dingly, "and to wish the boat good luck as she strikes the water.
My father used to work in this yard, and I worked here last summer."

"He's all right," nodded Mr. Farnum, so Eph got inside the shed.

The ladder rested against the hull; this was to be the last time that
it would be used. David Pollard ascended, first, to the submarine's
platform deck Farnum followed Then Grant Andrews went up. Last of all
came Jack Benson and Hal Hastings. These were all who were scheduled
to slide down the slippery ways with the "Pollard." But Eph was there,
close at hand, consumed by an unquenchable desire to go, too. Nor was
he wholly convinced that he wouldn't.

Outside, at one side of the shed, stood Lieutenant Jackson and the
invited guests. On the other side were the members of the band.

On the platform deck, near the conning tower, were an outside steering
wheel and the engine controls. Back of all were the funnels of the
ventilators.

"Are you going to take the wheel, sir?" whispered Grant Andrews, to
the inventor.

"I--I'm afraid I'm too nervous to," replied David Pollard, in an
undertone. "You'd better take the wheel, Andrews."

So the foreman stationed himself there, for the craft might need guidance
during the headway that the launching would give her.

Pollard turned to the yard's owner, to whisper imploringly:

"Better give the word and start things, Farnum. The suspense will floor
me if it lasts much longer."

So Farnum gave tho first signal, and the workmen below began their last
duties. In a twinkling it was known that something was wrong with one
of the ways. Grant Andrews moved quickly away from the wheel to look
below and give an order.

Jack Benson moved up to the wheel, that there might be someone there
in case the "Pollard" made an unexpected leap into the water. In
the confusion, just as one of the workmen below was about to remove
the ladder, Eph Somers swiftly pushed it back against the hull, ascending
almost on the run to the platform deck, where he stood pointing out
to Andrews the cause of the trouble below. As he did so, Eph slyly
but authoritatively signaled to the men to remove the ladder, which
was done. Eph Somers had won his wish. He was aboard--safe unless
someone discovered him at the last second and threw him over.

Now, with a fearful clattering, the last supports of the substructure
were knocked away by lustily wielded sledge-hammers.

The leader of the band, accus