"Collins, get our exact position from the captain, signal it to the Seneca, and tell her we will lay off and on here till she arrives."
"Very well, sir," said the man of the wireless, with a bow.
He had hardly withdrawn when the boys came up, fresh from their inspection of the Brigand. All were loud in praise of the craft, especially Rob and Merritt.
"Would you rather cruise on this craft or go on the duty for Uncle Sam which lies before you?" asked Mr. Grant quizzically.
The Boy Scouts drew themselves up.
"Why, sir, our duty to our country comes before pleasure," declared Rob, acting as spokesman. "Cruising about is all right, but we Boy Scouts like to be doing something useful for somebody else, but most of all for Uncle Sam."
Rob paused, rather alarmed at his temerity at thus addressing one of the richest men in the world.
"So you think I am wasting my time cruising, eh?" said Mr. Grant amusedly glancing at the upright, slender boy before him from under his heavy brows.
It was impossible to tell whether he was displeased or not. But Rob decided not to recede from his position. He knew that the Boy Scouts were supposed to be manly, self-reliant, and upright under all conditions. So putting his fears of offending the man before him aside, he spoke up boldly:
"It's different for you, sir. Your life work has raised your monument; but I think, and I guess my Patrol agrees with me, that it is better for boys to be on active duty and," he added, his eyes flashing and his cheeks glowing, "especially such service as we are now going on. It's—it's glorious," he concluded breathlessly.