“As a naval officer I wouldn’t bring anyone aboard here whom I doubted,” replied the lieutenant commander, flushing.

“I didn’t mean to be offensive, Mr. Kimball.  But I have as great a reason as Uncle Sam can have for wanting to preserve the secrets of this boat from all but sworn officers and men of the Navy.  You and I are one in that desire, Mr. Kimball, so we’ll gladly take out any party, ladies included, that you bring on board.”

“Thank you,” answered Kimball.  “And I can assure you that I shall be very careful in making up my party.  Oh, but won’t there be fluttering hearts at Spruce Beach tonight And I’m more than half afraid that I shall make an enemy of every lady of my acquaintance whom I have to leave out of the affair.  How many, guests can you take, Mr. Farnum?”

“Not above fourteen, all told,” replied the shipbuilder.

“Then I shall go ashore myself this evening, to deliver my invitations.”

The shipbuilder also went ashore that evening, just to see whether he could learn anything about M. Lemaire and Mlle. Nadiboff.  Almost the first person Farnum encountered was reporter Hennessy.

“Oh, your people are still here,” answered Hennessy, in response to the shipbuilder’s question.  “They’re both keeping in the background, though.  It looks as though they feared to run away, and were waiting to see whether the lightning were going to strike them.  Now, that I’ve told you so much, Mr. Farnum, can’t you give me a little more of the inside of this whole strange business?”

“If I did,” smiled the shipbuilder, “you’d send it to your paper.”

“Of course,” admitted the reporter, honestly.

“I’ll tell you the best I can do, Hennessy.  You keep your eyes and ears open for us, and I’ll give you this news story before I give it to any other newspaper man.”

“You surely will?” demanded the newspaper eagerly.

“I will.”

“Then I’m here to help you”

As the lieutenant commander had predicted, the ladies at the hotels were in a flutter of excitement that evening.  Every one who heard of the projected trip on the submarine boat, it seemed, wanted to be invited.  By the time that Mr. Kimball’s list was made up it consisted of three men and nine women, these in addition to the lieutenant commander himself and Mr Featherstone.

As Jack paced the far end of the veranda that evening a girlish figure, only poorly concealed under a light wrap, stole after him.  As the young woman reached him she threw back a light veil, revealing the very pretty face of Mlle. Nadiboff.

“So, my Captain,” she cried, “you would forget me when you are getting up a party to take a cruise on your wonderful craft?”

If young Benson felt anything as he looked, he was staggered by this amazing bit of effrontery.

“You do not answer me,” cried Mlle. Nadiboff.  “You feel guilty indeed, then?”