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The reporter nodded, then continued with a cool smile: "Thank you, Mr. Rhinds, for answering so important a question on such a vitally important point. It is very important to have the suspicion disposed of that such a hiding place might exist." "Very important," confirmed John Rhinds, leaning forward in his most impressive manner.
Possible, also, that in this fact lay time greatest danger that had ever menaced Jack Benson. There was no thought of dinner for John Rhinds that evening. After the newspaper men had gone the artful schemer spent a long time in drafting two or three telegrams that he felt it necessary to send to members of his state's Congressional delegation at Washington.
To put it another way, they're not just our kind of people. That is, they're not at all in the same class with gentlemen like Jake Farnum and Dave Pollard. Now, that's every word I'm going to say against Rhinds or Radwin, for they've certainly been agreeable to us to-night." Chatting thus, as they strolled slowly back and forth, none of the submarine boys noted how long Radwin was gone.
The "Thor," also, was heading straight for the derelict. So far, the Rhinds boat was still nearer. It began to look, however, as if the "Thor's" engines were not quite as fast as those of the other Rhinds boat, the "Zelda." "Are we going to make it?" breathed Eph, the perspiration of sheer strain standing out on his forehead. "Yes!" almost barked Jack Benson.
"When the chief has spoken I must be silent," Jack answered, clearly, though in a low voice. "What can you say to us, Mr. Farnum? What will you say?" cried Mrs. Rhinds, desperately. "Madame," replied the Dunhaven shipbuilder, "all I can say is this: I will not, of myself make any effort to bring your husband before a court. I will make no effort to have the investigation carried any further.
Pollard!" chorused the three submarine boys. Then, favoring Rhinds and Radwin with brief glances: "Good morning gentlemen!" "Gentlemen?" repeated Eph, disgustedly, under his breath. "I think not!" Though Rhinds and his agent speedily managed to look pleasant, they hadn't gotten their spirits back when the shore boat pulled away.
"Think whatever you may please about the guilt of Rhinds, or of Radwin, or some one under them, but where's the proof. On search the 'Thor' was found to have the full number of torpedoes issued to her. Now, government departments must be guided by evidence." "Humph!" sighed Jack. "As things have turned out, I'd sooner beat the Rhinds crowd than all the other submarine crowds together."
"That's the crowd, right over there, that have sold two boats under our noses to the Navy Department," continued Rhinds, a snarl framing about his thick, ugly lips. "That's the crowd we've got to beat." "Then those young chaps must be the three young submarine officers with such fine records," remarked Fred Radwin, in an undertone. "They are," nodded Rhinds, slowly.
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.
Should the Rhinds boat carry away the honors on that day and on the subsequent days of the present tests, then Farnum and Pollard, who had their entire fortunes invested in this business, would have on their hands only so much scrap steel, brass and iron. Nor would Jack and his comrades fare any better. If the boys were vanquished, Farnum and Pollard would have no more work for them.
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