some nervous ones," smiled Skipper Jack.

"Possibly," assented Mr. Mayhew. "I doubt it, though. Nervousness is not a
marked trait of any young man who has been long enrolled at the Naval
Academy."

"Can we have a slight favor done us, Mr. Mayhew?" Jack asked.

"Any reasonable favor, of course."

"Then, sir, we'd like to spend a little time ashore, as we've been
confined so long aboard. If I lock up everything tight on the boat until
Sunday night, may we know that the 'Farnum' will be under the protection
of the marine guard?"

"I feel that there will not be the slightest difficulty in promising you
that," replied Mr. Mayhew. "I will telephone the proper authorities about
it as soon as I go on shore."

All hands on board were pleased over the prospect of going ashore, with
the exception of Sam Truax.

"You don't need any guard on the boat," he protested. "I don't want to go
ashore. Leave me here and I'll be all the guard necessary."

"We're all going ashore," Jack replied.

"But I haven't any money to spend ashore," objected Truax.

"I'll let you have ten dollars on account, then," replied Jack, who was
well supplied with money, thanks to a draft received from Jacob Farnum.

"I don't want to go ashore, anyway."

"I'm sorry, Truax, but it doesn't really make any difference. The boat
will be closed up tight, and there wouldn't be any place for you to stay,
except on the platform deck."

"You're not treating me fairly," protested Sam Truax, indignantly.

"I'm sorry you think so. Still, if you're not satisfied, all I can do is
to pay you off to date. Then you can go where you please."

"I'm here by David Pollard's order. Do you forget that?"

"He sent you along to us, true," admitted Jack, "but I have instructions
from Mr. Farnum to dismiss anyone whose work on board I don't like. Now,
Truax, you're a competent enough man in the engine room, and there's no
sense in having to let you go. You're well paid, and can afford the time
on shore. I wouldn't make any more fuss about this, but do as the rest of
us are going to do."

"Oh, I'll have to, then, since you're boss here," grumbled Truax, sulkily.

"I don't want to make it felt too much that I _am_ boss here," Jack
retorted, mildly. "At the same time, though, I'm held responsible, and so
I suppose I'll have to have things done the way that seems best to me."

Sam Truax turned to get his satchel. The instant his back was turned on
the young commander Sam'