PAGE

I A RUN TO ELMVALE 1

II THE STRANGER 11

III THE WATER WHEEL 19

IV S. P. 888 27

V THE STREAK ON THE WATER 38

VI AN OLD FRIEND 44

VII FOG HAUNTED 54

VIII PUZZLED 64

IX JUST TOO LATE 74

X AHEAD OF THE FLOOD 81

XI UNEXPECTED PERIL 90

XII COURAGE 100

XIII THE KENNEBUNK SAILS 106

XIV AN UNEXPECTED TARGET 115

XV THE BIG GUN SPEAKS 127

XVI AN ACCIDENT 135

XVII BLOWN UP 144

XVIII MORE TROUBLE 155

XIX COINCIDENCE 162

XX THE WITCH'S WARNING 173

XXI THE EXPLANATION 180

XXII THE RACE 190

XXIII UNDER SPECIAL ORDERS 196

XXIV TICK-TOCK! TICK-TOCK! 204

XXV IN THE THICK OF THE FIGHT 211

NAVY BOYS BEHIND THE
BIG GUNS

CHAPTER I

A RUN TO ELMVALE

When Philip Morgan announced his approach by an unusually cheerful
strain, Al Torrance was already behind the steering wheel of his
father's car, with the engine purring smoothly.

"'Lo, Whistler," Al said. "Thought you had forgotten where we planned to
go this morning. What made you so late?"

"'Lo, Torry. Never hit the hay till after one. Just talking. My jaws
ache," Morgan broke off his whistling long enough to say.

"Sure it isn't whistling that's made your jaws ache?" queried his chum
slyly. "Not having had much chance to pipe up while we were aboard ship,
I guess you are making up for lost time."

"Talking, I tell you," returned Morgan. "Thought the girls never would
let me stop. And father, too. Mother won't own up she's reconciled to my
being in the Navy," and Whistler grinned suddenly. "But she listened to
all I told them, too. She was just as eager to hear about it as Phoebe
and Alice."

"Guess you made yourself out to be some tough garby," chuckled Torrance,
using the term the seamen themselves employ to designate a sailor.

"Oh, I gave 'em an earful," Whistler agreed, and puckered his lips
again.

"Come on and get in," ordered Torry impatiently. "Pa's got to use the
car this afternoon. But he says we can have it to run over to Elmvale
in, if we want."

"Where are Frenchy and Ikey?" Whistler broke