Here Jack, Hal and Eph, looking at their best in their natty uniforms, were on hand to be presented.  Of course, the mere fact of a competent, well-trained boy crew was a novelty to the newspaper writers, who made much of the submarine boys and asked them many questions about their work.

“How soon are you going to take us out aboard the ’Pollard’?” inquired one of the women reporters.

“Just as soon as Captain Benson and his young men have had a chance to show you the remarkable feat that you have come here to see,” promised Mr. Farnum.

“And what is that remarkable feat?” asked another journalist.

“The wonder of it will strike you all the more if we do not announce it in advance,” rejoined David Pollard.

“Captain Benson, what have you to say about it?” pleaded one of the newspaper women.  “Won’t you give us at least a hint?”

“I’d like to, immensely,” smiled Captain Jack, “but I’ve always had a great respect for Mr. Farnum’s judgment.”

“Good enough, captain,” laughed the boat builder.  “And now, signal for the boat that is to put you aboard.”

As the boat was coming in Captain Jack turned to the newspaper writers to say: 

“Ladies and gentlemen, the thing that is to be done to-day is something that has never been done on any other boat than the ‘Pollard.’  If it looks a bit dramatic, you will understand, of course, that that is a means toward making it all the more impressive.”

“Oh, dear, but you are making me dreadfully inquisitive,” complained one of the newspaper women, plaintively.

Embarking in the shore boat, the “Pollard’s” crew were soon aboard the submarine.  From the platform decks they waved their caps, then, one by one, disappeared through the tower, the manhole cover being pulled down after them.

“Are they going to take the boat out and submerge it?” asked one of the correspondents.

“Yes,” nodded Mr. Farnum.

“And what else—­please?” asked the particularly impatient newspaper woman.

Mr. Farnum smiled, then added: 

“There they go, under electric power.  Watch!”

By the time that the boat had gone a little more than a hundred feet one of the correspondents called out: 

“They’re sinking!”

“All a part of the performance,” stated Mr. Pollard.

Before some of the visiting journalists could quite realize it, the tip of the conning tower had disappeared below the surface.

“That’s all very interesting to look at,” half shuddered one of the women.  “But what if they couldn’t bring the boat up again?”

“The boat is built to go up or down, at need,” Mr. Farnum assured her.  “Captain Benson has never had an accident yet.”

So the group of some thirty newspaper people watched intently, keeping their gaze on the place where they had seen the last ripples close in over the vanishing conning tower.