“He’d sooner drown himself,” retorted Hal, with spirit.

“Of course he would,” agreed Grant Andrews.  “But what is the meaning of all this?”

“Oh, there’s some queer, hocus-pocus business on foot,” muttered Hal, bitterly.  “But I don’t believe Jack feels much like telling us anything about it at present.”

In truth, Jack didn’t seem inclined to conversation.  He was too sore and dazed to feel like talking.  He couldn’t collect his ideas clearly.  The most that he actually knew was that the pain in his head was tormenting.

“I’ll pick him right up in my arms and carry him,” proposed Andrews.  “I’ll take him to Mr. Farnum’s office.  Then I’ll get a doctor.  We don’t want much noise about this, or folks will be telling all sorts of yarns against Jack Benson and his drinking habits, when the truth is he’s about the finest, steadiest young fellow alive!”

Just as Andrews was about to carry his purpose into action, however, an automobile turned the nearest corner and came swiftly toward them.  In another instant it stopped alongside.  It contained Mr. Farnum and his chauffeur, besides three naval officers.

“What’s wrong, Andrews?” called the yard’s owner.  “Why, that’s Jack Benson!  What has happened to him?”

Hal and Eph stood supporting their comrade, almost holding him, in fact.  Jacob Farnum leaped from his automobile.  Lieutenant Commander Mayhew followed him.

“Liquor, eh?” exclaimed the naval officer, the odor reaching his nostrils.

“No such thing,” retorted Farnum, turning upon the officer.  “At least, Jack Benson has been drinking no such stuff.”

“It was only a guess,” murmured Mr. Mayhew, apologetically.  “You know your young man better than I do, Mr Farnum.”

“There is liquor on his clothing,” continued the shipbuilder.  “It looks as though someone had assaulted the lad, laid him out, and then sprinkled him.  It’s a wasted trick, though.  I know him too well to be fooled by any such clumsy bit of nonsense.”

“A stupid trick, indeed,” agreed Lieutenant Commander Mayhew, but the naval officer did not quite share the shipbuilder’s confidence in the submarine boy’s innocence.  Mr. Mayhew had known of too many cases of naval apprentices ruined through weak indulgence in liquor.  Indeed, he had even known of rare instances in which cadets had been dismissed from the Naval Academy for the same offense.  The lieutenant commander’s present doubt of Jack Benson was likely to work to that young man’s disadvantage later on.

Others of the party left the auto.  Hal and Mr. Farnum got into the tonneau, supporting Jack there between them.  Thus they carried him to Mr. Farnum’s office at the yard, Grant Andrews then going in the car after a doctor, while the others stretched Jack on the office sofa.  The naval officers returned to the “Hudson,” at anchor in the little harbor below.