"I certainly shall invite you," replied the builder. "But," he added,
bitterly, "going aboard the boat that played the strong part in your
undoing will be the nearest you will ever come, I fear, to a trail of
your missing money. Pardon me"--Mr. Farnum choked suddenly--"I can't
think of that night with patience."

"And that is just what I want you to forget, please," begged the girl,
softly. Then she added, with a laugh: "I'll call a trip on the 'Pollard'
settlement in full for any claim you may think I have against you."

"I'll pay," groaned Farnum, "but it won't be settlement even in part."

When Miss Desmond and her friends had gone on again Farnum clenched his
hands, muttering:

"The girl's kindness only makes my savage disgust with myself all the
greater."

"Why, she's right in saying that you're not responsible in any way,"
urged Jack.

"Boys, if you ever happen up with that rascal, or his scowling son, and
if you choke either one, and give him a sound beating, draw on me for a
thousand dollars. If you can ever do anything that leads to the
recovery of Miss Desmond's money, draw on me for anything you please!"

Two days later the promise to give Miss Desmond a trip on the "Pollard"
was kept. Mrs. Scott would not go, but her husband did. The girl even
begged for a brief run under water, and stood it bravely, though with
some pallor until she saw the sun once more shining in through the
conning tower.

By the time that trip was over the submarine boys would have gone
cheerily in the "Pollard?" through a sea of ink, blood or fire to serve
the unfortunate young woman.

Very soon after that Miss Desmond plucked up sufficient courage to ask
for the vacant position of typewriter in Mr. Farnum's office, and
obtained it. She rapidly mastered the machine, and, in the meantime,
gave all her spare time to the study of shorthand. She also learned
to do much work on the books. Jacob Farnum would've made her post an
easy one, but Grace Desmond insisted that she had her way to make in
the world, and that she wanted to obtain a business training in the
shortest time possible.

Although the "Pollard" went out every day, ever night she lay in the
little harbor that formed the sea-board part of the yard. At her
anchorage was a depth of seventy-five feet of water.

The three boys now lived wholly aboard, but it was dull there evenings,
so after dark they spent much of the earlier hours of the night ashore.