“Did you come aboard from the submarine?” questioned the gunboat’s commander, wheeling upon Jack Benson.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ahoy, ‘Massapequa,’” floated up in Ennerling’s tones.  “Is that you, Braylesford?”

“Aye, Ennerling, and a shabby old trick you’ve played on us!”

Commander Ennerling’s hearty laughter came up from below.

“Captain John Benson, the young man who came over your stern rail, is the genius who planned the joke,” called up Ennerling.

“But with your approval, eh?”

“Of course, Braylesford.”

“Then, Ennerling, I’m sorry I can’t have the pleasure of putting you in irons,” nodded Lieutenant Commander Braylesford, dryly.

“Let down a rope ladder, and I’ll come aboard for a moment, Braylesford.”

The watch lieutenant, who had hurried aft at this juncture, stood waiting respectfully for a word with his superior.

“What have you to report, Lieutenant?” demanded Braylesford.

“We stopped, sir, to rescue a boy afloat on a door.  He’s in bathing suit, and gives none but the most idiotic replies to my questions.”

“He must be part of this outfit,” retorted the lieutenant commander, pointing below at the submarine, at which the watch lieutenant was now staring with wide-open eyes.

“Yes; that’s Eph Somers, one of our crew,” smiled Captain Jack.  “He was turned loose on the door to take up your attention, while we did the tie-behind trick.”

A rope ladder having been lowered, Commander Ennerling, by nimble use of the tow-line, had succeeded in reaching it, and he now came over the rail, chuckling.

“It’s on the ‘Massapequa,’ I admit,” grinned Braylesford.

“On me, I’m afraid,” pronounced the watch lieutenant, with a half-groan.

“Don’t feel badly about it, gentlemen,” laughed Commander Ennerling.  “Jack Benson is the same lad who stole up under the battleship ‘Luzon,’ and painted the name, ‘Pollard,’ in sixfoot letters on the hull of the battleship as a reminder of his call.  The lad is a sea-joker of the first order.”

“He ought to be in the Navy,” retorted Braylesford, then turned, with a smile, to offer his hand to the submarine boy.

“Oh, he will be, surely enough, if war-times ever come upon us again,” replied the commander.

Word was now sent to conduct Eph aft.

“Get aboard your own craft and dress; then come on board and join us in the ward-room,” invited Braylesford.

“I’m afraid the lad can’t,” said Commander Ennerling.  “He and one other, Hastings, are the only members of the crew that will be left on the submarine if you keep Benson here to talk with him.”

Within two minutes the two craft were on their way south.  The members of the Naval board, Messrs. Farnum and Pollard and Captain Jack were entertained in the ward-room of the gun-boat, while Hal and Eph ran the submarine along some two hundred yards to the westward.  It was a jolly time, indeed, in the “Massapequa’s” ward-room, for Naval officers are keen to enjoy a good joke, and Jack’s exploit was voted a prime one.