eep the wind from getting under the peak and lifting it into the
sea, had neglected them utterly, and the junior had not withdrawn his
head from the chart booth for half an hour.

Time and again Jack's face swept past, unseeing them, toward the
quartermaster with hands on the wheel, at the rear of the bridge,
crying crisply:

"Helm to port."

And the quartermaster replied as he twisted the wheel:

"Helm to port, sir."

Then--

"Ease your helm!"

"Ease your helm, sir."

The dark had fallen now. Ahead the Point Judith acetylene buoy sent
its rays toward them. When they came abreast of it, it was pitch black
and the white light on Watch Hill was made out to the southeastward.
Suddenly from the _Jefferson's_ deck a series of red and white lights
began to wink and blink. Answering signals twinkled over a mile of
water and the boats stopped their engines, rolling like logs on the
waters.

Armitage walked over to Anne and Sara, who, in their coats and caps,
looked not unlike officers themselves.

"How do you like it?"

"Oh, it is terribly interesting!" said Anne. "What are you going to do
now?"

"Wait for the battleships, I imagine," said Armitage. "We don't really
torpedo them," he added. "The object is to get as close as possible
without being observed. They try to locate us with searchlights. As
soon as they see us they put the light on us and fire a red star.
After that star is fired the discovered boat must steam full speed for
the quarry for one minute and then fire a green star and turn on her
lights. The distance from the battleship to the boat is measured and
if we are within torpedo range, two thousand yards, the torpedo boat
wins. If the distance is greater, we are technically out of
action--the battleship wins."

"How interesting!" Anne gazed at Armitage admiringly. "And that is
what you would do in real warfare then--rush into the very face of the
battleship's firing in the effort to blow her up?"

"About that," smiled Armitage.

"But what a risk! You must steam through a perfect hail of bullets,
with chances of striking with your torpedo largely against you. And
even if you do strike you are liable to pay the price with your lives.
Am I not right?"

"These pirates of the flotilla," laughed Jack, "do not think of the
price. They 're in the Navy to think of other things."

"And is that the spirit of the American Navy?"

"Of course," Armitage looked at her curiously. "Why no