RADWIN DOESN'T SEE HIS BEST CHANCE
Late in the afternoon Farnum went up to the hospital to see David
Pollard again.
As too many visitors would not be wise the shipbuilder represented, also,
his young submarine officers. He left them in the lobby of the Somerset.
"Don't go away from here," smiled Mr. Farnum, wearily. "Don't let
anybody coax you away from here. Just stay right here, and I won't have
to worry about you while I'm away. We can't take any chances--can't
lose any more of our crowd."
"Those are orders, sir," Jack Benson answered. "You'll be obeyed."
For the better part of an hour the boys remained where Farnum had left
them.
Then something happened that brought the flush of anger to all their
bronzed, honest young faces.
One of the outer doors opened, and Fred Radwin, catching sight of the
submarine boys as he entered, hastened over to where they sat, a look
of pretended sympathy on his handsome but snake-like face.
"Boys," he called, in a low voice, as all three rose as though to ward
off blows, "it was only little while ago that I heard of the fearful
accident. Poor Pollard! I want to tell you how heartily sorry I am to
hear--"
"Stop right where you are, sir!"
Jack Benson's voice thundered out. The young submarine captain did not
realize that he was using even more than a quarter-deck tone. Everyone
in the lobby turned to look on. A few, more curious than the others,
hastened to where the little group stood.
"What--what do you mean?" stammered Fred Radwin, looking mightily
bewildered.
"In the future, sir," and Jack's voice barely fell, "do us the honor not
to speak to us."
"What on earth--" protested Radwin.
"If you don't heed my request," Jack continued, angrily, "I don't
believe I shall be able to curb my desire to land both fists in your
face."
Radwin drew back before the darkening, menacing glare in the eyes of
the young submarine captain.
Hal, however, turned white--though from a cause that few would have
guessed.
"Hold on, Benson! One moment--" protested Fred Radwin.
"Oh, get out of my sight, this instant," quivered Jack, taking another
step toward his enemy.
Before all the curious throng Fred Radwin, strangely enough, felt too
abashed, for the moment, to persist in his expressions of surprise.
"I'll talk with you later," he muttered, with a sickly smile, then
turned away.
"If you do," Jack called after him, "I'll--"
Benson's voice died down as the young captain felt Hal Hastings's strong,
impassioned grip on his arm.
Radwin, fortunately, did not turn, but kept on until he had taken himself
out of sight.
Jack turned an inquiring glance on his chum's face. But Hal's warning
look seemed to say:
"Silence! Wait!"
"What was the row about?" asked a stranger among those who had pressed
about the boys.
"Nothing," returned Eph Somers, shortly, glaring at his questioner.
At a mute signal from Hal all three of the submarine boys seated
themselves once more.
By degrees the little crowd melted away.
Then Jack Benson turned to his chum, to ask, in a low voice:
"What did you mean, Hal, old fellow? I know you had some good reason
for checking me as you did."
"I was afraid you would hit Radwin," Hal murmured.
"A case of nothing struck, if I had!" uttered Captain Jack, bitterly.
"Oh, yes! You would have struck at our chances of winning out in these
submarine tests," murmured Hal Hastings.
"What do you mean?" demanded Jack, looking startled.
"If you had hit Radwin, in the presence of all those witnesses, you
would have been right in line to be arrested for assault."
"Pooh!" jeered Captain Jack. "A small fine, which I could easily pay."
"But the inconvenience of being locked up, at such a time!" asked Hal
Hastings.
"Mr. Farnum would bail me out, quickly enough."
"I don't believe you see all of the point yet," murmured Hal, earnestly.
"Suppose Radwin swore out a warrant against you for striking him. Then
suppose he paid a court officer to wait and serve the warrant just as
the boats were starting out on some new test cruise? Then you'd go
ashore, and we'd either have to go on without our captain, or else draw
out of the test. Fine business, that, when our first and only business
is to make the Pollard boats the number-one winners in as many tests as
possible!"
"Great Caesar!" exploded Jack, realizing, now, what a narrow escape he
had had from another disaster to their common interests.
"So you be on your guard," Hal went on with his wise counsel. "No
one--at least, no one in your own crowd--doubts your grit, or your
willingness to clinch with Radwin and fight it out to a copper-riveted
finish. I don't blame you for wanting to thrash Radwin every time you
think of poor Dave Pollard up at the hospital. I want to do it myself.
Radwin didn't think fast enough, or he'd have sneered at you, and
provoked you into hitting him. That was why I grabbed your right
arm--to stop you. It'll come to Radwin before long, what a fine
chance he missed. Then he'll put himself in your way--when there
are witnesses around."
"Thank you, Hal," nodded Jack Benson, his voice unusually quiet. "You've
given me a good, big hint. I won't forget it. Until the tests are all
over Radwin may parade before me, and mock at me, if he wants. But
afterward--!"