for long, anyway.
All I'm hoping is that ye'll go in for bein' one of the crew of that
submarine boat. Then I'll be even with a lot of ye all at the same
time!"

With which enigmatic prophecy Joshua Owen let go of the boy's arm,
and tramped heavily away, followed by his precious nephew.

CHAPTER IV

THE TRICK OF THE FLASHLIGHT

"Have you seen anything of Owen, since he was discharged?"

It was David Pollard who put the question, while the crew, under the
new foreman, Andrews, was busy the next day with more work on the
motor fittings.

Then, for the first time, except to his chum, Jack Benson told of
his meeting in the yard.

"Making threats against you, and against the boat, is he?" smiled
Mr. Pollard. "Well, he can't get near the boat. Partridge took the
precaution of getting the keys back from Owen yesterday afternoon,
when the fellow went to get paid off. But as for his threats against
you--"

"It will be just as well to look out for the fellow, Benson, and you,
too, Hastings," put in young Mr. Farnum, who happened to be aboard.
"Owen is an ugly fellow, and a powerful one, and I imagine he possesses
a certain amount of rough brute courage."

"I'm not afraid of him, sir," replied Jack, coolly. "At the same
time, of course, I'll keep my eyes open."

"Owen probably can't hang around Dunhaven very long, anyway," continued
the owner of the yard. "I don't believe he has very much saved. Of
course, he can't get any work in his line in Dunhaven, now that this
yard is closed to him. So look out for a day or two, and, after that,
I guess he'll be gone."

"I'll keep my eye open, but I shan't lose any rest," smiled young
Benson, confidently--too confidently, as the sequel proved.

Work was now proceeding at a rapid rate. Andrews was an ideal foreman,
quiet, alert, watchful and understanding his trade thoroughly. He was
something of a driver, as to speed, but workmen do not resent that if
the one in authority be just and capable.

"I wish we had had you as foreman from the start, Andrews," remarked
the inventor.

"Well, I was here, and ready to be called at any time," replied the
new foreman, with a smile.

"By the way, you don't seem to have any trouble with Benson or Hastings,"
pursued Mr. Pollard.

"Not a bit. They're good helpers. In fact, young as they are, they
are a long way on the road to being real mechanics."

"You don't find them forward, or--well, fresh?"

"They're not th