italist, "how dare you? This is an outrage,
you young puppy! Don, get up out of that undignified position. Get
up this instant!"

"He will," said Jack, dryly, "as soon as he can get away. At present
he's held down by force of circumstances."

"Get off my son, you impudent young upstart!" insisted George Melville,
aghast at the ignoring of his first order. "Don, get up this instant."

"Mr. Farnum gives all the orders here, so far as I'm concerned, Mr.
Melville," announced the submarine boy.

"Oh, let him up," said Farnum, dryly. "We know just where to find Don
Melville any time that we need him."

Jack got up willingly enough, then. But Don, as soon as he had recovered
some of his crumpled dignity, held out one hand imperiously.

"Give me that envelope you just took from my pocket," he commanded.

"Oh, will I?" rejoined Benson. "Ask Mr. Farnum for it."

"Hold onto that envelope, Jack," commanded the boatbuilder.

Jack Benson thrust it into his inner coat pocket, next firmly buttoning
the front of his coat. Don made a move forward, as though to prevent,
but drew back sullenly when he caught the flash of the submarine
captain's steady eyes.

"Did young Benson take anything from your pockets?" demanded George
Melville, stiffly.

"Yes, that envelope that he has just buttoned up in his own coat," said
Don, sulkily.

"Return that to my son, at once," insisted the capitalist.

Jack, this time, did not even honor the command so far as to admit having
heard it.

Broughton Emerson, deeply puzzled, had left group to go over to Mr.
Farnum and the strange boy in blue.

"Jack!" called the boatbuilder, and Benson ran to him.

"Do you think you can fasten onto this youth, and prevent his getting
away from us?" asked Jacob Farnum.

"I'm rather sure of it," nodded Benson.

"Then keep your eye on the fellow, Jack. He's got to go to jail. He's
been engaged in some conspiracy against us, and I'm going to fathom it
all, and have the fellow sent up for years and years at hard labor."

The fellow whom Jack was now holding heard this with a start and a
shiver.

"You hear that, Don Melville?" he gasped. "Remember, you promised to see
me through safely, if any trouble happened. You've got to keep your
word."

"Hold your tongue if you think I'm going to do anything for you,"
growled Don.

"If you don't stand by me," threatened the prisoner, "I'll make things
warm for you--and you know I can do it!"

Don p