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It was such a shelter as this, indeed, for which he had been searching. On the second night after his arrival, he walked with the boatbuilder upon the wooden quay. The boatbuilder's name was Nicholls, and he was a man of some means, deacon of the chapel, with a fair connection as a jobbing carpenter, and possessor of the only horse and cart in the place.
Melville, and gentlemen," cried the boatbuilder, wheeling upon his guests, "do you even begin to grasp the importance of the marvel you have just witnessed? One of the great indictments found against the submarine torpedo boat is that, when one sinks and cannot be brought to the surface again, the crew must miserably perish.
They seated themselves at the oars of a large yawl, while Mr. Farnum and his guests stepped into the boat. "Give way, and lay us alongside of the 'Pollard," directed the boatbuilder. Captain Jack, Hal Hastings and Eph Somers still remained standing at ease on the platform deck of the submarine craft.
Just then the sound of stealthily moving feet came to the boatbuilder's ears. Don, in his glee, had lost the chance to make so much noise with his own feet that the other boy could steal softly away undetected. Without a word, now, the boatbuilder sprang forward. As he advanced, he heard the running of the uniformed boy plainly enough, and, a moment later, came in sight.
Then, knowing that he could not expect to hear from the national capital for at least several hours, and feeling that he simply must have something absorbing on his, hands, the boatbuilder turned his attention to following up the business of the night before. He soon learned, through means of his own, that Don Melville had engaged a driver and had left Dunhaven during the night.
"Of course I feel greatly obliged to you," rejoined the boatbuilder, with evident sarcasm. "But to put money into this enterprise, Mr. Melville, would be to encourage, needlessly, competition with your own submarine building." "Oh, we can merge the two yards, Mr. Farnum," responded the capitalist, with a wave of his hand. "Some little time ago, Mr.
We want more money here, if we can get it on a fair and square basis. If we can't, we'll do our best to go along as we've been going. And now, Jack, and the rest of you, Pollard and I have a few little things to whisper over." "Are we at liberty to go up into the village, sir?" asked Jack Benson, pausing at the door. "Fun?" demanded the boatbuilder, regard them with a dry smile.
He hurried on in the direction of Boatbuilder Jago's yard, which stands close above the foreshore, on the eastern side of the little haven. When he returned, with the boards under his arm, it was to find 'Bert the centre of a knot of boys, all envious though two or three were making brave attempts to hide it under a fire of jocose criticism.
"Doing? Oh, Eph was taking a nap " "Taking a nap?" "Hal was tinkering with the gasoline motor, and I was reading." "Reading?" fumed Mr. Farnum. "What were you trying to do? Torment the life out of us?" "Were any of you folks worried?" asked Jack, smiling innocently at the excited crowd. "Worried?" ejaculated the boatbuilder. "I've telegraphed for a diver and a wrecking company's outfit."
Joy beamed out in his eyes. Hal looked as though he had been given a new lease of life. "Hooray!" roared Eph. He gave two vigorous jig steps, then stopped, abashed. "Excuse me, Mr. Farnum," he begged, shamefacedly. "I do not think you quite understand," went on Mr. Melville, regarding the boatbuilder coldly.
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