"Take it quietly," Ned advised Jimmie, as the little fellow beganstruggling with the arm of the law. "We'll come out on top in the end,I take it."
"I'd like to knock the head off this fool cop!" Jimmie cried. "Whatright has he to go an' arrest us?"
"If it will take any load off your mind," the policeman replied, asthe three waited on a corner for a patrol wagon, "I'll tell you whatright I had to arrest you. There's a report at the office that a manwho went into that submarine of yours never came out again."
"When was this report sent in?" asked Ned.
"Just a few moments ago," was the reply. "All the officers in the cityare either watching for you or heading toward the boat. What have youdone with Lieutenant Scott?"
"Who sent in the report?" asked Ned.
"I don't know his name, but the chief does. He says he went to thewater front, on the island side, with the Lieutenant, that theLieutenant went on board the Sea Lion with you and the others, andthat he has not been seen since. What about it? Better confess and getan easy sentence."
"The officers who are on their way to the submarine will find out whythe Lieutenant never came out," Ned said. "But about this man who madethe report. Why was he waiting for Scott to leave the boat?"
"Said he had an understanding with him that he was to watch outside,as Scott did not exactly trust you New York kids. A little while agohe heard a commotion and calls for help on board, so he came up toreport."
"Thank you for the information," Ned said. "Now, you can't get us toheadquarters any too quickly."
"Where is Scott?" asked the officer.
"Dead," was the reply.
"Holy smoke!" cried the policeman. "Then I've arrested a couple ofmurderers!"
"If you'll hurry us to headquarters," Ned replied, "and the man whomade this report is still there, I'll help you to arrest a realmurderer. Here comes the wagon."
"Drive fast," ordered the policeman as the three entered the patrolwagon and the driver turned to inspect the boys. "I've got the fellowswe're after," he added.
"Great luck!" the driver replied. "There'll be a big reward."
"Oh, I guess I know my business!" said the policeman, with a boastfulchuckle.
The station was soon reached, and, without the least ceremony, theboys were pushed along to the cell block and locked up. Ned's demandthat they be taken before the chief was not heeded.
"This is fine!" Jimmie said, from the next cell to the one occupied byNed. "I like this."
Before Ned could reply, the chief of police made his appearance in thecorridor outside, a great ring of keys in one hand. He unlocked thecell doors without speaking a word and motioned the boys out into thecorridor.
Then, still without speaking, he pointed the way to his privateoffice, ushered the lads in, closed and locked the door.
"Well?" he said, then.
"Will you send for the Coroner?" asked Ned.
"So Scott is dead?"
"Yes."
"Why did you kill him?"
Before opening his mouth to reply, Ned caught sight of a dark stain onthe arm of the chair in which he was seated.
"Have you a microscope handy?" he asked.
The chief opened his eyes in amazement.
The question, coming at that time, seemed almost the raving of a madman. This is the view the chief took of it, and he decided toconciliate the maniac.
"What do you want of a microscope?" he asked.
"I want to see if this spot is caused by the application of a certainrubber composition, and if there are shreds of blue wool mixed withit."
"I guess," the chief said, "that your proper place is the foolishhouse."
"While your men are bringing the microscope," Ned went on, coolly, "Iwant to ask you a few questions."
"Go ahead," laughed the chief, wondering what sort of insanity thiswas.
"Who sat in this chair last?" asked Ned.
"Why, the last visitor, of course."
"Can you now recall his name?"
"Curtis."
"How was he dressed?"
"In a blue suit."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He said he would return as soon as the officers cameback from the submarine."
"Yes he will!" Jimmie broke in.
"Does he belong here?" asked Ned.
The chief pointed to the west.
"Over in the navy yard," he said.
"So the blue suit he wore was a naval uniform?"
"Exactly."
The chief touched a bell on his desk and a policeman opened the doorat the back of the room, connecting with the sergeant's room, andlooked in.
"Get a microscope," the chief ordered, "and keep quiet about what isgoing on in here."
The sergeant nodded and went out.
"What did you say about that smear on the arm of the chair?" asked thechief, then.
He was beginning to understand that there was something besides mentaltrouble at the bottom of Ned's inquiries.
"I think," was the reply, "that an inspection of the spot will reveala rubber composition used principally by the thieves of Paris as apaint to prevent palm and finger lines and whorls showing on thingsthey take hold of."
The chief looked at the spot critically.
"Also, shreds from a blue uniform," Ned continued.
"We shall see," replied the chief.
The microscope was soon brought in, and then a close examination ofthe spot on the arm of the chair was made by the chief.
"What do you find?" asked Ned.
"I really can't say what it is," was the reply.
Ned took from a pocket a bit of the waste he had brought from thedynamo room of the submarine.
"Look at this," he said, "and see if the material in it appears to bethe same as that on the chair. I mean, of course, the smudge on it."
