Part 11 (1/2)
”Couldn't we offer the boys a bigger interest with us?” suggested Radwin, as he peered through the palroup
”No!” retorted Rhinds, sharply ”I know about that crowd You don't
Listen to ot to ot to get personally acquainted with theot to lay our plans The Pollard boatstests, do you understand?
Their craft must balk, or behave badly We must destroy all naval confidence in Pollard boats Then we ineer matters so that none of that croill be fit to find out what ails their boats--in time, anyway The easiest point of attack will be the boys theet theame some way or other--I don't care what! Radwin, you're fertile enough in ideas, and reckless enough in deeds This is to be your task--put the Pollard boats and those subet acquainted with the away, to follow a bell-boy to the rooned to the craftily, approached them, followed by Radwin Rhinds introduced himself to Farnum, then presented Radwin as secretary to the Rhinds Company
”We're rivals in a way, of course,” declared Mr Rhinds ”But ant to be good-natured, friendly rivals, ood deal of you all while here”
Jacob Farnum replied with equal cordiality When it came Jack Benson's turn to be introduced, Rhinds seized hi his shoulder
”Captain Benson?” he repeated ”The brainiest young man in America--with two chuht,” purred this Judas of the submarine boat world
CHAPTER VII
EPH SOMERS PLAYS GALLANT
”I don't knohen I've enjoyed ly over the dinner party in one corner of the dining roo pleaded another engagement But Rhinds and his lieutenant, Radwin, Messrs Farnum and Pollard and all three of the sub table Radwin had succeeded in seating himself between Jack and Hal
The dinner had been a fine one Only one hitch had occurred; that hen Mr Rhinds, at the beginning of the meal, had tried to order several bottles of wine
”Just a moment, Mr Rhinds,” Farnum broke in ”None of the wine for us, thank you”
”Oh, then, sohter kind of wine,” proposed Mr Rhinds, anxiously
”Soe one another”
”None of that stuff, according to our way of thinking, is any good,”
replied Farnuood-natured smile
”Well, perhaps not for the boys,” conceded the host of this dinner ”But for the rest of us, as business men ready to cement a friendshi+p”
”Alcohol isn't cement,” replied Mr Farnum, mildly ”At least, not with our party The time was, I admit, Mr Rhinds, when business men often tried to cement a business friendshi+p ine or liquor But those ti is out of date, nowadays The keenest and most dependable business o a little further, and say that, in our business at Dunhaven, we have cos with business men e know to drink You will understand, of course, that this is said without criticism of whatever views you yourself runted Rhinds, much taken back by the fairly spoken words of his rival ”I dare say there was tooin the old days Yes, Farnuree with you, and ill do without the wine”
None the less, it was plain that their host was et at the members of the naval board,” declared Mr Farnum, toward the end of the meal ”I want to find out what is planned in the tests that are to take place here”
”The members of the board,” replied Mr Rhinds, ”are the three men, in citizen dress, who are at the sixth table down froo As to to- at eleven o'clock, all the subht, out-to-sea speed sail for six hours The gunboat, 'Chelsea' will start the fleet, and the 'Oakland' will go along with the racers”
”That's short time for us,” muttered Mr Farnule moment's notice,” interposed Captain Jack Benson