locked and
dark, a general store and also a drug-store that contained the local
post-office. But the drug-store carried no ice cream or soda, so the
submarine boys turned away.

There was one other "public" place that the boys failed to discover at
once. That was a low groggery at the further end of the town. Here
two of the sailors who had come on shore leave turned in for a drink
or two. They found a suave, black-bearded man quite ready to buy
liquor for Uncle Sam's tars.

Three-quarters of an hour later Jack and Hal felt they had seen about
as much of the town as they cared for, when a hailing voice stopped
them.

"Finding it pretty dull, gentlemen?"

"Oh, good evening," replied Captain Jack, recognizing the bearded man
whom he had refused admittance to the "Farnum."

"Pretty stupid town, isn't it, Captain!" asked the stranger, holding
out his hand, which Jack Benson took.

"As lively as we thought it would be," Hal rejoined. "We just came
ashore to stretch ourselves a bit. Thought we might lay a course to
an ice-cream soda, too, but failed."

"These fishermen don't have such things," smiled the stranger. "They
are content with the bare necessities of life, with a little grog and
tobacco added. Speaking of grog, would you care to try the best this
town has, gentlemen?"

"Thank you," Jack answered, politely. "We've never either of us tasted
the stuff, and we don't care to begin."

"Drop into the drug-store and have a cigar, then?"

"We don't smoke, either, thank you," came from Hal.

"You young men are rather hard to entertain in a place like this,"
sighed the stranger, but his eyes twinkled.

"We are just as grateful for the intention," Jack assured him.

"Tell you what I can do, gentlemen," proposed the stranger, suddenly.
"I might invite you down to my shack for a little while, and show you
my books and some models of yachts and ships that I've been collecting.
I'm quite proud of my collection in that line. Won't you come?"

Anything in the line of yacht or ship-models interested both of these
sea-loving boys from the shipyard at Dunhaven. Jack graciously accepted
the invitation for them both.

"And, though I have no soda fountain," continued the bearded one, "I
can offer you some soft drinks. I always keep some about the place."

"How do you come to be living in a place like this, if I'm not too
inquisitive?" queried Benson, as the three strolled down the street.

"Doctor's orders