“You’ll act as my friend, won’t you?” begged Rhinds, tremulously.  “You’ll show Townsley the absurdity of this whole business.  Simms, I look to your friendship, for you are my friend, aren’t you?”

“Possibly,” nodded the other, dryly.  “But I’m also a Congressman, responsible to my district, my state and the whole country.  Now, Rhinds, the whole thing is just here.  I’m going to look into this matter, and I’m going to sift it all I can.  If I find you’re innocent beyond a question—­then—­well, you know I’m a pretty good fighter.”

“Yes, yes; you’ll fight my enemies to a standstill,” cried Rhinds, piteously.

“But, if I find the facts against you, then my hands are tied.”

“If—­if it’s a question of money—­” stammered the submarine man.

“Money?” demanded the Congressman, crisply.  “What for?”

“Why—­er—­er—­for expenses.”

“I can pay my own expenses, Rhinds, in a matter that affects the good name of my district.  Now, give me your side of this affair.”

For an hour the two men remained talking.  Rhinds fought for himself as hard as he could, for he was beginning to suspect that a mere matter of politics would not move the Congressman much in this case.

“Now, I’ll leave you for a while, Rhinds, and I’ll move fast,” promised the Congressman, rising.  “But I advise you to stay right here.  I may want to see you at any moment.”

Mr. Simms must have moved rapidly, for, two hours later that morning, after having seen many people, including the admiral, the Congressman sent a message upstairs urging Rhinds to come down at once.

As he stepped out from the elevator, a strange pallor on his face, John Rhinds beheld the Congressman standing with four men one of whom the old man knew for Ensign Pike, the naval officer who had been stationed aboard the ‘Thor.’  Another was Lieutenant Danvers.

Congressman Simms quickly presented Rhinds to the other two, one of whom was Rear Admiral Townsley, and the other Lieutenant Jasper, the Admiral’s aide.

“Now, Mr. Rhinds,” pursued the Congressman, “the admiral has decided that the first thing to do is to go aboard the ‘Thor,’ and see whether any hiding place exists in which you might have stored a fifth torpedo.”

“But how could I get such a fifth torpedo?” faltered the old man.  “The Navy issues them.”

“They may be bought in the market, too, by one who knows how,” replied Rear Admiral Townsley, coolly.  “You consent to our going aboard your boat, of course, Mr. Rhinds?”

Had there been any reasonable way of preventing it, Rhinds would not have agreed, but he saw that he must comply with the request.

Admiral Townsley raised a hand in signal.  Out of the background came Jacob Farnum and his three submarine boys.

“These people can’t come aboard my boat!” protested Rhinds.

“They must, if we do,” retorted the admiral, crisply.  “These are the human beings who were placed in deadly peril by the torpedo that has yet to be accounted for.”