“All here?” said Benson.  “Mr. Somers, tumble the crew on deck!”

“Shall we go below, sir?” inquired Dave, again saluting.

“Not until so directed,” Benson replied.  “I wish you to see every detail of the boat handling.”

At Lieutenant Jack’s command the crew threw the hawsers aboard and soon had them out of the way.

Benson gave the starting signal to Eph Somers.

No sooner had the “Dodger’s” hawsers been cast aboard than the submarine torpedo boat headed out.  It was a get-away swift enough—–­almost to take the breath of the midshipmen.

“You see, gentlemen,” Lieutenant Benson explained quietly, “we act on the theory that in submarine work every second has its value when in action.  So we have paid a good deal of attention to the speedy start.  Another thing that you will note is that, aboard so small a craft, it is important that, as far as is possible, the crew act without orders for each move.  What do you note of the crew just now?”

“That they performed their work with lightning speed, sir, and that they have already gone below, without waiting for orders to that effect.”

“Right,” nodded Jack Benson.  “Had the crew been needed on deck I would have ordered them to remain.  As I did not so order they have gone below, where they are out of the way until wanted.  A craft that fights always on the surface of the water should have some men of the crew always on deck.  But here on a submarine the men would be in the way, and we want a clear range of view all over the deck, and seaward, in order that we may see everything that it is possible to see.  Mr. Darrin, Mr. Dalzell and Mr. Farley will remain on deck with me.  The other young gentlemen will go below to study the workings of the engines under Ensign Hastings.”

Though it was a true pleasure trip for all six of the midshipmen, it was one of hard, brisk instruction all the time.

“Here, you see,” explained Lieutenant Jack, leading his trio just forward of the conning tower, “we have a deck wheel for use when needed.  Mr. Somers, give up the wheel.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” and Ensign Eph, who had been sitting at the tower wheel since the start, moved away and came on deck.

“Mr. Darrin, take the wheel,” directed Benson.  “Are you familiar with the Bay?”

“Not sufficiently, sir, to be a pilot.”

“Then I will give you your directions from time to time.  How does this craft mind her wheel?”

“With the lightest touch, sir, that I ever saw in a wheel.”

“The builders of the ‘Dodger’ have been working to make the action of the steering wheel progressively lighter with each boat that they have built.  Men on a submarine craft must have the steadiest nerves at all times, and steady nerves do not go hand in hand with muscle fatigue.”

Lieutenant Jack walked to the entrance to the conning tower.  “Mallock!” he called down to one of the crew.