THEIR LIVES DEEDED TO THE FLAG
Secretary Sanders, Secretary of the Navy, looked up at the three young
men who stood in line at the right-hand side of his desk.
It was two days later; two days during which Jack, Hal and Eph had had
little to do except roam about Washington and see all the sights of the
National Capital. This they had varied by dropping in at the United
Service Club.
"Gentlemen," remarked the Secretary of the Navy, "you have not yet been
relieved of your detail to the gunboat 'Sudbury.'"
"It's coming now," thought each of the three boys to himself, with a
great wave of dismay. "We are to be no longer of the Navy."
"I will give instructions at once," continued Secretary Sanders, "to
have orders issued relieving you from that duty."
"Yes; it has come," muttered Jack, drearily, to himself. "Our service
with the Navy is over."
"Gentlemen," and now, for a few seconds, the voice of the Secretary
seemed far away indeed, "I am sensible of all you have done for your
country, and above all, of the zeal you have shown. Besides, I have in
mind the fact that you have made yourselves among the most expert of all
handlers of submarine torpedo boats. If it can be arranged, I wish to
keep all three of you actively in the United States Navy."
Jack Benson looked up with a gasp. His comrades were not less astounded.
"I am aware," Mr. Sanders went on, "that we could not expect you to
enlist as mere apprentices. In your own particular field of submarine
work you are amply fitted to hold officers' commissions. Yet, under the
law, you cannot be granted commissions until you are twenty-one years
of age. None of you are quite eighteen.
"Therefore, it has occurred to me that you can be appointed, specially,
with rank, command and pay, until you are twenty-one. The President
agrees with me in what I have to offer. You, Mr. Benson, are offered
a special appointment as lieutenant, junior grade, in the United States
Navy. You, Mr. Hastings, and you, Mr. Somers, are offered special
appointments as ensigns. You will all have the privileges of your
ranks except the actual commissions. Yet you will be actual officers,
and entitled to full respect. Moreover, the President promises that,
when you are twenty-one years of age, you shall have regular commissions
promptly. In case the President is not re-elected to his office, he
agrees to urge upon his successor in the White House the fulfilment
of the promise. So, if you accept the special appointments, now,
you are absolutely certain of commissions as soon as you reach the
age of twenty-one. Perhaps it is only just to add that we are aware
that all three of you have already been offered commissions in foreign
navies, and that you have refused. Both the President and myself
appreciate your loyalty to your own Flag. Now, what do you young
gentlemen say to accepting special appointments to run until you are
each twenty-one?"
"Mr. Secretary, it's the brightest, the one great dream with us all,"
Jack Benson replied, hoarsely. "There is just one thing that could
hold us back. We really feel in honor bound to Mr. Farnum and Mr.
Pollard to stand by their interests, for they have been our best
friends."
"What do you say to that, Mr. Farnum?" inquired the Secretary.
From behind a screen stepped Jacob Farnum, the Dunhaven shipbuilder.
"Why, see here, boys," began Farnum, a broad smile on his face, "I
received a long wire from Mr. Sanders yesterday. Dave Pollard and I
talked this thing over, and we decided that the Pollard boat is now
an assured success. You have put the boats where we can now build
and run them without you. You are more needed in the Navy. Now,
Dave and I both urge you to go where we know your hearts are--into
the Navy. And you will go with all our best wishes. The government
needs you, now, to handle the boats that we build up at Dunhaven, and
to train war-crews for those boats. There is only one objection to
your entering the Navy, boys. You will have to pass upon our boats.
We know you will do that honestly and fearlessly; yet there are many
who would sneer at having boats passed on for the government by young
officers who hold stock in our concern. Now, the amount of stock
that each of you holds has been growing steadily with each new success
that you have won for us, which if you enter the Navy you should not
own. So Dave and I offer you ten thousand dollars each for the shares
that you hold. It is a fair valuation."
"I know it is, if you offer it, Mr. Farnum," Jack Benson replied, with
feeling.
"Then you'll accept, and take your very heart's-wish--the Navy--all
of you?" asked Mr. Farnum.
"I accept both your offer, Mr. Farnum, and, the greater offer of the
Secretary of the Navy," replied Jack, his eyes becoming misty.
"I accept," murmured Hal.
"So do I," from Eph.
"Then, sir," declared Jacob Farnum, turning to the Secretary of the
Navy, "the Flag is richer by three magnificent young followers!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Here we must leave the submarine boys for the present, for these events
happened hardly later than yesterday, and there are no new adventures
yet to chronicle.
Donald Graves--Millard--received a severe sentence in the penitentiary.
He is still serving the sentence, of course. Gray, his accomplice, who
attempted to spirit the drawings outside of the United States, is now
likewise serving a term.
The trial was a swift, nearly secret one. Daisy Huston was not dragged
into the case at all. In one respect the trial failed. Neither culprit
could be forced to tell for which foreign government the dastardly work
had been attempted. The "Spitfire" returned to Dunhaven, and was later
sold to the government, with several other boats. Williamson became
the new Pollard captain.
Several foreign governments were deeply disappointed over not being able
to secure the services of the submarine boys.
But Jack, Hal and Eph could be happy nowhere except under their own Flag.
They are now accepted most cordially by all their brother officers,
young and old, in the United States Navy.
For the most part, so far, the duties of our young officers have been
aboard the different boats purchased from the Pollard Company. Yet,
for the sake of practice and change, they have been, at times, detailed
aboard other classes of craft in the Navy.
We shall now encounter our young acting naval officers in one of their
new fields of special work, in the next volume of this series, which
is published under the title: "_The Submarine Boys And the Smugglers;
Or, Breaking Up the New Jersey Customs Frauds_." Here we shall find our
talented lads engaged in doing some of their finest work for Uncle Sam's
Government, and under circumstances that will delight every reader.