t. Why not
let Eph help you back to your bunk, or one of the seats in the cabin,
and have your sleep out?"

"I've had it out," Benson declared, with a laugh. "I'm ready, now, to
take my trick at the wheel."

"Nonsense," retorted Hal Hastings. "I've been here a bare quarter of
an hour, and I'm good for more work than that. Jack, you're nothing but
a fifth wheel. You're not needed; won't be all day, and at night we
anchor in some harbor down the coast. Go and rest, like a good fellow."

"Can't rest, when I know I'm doing nothing," Benson retorted, stubbornly.
"Besides, this is the first time I've ever found myself moving along
in regular formation with the United States Navy. I feel almost as if I
were a Navy officer myself, and I mean to make the most of the sensation.
Say, Hal, wouldn't it be fine if we really did belong to the Navy?"

"Gee-whiz!" murmured young Hastings, his cheeks glowing and his eyes
snapping.

"If we only belonged to the old Flag for life, and knew that we were
practising on a boat like this as a part of the preparation for real
war when it came?"

"_Don't_!" begged Hal, tensely. "For you know, old fellow, it can't
come true. Why, we haven't even a residence anywhere, from which a
Congressman could appoint one of us to annapolis!"

"_One_ of us?" muttered Jack, scornfully. "Then it would have to be
you. I wouldn't go, even as a cadet at Annapolis, and leave you
behind in just plain, ordinary life, Hal Hastings!"

"Well, it's no use thinking about it," sighed Hal, practically. "Neither
one of us is in any danger of getting appointed to Annapolis, so there's
no chance that either one of us ever will become an officer in the Navy.
Let's not talk about it, Jack I've been contented enough, so far, but
now it makes me almost blue, to think that we can only go on testing
and handling submarine craft like these, while others will be their real
officers in the Navy, and command them in any war that may come."

Though his head throbbed, and though a dizzy spell came over him every
few minutes, Jack Benson stuck it out, up there beside his chum, for
an hour. Then, disdaining aid, he crept down the stairs, stretching
himself out on one of the cabin seats. Eph brought him a pillow and a
blanket. Jack soon slept, tossing uneasily whenever pain throbbed
dully in his head.

"Guess I'll go out and have a little look at the young captain," proposed
Sam Truax, an hour later.

"Try another