"I thought you were coming on deck," said Beany.
"Of course not; that was a joke," said Coggins.
"Good-night then," said the boys. They went up on deck. It was perfectly dark. Not even a riding light was shown, and through the darkness at top speed raced the Firefly.
"Sort of thrilling, isn't it?" said Porky in a low tone as they leaned over the rail and looked down at the mysterious water below them. "Gee, I hope we don't get torpedoed! I worry about the Colonel. I don't know how well he can swim, or anything about it. He'd catch cold, too, like as not!" He grinned. "Say, do you know what I did back home? I knew you'd laugh if I told you. I bought a couple pounds of—"
"Chocolate," completed Beany. "I did too."
"Any malted milk tablets?" asked Porky.
"Yep, a couple of bottles."
"Oh, gee! Doesn't it beat anything? I suppose yours are for the
Colonel in case of shipwreck. Just that!"
"Of course", grinned the other twin. "Well, we are well stocked up; and as long as we have done it, let's fix things up in case anything should happen. You know the Colonel will think of himself the very last one. And if anything does happen, old chap, just you stick right by the Colonel."
"You know if there is anything we can do, and do it is swim."