[Illustration: _THE BOAT HEADED UP TO THE BUOY_] A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN AFLOAT _by_ Lt. Com. Yates Stirling Jr. USN [Illustration] Illustrated _by_ Ralph L. Boyer THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA MCMVIII COPYRIGHT 1908 BY THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY [Illustration] Contents I ENEMY OR FRIEND 7 II UNDER ARREST 21 III THE TRACK MEET 38 IV THE FACE IN THE LOCKET 56 V HURRIED ORDERS 71 VI SECRET SERVICE 87 VII AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY 100 VIII PRISONERS 118 IX A TERRIBLE PREDICAMENT 141 X THE SCENE CHANGES 161 XI A NAVAL ENGAGEMENT 185 XII CAPTAIN GARCIA’S STRATEGY 204 XIII LAZAR’S CUNNING 224 XIV THE HOUSE ON LA MESA 243 XV THE DEFENSE 258 XVI THE ASSAULT 277 XVII THE ACCUSATION 295 XVIII AN IMPORTANT WITNESS 311 XIX THE COURT MARTIAL 326 XX THE SEARCH 339 XXI CONCLUSION 364 Illustrations PAGE THE BOAT HEADED UP TO THE BUOY _Frontispiece_ “WELL?” HE INQUIRED, COLDLY 76 HE FOUND A CONVENIENT AIR PORT 98 THE THREE PRISONERS RUSHED THROUGH THE FLAMES 163 “YOU SEIZED ONLY A CARGO OF ROCKS” 241 “DO YOU REFUSE?” HE CRIED, HOARSELY 289 THE DOOR OF THE ROOM OPENED SUDDENLY 351 A United States Midshipman Afloat CHAPTER I ENEMY OR FRIEND The Navy-Yard at Brooklyn buzzed with its daily turmoil of labor. It was a bright June morning, and the high chimneys of the numerous shops and foundries belched forth flame and smoke. Thousands of begrimed workmen toiled incessantly, hammering, bending and riveting masses of metal, fashioning them into shape to be carried by the steam cranes to be blended into the hulls of waiting battle-ships. Through this scene of activity two boys walked briskly. Their clothing was new and in the latest style. It clung to their well set up figures, betraying the hand of the military tailor. Each carried a bright leather suitcase to the top of which a cased sword was strapped. Emerging from the tangle of buildings, the youths glanced about, and an exclamation of pleasure escaped them as a view of their nation’s sea power met their eyes: ten huge battle-ships resplendent in their glassy white and contrasting buff paint lay tied up, filling every foot of the dock frontage. “Which is ours, Phil?” asked one of the youths, stopping and setting his case down with a sigh of relief.