ing, he
tossed the broom into the cupboard. Stepping springily over, he
dropped into his desk chair, letting out a hearty laugh.

"Well, that's over with, and a narrow escape," he announced.

"But you couldn't quite sweep all their dirt out after them," declared
David Pollard, looking up with a smile.

"What do you think of that crowd, boys?" asked Jacob Farnum, cheerily.

"I'm not giving much thought to them, sir," Jack replied, adding warmly:
"But we fellows, Mr. Farnum, simply can't think of words that will
express how we appreciate the splendid way Mr. Pollard and yourself have
stood up for us."

Jacob Farnum eyed the boys quizzically, then turned to the young captain
of the submarine to inquire:

"Wouldn't you stand by me in anything? Wouldn't you yell for this yard
and its product with your last gasp? Answer me."

"Why, of course we would," Jack Benson admitted.

"Then I take just offense, if you expect me to be any less of a man than
yourself," declared Farnum, with a pretense of anger.

"The same sentiment puts me on record," chuckled David Pollard:

"Then let us forget the low comedy, the melodrama, or whatever it was,"
proposed the boatbuilder. "Let us get down to the regular business of
the day. We want more money here, if we can get it on a fair and square
basis. If we can't, we'll do our best to go along as we've been going.
And now, Jack, and the rest of you, Pollard and I have a few little
things to whisper over."

CHAPTER V

DON MELVILLE TAKES A HAND

"Are we at liberty to go up into the village, sir?" asked Jack Benson,
pausing at the door.

"Fun?" demanded the boatbuilder, regard them with a dry smile.

"Yes, sir," Jack nodded. "That is, the kind of fun we find in our work.
We want to get some metal, a few tools and other things, to rig up
something that we think may serve well aboard the 'Pollard.'"

"Run right along then," rejoined Mr. Farnum. "Get a bill for whatever
you spend at the toolshop and turn the bill in as expense account."

"Thank you. Good morning, sir."

"Say, did you ever see that beat?" demanded Eph, all aglow with
enthusiasm, as the boys stepped across the yard. "My, but didn't Mr.
Farnum call the trick with those fellows?"

"We've been doing a heap of useless worrying over what Don Melville let
drop the other day, haven't we?" asked Hal, quietly.

"Fellows," stated Captain Jack, earnestly, "as long as we work for this
pair of men I'm never