This Mr. Farnum was quite willing to do.  Before the boatbuilder finished with his explanation to the fleet’s commander there was a very decided twinkle in Admiral Bentley’s sharp old eyes.

“I accept your explanation, Mr. Farnum, that it was all a joke,” smiled the admiral.

“Of course,” Jacob Farnum made haste to add, “having perpetrated such a hoax, I shall charge myself with all the expense of painting out the objectionable lettering.”

“But I am not sure that that will be necessary,” Admiral Bentley laughed.  “The truth is, Mr. Farnum, your hoax on Mr. McCrea has taught us a most excellent and valuable lesson about the sort of other work that a submarine might do against a battleship at anchor.  The lesson is worth far more than the cost of the paint.  Indeed, I shall not have the lettering on the ‘Luzon’s’ side painted out until other officers of the fleet have been able to examine such a striking proof of the value of submarines.  Yet I am extremely sorry for the feelings of Mr. McCrea this morning.”

In truth, Lieutenant McCrea was in for a most unmerciful tormenting by his brother officers.  If there was one thing on which the lieutenant prided himself, it was upon the strictness of his deck watch.  So the jest, jibes and quips of his brother officers stung him deeply.

“Was the hoax your idea, Mr. Farnum?” asked Admiral Bentley.

“No, sir; I am sorry to say that I am not often as brilliant as that.”

“Then whose joke was it?”

“It was the scheme of Captain Jack Benson, the ‘Pollard’s’ present commander.”

“I have heard of your boyish captain,” smiled Admiral Bentley.  “He must be a very resourceful young man.”

“You’re right in saying that,” replied Farnum, with warmth.  “Benson is altogether about the brightest boy I’ve ever met.  For that matter, all three of the boys are unusually keen.”

Admiral Bentley consulted a memorandum book that lay on his desk, before he went on: 

“Mr. Farnum, if you’ve nothing in the way, I shall be extremely glad to have Mr. Pollard and yourself at luncheon at one o’clock this afternoon.  But I shall feel much disappointed if you do not also bring with you your youthful captain, Benson.”

Farnum promptly accepted, with great delight.  This all looked as though the “Pollard” would figure handsomely in the admiral’s forthcoming reports to Washington.

Ere the morning was over all the officers and men of the great war fleet were laughing at Lieutenant McCrea.  The newspaper correspondents with the fleet got hold of the yarn, of course, and sent stories to their journals that helped to make the fame of the “Pollard” and of those who handled her.

As for McCrea, he kept out of sight all he could.  It was months before his brother officers in the Navy would let him hear the last of the joke that had been played upon him.

“Has it hurt us any?” repeated Jacob Farnum, when he returned to the submarine.  “It has helped us wonderfully.  And, Jack, my boy, you’re to lunch with the admiral to-day!”