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          The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service

                          OR

           Earning New Ratings in European Seas

                   By FRANK GEE PATCHIN


    Illustrated

    THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY
    Akron, Ohio             New York
    Made in U. S. A.

    Copyright MCMXI
    _By_ THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY

    PRINTED IN U. S. A.




[Illustration: "Hip, Hip, Hooray!" Yelled Dan.]




CONTENTS


CHAPTER PAGE

I. BATTLESHIP BOYS TO THE RESCUE 7

II. A SERIOUS CHARGE 20

III. AMBASSADORS ON THEIR TRAIL 32

IV. ICE CREAM COMES HIGH 42

V. A PLUNGE INTO SOCIETY 52

VI. STRANDED IN A STRANGE CITY 59

VII. UNDER THE FLAG ONCE MORE 66

VIII. HIS FIRST COMMAND 74

IX. ROUNDING UP THE STRAGGLERS 83

X. OUTWITTED BY A BOY 95

XI. BETWEEN SKY AND SEA 106

XII. IN THE COILS OF A "TWISTER" 118

XIII. TWO ARE MISSING 127

XIV. DOWN THE AMMUNITION HOIST 136

XV. LAND HO! 146

XVII. ON GIBRALTAR'S PEAK 154

XVII. ON THE BLUE MEDITERRANEAN 167

XVIII. JOLLY TARS IN EGYPT 178

XIX. ON THE SHIPS OF THE DESERT 193

XX. CALLING ON THE MUMMIES 201

XXI. CONCLUSION 209




The Battleship Boys in Foreign Service




CHAPTER I

BATTLESHIP BOYS TO THE RESCUE


"This is the famous Bois de Boulogne Sam."

"The what?"

"Bois de Boulogne, one of the most popular drives in Paris."

"Huh!" grunted Sam Hickey. "That sounds to me like some kind of sausage.
What do they ever name their streets that way for in Paris?"

"All the names in this great, gay city mean something," answered Dan
Davis. "This park here bears the same name. It was infested by desperate
robbers as far back as the fourteenth century."

"Robbers!" exclaimed the red-haired boy.

"Yes."

"Are they here yet?"

"No; Napoleon cleaned them out. We shall soon be out by the Arch. The
Frenchmen call it Arc de Triomphe."

"They do?"

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Of course."

"I'll bet there isn't a Frenchman in France who would know what you were
talking about if they heard you call it by that name. I don't know
anything about French, but if that is French give me plain United
States. You are sure there are no robbers left in the Bologna sausage?"

"Bois de Boulogne, Sam," corrected Dan. "No; there are no robbers here.
You need not be afraid."

"Afraid! What do you take me for, Dan Davis. I----"

"Hark!"

"Nothing of the sort. I'm no coward. I, a sailor in Uncle Sam's Navy,
and afraid of robbers? Pooh!"

"Listen! Did you hear that, Sam?"

"Hear what? No; I didn't hear anything. But--wow! What's that?"

Hickey gave a sudden startled jump.

"It's a woman's scream," breathed Dan, listening intently. "Did you hear
it?"

"I--I should say I did. Yes, and there it goes again. She's some sort of
foreigner. I wonder what is going on?"

The scream was repeated. Though the lads were unable to understand what
the voice was saying, it was evident that the woman, whoever or whatever
she might be, was in dire distress.

"Where is it--where is it?" demanded Sam, now very much excited.

"The sound came from off yonder, where the trees are thickest."

"I see nothing."

"I do," answered Dan. "See, yonder is a carriage. Come on! There's a
woman in trouble. What is it?" shouted the boy, raising his voice.

"Help! Help!" came the answer in plain English.

"It's one of our own countrywomen--our own United States. We're coming,
madam!"

Dan was off with a bound, followed a few paces behind by his red-haired
friend, Sam Hickey.

As they ran they made out a coupe that had been drawn up beside the
road. One man was holding the horses by the heads, while a group of
others were standing by the door of the carriage.

"What's going on there?" demanded Dan.

"I--I guess Napoleon didn't chase all the robbers out," stammer