"Yes, sir; here, at your orders."
Skipper Tom Halstead made the best military salute that he knew how, while the handy boy of all things aboard the boat, Hank Butts, made the bow-hawser fast and hurried along the pier to secure the stern hawser.
"A party of five United States officers coming aboard, Captain Halstead," continued Captain Foster.
"All right, sir; we'll be mighty glad to have you aboard," Skipper Tom answered quietly, but with a manliness and heartiness that made all of the officers instantly take a liking to him.
Captain Foster introduced himself, and then his brother officers. Many of our readers will require no new introduction to Captain Tom Halstead, Engineer Joe Dawson and the irrepressible trouble-seeker, Hank Butts. These fortunate readers have already met the young men in the volumes of the "Motor Boat Club Series," and know all about them and how Tom and Joe had secured their joint ownership in that splendid sea-going craft, the "Restless."
"Halstead, can you take five officers and twenty enlisted men aboard for the night?"
"Yes, sir," smiled the young skipper, revealing his white, even teeth. "They won't weigh over two tons and a half, altogether, sir."
"Can you take that many with comfort?" laughed Captain Foster.
"Now, I won't guarantee the comfort, sir, but there'll be room enough aboard so that no one needs to be jostled over the rail. Eighteen men can sit in the cabin at the same time. That leaves only seven, besides our own crew who will need to be on deck."
"Oh, you're going to have plenty of room here," decided Captain Foster, after a brief look over the trim little motor craft.