THE LITTLE RUSSIAN HAS HER WAY
"Don't get troublesome," advised the machinist, softly. "I've never shot
a Jap, but I've always wanted to."
There was a flicker of a grin in Williamson's face that found a
reflection in Kamanako's own features.
By this time Jack Benson was on his feet, a bit ruffled though with all
his wits about him. At the same time Hal Hastings peered down from the
top of the staircase.
"You've had all the fun so far, Kamanako," Jack admitted. "But now
you've got to get off this boat mighty quick. Do you choose to go
without any more fuss?"
"I go when I get ready," retorted the Japanese, sullenly.
"What's the matter, Jack?" asked Hal, slowly.
"I've caught a dirty spy at work overhauling our mechanisms," replied
the young submarine boat commander.
With something of a snarl Kamanako turned as though to spring at Benson
again. The sight of Williamson, immovable as a piece of marble, yet
holding that revolver suggestively, cooled the Japanese ardor.
"How will it do, Captain," queried Hal, "if I pass the word to the
gunboat and, have a file of marines come over to take charge of this
spy?"
"First rate," clicked Benson, and Kamanako looked decidedly uneasy. He
had his own reasons why he didn't care to be placed under arrest by
United States troops.
Eph, striking on his head, had been knocked senseless. He was too
strong, however, too full of vitality, to remain knocked out for long.
Now, he half opened his eyes, as he murmured:
"How beautifully the birds are singing today! And there's mother,
letting down the bars so the cows can go to the milking shed!"
Jack laughed, in spite of himself. Then he turned to the Japanese.
"Kamanako, do you want to go quietly, or remain to see what the Navy
officers do with you?"
"I go now," replied the Japanese, with a shrug of his shoulders.
Turning, he started up the step, while Hal Hastings, regaining the deck
before him, hailed one of the harbor boats.
Jack darted to where Eph was trying to sit up, and raised him to one
of the cabin seats.
"What do you think, now, of jiu-jitsu?" asked the young captain.
"I don't know," confessed Somers, sheepishly. "I didn't see any of it."
At this moment a stateroom door opened and Jacob Farnum thrust his
head out.
"Anything happening?" inquired the ship builder.
"No, sir," Jack answered. "It's all over."
Mr. Farnum came out, to ask further particulars. Williamson, as soon as
he had seen the Japanese disappear up aloft, dropped his revolver back
into his pocket, closing the engine room door.
Eph, however, had his own private idea of vengeance to execute. Up the
stairs he went, holding hard to the spiral rail, for he was still a bit
dizzy. Kamanako, having dropped into the stern of a shore boat, looked
unconcerned as he was pulled away.
"Yah!" grunted Eph, shaking his fist. "You kimono! Kimono! Kimono!"
"What does that mean when it's translated?" inquired Hal, looking
interested.
"That's a Japanese insult," grinned young Somers.
"Do you think Kamanako understands it?" queried Hastings.
"If he doesn't then what good does it do him to be Japanese?" Eph
demanded.
Jacob Farnum listened with great interest to what his young captain had
to tell him. David Pollard, being still asleep, had no notion, as yet,
of what had happened.
"I reckon," muttered the shipbuilder, "It won't be any use to have any
Japanese aboard here as steward, or as anything else."
"I shan't hire any more of them," Benson replied. "I shall always
suspect a spy, after this, when I see any Japanese aboard any kind of a
war craft, or serving at any military post."
"I'm sorry I missed seeing Eph do the flying somersault act, though,"
laughed Mr. Farnum.
"I missed it as much as you did," admitted Jack Benson. "At the moment
my face was buried in the carpet."
When the two ascended to the platform deck Captain Jack asked, soberly:
"Well, Eph, what is your present opinion about the ability of a Japanese
to look after himself?"
"Don't rub it in," muttered Somers, with another sheepish grin.
"Oh, that's all right," retorted Jack. "I came in for pretty nearly as
much as you did. I may meet Kamanako again, however. If I do, I'll pay
him back."
"What?" gasped young Somers. "Jack Benson, I thought you knew enough to
be sure when you've had plenty!"
"I'll pay that little fellow back, just the same, if I ever get a
half-way chance," insisted Benson.
