Williamson was called too, but declared that he felt like turning in
early. So, when the shore boat came, it had but two passengers to take
from the submarine. There were a few shore-leave men, however, from the
gunboat.
"This boat will return to the fleet, gentlemen, every hour up to
midnight," stated the petty officer in charge, as Jack and Hal stepped
ashore at a rickety little wharf.
"Judging from what we can see of the town from here, we'll be ready to go
back long before midnight," Jack Benson laughingly told his companion.
"All I want is to shake some of the sea-roll out of my gait," nodded
Hastings. "It surely doesn't seem to be much of a town."
By way of public buildings there turned out to be a church, locked and
dark, a general store and also a drug-store that contained the local
post-office. But the drug-store carried no ice cream or soda, so the
submarine boys turned away.
There was one other "public" place that the boys failed to discover at
once. That was a low groggery at the further end of the town. Here two of
the sailors who had come on shore leave turned in for a drink or two. They
found a suave, black-bearded man quite ready to buy liquor for Uncle Sam's
tars.
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