s, that the United States
Government was induced to buy that first submarine craft.

After that sale, each of the three boys received, in addition to his
regular pay, a bank account of a thousand dollars and ten shares of stock
in the new company. Moreover, Messrs. Farnum and Pollard had felt wholly
justified in promising these talented, daring, hustling submarine boys an
assured and successful future.

Jacob Farnum at last looked up from the final reading of the telegram in
his hands. Captain Jack Benson's gaze was fixed on his employer's face.
Hal Hastings was looking out of a window, with almost a bored look in his
eyes.

"You young men wanted action," announced Mr. Farnum, quietly. "I think
you'll get it."

"Soon?" questioned Jack, eagerly.

"Immediately, or a minute or two later," laughed the shipbuilder.

"I'm ready," declared Captain Jack, rising.

"It'll take you a little time to hear about it all and digest it, so you
may as well be seated again," declared Farnum.

Hal, too, wandered back to his chair.

"You've been wondering how much longer the Government would leave the
'Pollard' here," went on Mr. Farnum. "I am informed that the gunboat
'Hudson' is on her way here, to take over the 'Pollard.'"

"What are the Navy folks going to do?" demanded Captain Jack, all but
wrathfully. "Do they propose to _tow_ that splendid little craft away?"

"Hardly that, I imagine," replied Farnum. "It's the custom of the United
States Navy, you know, to send a gunboat along with every two or three
submarines. They call the larger craft the 'parent boat.' The parent boat
looks out for any submarine craft that may become disabled."

"The cheek of it," vented Jack, disgustedly. "Why, sir, I'd volunteer to
take the 'Pollard,' unassisted, around the world, if she could carry fuel
enough for such a trip."

"But the Navy hasn't been accustomed to such capable submarine boats as
ours, you know," replied Mr. Farnum. "Hence the parent boat."

"Parent boat?" interjected Hal Hastings, with his quiet smile. "You might
call it the 'Dad' boat, so to speak."

Mr. Farnum laughed, then continued:

"A naval crew will take possession of the 'Pollard,' and the craft will
proceed, under the care of the Dad boat"--with a side glance of amusement
at Hal--"to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis."

"Annapolis--where they train the naval cadets, the midshipmen, into United
States Naval officers? Oh, how I'd like to go there!" b