no particular rival, or rivals, in mind, his fears,
as was afterwards proven, were only too well founded.

"Take the wheel, please, Mr. Farnum," Jack, begged. He ran down the
steps to call:

"On deck, Biffens!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" replied the sailor, scrambling to obey.

Jack was out on the platform deck, megaphone in hand, by the time that
his employer ran up rather close to the "Chelsea."

"Will you direct us to our moorings, sir?" Jack shouted to the watch
officer aboard the gunboat.

"Proceed slowly east. Our launch will follow and show you your
moorings," came the reply. Then the launch glided around the stern of
the gunboat, leading the way.

Ten minutes later the "Benson" and the "Hastings" were moored, at the
extreme eastern end of the line of submarine craft.

Then Hal, mopping his face from the engine room heat, came up on deck
for a breath of air.

"I don't suppose we can get ashore," murmured young Hastings, gazing
wistfully at the city beyond.

"No," muttered Jack, shaking his head. "We're short-handed as it is,
and we've got to be on hand to watch these boats. There are too many
of the enemy about, in the shape of rival builders and their employees,
and among them there may be some mean tricksters who'd do anything in
their power to put the Pollard boats out of the running in the tests
to come. No; I reckon we won't see much of the shore, except from
our decks, though it is mighty cramped and confining on one of these
small craft."

Hal took a couple of turns up and down the deck. No one, until he has
tried it, can realize how cramped such small craft are when one has to
remain any length of time aboard.

Suddenly Hal paused, pointing landward.

"Great Scott!" he gasped. "Look who's here!"

A roomy whaleboat was approaching them. In it, as passengers, sat
Grant Andrews, foreman, and five workmen from the home yard.

"What can have happened?" wondered Captain Jack, as he and his chum
waved their hands in greeting; then stood staring.

"Surprised, eh, lads?" laughingly demanded Jacob Farnum, who had stolen
up behind them.

"Yes; what's wrong?" asked Jack.

"Nothing," replied the shipbuilder.

"Then what are Andrews and the other men doing here?"

"Do you notice," hinted Mr. Farnum, "that the men with Andrews are all
picked from among our older, trusted shipyard men."

"Yes, sir. That's true."

"Well, in the first place," pursued Farnum, "if any sudden repairs,
fixings o