With these young men of the Navy there was but one opinion of the submarine boys—­that they were trumps, wholly of the right sort.

As a result, Jack, Hal and Eph had hundreds of new friends among those who will officer the Navy of the morrow.

Not so bad, even just as a stroke of business!

CHAPTER XIII

READY FOR THE SEA CRUISE

For the next ten days things moved along without much excitement for the submarine boys.

During that time they had an average of four sections a day of cadet midshipmen to instruct in the workings of the Pollard type of submarine torpedo boat.

During the last few days short cruises were taken on the Severn River, in order that the middies might practise at running the motors and handling the craft.  At such times one squad of midshipmen would be on duty in the engine room, another in the conning tower and on the platform deck.

Of course, when the midshipmen handled the “Farnum,” under command of a Navy officer, the submarine boys had but little more to do than to be on board.  Certainly they were not overworked.  Yet all three were doing fine work for their employers in making the Navy officers of the future like the Pollard type of craft.

After waiting a few days Jack Benson reported to the Annapolis police his experience with the mulatto “guide.”  The police thought they recognized the fellow, from the description, and did their best to find him.  The mulatto, however, seemed to have disappeared from that part of the country.

There came a Friday afternoon when, as the last detachment of middies filed over the side into the waiting cutter, Lieutenant Commander Mayhew announced: 

“This, Mr. Benson, completes the instruction desired in the Basin and in the river.  To-morrow and Sunday you will have for rest.  On Monday, at 10 A.M., a section will report aboard for the first trip out to sea.  Then you will show our young men how the boat dives, and how she is run under water.  As none of our cadet midshipmen have ever been below in a submarine before, you will be sure of having eager students.”

“And perhaps some nervous ones,” smiled Skipper Jack.

“Possibly,” assented Mr. Mayhew.  “I doubt it, though.  Nervousness is not a marked trait of any young man who has been long enrolled at the Naval Academy.”

“Can we have a slight favor done us, Mr. Mayhew?” Jack asked.

“Any reasonable favor, of course.”

“Then, sir, we’d like to spend a little time ashore, as we’ve been confined so long aboard.  If I lock up everything tight on the boat until Sunday night, may we know that the ‘Farnum’ will be under the protection of the marine guard?”

“I feel that there will not be the slightest difficulty in promising you that,” replied Mr. Mayhew.  “I will telephone the proper authorities about it as soon as I go on shore.”