“Oh, yes!  You would have struck at our chances of winning out in these submarine tests,” murmured Hal Hastings.

“What do you mean?” demanded Jack, looking startled.

“If you had hit Radwin, in the presence of all those witnesses, you would have been right in line to be arrested for assault.”

“Pooh!” jeered Captain Jack.  “A small fine, which I could easily pay.”

“But the inconvenience of being locked up, at such a time!” asked Hal Hastings.

“Mr. Farnum would bail me out, quickly enough.”

“I don’t believe you see all of the point yet,” murmured Hal, earnestly.  “Suppose Radwin swore out a warrant against you for striking him.  Then suppose he paid a court officer to wait and serve the warrant just as the boats were starting out on some new test cruise?  Then you’d go ashore, and we’d either have to go on without our captain, or else draw out of the test.  Fine business, that, when our first and only business is to make the Pollard boats the number-one winners in as many tests as possible!”

“Great Caesar!” exploded Jack, realizing, now, what a narrow escape he had had from another disaster to their common interests.

“So you be on your guard,” Hal went on with his wise counsel.  “No one—­at least, no one in your own crowd—­doubts your grit, or your willingness to clinch with Radwin and fight it out to a copper-riveted finish.  I don’t blame you for wanting to thrash Radwin every time you think of poor Dave Pollard up at the hospital.  I want to do it myself.  Radwin didn’t think fast enough, or he’d have sneered at you, and provoked you into hitting him.  That was why I grabbed your right arm—­to stop you.  It’ll come to Radwin before long, what a fine chance he missed.  Then he’ll put himself in your way—­when there are witnesses around.”

“Thank you, Hal,” nodded Jack Benson, his voice unusually quiet.  “You’ve given me a good, big hint.  I won’t forget it.  Until the tests are all over Radwin may parade before me, and mock at me, if he wants.  But afterward—!”

CHAPTER XV

THE GOAL OF THE LIGHTNING CRUISE

On three different days, thereafter, there were various tests in which the submarine craft entered, each striving for points and leadership.

On one of these days the event was firing with “dummy” torpedoes.  This work was carried on out in the bay.  Then there were two other days of firing, with actual, loaded torpedoes, the work, one day, being with stationery naval targets.  On the other day the work with loaded torpedoes was directed against moving targets—­perpendicular floats towed by a tug with a very long hawser.

While some of the firing was done by the crews of the respective submarines, a good deal more was performed by members of the naval board, in order that the boats, rather than the crews, might be tested.