Contents

I Enemy or Friend[ 7]
II Under Arrest[ 21]
III The Track Meet[ 38]
IV The Face in the Locket[ 56]
V Hurried Orders[ 71]
VI Secret Service[ 87]
VII An Important Discovery[ 100]
VIII Prisoners[ 118]
IX A Terrible Predicament[ 141]
X The Scene Changes[ 161]
XI A Naval Engagement[ 185]
XII Captain Garcia’s Strategy [ 204]
XIII Lazar’s Cunning[ 224]
XIV The House on La Mesa[ 243]
XV The Defense[ 258]
XVI The Assault[ 277]
XVII The Accusation[ 295]
XVIII An Important Witness[ 311]
XIX The Court Martial[ 326]
XX The Search[ 339]
XXI Conclusion[ 364]

Illustrations

PAGE
The Boat Headed Up to the Buoy[ Frontispiece]
“Well?” He Inquired, Coldly[ 76]
He Found a Convenient Air Port[ 98]
The Three Prisoners Rushed Through the Flames[ 163]
“You Seized Only a Cargo of Rocks”[ 241]
“Do You Refuse?” He Cried, Hoarsely[ 289]
The Door of the Room Opened Suddenly[ 351]

A United States
Midshipman Afloat

CHAPTER I
ENEMY OR FRIEND

The Navy-Yard at Brooklyn buzzed with its daily turmoil of labor. It was a bright June morning, and the high chimneys of the numerous shops and foundries belched forth flame and smoke. Thousands of begrimed workmen toiled incessantly, hammering, bending and riveting masses of metal, fashioning them into shape to be carried by the steam cranes to be blended into the hulls of waiting battle-ships.

Through this scene of activity two boys walked briskly. Their clothing was new and in the latest style. It clung to their well set up figures, betraying the hand of the military tailor. Each carried a bright leather suitcase to the top of which a cased sword was strapped.

Emerging from the tangle of buildings, the youths glanced about, and an exclamation of pleasure escaped them as a view of their nation’s sea power met their eyes: ten huge battle-ships resplendent in their glassy white and contrasting buff paint lay tied up, filling every foot of the dock frontage.

“Which is ours, Phil?” asked one of the youths, stopping and setting his case down with a sigh of relief.