gan," said the
commander of the submarine chaser. "Ensign MacMasters is to be
congratulated that he takes aboard the _Kennebunk_ such an altogether
admirable young man. You will hear from this, Master Morgan. You
deserve the Medal of Honor and whatever other honor and special
emolument it is in the power of the Secretary of the Navy to award."

He turned to MacMasters: "And your boatswain's mate deserves mention,
too. That he did not succeed in doing what this young man accomplished,
was not for lack of courage to attempt it. They are both men that the
Navy may be proud of. With a will, men!" and he led in another cheer.

"Oi, oi, Whistler!" whispered Ikey when the greatly abashed Morgan went
forward, "you'll be an admiral next. If you beat me to it, what will my
papa and mama say?"

CHAPTER XIII

THE KENNEBUNK SAILS

Put back upon her course, the S. P. 888 was soon beating her way through
the cross-seas--"bucking the briny" the boys called it--toward the port
from which the _Kennebunk_ was to sail in the morning.

It was a wild night. The peril through which the ship's company had just
passed, and from which Philip Morgan had been able to save them, made
the threatening aspects of sea and air seem small indeed. Let the wind
shriek through the wire stays and the waves roar and burst about and
over the submarine chaser as they listed, none of these dangers equaled
that of the depth charge which had run amuck.

Seven Knott was brought to his senses in a short time, and, after
staring about a bit, murmured:

"Well, I didn't get it, did I?"

"Not your fault, my man," declared Ensign MacMasters cheerfully. "Wait
till Lieutenant Commander Lang, of the _Colodia_, hears about it. You
have done well, Hertig. He will be proud of you."

At that the petty officer smiled, for he was inordinately fond of the
commander of the destroyer.

Mr. MacMasters made it plain to the boatswain's mate that apprentice
seaman Morgan had saved him, as well as the rest of the ship's company,
from disaster, and Hansie Hertig grinned broadly.

"That Whistler--he can do something besides make tunes with his mouth,
eh?" he observed.

Most of the crew of the submarine chaser, as well as the members of the
squad going aboard the _Kennebunk_, personally congratulated Whistler on
his courage and quick action.

"This is an awfully small boat, Torry," he complained to his chum.
"There isn't any place for a fellow to get away by himsel