"We hope that some day we shall be," was Jack's slow response.
"Benson," went on the Navy officer, earnestly, "if you're not now experts, you never will be."
"Does that mean, sir, that we shall never know much more about such craft than we do now?"
"By no means. You'll know more every year that you stick to the work. What I intended to convey is that you three are the best experts in this line I have ever seen, considering, of course, the amount of time you have already given to this work. Give you three lads time enough, and the United States appears destined to possess the three greatest submarine experts in the world."
"That's great praise, sir," said Jack, quietly, his cheeks tingling.
"I mean all I've said," rejoined Commander Ennerling, gravely.
They had run some miles by this time. Captain Jack, reaching up to swing the searchlight about over the course ahead, suddenly uttered:
"Look over there, sir—two points off starboard. What do you make out?"
Commander Ennerling instantly became absorbed as he caught sight of a steam yacht something more than a mile away.
"Going under full power, but shooting rockets," added Jack. "They've just sent up two from aft."