The watch lieutenant, who had hurried aft at this juncture, stood waiting respectfully for a word with his superior.
"What have you to report, Lieutenant?" demanded Braylesford.
"We stopped, sir, to rescue a boy afloat on a door. He's in bathing suit, and gives none but the most idiotic replies to my questions."
"He must be part of this outfit," retorted the lieutenant commander, pointing below at the submarine, at which the watch lieutenant was now staring with wide-open eyes.
"Yes; that's Eph Somers, one of our crew," smiled Captain Jack. "He was turned loose on the door to take up your attention, while we did the tie-behind trick."
A rope ladder having been lowered, Commander Ennerling, by nimble use of the tow-line, had succeeded in reaching it, and he now came over the rail, chuckling.
"It's on the 'Massapequa,' I admit," grinned Braylesford.
"On me, I'm afraid," pronounced the watch lieutenant, with a half-groan.
"Don't feel badly about it, gentlemen," laughed Commander Ennerling. "Jack Benson is the same lad who stole up under the battleship 'Luzon,' and painted the name, 'Pollard,' in sixfoot letters on the hull of the battleship as a reminder of his call. The lad is a sea-joker of the first order."
"He ought to be in the Navy," retorted Braylesford, then turned, with a smile, to offer his hand to the submarine boy.