Well, as Tom Marlin would say, “the yarn is spun.” It may be set down here, however, that all concerned in the mutiny got their just deserts. Although an effort was made to ascertain from Gradbarr and Anderson something relating to the whereabouts of Ferriss and his rascally accomplice, Camberly, nothing could be got from them, except a vague statement that both men had gone to the Far East. The Atlas Works were seized by creditors, and the two submarines found there sold for junk.
As for Gradbarr and Anderson, they admitted their object in shipping on board Mr. Pangloss’s yacht was to evade the police who, they felt sure, must be hot on their trail after the abduction of Mr. Lockyer and Ned. Incidentally, they are probably the first criminals ever brought to justice through the instrumentality of a submarine boat.
In spick and span uniforms, our friends attended the wedding of Channing Lockyer and Miss Pangloss, and the speech the former apostle of peace made at the wedding breakfast astonished and shocked his old admirers; for it dealt with the necessity of being in constant preparation for trouble, so that if we did have to fight, we could fight to win. His resignation was immediately demanded by half-a-dozen peace societies, but he stuck to his guns, and the United States Navy now has no stauncher friend than Peregrine Pangloss.
On the festive day, too, it might have been noticed that Ned and Herc both wore small, glittering objects affixed to their uniforms during the ceremony.
These were tiny gold and diamond submarine boats. On the back of each was an inscription:
“From Channing Lockyer to the Dreadnought Boys, in partial recognition of the valued services they rendered him during a trying time.”
Though each had protested, the inventor also insisted on starting a good, fat bank-account for each boy, not forgetting Tom Marlin. So that, with what they already have in the Navy Savings Bank, Ned and Herc feel, to express it in their own words, “like bloated millionaires.”
But both lads would gladly give up all their bright prospects to-morrow if their retention of them depended on their leaving the service. They would rather be serving Uncle Sam on the seas than be millionaires twenty times over. In this Sim Phillips agrees with them. He is now superintendent of the busy Lockyer Submarine Boat Works, but he considers himself quite a part of the Navy, inasmuch as all the boats the Works turn out are for Uncle Sam.
But modern as the Lockyer is, she doubtless will be superseded by other and newer craft. Indeed, Mr. Lockyer is now working on various improvements, which are to be embodied in his latest invention. “The old order changes” more frequently in things naval and military than in almost any other branch of life. While some of the brightest minds in the country were working on submarine problems, others had been busy trying to solve the problems of the air.