Early as the hour was, the commandant was at his desk, in uniform, and received the young officers most graciously.
"Mr. Benson, and gentlemen," declared the commandant of the navy yard, "you have done your work well, and as quickly as it could have been done. I congratulate you. The Secretary of the Navy, I believe, will thank you personally, It was splendidly done. And now, if you will come around to the officers" club with me, you will find that your breakfasts have been ordered. It will be an hour and a half, yet, before it will be necessary for me to furnish you with the carriage that will convey you to the railway station."
In the presence of this much older officer the lads did not attempt to make too merry at breakfast. Seated in the dining room of the officers" mess, they listened respectfully to whatever the commandant saw fit to discuss.
The meal was about over when a marine orderly entered, crossed the dining room, stopped at a respectful distance, and saluted.
"Telegram, sir."
The commandant received the envelope, drawing out the sheet it contained.
"Lieutenant Benson, this will interest you and your comrades," pursued the commandant.
"The order revoking my command of the gunboat," thought Jack. Oddly enough, though he expected it, knew it must happen, the arrival of the moment brought a strange sinking at heart.
"I wonder how on earth it could have happened?" pursued the commandant, his eyes again turned toward the paper. "Millard has escaped from Fort Craven, and, so far, has eluded recapture!"
CHAPTER XVIII
EPH BETS AN ANCHOR AGAINST A FISH-HOOK
"The government possesses the fellow"s charts and notes, anyway,"
observed Jack Benson, rather proudly.
"Yes, thanks to you, gentlemen," nodded the commandant. "Still, I fancy the authorities, will be fearfully annoyed over this escape."
"There are no particulars, sir, you say?" queried Jack.
"No; the mere announcement of the fellow"s escape, and a request to military and naval authorities to be on the lookout for the fugitive The despatch also states that description will follow by wire."
"We can give you a pretty fair word-portrait of Millard right now, sir,"
offered Lieutenant Benson.
"And I wish you would."
Jack proceeded to do so. He had about finished, when the carriage stopped punctually before the door of the officers" club. The commandant took cordial leave of his young guests, after which they were driven to the railway station. Just a little later they found themselves leaning back in parlor car seats, bound for Washington.
Most of the way back the youngsters dozed in their chairs. Now, that the excitement was over, all felt need of rest.
Not even at the railway station in Washington could they escape the watchfulness of the Navy Department. The same messenger who, the day before, had handed them their copies of the Regulations, now met Benson with a note.
"The Secretary will not be at his office until one o"clock this afternoon," announced Lieutenant Jack, looking up from the order. "We are directed to report at that hour."
"What shall we do until then?" demanded Eph, blankly, when the messenger had departed.
"Why, since we"re still in the service," laughed Jack, "and as I"ve heard that the Arlington is much patronized by Navy officers, suppose we treat ourselves to a carriage, go to the Arlington and register. That will be the last grand feeling we"ll get out of this."
His comrades rather merrily agreed. So, a few minutes later, the trio marched through the lobby of the Arlington to the desk. Jack picked up a pen, and registered:
"John Benson, U.S.N."
Hal and Eph followed suit. Then they were led to their connecting rooms.
"We"ll have luncheon at half-past eleven," smiled Lieutenant Jack, as he dropped into an easy chair. "In the service one never knows when his next meal is coming."
"Good!" chuckled Hal, though there was a sad ring to his tone. "Keep up as long as you can, old fellow, the fiction that we"re still in the naval service."
"Well, aren"t we?" demanded Jack, stoutly.
"Surely," a.s.sented Hal, meekly.
"Say," demanded Eph, taking out notebook and pencil, "what is an ensign"s pay, anyway?"
"Seventeen hundred dollars a year," replied Benson.
"I don"t suppose the Navy Department will try to spring less than a day"s pay on us," hinted Eph. "If that"s right, then the government now owes me three hundred and sixty-five into seventeen hundred. Let me see--"
"Oh, cut it!" laughed Hal.
"What? My pay?" demanded Eph, "Not much, sir! I want the only money I ever really earned."
"One of us ought to drop Mr. Farnum a line," hinted Jack, presently.
"Oh, well, let Hal do it," offered Eph. "He carries the only fountain pen in the crowd."
Without a word Hastings crossed to a table on which were envelopes and paper, and began to write. Perhaps he welcomed something to occupy his mind; for, truth to tell, each of these submarine boys had a woefully "blue" feeling. Though all were naval officers, still, at this moment, all realized that they would cease to be such as soon as they had received the thanks of the Secretary of the Navy. However, "blue"
as all three felt, none of them hung back when half-past eleven arrived.
They descended to the dining room, where they refreshed themselves heartily.
The meal over, there was just about enough time left for them to walk comfortably to the Navy Department.
They had walked a couple of blocks of the way when Hal suddenly felt the stamped letter in his pocket. He drew it out, and glanced hurriedly down the avenue.
"I don"t see a letter-box ahead, fellows, but I saw one, half-way down the block, at the last corner we pa.s.sed. You two keep right on. I"ll join you."
Presently Jack and Eph halted in their walk to look back.
"Where is Hal?" demanded Somers.
"He can"t have lost us," muttered Jack.
"Oh, I guess he has simply taken a short cut to meet us ahead on the way."
Yet, though they continued to look for their comrade until they had neared the State, War and Navy Building, Hal Hastings had not again appeared in sight.