Yes, sir," assented the boy.

"You came aboard your craft, this morning, in a very questionable
looking condition."

"Yes, sir."

Jack Benson's composure was perfect. His sense of discipline was also
exact. He did not propose to offer any explanations until such were
asked of him.

"Have you anything to say, Mr. Benson, as to that condition, and how
you came to be in it?"

"Shall I explain it to you, sir?"

"I shall be glad to hear your explanation."

Thereupon, the submarine boy plunged into a concise description of
what had happened to him the night before. The lieutenant commander
did not once interrupt him, but, when Jack had finished, Mr. Mayhew
observed:

"That is a very remarkable story, Mr. Benson. Most remarkable."

"Yes, sir, it is. May I ask if you doubt my story?"

Jack looked straight into the officer's eyes as he put the question
bluntly. An officer of the Army or of the Navy must not answer a
question untruthfully. Neither, as a rule, may he make an evasive
answer. So the lieutenant commander thought a moment, before he replied:

"I don't feel that I know you well enough, Mr. Benson, to express an
opinion that might be wholly fair to you. The most I can say, now, is
that I very sincerely hope such a thing will not happen again during
your stay at the Naval Academy."

"It won't, sir," promised Jack Benson, "if I have hereafter the amount
of good judgment that I ought to be expected to possess."

"I hope not, Mr. Benson, for it would destroy your usefulness here. A
civilian instructor here, as much as a naval instructor, must possess
the whole confidence and respect of the cadet battalion. I hope none
of the cadets who may have seen you this morning recognized you."

Then, taking on a different tone, Mr. Mayhew informed his young listener
that a section of cadets would board the "Farnum" at eleven that morning,
another section at three in the afternoon, and a third at four o'clock.

"Of course you will have everything aboard your craft wholly shipshape,
Mr. Benson, and I trust I hardly need add that, in the Navy, we are
punctual to the minute."

"You will find me punctual to the minute before, sir."

"Very good, Mr. Benson. That is all. You may go."

Jack saluted, then turned away, finding his way to the deck. The
cutter was still alongside, and conveyed him back to the "Farnum.

"Mr. Mayhew demanded your story, of course?" propounded Hal Hastings.
"What did he think?"