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If he had been inclined to forego it, he was not the kind of man to be goaded into unwilling resumption of his purpose by the taunts of Major Scott. It may surely be assumed that the impeachment of Warren Hastings would have been made even if Major Scott had been as wise and discreet as he proved himself to be unwise and indiscreet.
And, so far as the British public knew, England had taken no steps to combat this under-sea peril. However, as Lord Hastings had told the boys at the opening of this story, Great Britain had taken such steps, and that they were effective was evident from his additional statement that in the neighborhood of a hundred submarines had "vanished."
"I wish I knew what it was," muttered Rhinds. "That's just the way every man-jack aboard the submarine boats is feeling about it," jeered Radwin. "Jove, I hope the test, to-day, is one in which we stand a chance to beat the Pollard crowd!" Jacob Farnum had just started from the "Hastings," in a shore boat, when the first gun boomed forth.
Of course, it's a long chance, but we must do something." Ten minutes later he gave the order to rise again. There was no response. Again Lord Hastings gave the signal and still the U-6 failed to rise. "What's the matter?" demanded Lord Hastings quickly. "Something wrong with the tanks, sir," replied Jack hurrying up at that moment.
"Why, I'll see, of course," volunteered Doctor McCrea, rising and leaving the sick boy. Ten minutes later the naval surgeon returned with Benson. With the latter was Hal Hastings. Mr. Mayhew and Ensign Trahern hovered in the rear of the group. "Here's Mr. Benson, Truax," announced Doctor McCrea. "Now, my man, if there is anything of which you want to unburden your mind, go ahead and do it.
After seeing this done, the two submarine boys left for the platform deck, for the engine room was both hot and crowded. "How long is it going to take you, Mr. Hastings?" asked the naval officer in command of the "Pollard." "Half an hour to get the parts cool enough to examine, but I can't say, sir, how long the examination and repairs will take."
"You run the risk of being left with nothing." "I know that. I don't care. All or nothing. The Hastings have always been men of will and resolution. And I'm inspired by the example of one of my relatives. It's an invigorating case of pertinacity. You'll see."
Then he'll have to shift his light to hunt new foes. You can be ready and sink him the moment he does so." "That's not a half bad idea," declared Lord Hastings. "It shall be done. Over with you, lads." Quickly Frank and Jack got a little boat over the side, procured a rifle apiece, and rowed away.
There followed weary, anxious, harassing days days in which Pliny remained doggedly behind the counter, and Theodore almost entirely ignored the store, and gave himself up to following the footsteps of appraisers and auctioneers and policemen, and in trying to shield Mrs. Hastings and Dora, for the red flag floated out from the grand mansion proudly known for years as Hastings' Hall. Oh change!
More remarkable still, as faithful readers of newspapers knew, Captain Jack Benson had associated with him, on the new torpedo boat, two other sixteen-year-old boys, by name Hal Hastings and Eph Somers. It was also rumored, and nearly as often believed, that these three sea-bred young Americans knew as much as anyone in the United States on the special subject of submarine boat handling.
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