CHAPTER XII
NAVY OFFICERS FOR AN HOUR OR A DAY
"So you're really the three famous submarine boys?" inquired SecretarySanders, rising from his chair and extending his hand.
"We're submarine boys; that's all I ever heard about it, Mr. Secretary,"replied Captain Jack, as he introduced his friends.
"Now, be seated, young gentlemen, and tell me all you know about thismatter that has brought you over to Washington."
Jack Benson acted as spokesman, telling the whole tale clearly, yetusing up no more time in talk than was absolutely necessary. It was agood, concise, business statement.
"Now, of course," pursued Mr. Sanders, "you wonder what the NavyDepartment wants you to do. Well, in the first place, we've beenasking, by wireless, through the night and early morning, to have allcraft on the lookout for a schooner answering to the description of the'Juanita'."
Secretary Sanders paused, but none of the three boys asked any questions.
"You will wonder, of course, what success we've had so far, and I maysay that our success has been ample," resumed the Secretary of the Navy,with an amused smile. "In other words, we've been able to pick up newsof three schooners, all of which answer to the general description ofthe 'Juanita'--but it happens that that isn't the name of any one ofthe three."
Jack Benson nodded, but did not speak.
"Of course," pursued the Secretary, "it may be that the skipper of the'Juanita' has tried an old trick, through the night. He may have seta man to painting another name at the schooner's stern."
Again Skipper Jack nodded.
"The schooner that we think most likely to be the 'Juanita' is aboutfifty miles out at sea, now, according to a report received twentyminutes ago. Evidently she is headed for one of the British WestIndies. Now, if the wind continues the same, and the suspected vesselkeeps to her present course, she will, at five this afternoon, be offthe Norfolk Navy Yard, and some sixty-two miles out at sea. Now,unless we are otherwise advised, we want a gunboat, the 'Sudbury,' nowat Norfolk, to overhaul the suspected schooner and ascertain whether sheis really the 'Juanita,' and whether the man, Gray, and his bundle ofdocuments are still on board. The suspected vessel is to be searched,and Gray and the documents, if found, are to be seized, and the schoonerthen released. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, sir." Jack answered quietly.
"One of you young men will know Gray at a glance. The other two arefamiliar with the whole case. Otherwise, it would not have beennecessary to have called you into this matter. Yet, to overhaul avessel, or to make an arrest or a seizure, you require authority. Suchauthority can be vested only in naval officers. Hence, for the present,it will be necessary to give all three of you appointments as officersin the United States Navy."
At this announcement Jack Benson lost, for the moment, some of hiscool composure.
"Officers of the Navy, sir!" he gasped, but his eyes glowed at the merethought.
"You will be officers only temporarily," returned the Secretary. "Youare not of age, any of you, I take it."
"We are all just about the same age, sir--seventeen, nearly eighteen,"Jack replied.
"Just so. Now, none of you could legally bold officers' commissions,except by a special act of Congress. However, with the approval of thePresident, it is legal for me to give you special, temporary appointmentsunder which you have the title, rank, pay and command of officers. Theseappointments I am going to give and, for a brief while, though you willnot have commissions, you will nevertheless be as actually officers ofthe Navy as are any admirals on the list."
This astonishing statement almost took away the breath of the submarineboys.
"You are familiar with navigation, Benson, and are a capable enoughsea-pilot along this coast. I learned that much, early this morning,through Mr. Farnum's answer to my telegram."
"Then Mr. Farnum knows what we are going to do?" asked Jack, quickly.
"He doesn't," replied Secretary Sanders, with a shake of his head."Mr. Farnum knows, only, that you have a chance to be of some serviceto the Navy. He seemed to be much pleased by our inquiry."
The Secretary had just touched an electric button on his desk. Now aclerk entered the room.
"Telephone the secretary of the President," directed Mr. Sanders, "andask him whether the President has examined and approved the specialappointments that I sent over a while ago."
The clerk was quickly back, to say:
"The special appointments, Mr. Secretary, are duly approved, and arenow on their way over from the White House."
Two minutes later, a messenger entered, handing a sealed envelope tothe Secretary of the Navy.
Breaking the seal, Mr. Sanders drew forth three heavy, folded sheetsof parchment.
"Here you are, Mr. Benson," resumed the Secretary, handing over one ofthe parchments. "This document confers upon you, for the time being,the rank, pay and command of a lieutenant, junior grade, in theUnited States Navy. You, Mr. Hastings, and you, Mr. Somers, will rankas ensigns under your special appointments."
