"
Over in one corner of the bridge a cadet midshipman had stood silent
during this talk. Turning to him, the watch officer said hurriedly:
"I leave you in charge here. Look after this boy."
Then the watch officer ran quickly down from the bridge, making his way
aft.
No wonder there was excitement on the after part of the gunboat.
Captain Jack Benson, after heading the "Pollard" about, had run as close
as he, or rather, Hal, dared. Hastings was at the wheel, much of the
upper hull of the boat being now out of water. Jack was forward, on
the upper hull, with a line, one end of which was made fast to the
platform deck. At the other end of the line was an iron bolt for weight.
Close in under the stern of the gunboat, slightly to starboard, stole
the "Pollard." Jack, balancing himself, made a cast of the line. The
iron bolt shot up, past the stern flagstaff, then down into the water
astern again.
With the gunboat lying to, the submarine could move only with the barest
headway. The instant he saw that the line had passed around the base of
the flagstaff, watchful Hal Hastings set the reverse deck control in
order to keep from bumping the "_Massapequa_." Next, the submarine
stole quietly over towards port, Jack, with a boathook, gathering in the
line that he had thrown around the flagstaff. This end he made fast in
a trice.
"The marine guard, if there is one, didn't see the line flying,"
whispered Jack, gliding back over the "Pollard's" hull to the platform
deck.
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