"Please yourself," muttered Eph, grimly. "As for me, I'm not looking
for any damages. I've had plenty of 'em already."
Not much later the submarine people were favored by a visit from some
of the officers of the gunboat.
Plans were discussed for making some displays of the submarine's strong
points on another day. When the officers had gone, Mr. Farnum turned to
the boys to propose:
"You've never seen any of the country around Spruce Beach. Neither have
I. What do you say if we go ashore? I'll charter an auto, and we can
have quite a trip before it's luncheon time. Then we'll come back and
eat at the hotel."
Right under the shadow of the gunboat, Williamson could be relied upon
as being sufficient guard. But David Pollard declined to go ashore, on
the plea that he had some letters to write, which left a guard of two
on board.
It was eleven o'clock, just to the minute, as the automobile chartered
by Mr. Farnum came around the corner of the hotel veranda. At that same
instant another and handsomer car came rolling into sight. The door of
the ladies' parlor opened, and Mlle. Sara Nadiboff, arrayed with
unusually pleasing effect, came out.
As she caught sight of Jack she started, then came eagerly over to him,
holding out her hand.
"Here comes my car," she murmured. "And I see, my Captain, that you have
changed your mind. You will drive with me this morning."
"I'm sorry that I can't," Benson replied, and he meant it. "But I am
engaged to go with Mr. Farnum and our party."
"You prefer to avoid me?" cried Mlle. Nadiboff, reproachfully, raising
her eyes swiftly to his.
"Now, please don't say that," begged Benson. "I wish you could
understand, Mademoiselle, how far from the truth it is."
"Say but the word, and Mr. Farnum will pardon you," coaxed the charming
young Woman.
"I couldn't even think of that," replied Benson. "It is business to go
with one's employer."
"Business?" repeated Mlle. Nadiboff, with an accent half of disdain.
"Surely, you are not sufficiently a petty shop-keeper or serf to think
always of that word, 'business!'"
"I fear I am," Jack nodded.
"Bah! Then you will never be a success with the ladies," taunted
Mlle. Nadiboff, though her eyes were laughing, challenging.
"Of course, I'm only a green country boy," Jack replied, with admirable
coolness, and without any tone of offence. "So my highest ambition is
to be a success in the submarine business."
The young woman had tact enough to perceive that she had not quite
scored by her contempt for business. She was about to change subject
adroitly, when Mr. Farnum called, laughingly:
"Are you coming with us, captain? Or, have you found pleasanter company
for a drive?"
Jack's hand started toward his uniform cap. He was about to excuse
himself, when the young woman answered for him:
"He was just assuring me, Mr. Farnum, that he would gladly go with me,
but that you had the right of prior engagement."
"Oh, I'll release, him," volunteered Mr. Farnum, his eyes twinkling.
"Now, my Captain, you can no longer find excuse, unless you truly prefer
other company to mine."
Though Jack was interested in the vivacious manner of Mlle. Nadiboff, he
had not yet lost his head under any of her flatteries. He was secretly
irritated against Mr. Farnum for letting him off so easily. So Jack
swiftly determined upon his own plan of evening matters.
"The way the affair has turned out, Mademoiselle, I shall be delighted
to go in your cars. Yet I am going to ask one every great favor."
"A thousand, if you wish!" cried the young woman spy, graciously.
"Will you permit me to invite my chum, Mr. Hastings?"
"Assuredly," she replied, with a very pretty pout, "if you feel that you
will find my company, alone, too dull."
"It isn't that," Jack replied, with ready gallantry. "I am anxious to
have Hastings share my rare good fortune."
Then raising his voice he called:
"Hal, Mlle. Nadiboff desires me to invite you to come, too."
Young Hastings was quick-witted enough to understand that this was all
but a command from his chum. So he hastily left Mr. Farnum, stepping
over to join the other party. Mlle. Nadiboff's little booted right foot
tapped the flooring of the veranda impatiently, but that was the only
sign of displeasure she gave. Her eyes were as laughing and as
gracious as ever. She extended her hand to Hal, who bowed low over it
in knightly style--a trick he had caught from his observation of naval
officers.
Then, as though to punish Jack, Mlle. Nadiboff asked:
"You will hand me into the car, Mr. Hastings?"
