“That cold duffer coming aboard to boss us all around like cattle?” burst from Eph Somers, as he stamped out from the engine room.

“Confound it!” growled Hal Hastings, savagely.  “I don’t believe the yarn.  Do you?”

“I’m half afraid,” replied Captain Jack, raising his eyes, “that I do.”

CHAPTER II

A SUBMARINE STUNT THAT DUMFIOUND THE BEHOLDERS

“It ain’t true!  Can’t be!  I won’t believe it!” declared Eph, in a rage.

“We’ve had such a good time aboard, and have been so proud of what we’ve been able to do,” added Hal, chokingly.

“Mr. Farnum won’t put that snob in here!” asserted Eph.  “Not in charge, anyway.  Why, Mr. Farnum couldn’t stand the fellow any more than we could.”

“Fellows,” rejoined Jack, looking at the hot faces of his mates, “we mustn’t be too hasty, even in talking among ourselves.”

“That fellow’s a snob,” asserted Eph.  “I’ll stand by that anywhere.”

“I don’t know that I’d say that,” replied young Benson, who had recovered his calmness.  “In the first place, Don Melville has evidently had a golden spoon in his mouth from the day of his birth.  He’s used to having things his own way.  He may be all right at bottom.”

“Then that’s where I hope he goes,” quivered Eph.  “Straight to the bottom!  Under a hundred fathoms of good salt water!”

“We may like him better when we know him,” ventured Jack.

“I’m betting though,” put in Hal, thoughtfully, “that we’re much more likely to like him less.”

“He’s a duffer!” snorted Eph.

“We may have to change our minds about that,” smiled Jack, dully.

“Ain’t he a rich man’s son?” demanded Eph, blazing.

“That doesn’t make him out a fool or a dullard,” retorted the young captain.  “Rich men’s sons aren’t as often fools as they’re suspected of being.  Some of them are mighty clever.  The number of great American fortunes that are doubled, or trebled, in the second generation, show that.”

“Then you’re going to side with him?” sneered Eph.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, until the time comes,” Captain Jack answered, quietly.  “But I do know one thing I’m going to do, at any and all times—­and so are you fellows.  You couldn’t help it, if you tried.”

“What’s that?” Hal wanted to know.

“We’re going to be as square with Jacob Farnum as he has always been with us.  That carries with it the idea of a big lot of loyalty.”

“Right!” agreed Hal.

“Of course,” nodded Eph, less angrily.  “Just as long as Farnum runs the business.  But, if other folks get in here and get the control—­”

“Of course, we can drop out of this business at any time we want to, provided it wouldn’t carry with it disloyalty to the employer who’s been mighty good to us,” supplied Jack Benson.