illiamson are forward in the engine-room, now, at breakfast."

"Oh, well, Truax wouldn't know anything about the scrape, anyway,"
returned Jack. "His name was learned and used--that's all."

"Are you going to try to find that place, catch the mulatto and force the
return of your money?" demanded Eph Somers.

"I've got to think that over," muttered Jack, as he drew on a
spick-and-span uniform blouse. "I don't know whether there'll be any use
in trying to find that mulatto. I haven't the least idea where his place
is. Even if I found it, it's ten to one I wouldn't find the fellow there."

"'Farnum,' ahoy!" roared a voice alongside, the voice coming down through
the open conning tower.

Eph ran to answer. When he returned, he announced:

"Compliments of Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, and will Mr. Benson wait on
the lieutenant commander on board the parent boat?"

"I will," assented Jack, with a wry face, "and here's where I have to do
some tall but truthful explaining to a man who isn't in the least likely
to believe a word I say. I can guess what Mr. Mayhew is thinking, and is
going to keep on thinking!"

CHAPTER IX: TRUAX GIVES A HINT

It was a tailor-made, clean, crisp and new-looking young submarine
commander who stepped into the naval cutter alongside.

Jack Benson looked as natty as a young man could look, and his uniform was
that of a naval officer, save for the absence of the insignia of rank.

Up the side gangway of the gunboat Jack mounted, carrying himself in the
best naval style. On deck stood a sentry, an orderly waiting beside him.

"Lieutenant Commander Mayhew will see you in his cabin, sir," announced
the orderly. "I will show you the way, sir."

Mr. Mayhew was seated before a desk in his cabin when the orderly piloted
the submarine boy in. The naval officer did not rise, nor did he ask the
boy to take a seat. Jack Benson was very well aware that he stood in Mr.
Mayhew's presence in the light of a culprit.

"Mr. Benson," began Mr. Mayhew, eyeing him closely, "you are not in the
naval service, and are not therefore amenable to its discipline. At the
same time, however, your employers have furnished you to act, in some
respects, as a civilian instructor in submarine boating before the cadets.
While you are here on that duty it is to be expected, therefore, that you
will conform generally to the rules of conduct as laid down at the Naval
Academy."

"Yes, sir," repl