“Well, it’s all over now,” muttered Hal.  “Millard—­or Graves—­or whatever other name the fellow may be using at this moment—­is safe in a cell downstairs.”

“We thought, once before, that we had him bottled up safely,” chuckled Lieutenant Jack.  “Mr. Abercrombie, how am I ever going to express my thanks to you?”

“I should feel extremely insulted, dear old fellow, if you thought it necessary to thank me,” retorted the Briton, heartily.

“It will be dark, soon,” interposed Lieutenant Ulwin.  “I suggest that the best thing any of us can do is to turn toward the club.  I feel certain that the chef will have a famous dinner there to-night.”

“We haven’t any evening clothes, either citizen or uniform, in Washington,” interposed Jack Benson, who knew something of the formalities of the service during the dinner hour.

“Come, just the same,” begged Ulwin.  “The members don’t expect too much of fellows who are traveling.”

Jack was glad of the walk, because it helped to take the stiffness out of the knee that had been struck.

“You let the cab driver go, did you!” asked Eph, as the submarine boys walked along together.

“Yes,” nodded Jack.  “I had no orders concerning anyone like him.  He’s only some worthless character hired for the job.  He didn’t have any hand in the bigger job of collecting and selling harbor defense plans, you may be sure.”

As the party re-entered the club they found a large attendance.  Nor was it many moments before a be-moustached German officer approached the group.

“Oh, Herr Ulwin,” he asked, “can you oblige me by excusing Herr Benson for a moment or two?  And will you come with me, Herr Benson, to meet a friend who wishes to shake your hand?”

Jack slipped away with the German officer, who conducted him to another room.

“I think you have met my friend before,” explained the German, and wheeled the submarine boy straight up in front of Herr Professor Radberg.

“You see,” smiled the professor, “we meet again.”

“It is a great pleasure, surely,” declared Jack, as he shook hands.  The officer stepped a few paces away.

“And now, when, my dear young friend, are you going to give me your word that you and your comrades will enter the German torpedo service?  I have somewhat better terms to offer you than when we last met.  I have since been authorized to promise you that you shall enter the German service as commissioned officers, and that you shall all three be in line for promotion as merit earns it.  So, then, it is all settled, is it not!”

Herr Professor Radberg rubbed his hands with a self-satisfied air.

“Yes,” Lieutenant Jack admitted, “it is all settled.  But not the way that you would wish, Herr Professor Radberg.  There may be soldiers of fortune who follow any flag, for hire.  But we submarine boys would not enter your German naval service if you created all three of us high admirals at the outset.”