Just now, however, it meant that Millard
was at large, and Benson had a strong notion that it would yet fall to
the lot of the submarine boys to put that wretch where he belonged.

CHAPTER XIX

JACK'S CALLER AT THE UNITED SERVICE CLUB

"Ho-ho! Haw-haw! Woof!"

Eph found himself started again, the very instant the boys found
themselves in the lower corridor of the building.

"Let him alone," uttered Jack, scornfully. "The poor fellow had better
work it all out of his system."

"But, Hal, your face--when the policeman took you, on Millard's
complaint!" sputtered Somers, next going off into another burst of
laughter.

"It didn't seem funny, at the time," returned Hal Hastings, quietly.

"Ho-ho! Haw! Of course, not. Say, Hal, can you do me a tremendous
favor? Can you look, just for a moment, the way you did when that
blue-coat pinched you?"

Hal began to laugh, despite the fact that his loss of Millard still
rankled under his quiet outside.

"Now, hush up," warned Benson, suddenly. "Here comes Lieutenant Ulwin,
who has undertaken to present us at the United Service Club. Idiots are
barred from the club, you know, Eph."

By a great exercise of will power Eph managed to straighten his face
by the time that the lieutenant overtook them. They entered a cab. By
this time the young naval officers were beginning to understand that it
is the usual custom to go about Washington in a carriage.

"Have you ever been at a Service Club before?" inquired their guide.

"We breakfasted at the club at Norfolk this morning?" Jack answered.

"Your acquaintance with our Service clubs is not very large, then?"

"We have also been at the club at Fort Craven."

"Oh!" smiled Lieutenant Ulwin. "I guess you gentlemen have been about
a little more in the two branches of the service, than I had suspected.
You have seen the officers of both the Army and the Navy at play?"

"Mostly at table, I should say," laughed Benson.

"The club is the only place where we can go and get away from shop-talk,"
continued Ulwin. "As a rule the Army and Navy men at our club do not
talk much shop. It may be different to-day, however."

"Why to-day?" asked Jack.

"Because--well, you see, I am introducing three rather famous strangers
to-day."

"Meaning--" began Hal, quietly.

"You young gentlemen, of course. The whole nation has heard much about
the submarine boys. Yet it is in the Army and the Navy, after all, that
the de