"Eh? Er—what's that?" said the secretary, who feared he had not heard aright.
"To be brief, sir, I am the son of the late Commodore David Pelham, whom you, I think, knew fairly well. I am a practical electrician and inventor. I have worked around shipyards for a number of years. I have invented a submarine torpedo-boat, somewhat on the lines of the late Holland, but with numerous changes, which I know will be beneficial. I want to build this ship for the government and I want to be placed in command of her when she is built."
The Secretary of the Navy stared at Oscar in amazement. "What, you! Why, really you are—a very young man to talk in this fashion."
"That is true, sir. But if I prove that I have a boat superior to any of the Hollands, will you take me up?"
"Certainly; we want the best ships, submarine and otherwise, that money can buy. Expense is no object. But I have no time to waste now on experiments. The war is on; we have already suffered a tremendous loss, as you must know."
"I have a working model. At this time to-morrow, if you'll say the word, I'll have that model at the government experimental station and I will show you how perfectly it works."
"You are positive you have a good thing?" And the secretary looked sharply at the young inventor, as if to read his innermost thoughts.
"I am, sir."
"Then I will be at the station to see your model work, at five o'clock, to-morrow."