“Well, you needn’t bother at all about the conning tower to-day,” wound up Eph, glancing at his watch.  “It’s after half-past three at this moment and I understand we’re to drop anchor about five o’clock.”

So skipper Jack settled back with a comfortable sigh.  Truth to tell, it was pleasant not to have any immediate duty, for his head throbbed, every now and then, and he felt dizzy when he tried to walk.

“Who could have hit me in that fashion, last night, and for what earthly purpose?” wondered the boy.  “I’ve had some enemies, in the past, but I don’t know a single person about Dunhaven, now who has any reason for wishing me harm.”

Never a thought crossed his mind of suspecting Sam Truax.  That worthy had come with a note from David Pollard, the inventor of the boats.  Sam, therefore, must be all right, the boy reasoned.

Jack lay back on the upholstered seat.  He sat with his eyes closed most of the time, though he did not doze.  At last, however, he heard the engine room bell sound for reduced speed.  Getting up, the young captain made his way to the foot of the conning tower stairs.

“Making port, Hal?” he called.

“Yep,” came the reply.  “We’ll be at anchor in five minutes more.”

Jack made his way slowly to the door of the engine room.

“Eph,” he called, “as soon as you’ve shut off speed, take Truax above and you two attend to the mooring.”

“Take this other man up with you,” urged Sam Truax.  “I don’t know anything about tying a boat up to moorings.”

“Time you learned, then,” returned Eph Somers, “if you’re to stay aboard a submarine craft.”

“Take this other man up with you,” again urged Truax.

Eph Somers turned around to face him with a good deal of a glare.

“What ails you, Truax?  You heard the captain’s order.  You’ll go with me.”

“Don’t be too sure of that,” uttered Sam Truax, defiantly.

“If you don’t go above with me, and if you don’t follow every order you get aboard this boat, I know where you will go,” muttered decisively.

“Where?” jeered Sam.

“Ashore—­in the first boat that can take you.”

“You seem to forget that I’m on board by David Pollard’s order,” sneered Truax.

“All I am sure of,” retorted Eph, “is that Jack Benson is captain on board this craft.  That means that he’s sole judge of everything here when this boat is cruising.  If you were here by the orders of both owners, Jack Benson would fire you ashore for good, just the same, after you’ve balked at the first order.”

“Humph!  I—­”

Clang!  Jangle!  The signal bell was sounding.

“Shut up,” ordered Eph Somers, briskly.  “I’ve got the engine to run on signal from the watch officer.”

There followed a series of signals, first of all for stopping speed, then for a brief reversing of engines.  A moment later headway speed ahead was ordered.  So on Eph went through the series of orders until the “Farnum” had been manoeuvred to her exact position.  Then, from above, Captain Jack’s voice was heard, roaring in almost his usual tones: