Five minutes later Ensign Hal Hastings was shown into the office.  The Secretary of the Navy greeted him kindly, though with a twinkle in his eyes.

“The paper that caused my trouble was one that was taken from Mr. Benson when he couldn’t help himself,” Hal explained.  “For some reason, the military authorities never discovered that Millard had that paper about him.  It was enough to save him from arrest an hour ago.”

“And Millard is still at large,” nodded Mr. Sanders.  “It’s a matter for the military authorities and the Secret Service, I imagine.  I don’t see how the Navy can be drawn into it.  However, I am going to ask you young gentlemen to retain your special appointments a little longer.  I may yet have considerable need of you in this affair.  You are stopping at the Arlington?  Perhaps, for this afternoon, you would enjoy going over to the United Service Club, where you are likely to meet a good many Army and Navy officers.  I will send some one along with you who will see to it that you have ten-day cards at the club.”

At any other time this all would have meant to Jack Benson that he was still an officer in the Navy.  Just now, however, it meant that Millard was at large, and Benson had a strong notion that it would yet fall to the lot of the submarine boys to put that wretch where he belonged.

CHAPTER XIX

JACK’S CALLER AT THE UNITED SERVICE CLUB

“Ho-ho!  Haw-haw!  Woof!”

Eph found himself started again, the very instant the boys found themselves in the lower corridor of the building.

“Let him alone,” uttered Jack, scornfully.  “The poor fellow had better work it all out of his system.”

“But, Hal, your face—­when the policeman took you, on Millard’s complaint!” sputtered Somers, next going off into another burst of laughter.

“It didn’t seem funny, at the time,” returned Hal Hastings, quietly.

“Ho-ho!  Haw!  Of course, not.  Say, Hal, can you do me a tremendous favor?  Can you look, just for a moment, the way you did when that blue-coat pinched you?”

Hal began to laugh, despite the fact that his loss of Millard still rankled under his quiet outside.

“Now, hush up,” warned Benson, suddenly.  “Here comes Lieutenant Ulwin, who has undertaken to present us at the United Service Club.  Idiots are barred from the club, you know, Eph.”

By a great exercise of will power Eph managed to straighten his face by the time that the lieutenant overtook them.  They entered a cab.  By this time the young naval officers were beginning to understand that it is the usual custom to go about Washington in a carriage.

“Have you ever been at a Service Club before?” inquired their guide.

“We breakfasted at the club at Norfolk this morning?” Jack answered.

“Your acquaintance with our Service clubs is not very large, then?”