner, Fullerton saluted, next
left the cabin to carry to the watch officer the orders for the course.

Lieutenant Jack Benson, briefly of the U.S. Navy, strolled out to the
after deck for a short promenade. Here he was joined by Eph Somers, who,
in his naval uniform, did not forget to salute before accosting the
commanding officer of the U.S.S. "Sudbury."

"I'm really beginning to feel that I'm not dreaming," confided Eph,
almost in a whisper. "Whee! but it's fine to be out on a craft so big
that you don't get a cramp in your leg from walking! Say, do you know,
Jack," he whispered, "I am almost crazy to see one of this ship's big
guns fired!"

"You may have your wish," laughed Jack. "Who knows?"

Who knew, indeed?

How was it possible, for that matter, for any of these three young
officers to guess what lay ahead of them?

CHAPTER XIV

THE BOW GUN BOOMS AND EPH PUTS OFF

In the nineteenth century, when a vessel left port, her destination
unknown, that craft might get away from a pursuing squadron scattered
over the seas.

At best, knowledge of a marine fugitive's whereabouts could be gained
only from the masters of other vessels that had sighted the fugitive.
Usually, such information must be delayed until the informing master of
the sighting ship reached port.

In the twentieth century all is greatly changed.

A vessel bound for parts unknown, carrying some fugitive from justice,
is sighted by some steamship that is equipped with a wireless telegraph
outfit. Hours before, perhaps, the master of the steamship has been
asked to keep a weather-eye open for a vessel that answers the name or
description of the runaway craft. Now, she is sighted by the master of
the steamship. Ten minutes later the authorities on shore know the
exact whereabouts of the fleeing craft. Should she change her course
wholly, her new whereabouts is soon after reported to land by the
master of some other wireless equipped steamship.

Once upon a time the task of finding and overtaking a runaway vessel
at sea presente