“By jove, but she’s a bully actor,” thought Benson, with a sort of admiration.

“I am sorry, Mademoiselle,” he replied, “But I am wanted now.  I am forced to say ‘good evening.’”

With a bow he turned and left her, replacing his cap as he strode away.

“Oh, that fool, that unnatural young man!” she cried, angrily, to herself.  “He prefers what he calls ‘duty’ to the friendly glance of a pretty eye.  Bah!  Perhaps he is laughing at me at this moment.  If he is, he is laughing much too soon, for I shall teach him a lesson or two.  You are not yet beyond my reach, my brave young Captain!”

The veil that Mlle. Nadiboff carefully wound so that two folds fell across her face concealed a hard, sneering, almost barbaric look that had crept quickly into that handsome young face.

But Jack joined his own party at once.  Through the rest of the evening he did not encounter either the young woman or M. Lemaire.  The latter, in fact, had made himself practically invisible of late.

The next afternoon, early, a launch from the gunboat brought off the pleasure party that was to make the trip on the submarine boat.

Mr. Farnum and David Pollard were ashore at this time.  Captain Jack and Eph Somers stood on the platform deck to receive and welcome the party.

The first young woman to whom Benson extended his hand to help her aboard held up a camera for him to take first of all.

“Thank you,” responded the young skipper, gravely.  “We will send this camera to the engine room.  It will be returned to you at the end of the trip.”

As he spoke, he slipped the camera box back to Eph, who started for the conning tower with it.

“But I wish to take some photographs with it,” cried the young woman, indignantly.  “Especially, a flashlight when we are below the surface of the ocean.”

“I am most sorry, madam,” Captain Jack replied, politely, “but it is wholly out of the question for any photographs to be made aboard the boat.”

“No cameras!  No photographs?” cried two other young women, in something like consternation.  Then one of them added: 

“But we want two or three photos as souvenirs—­Mr. Kimball, we appeal to you.”

“I am wholly powerless in the matter,” replied the lieutenant commander, gravely.  “Mr. Benson commands aboard this boat, and enforces the rules.  I may add, however, that am wholly in sympathy with his decision.  You will understand, ladies, that there are many secrets in the handling of a submarine craft like this, It would be absolutely out of the question to allow anyone to carry away photographs of the interior or the working parts of the ‘Benson.’”

With that, two more cameras were passed up.  Eph as quickly handed them through the conning tower to Hal, who took them down to the engine room.

Then Jack helped his visitors aboard, while Eph slipped forward to let go the moorings at the order.