“I'm sorry you can't see Mr. Farnum to-night,” said Benson, pleasantly. “He'll be here early in the morning, though.”
“When do you sail?” asked Truax, quickly.
“That you would have to ask Mr. Farnum, too,” smiled Jack.
[pg 049] “But, see here, Mr. Pollard engaged me to work aboard one of your submarines.”
“It looks that way, doesn't it?” laughed the young skipper.
“And you're the captain?”
“Yes; but I can't undertake to handle Mr. Farnum's business for him.”
“You'll let me go aboard the craft to sleep for to-night, anyway?” coaxed Truax.
“Why, that's just what I'm not at liberty to do,” replied the young submarine captain. “No; I couldn't think of that, in the absence of Mr. Farnum's order.”
“But that doesn't seem hardly fair,” protested Truax. “See here, I have spent all my money getting here. I haven't even the price of a lodging with me, and this isn't a summer night.”