"I have changed all that," said the Captain.
Ned said no more on that phase of the matter at that time, but the boys knew that he had not given up his original intention of making the explorations in the Sea Lion, the submarine which the Secret Service chief at New York had placed at his disposal soon after his return from South America.
"You will be permitted to take one of your—ah, Boy Scouts with you," the Captain went on. "Baby bunch, the Boy Scouts, what?" he added, lifting his glass and surveying the boys grouped about in a manner which brought the hot blood to their cheeks.
"I'm afraid you have never investigated the Boy—"
Ned's conciliatory remark was cut short by Jimmie.
"Will the Boy Scout who goes with him be allowed to breathe?" the boy asked.
Captain Moore eyed the lad critically through his glass.
"You needn't concern yourself about that, bub," he said, after an exasperating silence, "for you won't be the one to go, don't you know—not the Boy Scout to go."
Jimmie was about to make some angry reply, but Frank seized him by the arm and marched him to a distant part of the large room.
"You'll queer the whole thing!" Frank said.