The chief turned his instrument on the waste.
"It is the same," he declared, in a moment, "and I'd like to knowwhere you got it."
"Do you find blue threads--well, not threads, exactly, but bits offuzz--in the waste, too?"
"Yes, but the trace is faint."
"Well," Ned said, "the man who killed Lieutenant Scott is the man whogave you the information you speak of. He sat in this chair not longago. I would advise a search for him."
"But he agreed to come back." "Of course he never will," Ned said."Now, here is another point. You are going to have the Sea Lionsearched?"
"Yes."
"Well, your men will find the body of Lieutenant Scott lying on acouch there. In that case, they will doubtless arrest the two boys Ileft on watch there?"
"Certainly."
"And that will give the man who left this blur on the arm of thischair not long ago a chance to make off with the boat. I reckon you'lldo well to look after that part of the case, for the submarine belongsto the Secret Service department of the Government, and Uncle Sam hasuse for it just at this time."
"The Secret Service department?" repeated the chief. "He said she wasa scout boat Lieutenant Scott was going to coast south with."
"Did he say why he suspected that Lieutenant Scott was in danger?"asked Ned.
"He said you boys were suspicious characters who claimed to be able tooperate a submarine, and that Scott was inclined to try you out."
Ned took a long envelope from a pocket of his coat and passed it,unopened, to the chief.
"Read the letter inside," he said, "and then get me to the Sea Lion asquickly as possible."
The chief opened the envelope and read the single sheet of typewrittenpaper it held.
"From the Secretary of the Navy!" he exclaimed.
"Exactly."
"I don't need to ask if you are the Ned Nestor mentioned in theletter, then. I saw a picture of you in a San Francisco newspaper, notlong ago, and now recognize you as the boy referred to."
"Then take us to the submarine," urged Ned.
"It won't do no good to take us there after that cheap skate hasgeezled the bo
at," Jimmie cut in.
"And you are Jimmie," the chief went on. "I saw your picture, too.Well, this is quite a surprise for me," the chief added.
"You'll get a greater surprise if you let that murderer get off withthe Sea Lion," Jimmie remarked.
The chief called the sergeant again and in a moment all was confusionin the police station. A wagon was called, and the chief and hisex-prisoners were soon on their way to the wharf, followed by the eyesof the policemen left behind.
"That's Ned Nestor, of New York," the boys heard one of the men on theiron steps in front saying as they passed, "and the little fellow isJimmie McGraw. Great hit Preston made arresting them!"
But the minds of the boys were too full of anxiety regarding the fateof Scott and the Sea Lion to pay much attention to the words offlattery they overheard. If the unknown murderer succeeded in securingthe arrest of Jack and Frank and getting away in the submarine, thewhole trip would have to be abandoned, at least for the present.
Besides, Ned had no idea of going back to New York and reporting thathe had been robbed of his boat under the very guns of the Mare IslandNavy Yard. He urged the driver to make greater speed, and in a shorttime the wharf was in sight.
Half a dozen policemen were gathered about the end nearest the floatwhich upheld the Sea Lion, and the figure of another showed at the topof the conning tower. As the police wagon dashed up to the wharfanother rig came up on a run and halted close at the side of it.
"Hello," called the chief, recognizing a man on the seat, "how did youmanage to get here so soon?"
"Some one 'phoned for me," was the hurried reply. "Where is the deadman?"
"In the submarine," answered an officer who had drawn closer to theofficial's buggy.
Without another word the newcomer leaped out and was conveyed to theSea Lion in the rowboat Ned had left tied to the wharf.
"That's the Coroner," the chief said, in explanation. "He'll soon getat the bottom of this."
"Suppose we get aboard the Sea Lion," suggested Ned.
"Of course," said the chief, "you'll remain here a few days and assistin the capture of this fellow?"
"I shall have to ask for instructions from Washington," was the reply."I really ought to get away on the steamer which sails in themorning."
When the three, using a boat an officer found nearby, reached the maincabin of the Sea Lion they found Jack and Frank sitting by the table,handcuffed, repeating over and over again their individual andcollective opinion of the police of Vallejo. Jimmie seemed to takegreat delight in taunting them.
"Black Bears in chains!" he roared.
"Huh, where have you Wolves been?" demanded Jack. "These cops saidthey had you in a pen!"
While the Coroner was making his examination the chief ordered theirons removed from the wrists of the boys. For a time the Coronerappeared to be puzzled. He lifted the hands of the apparently dead manand dropped them again. Then he held a pocket mirror before his lips.
"Look here," he said, presently, "I don't believe this man is dead."
"I hope you are right," Ned said, hopefully. "Still, the poison I gotnear killed me, while he must have gotten much more."
There was a short silence, during which the Coroner held his watch.
CHAPTER VI
NIGHT ON AN OCEAN FLOOR