"Say," he muttered, "I'll have a real interesting time trying to make
some sort of an explanation, won't I? What shall I tell them if they do
pick me up?"
"Tell 'em anything you like, except that the 'Pollard' is trying to tie
up," responded Jack.
"That all?" demanded Eph, with a grin. "If it is, I'm off to get into
my traveling clothes."
"Hurry," nodded Jack. "Send Hal up to the wheel, while I explain the
whole thing to Mr. Farnum. But, commander, what if that shouldn't be
a Navy vessel?"
"It is," responded Ennerling, with emphasis. "It's the gunboat
'Massapeqna.' She's in these waters just now. You'll find I'm right."
Jacob Farnum began to laugh heartily when he caught the whole of Captain
Jack Benson's new idea of a sea joke.
Eph was quickly in his bathing suit. He and Jack unhinged a stateroom
door, carrying it up through the conning tower. Hal, in the meantime,
under orders, had attended to bringing the "Pollard's" platform deck
briefly above water.
The movements of the searchlight ahead convinced the submarine boat's
observers that the gunboat's watch officer had not yet detected the
presence of so small and unlighted an object as the "Pollard," miles
away.
As the door was floated on the water alongside, Eph stepped out onto it,
squatting. He had with him a lantern, three rockets and a box of wind
matches.
"Don't forget I'm here, if I'm overlooked by the other people," called
Eph, with a wave of his hand, as he floated slowly astern.
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