al bell was sounding.

"Shut up," ordered Eph Somers, briskly. "I've got the engine to run
on signal from the watch officer."

There followed a series of signals, first of all for stopping speed,
then for a brief reversing of engines. A moment later headway speed
ahead was ordered. So on Eph went through the series of orders until
the "Farnum" had been manoeuvred to her exact position. Then, from
above, Captain Jack's voice was heard, roaring in almost his usual
tones:

"Turn out below, there, to help make fast!"

"Take the lever, Williamson," directed Eph. "Come along lively, Truax."

"Humph! Let Williamson go," grumbled Truax.

"You come along with me, my man!" roared Eph, his face blazing angrily.
"Hustle, too, er I'll report you to the captain for disobedience of
orders. Then you'll go ashore at express speed. Coming?"

Sam Truax appeared to wage a very brief battle within himself. Then,
nodding sulkily, he followed.

"Hustle up, there!" Jack shouted down. "We don't want to drift."

Jack Benson stood out on the platform deck, holding to the conning tower
at the port side. A naval launch had just placed a buoy over an anchor
that had been lowered.

"Get forward, you two," Jack called briskly, "and make the bow cable
fast to that buoy."

Hal still sat at the wheel in the tower. As Eph and Truax crept forward
over the arched upper hull of the "Farnum," Hal sounded the engine room
signals and steered until the boat had gotten close enough to make the
bow cable fast. Then the stern cable was made fast, with more line,
to another buoy.

"A neat hitch, Mr. Benson," came a voice from the bridge of the "Hudson,"
which lay a short distance away. Jack, looking up, saw Lieutenant
Commander Mayhew leaning over the bridge rail.

"Thank you, sir," Jack acknowledged, saluting the naval officer.

The parent vessel and her two submarine charges now lay at anchor in
the harbor at Port Clovis, one of the towns down the coast from
Dunhaven. This mooring overnight was to be repeated each day until
Annapolis should be reached.

Within fifteen minutes the craft were surrounded by small boats from
shore. Some of these contained merchandise that it was hoped sailors
would buy. Other boats "ran" for hotels, restaurants, drinking places,
amusement halls, and all the varied places on shore that hope to fatten
on Jack Tar's money.

"I'd like to go ashore, sir," announced Sam Truax, approaching Captain
Jack.