KAMANAKO APPEARS ON THE SCENE
Had Jack Benson or Hal Hastings heard that strange talk, perhaps neither
of them would have slept as soundly that night.
As it was, both submarine boys slept more soundly and sweetly than any
other human being in that great hotel, unless, possibly, it were Jacob
Farnum.
At daylight all three were astir.
Wrapped in bathrobes that concealed their bathing suits the three made
their way down to the beach. There, for ten minutes, they enjoyed
themselves in the surf.
"Seems mighty queer to be bathing in salt water in December, doesn't
it?" demanded Hal, gleefully, as, with both hands, he launched a column
of salt water that caught Jack neatly in the face.
"Anyway, I believe it's just what the family medical man ordered,"
chuckled Mr. Farnum, as he stepped shoreward, then ran briskly up and
down the beach before he went in again for a final plunge.
Over to the bath house, where an attendant had carried their clothing,
the three now hastened. After a brisk rub-down and dressing, these
three from the "Benson" presented themselves in the hotel dining room,
where, at this very early hour, they were privileged to breakfast all
by themselves.
"The way my appetite feels," laughed Jack, enjoyably, "I pity the guests
who have to follow us at table."
"There won't be any breakfast left. They can have lunch," declared Hal
Hastings, gravely.
Hardly had the food been placed before them when Mr. Farnum glanced up,
to find at his elbow a bowing, smiling little Japanese.
"Honorable sir, may I address you while you eat?" inquired the little
brown man.
"Why not?" asked Farnum, good-humoredly. "Take a chair, won't you,
Mr.--"
"Kamanako is my name, honorable sir," replied the Japanese, with three
more bows.
"Take a seat, won't you, Mr. Kamanako?" Mr. Farnum invited him again.
"It is much better, honorable sir, that I stand."
"Why?"
"Because I am servant."
"Not here, surely," replied the shipbuilder. "All the waiters here
are negroes."
"Not all in kitchen, honorable sir," responded the Japanese, with an air
of great deference. "Some in kitchen are Japanese."
"Are you employed in the kitchen, Mr. Kamanako?" asked the shipbuilder.
"Until to-day, honorable sir."
"Meaning you have left the employ of the hotel?"
"Yes, honorable sir."
"Then you're going away from here?"
"I hope to follow the sea, honorable sir. I am a sailor. All my
ancestors before me were sailors. We love the salt water."
"There is something, then, that I can do for you, isn't there?" guessed
the shipbuilder.
"If you will be so good, honorable sir. I seek to become steward aboard
your boat."
"Oh," replied M. Farnum, understanding, at last. "You will have to
speak to Captain Benson about that."
He indicated Jack by a nod, so the little Japanese turned to Benson
with another bow.
Now, as it happened, a steward was just what Captain Benson wanted.
Such duties, formerly, had fallen upon Eph Somers. But now cooking and
serving meals did not exactly jibe with Eph's present position aboard
the "Benson" Eph was really first officer or mate.
"Yes, we want a steward," Jack admitted. "There's just one drawback,
though, Kamanako. We can carry very few people aboard, so that everyone
who does ship with us has to count. In other words, our steward must
also cook the meals in the galley."
"I think that will be all right, honorable Captain," replied the
Japanese, thoughtfully. "How many have you on board?"
"Six," answered the young submarine commander.
Kamanako thoughtfully counted that number on his fingers.
"It is not too many," replied the Japanese. "What do you pay, honorable
Captain?"
"Forty dollars, and found."
"I will accept, honorable Captain."
"Are you sure that you can cook well enough for hungry sailors?"
"I am satisfied that I can cook for anyone, honorable Captain," rejoined
the little brown man, rather proudly.
"That sounds well enough," smiled Jack. "Have you had your breakfast,
Kamanako?"
"Oh, yes, honorable Captain."
"Then, if you'll wait for us, we'll take you aboard. We shall be going
in a half an hour, or sooner."
"Would it not be as well, honorable Captain, if I go out before you?"
asked Kamanako, respectfully.
"No," smiled, Benson. "Our first officer, Mr. Somers, does not take
kindly to strangers who are not introduced."
"Then, if I may suggest--if honorable Captain will write note for
me--then I might go out sooner."
"If you want to go aboard, Kamanako, we'll take you out when we go,"
Jack replied. He was annoyed, though he could not have told why, by
the little brown man's insistence.
Smiling and bowing again, Kamanako left the dining room. He was waiting,
though, when the others came out. As all three carried dress suit cases
the Japanese quietly took those belonging to Mr. Farnum and Captain
Benson.
"Most sorry I have not three hands, honorable officer," Kamanako assured
Hal Hastings.
There were always plenty of shore boats at Spruce Beach. Just now, on
account of the visit of the submarine, there appeared to be more of the
small craft than usual. So the submarine party had no difficulty in
finding transportation at once. Looking out into the harbor they beheld
the "Benson," surrounded by more than a score of rowboats containing
sight-seers. Eph Somers, backed by Williamson, stood on the platform
deck, doggedly driving away people who wanted to come on board. Yet
Eph kept wholly good-natured about it, for he could quite appreciate the
curiosity of the sight-seers.
As this last boat from shore made its way, through the concourse of
boats Jack heard a sudden, joyous hail in a woman's voice.
"Oh, here he is--my gallant young captain."
"Mlle. Nadiboff!" ejaculated Jack, under his breath.
Jacob Farnum turned his head away for an instant, but the young captain
heard the unmistakable sound of a chuckle from the shipbuilder.
Kamanako turned his mild eyes inquiringly in the direction of the
handsome young woman, as though he wondered who she might be.
"Good morning, Mademoiselle," was Jack's greeting, as he courteously
lifted his uniform cap. Hal and Mr. Farnum also uncovered. Then the
boat ran alongside, and all four clambered on the deck.
In another instant. Mlle. Nadiboff's boat was also alongside.
"You are going to be kind, my Captain, and invite me aboard?" asked the
young woman. Eph Somers, who was never intentionally rude to a woman,
found himself staring with all his eyes, whereat he colored hotly.
"I shall be very glad to invite you as far as I am permitted to invite
visitors," Benson replied. Then, turning briefly to Eph, he muttered:
"The Japanese is to be cook and steward. Take him below, and show
him the galley and the supplies."
Then Benson turned to reach down his hand to Mlle. Sara Nadiboff, who
trustingly extended her hand to him. She slipped. Jack was obliged
to throw his left arm lightly around her waist in order to draw her
in safety to the platform deck. Mr. Farnum, after seeing her safely
aboard, vanished inside the conning tower, going below to smile quietly
to himself.
"As gallant as ever, my Captain!" murmured the handsome young woman
spy, gazing almost tenderly into Jack's face. "What a very strange
craft! And now, conduct me below, please. I am much interested in
seeing how you all live aboard such a little and odd vessel of war."
"I am utterly sorry, Mademoiselle," Jack Benson replied. "But my orders
are that no visitors except naval officers, or those brought aboard by
naval officers, may see the interior of the boat."
"Yet that Japanese has just gone below!" remonstrated Mlle. Nadiboff.
"The Japanese," replied the young captain, "is our cook and steward, and
belongs below."
A light glowed swiftly in Mlle. Nadiboff's eyes, but disappeared almost
instantly.
The handsome young woman opened her mouth as though to speak, then
compressed her lips tightly.