lliamson, now able to leave his motors, came on deck, asking an
account of what had happened. The machinist listened in amazement,
though, like Eph, he needed no proof that the boys, whatever trouble
they had encountered, had met honestly and innocently.

"Of course that naval officer is right, too, from his own limited
point of view," urged Williamson.

"Oh, yes, I suppose so," nodded Somers, gloomily. "I've been trying
to tell myself that. But it would be fearful, wouldn't it, if the
'Farnum' were ordered away from the fleet, and Jack disgraced, just
because of things he really didn't do."

"It's a queer old world," mused the machinist, thoughtfully. "We hear
a lot about the consequences of wrong things we do. But how often
people seem to have to pay up for things they never did!"

"Oh, well," muttered Eph, philosophically, "let's wait until morning.
A night's sleep straightens out a lot of things."

Williamson, however, having had some sleep earlier in the night, was
not drowsy, now. He lighted a pipe, lingering on the platform deck.
Eph, not being a user of tobacco, went below to find that Doctor
McCrea, from the gunboat, was sitting in the cabin, reading a book he
had chosen from the book-case.

"I've brought the young men around somewhat," reported the physician.
"I've made them throw off the drug, and now I've left some stuff with
the nurse to help brace them up. They'll have sour stomachs and
aching heads in the morning, though."

"But you noticed one thing, Doctor?" pressed Somers.

"What was that?"

"That there were no signs of liquor about them? Those boys never tasted
a drop of the vile stuff in their lives!"

"I'm inclined to believe you," nodded the surgeon. "They have splendid,
clear skins, eyes bright as diamonds, sound, sturdy heartbeats, and
they're full of vitality. I've met boys from the slums, once in a
while--beer-drinkers and cigarette-smokers. But such boys never show
the splendid physical condition that your friends possess."

"You know, then, as well as I do, Doctor, that neither of my chums
are rowdies, and that, whatever happened to them to-night, they didn't
get to it through any bad habits or conduct?"

"I'm much inclined to agree with you, Mr. Somers."

"I hope, then, you'll succeed in impressing all that on Lieutenant
Commander Mayhew in the morning."

With that the submarine boy passed on to the starboard stateroom. He
would have given much to have stepped in