entures,
and some humorous ones, were related in that volume.

Then in "_The Submarine Boys and the Spies_" was shown how the young men
successfully foiled the efforts of spies of foreign governments to learn
the secrets of the Pollard craft.

In "The Submarine Boys' Lightning Cruise" the adventures of these clever,
enterprising boys were carried further. In this book, was told how the
boys were trained in the handling of the actual torpedo of, warfare. The
Pollard boats, "Benson" and "Hastings" were entered in official
government tests in which the submarine craft of several other makes
competed. The desperate lengths to which the nearest rival of the
Pollards went in order to win were told with startling accuracy. The
result of all these tests was that the Pollard company received from
the Navy Department an order for eighteen submarine torpedo boats, the
"Benson" and the "Hastings" being accepted as the first two boats on
that order.

By the time the present narrative opens it was near the first of May.
Over at the shipyard, where facilities had been greatly increased, two
of the submarines had lately been finished, and four more were under way
in long construction sheds. Work on the government's order was being
rushed as fast as could be done while keeping up the Pollard standards,
of high-class work.

Of late Jack and his young friends, though their pay went on, had little
work to do. Whenever a new boat was completed it was the task of the
submarine boys to take her out to sea and put her through all manner of
tests in order to determine her fitness. But there were days and days
when the submarine boys had naught to do but enjoy themselves as their
fancy dictated.

"Shall we sit down here?" asked Jack, as he and the tall German entered
the hotel office.

Jabez Holt stood behind the desk, bent over the register, on which the
Professor's name had been the only new one in a week. The old landlord
pretended to be busy, but he was covertly watching and listening.

"Sit here?" repeated Professor Radberg. "Ach, no! Come along with me."

There was something rather disagreeably commanding in the German's
invitation, but Jack merely smiled quietly as he followed in the
stranger's wake. Up the stairs they went. The Professor unlocked a
door, admitting himself and his guest to the outer of a suite of two
rooms. Once they were inside Radberg locked the door behind them.

"Come to the other room, Herr Be