The Submarine Boys for the Flag | Page 2

with
the American boy.
"Oh, it is important to you, and very much so," urged the Professor,
somewhat more anxiously. "Besides," added the German, with a now
really engaging smile, "I have met your demand, Herr Benson, and
have said 'please.'"
"Then I suppose I'll have to meet your demand," nodded Jack,
good-humoredly. "Lead the way, sir."
"Ach! You may walk at my side," permitted the German.
It all seemed a bit strange, but Captain Jack Benson had been through
more strange experiences than had most Americans of twice or thrice
his age. Besides, as he walked beside Herr Professor Radberg Jack
imagined that he had guessed at least an inkling of the other's business.
The German had announced himself as a professor; probably, therefore,
he was a scientist. Being a scientist, the Professor had very likely
invented, or nearly invented something intended for use in connection
with submarine torpedo boats, and wanted to interest the concern by
which the young submarine skipper was employed. Though this guess
was a reasonable one, it soon turned out to be the wrong one. The
Professor's real reason for seeking this interview was one that was
bound to take the submarine boy almost off his feet.
Readers of the preceding volumes in this series need no introduction to
Captain Jack Benson, nor to his chums, Hal Hastings and Eph Somers.
Such readers recall, as told in "The Submarine Boys on Duty," how
Jack and Hal drifted into Dunhaven just at the right moment to fight for
an opportunity to work themselves into the submarine boat building
business. How the boys helped build the first of the now famous
Pollard submarines, and afterwards learned how to man her, was all
told, together with all their strange adventures in their new life.

In the "The Submarine Boys' Trial Trip" was related how Jack Benson
solved the problem of leaving a submarine boat when it lay on the
ocean's bottom, and also the trick of entering that submerged boat again,
after diving from the surface of the water. The attempt of shrewd
business men to secure control of the new submarine boat company
was also described, together with the manner in which the submarine
boys outwitted them. Through a successful trial trip, and Captain Jack's
ingenious ways of arousing public interest, the government was forced
to buy the "Pollard," as the first of the submarines was named.
In "The Submarine Boys and the Middies" was narrated how the
submarine boys secured the prize detail of going to the Naval Academy
at Annapolis as temporary instructors in submarine boating. Many
startling adventures, and some humorous ones, were related in that
volume.
Then in "The Submarine Boys and the Spies" was shown how the
young men successfully foiled the efforts of spies of foreign
governments to learn the secrets of the Pollard craft.
In "The Submarine Boys' Lightning Cruise" the adventures of these
clever, enterprising boys were carried further. In this book, was told
how the boys were trained in the handling of the actual torpedo of,
warfare. The Pollard boats, "Benson" and "Hastings" were entered in
official government tests in which the submarine craft of several other
makes competed. The desperate lengths to which the nearest rival of
the Pollards went in order to win were told with startling accuracy. The
result of all these tests was that the Pollard company received from the
Navy Department an order for eighteen submarine torpedo boats, the
"Benson" and the "Hastings" being accepted as the first two boats on
that order.
By the time the present narrative opens it was near the first of May.
Over at the shipyard, where facilities had been greatly increased, two of
the submarines had lately been finished, and four more were under way
in long construction sheds. Work on the government's order was being
rushed as fast as could be done while keeping up the Pollard standards,
of high-class work.

Of late Jack and his young friends, though their pay went on, had little
work to do. Whenever a new boat was completed it was the task of the
submarine boys to take her out to sea and put her through all manner of
tests in order to determine her fitness. But there were days and days
when the submarine boys had naught to do but enjoy themselves as
their fancy dictated.
"Shall we sit down here?" asked Jack, as he and the tall German
entered the hotel office.
Jabez Holt stood behind the desk, bent over the register, on which the
Professor's name had been the only new one in a week. The old
landlord pretended to be busy, but he was covertly watching and
listening.
"Sit here?" repeated Professor Radberg. "Ach, no! Come along with
me."
There was something rather disagreeably commanding in the