is going to be very interesting."

"It won't be very interesting for you, whoever you are, when they get
you," thundered the mighty _Florida_. "It's bad business monkeying with
Uncle Sam."

"Maybe they won't get me," suggested Jack's spark.

"Oh, yes, they will," came from Washington, "and you'll find it doesn't
pay to be as sassy as you've been."

"M-M-M," sent out Jack mischievously.

The three letters mean, in telegraphers' and wireless men's language,
"laughter."

Washington's dignity took fire at this gross insult. They must have
sizzled as from the national capital an angry message shot out to the
other ships to talk in code. Jack's fun was over, but he had thoroughly
enjoyed all the excitement he had stirred up. As he laid down the
receivers Raynor came in.

"You look tickled to death over something," he exclaimed. "What's up?"

Jack sprang to his feet. His eyes were shining. He clasped Raynor's hand
and wrung it pump-handle fashion. Raynor looked at the usually quiet,
rather self-contained lad, in blank astonishment.

"What's happened--somebody wirelessed you that you're heir to a
million?" he demanded.

"No, better than that, Billy."

"Great Scott! Tell me."

"Billy, old boy, it works. It works like a charm. I've got half the navy
all snarled up about it now. By to-morrow they'll be after me with
Secret Service men."

"Gee whillakers. You've done the trick! Good for you, old boy."

A sudden shadow in the open door made them both look round. Thurman
stood in the embrasure.

"May I add my congratulations?" he said, holding out his hand.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT "SITS UP."

Jack could not refuse the proffered hand. But he took it with an uneasy
air. There was something not quite "straight" about Thurman, it seemed
to Jack, but as the former offered his congratulations he appeared
sincere enough.

"After all, it may be just his misfortune that he can't look you in the
eyes," Jack told himself.

But if he had been in the wireless room that night he would have deemed
his suspicions only too well founded. Thurman busied himself with
routine matters till he was sure Jack was asleep. Then he began calling
Washington with monotonous regularity.

An irritable operator answered him. By the wave length the Washington
man knew that it was not a naval station or vessel calling.

"Yes--yes--what--is--it?" he snapped.

"I know the fellow who has that Universal Detector."

"Wha