Jack's head swam a bit as he thanked Mr. Sanders; then he started toglance over this marvelous document.
But the Secretary of the Navy now cut in, briskly:
"That is all, gentlemen. You know your instructions, in general,Lieutenant Benson. You will now go to my chief clerk, who will swearyou into the service. He will also give you an order on a local tailorfor the uniforms of your ranks. In one hour and twenty minutes yourtrain starts south. On arrival at Norfolk you will report without aninstant's delay at the Navy Yard. Aboard the 'Sudbury' you willreceive all further instructions, wired from this Department. Goodmorning, gentlemen."
Then, indeed, things moved fast. At the desk of the chief clerk ofthe Navy Department the three budding naval officers stood with theirright hands raised while the official at the other side of the deskadministered to them the oath binding them to loyalty to the governmentand to obedience to all lawful orders of their superiors.
"And now, gentlemen," continued the chief clerk, "I will send forEnsign McGrath, who is on duty here, and present you to him. He willgo with you to the tailor's, and will see that you are properly rushedto the train that you are to take. Remember, you are not to pay foryour uniforms or equipment. The bill will be sent here."
Ensign McGrath looked sleepy, but proved to be a hustler. One of theDepartment's autos was out in the grounds, and into this McGrathbundled the three submarine boys. Five minutes later they were in thetailoring establishment, where a good many ready-made uniforms werekept for sale.
What a whirl it was. Yet, in twenty minutes, each submarine boy foundhimself in the duty uniform of a United States junior naval officer,each uniform adorned with the insignia of the wearer's rank. In themeantime, dress-suit cases had been procured from a store near by.
"All right and proper," nodded Ensign McGrath. "And--I'm not throwingbouquets, gentlemen, but you really look as though you had been bornfor the uniforms. Now, only one thing is missing--the swords."
"Are we to wear swords?" asked Jack, his face flushing with pleasure.
"Under certain conditions, on duty, naval officers wear swords. Youwill need them as parts of your equipments."
The dealer brought these side-arms at once. The naval sword is ahandsome one, vastly more natty than the infantry side-arm of a juniorofficer.
What a thrill each submarine boy felt as he was shown how to adjust hissword to the belt!
"They're really nonsensical jewelry in these civilized days," declaredEnsign McGrath, dryly. "But the regulations call for swords at sometimes. Now, gentlemen, you will need to get your uniforms off asquickly as you can, and the tailor's helpers will pack them in your suitcases. You travel in citizen's clothes, and don your uniforms as soonas you get aboard the gunboat."
Ten minutes later each proud submarine boy picked up his suit case andsword, the latter, in each instance, being inside of a chamois-skincarrying case.
In si
ngle file they made their way to the street.
"Now, for the last leg of the race in Washington," announced EnsignMcGrath, as they entered the automobile once more.
"I wonder if it will happen on the way, or at the station?" laughed Jack,as the government gas-wagon whirled them down Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Will what happen?" inquired McGrath.
"Why," laughed Benson again, "I know we've got to wake up out of thistrance, but I can't figure when it's going to happen."
"I suppose all of you do feel excited," nodded Ensign McGrath,understandingly.
"Not excited," declared Jack. "I'm just simply unprepared to believethat any part of this has really happened."
At the railway station they were met by a messenger from the chiefclerk's office, who handed each of the submarine boys a small parcel.
"Copy of the Regulations, sir" stated the messenger. "It is requiredthat each officer of the Navy possess a copy."
"You'll want to scan the book good and hard most of the way down toNorfolk," advised Ensign McGrath. "You'll find much between the coversthat you'll need to know right at the first jump-off. And now, for thetickets."
These McGrath bought, including parlor car seats. The ensign then sawthem safely to their seats.
"Now, you've got enough to do, reading your new books," laughed theensign, "So I'm not going to waste your time by staying here to talkto you. It's ten minutes, yet, to the time of your departure. Good-bye,gentlemen--_and good luck!_"
When McGrath had gone Jack leaned across the aisle to whisper:
"Eph, can you get at your sword handily--to draw it, I mean?"
"What's up?" said Eph, suspiciously.
"I want you to stick about a sixteenth of an inch of the point of yoursword into me, so I can judge how long I've been dreaming."
"What's the matter with using your own sword?" demanded Eph, a triflegruffly.
"That's just the trouble," smiled Benson, plaintively. "I'm afraid I'llwake up and find I haven't any."
Hal was leaning back in his parlor car chair, his eyes closed. He wasdreaming delicious daydreams.