The six midshipmen, as soon as they realized what had happened, had sprung eagerly to the door of the engine room and stood peering in. Behind them were the cook and crew of the "Dodger." Presently Hal straightened up. "Sir," he said gravely, "I have hopes that if you test the compressed air apparatus you will find that this motor will do its share." Midshipmen and crew drew back as Jack and Eph came out of the engine room. Lieutenant Jack had his wrench in hand, and went back to his former post. "Young gentlemen," the commanding officer announced coolly, "we will take up, at the point where we were interrupted, the work of expelling the water from the compartments Are you ready, Mr. Hastings?" "Right by my post, sir," came from Hal. The six midshipmen gathered about Benson with a stronger sense of fascination than ever. Eph stepped past them to the stairs leading---to the little conning tower. With steady hand Jack Benson turned the wrench. The motor began to "mote" and there was a sense of being lifted. "Going up!" sang Ensign Eph, with a grin. Nor could Dan Dalzell help imitating the grin and calling out jovially: "Let me out at the top floor, please!" Having set the compressed air at work on the forward tanks, Jack Benson quickly shifted the wrench, and without a word, getting at work on the midship's compartments. Then the stern tanks were emptied. "May I come up, sir?" called Dan, his voice trembling with joy, at the foot of the stairs. "Very good," Eph sang back. "Room for only one, though," So Dan Dalzell hastily mounted the iron stairs until he found himself side by side with Eph Somers. For a few seconds all was inky darkness on the other side of the thick plate glass of the conning tower. Then, all in a flash, Dalzell caught sight of the twinkling stars as the dripping conning tower rose above the top of the water. "I have the honor to report that all's well again, and that we're on earth once more," Dan announced, as he came down the steps into the little cabin. "Attention, gentlemen," called Lieutenant Jack Benson, as soon as the "Dodger" was once more under way, her sea-going gasoline engines now performing the work lately entrusted to the electric motors. At the word "attention" the six midshipmen became rigidly erect, their hands dropping at their sides. "Gentlemen," continued Benson, "I realize that the late strain has been a severe one on us all. We of the 'Dodger' have been through the same sort of thing before. You midshipmen have not. If you feel, therefore, that you would prefer to have me head about and return to the Naval Academy I give you my word that I shall not think you weak-kneed for making the request." "Thank you, sir," replied Dave Darrin, "but we belong to the United States Navy and we have no business to suffer with nerves. If our wish alone is to be consulted, we prefer to finish the cruise as we would any other tour of duty."