tters worse. "That infernal
'Gazette,'" in especial, printed, in bold type, the account of his
refusal to let a committee of newspapermen examine his boat for a
secret hiding place large enough to hold an extra torpedo.

That forenoon shore boats did a thriving business in carrying people out
on trips around the Pollard and Rhinds submarines. Trains brought in
folks from other towns, all anxious for a glimpse of the submarine craft.

"This will drive me wild, yet," groaned Mr. Rhinds. "It's an outrageous
shame."

Still, there was little realization, on his part, that he deserved all
this, and more.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Jack, my boy," muttered Jacob Farnum, looking up from a batch of
morning newspapers in the cabin of the "Hastings," "You've been the
means of stirring up a bigger hurricane than ever raged at sea."

"Are you sorry?" asked the young submarine captain, coolly.

"Well, considering my private opinion of Mr. John C. Rhinds, and my
belief as to what he did--or tried to do--to us, I can't say I'm
deeply grieved," returned the shipbuilder.

Then time shipbuilder looked around him, at all three of the submarine
boys, as he went on:

"Lads, we've been cramped up on this boat long enough, so I'm going to
take you ashore this evening. But remember--not a word to reporters,
or to anyone else. If any one of you opens his mouth on this subject,
I shall consider that young man no longer a friend of mine."

All this while Chief Ward, of the Colfax police department, was busily
engaged in seeking tidings of the missing Fred Radwin. But Radwin,
after entering that adjoining room, appeared to have been swallowed up.

Jack had heard, from the chief of police, of the disappearance of Radwin.
This was one feature of the story that the newspapers had as yet failed
to discover. However, Ward believed that Radwin was now hundreds of
miles away, and still traveling. So, when the Pollard submarine party
came ashore that evening, none of them gave much thought to Radwin.

Farnum led his young friends, as heretofore, to the Somerset House.

"We might possibly meet Rhinds in the lobby, or in the dining room,"
said the shipbuilder, "but I don't deem it likely. Rhinds is undoubtedly
keeping hid within his own walls upstairs."

This guess proved to be a good one. Farnum and his friends dined at the
Somerset without being offended by a sight of the face of their rival
in business.

A special