"H'm," he muttered. "I'll speak to the commander. By Jove! I will."
CHAPTER III.
REMOVED FROM THE NAVY LIST.
"WELL?" asked Eccles, as Sub-lieutenant Basil Dacres came off to the ship at the expiration of his leave.
"Ripping time, by Jove! I'll tell you about it when you've done your trick. Is the commander below?"
Receiving an affirmative reply the sub made his way to Commander Bourne's cabin, bubbling over with suppressed excitement.
"I've done it, sir," he announced. "Spoofed the whole jolly lot of them, Admiral included."
"Hope you've covered up your tracks?" asked his superior anxiously.
"Rather! I snubbed Garboard, twitted Oxley and played the very dickens with the flagship's midshipmen. It was hot work, though. Fancy spending a couple of hours on a day like this with a pillow stuffed under your waistcoat, and false moustaches tickling like billy-ho."
Bourne laughed heartily as Dacres related the details of the joke he had played, but his face grew serious as he remarked:—