"It would be bad judgment to call you young fellows mermaids," said
Commander Ennerling, dryly, "but you are surely merboys."
A moment later Hal Hastings's head came above the surface.
"Mr. Pollard and young Somers could as easily leave the boat and join us," explained Mr. Farnum. "However, if the last man aboard leaves the boat then there is no way provided for a return to the 'Pollard,' and we would be placed at great expense in raising her. I think we have, however, shown you enough to make you believe that we have mastered some new wrinkles in submarine work."
"You have shown us more than we can quite digest," admitted Lieutenant
Commander Briscoe. "But how is this all done?"
"That," responded Mr. Farnum, gravely, "the Government will know when the boat is purchased for the American Navy."
The anchor being again lowered, both Jack and Hal dived below. In five minutes the "Pollard" was on the surface. Mr. Farnum asked:
"Have we shown you enough at one time?"
"Yes," admitted the officers. "This evening, after dark, we may ask you to take us out and show us your boat's diving powers."
"Jack, my boy," whispered Jacob Farnum, when the young captain joined the party on shore, "your trick of leaving and returning to the boat when it lies on the bottom has gotten our friends of the Navy into a state of hard guessing. Do you think we'd better show them some more of it at another time?"
"If you want my opinion, sir, I think we'd better not. We've puzzled them this time, but if we keep on doing the trick for them, I'm afraid they'll soon guess how it's done. I don't believe, sir, you can fool the American Navy more than once."