"The youngest captain I've ever sailed under, sir," he said to Jack. "But I'm satisfied you know the business, or Mr. Farnum wouldn't have given you the berth. At your orders, sir."
After Mr. Farnum had returned to shore Benson put his new hand through a searching quiz. If there was anything Boatswain's Mate Henderson did not know about submarine boat work, then the young captain was not able to find out what it was.
"Bill Henderson ought to be captain, not I," whispered Jack to his chum.
"If Mr. Farnum didn't find that out for himself," replied Hal, dryly, "don't tell him."
"This man Henderson is certainly a jewel for us," murmured Captain Jack.
At the moment the three boys were standing on the platform deck, while
Henderson was stowing his limited baggage away below.
"Now, Cap, take this from me," muttered Eph, with the air of a wiseacre. "When a man seems a crackerjack at anything, and doesn't have as good a position as you think he ought to have, keep your eye on him."
"For what?" asked Captain Jack, smilingly.
"Oh, just to see what turns out to be wrong with the fellow."
"What can be, wrong with Henderson?"