The boat continued on its way to the shore.

"Say, what do you think of that?" demanded Eph, after he, too, had taken a look at the card tied to the flowers.

"It is plain enough that our charming young Russian doesn't mean to drop Captain Benson's acquaintance just yet, if she can help it," laughed the shipbuilder.

"What are you going to do with the flowers, old man?" asked Hal.

"Flowers should be put in water, to make them keep, shouldn't they" queried the young submarine skipper, innocently.

"Yep," nodded Eph Somers.

"I hope these will keep fresh a long time, then," murmured Benson.

Raising the bouquet he dropped it overboard the harbor—on the side of the boat away from the hotel.

CHAPTER XV

CAPTAIN JACK BECOMES SUSPICIOUS