CHAPTER XIV
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—!"