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Instead of the gracefully curved black sides, with two rows of ports, from which peeped the muzzles of great cannon, the gunboat's sides above water sloped like the roof of a house, and huge iron shutters hid the cannon from view. Inside, all was dark and stuffy, making battle-lanterns necessary even in daylight fights.
All hands aft on the "Benson" ran forward, to find the "Oakland" swinging around so that her bow pointed the path for the leading submarine. Eph remained at the wheel, steering steadily. He carried the "Benson" past the gunboat's bow, some seventy yards away. A cheer went up from the sailors crowding forward on the gunboat's spar deck.
Then, of a sudden, the gunboat's commander, who was both an officer and a gentleman, broke forth, contritely: "As I think it over, I believe, myself, that Benson advised as he now states he did. It was my own error I am sure of it now." Wheeling about, Mayhew held out his right hand. "Mr. Benson," he said, in a deep voice full of regret, "I was the one in error.
The gunboat's fire did very little mischief, but it seemed to be regarded by both sides as a signal to begin the fight, for at once our batteries got to work, their shells dropping with most beautiful precision upon the guns and trenches of the Russians.
He would be very sorry to leave her; but anything was better than serving in a ship commanded by a lunatic. For a week the gunboat's officers and men endured the new routine with what fortitude they could muster.
Hal, in the meantime, under orders, had attended to bringing the "Pollard's" platform deck briefly above water. The movements of the searchlight ahead convinced the submarine boat's observers that the gunboat's watch officer had not yet detected the presence of so small and unlighted an object as the "Pollard," miles away.
When he had finished, Jack broke in with: "By the way, sir, you were going to question your prisoner, Sam Truax, to see what you could learn about his reasons for acting the way he did on the 'Farnum." "I didn't forget, either," replied the gunboat's commander. "I had him before me last night, and again this morning." "And he said " began Jack, eagerly.
"Wh-what, sir!" stammered the marine sentry, presenting arms. "Where did this boy come from?" demanded the Naval officer. "I I don't " began the sentry, but his superior, leaving him, rushed to the flagstaff. "Sentry, what were you doing? What was everyone else doing?" cried the gunboat's commander. "Did you think it a part of our cruise to serve as mooring for stray torpedo boats?
This invitation the yard's owner accepted, asking only time enough to arrange for keeping some of his workmen over-time, awaiting the coming of flood-tide. So, presently, Jack and his employer found themselves seated at table in the gunboat's handsome wardroom. Besides the lieutenant commander there were Lieutenant Halpin, two ensigns, two engineer officers and a young medical officer.
While the blue-jacket was explaining this to the boys, a hoarse voice came from the gunboat's deck. "Schooner ahoy!" it roared. "No, no!" replied the man at the Fairy Belle's wheel. "That's a little the queerest answer to a hail I ever heard," was Jack's comment.
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