ay
from the compartment on the lower deck from which came the strange
sound. In addition, a run of small accidents broke out which seemed to
the minds of many of the crew to assure that the ship was doomed to bad
luck.

"The ship is haunted," continued to be whispered from division to
division. The sternness of the petty officers could not halt the
spreading feeling.

"How about our very first gun sinking a submarine?" demanded Philip
Morgan of one group.

"Oh, that was just a chance," was the reply.

"Hump!" said Whistler with disgust. "I have an idea the old _Kennebunk_
is going to be blessed with similar chances."

There followed, however, a really serious accident. A pipe in the boiler
room burst, and several men were scalded, one so badly that the ship's
surgeons declared he must be transported to a shore hospital as soon as
possible.

The operation of skin grafting could not be performed successfully on
shipboard, and nothing else would save the unfortunate victim of the
accident from having a terribly disfigured face.

Many of the man's shipmates would gladly have aided by giving patches of
healthy skin for the benefit of the patient; but the operation was too
delicate to be undertaken on the battleship, and the healing of the
unfortunate man would be too tedious.

After communicating with the Navy Department by wireless, Captain Trevor
decided to send the steam runner into Hampton Roads with the injured
man, while the battleship continued her southerly course in compliance
with her orders.

The steam-screw tender of the _Kennebunk_ was a good sized craft and
perfectly seaworthy. They were too far from shore to trust a motor boat;
and to use one of the big whaleboats under sail would take too long.

The derrick swung the big boat overside, and she was lowered into the
sea as lightly as though she were a featherweight. Meanwhile Ensign
MacMasters was assigned to her command and he had the privilege of
picking his crew to suit himself.

The steamer mounted a gun forward and one aft. To the delight of Phil
and Al, the ensign chose them as members of the gun crews.

Immediately Frenchy and Ikey clamored to be taken, too. Ensign
MacMasters without doubt displayed favoritism at this time. He
acquiesced in the desires of the two younger boys from Seacove.

"I suppose you would pine away and refuse your chow if you were
separated from Morgan and Torrance," the ensign said laughingly. "Get
your hammock-r