The first boat was named the
"Pollard," after David Pollard, the inventor of the craft and of its
successors. By the time that the "Pollard" was ready for launching Jack
and Hal had made themselves so valuable to their employer that the boys
were allowed to take to the water with the boat when it left the stocks.
Eph Somers, freckle-faced and sunny aired, was a Dunhaven boy who had
fairly won his way aboard the same craft by his many sided ability. Yet,
under the direction of Messrs. Farnum and Pollard these youngsters so
rapidly acquired the difficult knack of handling submarine boats that
they remained aboard. In the end Jack Benson became the recognized
captain of the boat. Some notable cruises were made, in which the great
value of the Pollard type of submarines was splendidly proved, thanks
largely to the cleverness of the boys who handled her.
The "Pollard" was present during naval manoeuvres of a fleet of United
States warships. Captain Jack conceived and carried out a most laughable
trick against one of the battleships, which attracted public attention
generally to this new craft.
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