Hal did so, taking the seat beside her in the tonneau. Jack Benson,
suppressing a twinkle that struggled to his eyes, closed the tonneau
door, then stepped in on the front seat beside the chauffeur.
Despite her own cleverness, the young woman gave a slight gasp of
astonishment over this swift arrangement.
"Decidedly, my young captain is not wholly, a fool," she told herself.
"When I seek to snub him, he puts it past my power. However, it may
be that this young engineer will be better suited to my purpose. I will
study him."
"Toot! toot!" The Farnum auto, getting away first, went past them,
sounding its whistle while Mr. Farnum and Eph lifted their hats.
"Our gallant friend, the captain, must feel out of conceit with me,"
laughed Mlle. Nadiboff to Hal. "He prefers the chauffeur's company to
mine. So we must console ourselves."
Though he had not been able to hear any of the conversation, M. Lemaire,
looking out from behind the lace curtains of a parlor window, had seen
what had happened.
"Sara is doing better this morning," he muttered to himself. "Though
why should she take two of the young men with her? Ah, I see that she
has the engineer at her side, while young Benson rides on the front
seat. Clever little woman! She is going to make the young captain
jealous! Well enough does she know how to do that!"
Not quite so well pleased was the young woman herself, as the drive
proceeded. Though she did all in her power to charm Hal, and though she
did succeed in interesting him, she could not draw the boy out into much
conversation. Hal usually had little to say. Though he answered Mlle.
Nadiboff courteously from time to time, he did not utter many words.
Indeed, he appeared to be thinking of something far remote from the
present scene.
"Are you bored, Mr. Hastings? Does the sound of my voice annoy you?"
asked Mlle. Nadiboff, as the auto flew over the quiet country roads
inland from Spruce Beach.
"Good gracious, no!" replied Hal.
"Then why do you say so little?"
"Because you say it so much better, Mademoiselle."
"But flattery will never take the place of interested conversation."
"Engineers don't talk much," protested Hal.
"So they think a great deal. Of what were you thinking?"
"Oh?" murmured Hal. "Oh, I was thinking of my engine, I guess."
Mlle. Nadiboff bit her lips in secret rage. If she had felt that she
was doing poorly with Captain Jack Benson, evidently she was now seated
beside an absent-minded sphinx.
"What place is that over there?" inquired Hal, coming out of a brown
study as he felt some reproach in the stiffening attitude of his
companion.
Hal's eye had been caught by what looked like the ruins of an old castle.
Such sights are at least rare in the United States.
"That ruin, do you mean?" asked Mlle. Nadiboff. "Oh, it is a quaint bit
of a castle, only some three hundred years old, though long past in
ruins. I believe it was erected as a stronghold by some wealthy man,
in the old days when the pirates from Havana now and then swept along
the coast on their raids. Would you like to see the place, Mr.
Hastings?"
"Very much indeed," Hal admitted, "if you have the time."
"The time?" Mlle. Nadiboff's laughter rippled out merrily. "Why, I have
all the time in the world, Mr. Hastings. I live only to enjoy myself."
"That must be rather a dull existence, then," thought Hal, while his
pretty companion leaned forward to give the order to the chauffeur, who
turned up a road leading to the ruined castle of the old piratical days.
Jack had heard the conversation, and so knew, without asking, for what
they were now heading.
As they drew closer they discovered other automobiles near the old
castle.
"The place has several visitors to-day?" hinted Hal.
"Oh, yes; it is one of the show spots of this section," replied Mlle.
Nadiboff. "It does well enough to look about there for a few minutes.
But a ruin like that suggests death and decay, and I--I love life."
"Still, that castle is now a part of history," suggested Hal, "and
history, it seems to me, should always be interesting."
"This stupid young engineer!" fumed Mlle. Nadiboff, to herself. "He
would drive me wild, if I saw much of him. I think even my slow little
captain will prove more romantic."
Though neither of the submarine boys could yet suspect it, they were soon
to stumble into much more than relics of the past.
They were destined to find themselves exposed to one of the greatest
surprises of their already eventful lives.
"Here we are," cried Mlle. Nadiboff, as the auto stopped near the north
end of the castle. "May you discover something to interest you!"
The submarine boys certainly did!