“But you noticed one thing, Doctor?” pressed Somers.
“That there were no signs of liquor about them? Those boys never tasted a drop of the vile stuff in their lives!”
“I’m inclined to believe you,” nodded the surgeon. “They have splendid, clear skins, eyes bright as diamonds, sound, sturdy heart-beats, and they’re full of vitality. I’ve met boys from the slums, once in a while—beer-drinkers and cigarette-smokers. But such boys never show the splendid physical condition that your friends possess.”
“You know, then, as well as I do, Doctor, that neither of my chums are rowdies, and that, whatever happened to them to-night, they didn’t get to it through any bad habits or conduct?”
“I’m much inclined to agree with you, Mr. Somers.”
“I hope, then, you’ll succeed in impressing all that on Lieutenant Commander Mayhew in the morning.”
With that the submarine boy passed on to the starboard stateroom. He would have given much to have stepped into the room opposite, but felt, from the doctor’s manner, that the latter did not wish his patients disturbed.
Eph slept little that night. Though Jack and Hal fared better in that single respect, Somers looked far the best of the three in the morning.
Jack and Hal came out with bandages about their heads, which buzzed and ached.
The two, however, told their story to Somers and Williamson as soon as possible.
“Just as I supposed,” nodded Eph, vigorously.
“Why, how did you guess it all?” asked Benson, in astonishment.
“I mean, I knew you hadn’t been in any low sailor resorts.”
“Who said we had?” demanded Jack, flaring in spite of his dizziness.
“Some of the Navy folks didn’t know but you had,” replied Eph, then bit his tongue for having let that much out of the bag.
Doctor McCrea came aboard early. He looked the boys over.
“Eat a little toast, if you want, and drink some weak tea,” he suggested. “After that, eat nothing more until to-night.”
“I don’t know,” replied the doctor, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m not a line officer, and therefore know nothing about the fleet’s manœuvres.”
That reply, however, was quite enough to send Jack Benson’s suspicions aloft.
“Eph,” he cried, wheeling upon his friend the moment Doctor McCrea was gone, “there’s something you haven’t told us.”