“Judson asks me to extend to you any possible courtesies,” pursued the shipbuilder.  “I shall be very glad.  Now, what can I do that will be most agreeable to you?”

“Why—­er—­er—­” began Mr. Hodges, hesitatingly, “the thing that my daughter and I are most interested in is your line of boats.  In fact, we came over to Colfax to see what we could of the boats and the tests.  Now, my daughter and I would both like very much to go aboard one of your boats.  Yet, if this would be at all irregular, or cause you any inconvenience, I beg you to refuse us, and we shall understand your refusal.”

None the less, the shipbuilder did feel and look embarrassed.

“I wish it were anything else on earth,” Farnum replied, frankly.  “For, though it gives me more pain than you can understand, my dear Mr. Hodges, it will be absolutely impossible for us to admit anyone to the submarine boats during the present tests.”

“Then say no more about it,” replied Mr. Hodges, pleasantly.  “I can quite understand your position.”

“There is just a bare chance, though,” mused the shipbuilder, “that I might manage to obtain an invitation for your daughter and yourself to go out on one of the gunboats, and watch the submarine craft at their work.”

“Fine!” cried Hodges, with enthusiasm.  “Yet, if it will inconvenience you in the least, Mr. Farnum, I beg you to give no further thought to it.  Will you all, as soon as you are finished, come to the ladies’ parlor with me?  My daughter will be most delighted at meeting real submarine people.”

“We are finished, now,” replied Mr. Farnum, laying down his cigar, “and it will give us great pleasure to have the privilege of meeting Miss Hodges.”

Though Hodges himself appeared a very common type of business man, and was plainly dressed, Miss Elinor Hodges proved to be a beautiful girl of about nineteen, and attired in the height of fashion.

She was, however, most charming and gracious, and evidently greatly interested in everything that had to do with submarine boats.

An hour’s very pleasant chat followed in the ladies’ parlor.  Then Hodges, seeing an automobile pass one of the windows and halt before the ladies’ entrance of the hotel, suddenly drew out his watch.

“Elinor, my dear, do you see the time?” demanded her father, holding out his watch.  Then, as the submarine party rose, prepared to take their leave, Hodges turned to Farnum, explaining rapidly: 

“Yes; unfortunately, we have an appointment, and must defer the further pleasure of seeing you until this evening.  But that auto car outside, which I did not order for this hour, and, in fact, cannot use for to-day, gives me an idea.  It is a car that I have hired for a week.  Now, Elinor and I are not going to use the car.  Mr. Farnum, can’t you and your friends make use of the car to-day?”

Jacob Farnum would have tried to decline, pleasantly, fearing the acceptance of the use of the automobile might seem to bind him to extend courtesies on one of his boats.  But Mr. Hodges was so gently, firmly insistent that, in a very short time, the submarine party found themselves seated in the car.