t remark. "It would have been a heavy blow, and one that
would have required the expenditure of thousands of lives to recover
from. The value of your services cannot be rated too highly, sir."

"I'm grateful for your high opinion of me, I'm sure," replied Bert, much
confused by such high praise, "but it was as much by luck as anything
else that I first got wind of the plan, and after that, of course, there
was only one thing for me to do."

"That's all very well," responded the captain, "but nevertheless not many
men I know would have done it, and I abide by my statement. It is no
light thing for a young man to attempt, singlehanded, to thwart the plans
of a great and powerful nation."

The diver had by this time completed a very thorough inspection of every
inch of the gate, and in a short time returned to the submarine. He
entered the water-filled room from which he had stepped forth, and, after
he had closed the door in the vessel's hull, pulled a signal rope, and in
a very few minutes the powerful pumps had emptied the room of water.
Then the man was admitted to the body of the boat and relieved of his
cumbersome suit.

This done, he immediately reported to the captain, and gave him a
detailed account of what he had found.

"There were two sets of wires, sir," he said, "so that if one had not
worked, the other would. I looked very carefully along the walls for
other wires, but didn't find any."

The captain dismissed him, with a word of approbation, and then gave
orders for the submarine to get under way. This was done, but Captain
Clendenin had no intention of rising directly to the surface. The water
chambers were pumped out very slowly, and, as the boat gradually rose, it
was steered slowly back and forth across the face of the gates, and men
were stationed at the portholes to look for any indication of other
wires. They found none, but were able to see where the dynamite charges
had been placed. Evidently the walls had been charged with enough of
high explosives not only to derange the machinery but possibly to blow it
into fragments.

The men in the submarine shuddered as they thought of the awful
catastrophe that would have occurred, and thanked the Providence that had
enabled them to avert it. Bert became a veritable hero to all on board.
Of course, by this time, the crew had gained a pretty good idea of how
matters stood, and had as strong an admiration for him as had the
officers. They w