tly
at the wall opposite. Hal, rather listless, sat low in his chair, his
feet well under the table, his hands thrust deep in his pockets. Jack
sat leaning slightly forward, his left hand tapping lightly against the
polished surface of the table.

"Tell you what I'm going to do," suddenly exploded Eph. "I'm going to
Jake Farnum and ask him, straight, whether that snob of a duffer is going
to be put in here over us, with leave to kick us out when he chooses."

"Don't you do it," advised Hal, with a shake of his head.

"Why not?"

"Our employer is absorbed, and, troubled as much as he wants to be, now,"
rejoined Hastings. "When there's anything he wants us to know, and he
can find time, he'll tell us."

"Huh!" half assented Eph.

"Don't be forward about it," continued Hal. "Just play the waiting game
and rely upon Mr. Farnum being as fair and square as he has any chance
to be."

"Hum" again nodded Eph. "Well, anyway, with farm labor at a premium, I'm
not going to stay aboard to black the duffer's shoes."

"Fellows, listen!" commanded Jack Benson, suddenly looking up.

Then he told them both the thought and the scheme that had been in his
mind all that day. While the young captain was talking his two mates
were still--Hal, because it was his nature, and Eph Somers because he
was actually staggered into silence.

"That's what I've been thinking of," Jack wound up.

"Don't you do it, old fellow--don't you dare!" ordered Hal, sitting up
straighter and resting an appealing hand on his chum's shoulder.

"But think of the lives that have been lost on submarine boats during the
last few years," pleaded Jack Benson, seriously.

"And you want to add your life to the others," retorted Hal, with mocking
irony.

"I want to save, perhaps, hundreds of lives in the future," returned Jack,
spiritedly.

"Then, at least, old chum," begged Hal, "tell your scheme to Mr. Farnum,
and let him hire a trained diver to make the experiment."

"You think there's a lot of danger in it, do you?" queried Captain Jack,
mildly.

"I certainly do," said Hastings, with emphasis.

"Then I'll do the trick myself," contended Jack. "I'm not going to think
up a trick too dangerous for myself, and then hire another man to take
all the risk for me."

Hal said no more. He knew the folly of trying to persuade his chum out
of a decision like the present one.

"I don't believe Farnum will let you try it," hinted Eph. "It sounds too